At a glance
CleanCleaver food safety systematic review results
What happened?
85/ 100 · 15 points taken off
7 problems found · Routine county inspection · Apr 6, 2026
Is that a lot?
Most food places here got 2 to 15 points taken off. Mexico Lindo got about the same as most.
Compared with 9,600 Santa Clara County food places. Each place's last routine inspection counts.
What was found out about Mexico Lindo?
It's fair to care about this. Here's what the county found. Tap any item to see how a kitchen fixes it.
- Dish sink or dish machine not set up right K34How to fixFix it
- Thermometer missing or reading wrong K39How to fixFix it
- Raw food not kept apart from ready-to-eat food K27How to fixFix it
Source: County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
We review Santa Clara County health data to make this report. We are not the County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health.
Visit them directly at deh.santaclaracounty.gov (opens the department's site) · How we review
For Mexico Lindo's team
Is this your place?
Welcome, Mexico Lindo. We'll walk through this together, one item at a time. To log the fixes, claim Mexico Lindo first; we check that you run it.
Your whole team can help. Each person gets one next step, and everyone can see what's done.
This is my place: claim Mexico LindoWe'll help you get every item done. You don't have to do it alone.
We know an inspection can feel heavy, especially when it's busy.
Fix it together
Follow the steps for each item, with the rule beside it.
Next: Dish sink or dish machine not set up rightThe county found: “There is no approved sanitizer measuring strip to measure the concentration of the chemicals used to sanitize dishes…”
First step: Set up
Then the next one: Thermometer missing or reading wrong
Log it
Your team logs the fix on their phones, with the time and who did it.
Show what you did
Saying what you fixed, in your own words, builds trust. Families and regulars respect a kitchen that owns it and fixes it.
Each fix step comes from the rule it names: Food Code 4-301.12, Food Code 3-302.11, Food Code 3-304.14, Food Code 6-501.112.
Try it yourself
Fix and log it: Dish sink or dish machine not set up right
A practice run. Nothing is saved. Tap each step when it's done.
0 of 3 done
Set up
From Food Code 4-301.12
Logged
That's one done. We'll be here for the next.
What people see now
Today, people see the department's words and nothing from you.
What people see after you fix and log it
Example reply
CleanCleaverBusiness reply
Your business replied to this with the public statement:
We fixed this the same day. Now our team logs it on their phones at open and close.
The date of your reply
This is not an official update to the health inspection report. The county's record is unchanged.
Most kitchens get something cited at some point. What people remember is that you fixed it.
Want to join the restaurants in Santa Clara County that keep their kitchens clean and put their guests' health first?
Claim Mexico LindoWe'll set it up with you. 25 days free.
Replies are part of a paid plan. We read each one before it goes up. You can take it down any time. Only the department can change its record.
Do you work there, and someone else owns it? I work there
What people see next
Under each item here, people see what you fixed, in your words.
Left alone, or fixed together
Left alone, the same items can come back at the next inspection. Fixed together, they're done.
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CleanCleaver puts these same items on your team's phones, with the rule beside each one. Your binder is ready when the inspector is.
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Inspections
From County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health · 3 inspections on record · Last checked Oct 6, 2026
The county visited once in the last 12 months (1 routine).
Fewer points taken off than last time (23 → 15). That takes a team.
Every visit
LatestApr 6, 2026Routine inspection85 out of 100 (Green placard)
This one: 85 out of 100 (Green placard), inspected Apr 6, 2026.
7 violations listed, 0 marked critical.
Not critical (7)
Dish sink or dish machine not set up right
The department's words
K34 Warewash facilities: installed/maintained; test strips
There is no approved sanitizer measuring strip to measure the concentration of the chemicals used to sanitize dishes and utensils in the facility. [CA] Provide approved sanitizer measuring strips for the chemicals used in sanitizing utensils. equipment, and food contact surfaces.
Food Code 4-301.12
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Set up
- 1. Wash your hands at the hand sink (never at this sink).
- 2. Clean and sanitize all three sinks and both drainboards.
- 3. Sink 1 (WASH): detergent and water at 110°F or hotter.
From Food Code 4-301.12
Washing, step by step
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
The three-compartment sink, step by step
The full guide has 3 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you Mexico Lindo? Fix it
Thermometer missing or reading wrong
The department's words
K39 Thermometers provided, accurate
There was not a functional prob thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the cold and hot food products. [CA] Provide an approved prob type thermometer and use it with regular calibration and sanitization.
Food Code 4-203.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Ice-water method
- 1. Fill a large glass with crushed ice, then add cold water to the top. Stir.
- 2. Put the probe in the center, not touching the sides or bottom. A dial thermometer goes at least 2 inches deep, past the dimple.
- 3. Wait 30 seconds, or until the reading stops moving.
- 4. It should read 32°F. If not, adjust it (dial: turn the nut under the head with a wrench; digital: press reset per the maker). Replace it if it can't be adjusted.
Using and cleaning it
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Thermometers and calibration
The full guide has 3 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you Mexico Lindo? Fix it
Raw food not kept apart from ready-to-eat food
The department's words
K27 Food separated and protected
Some open bag food products were stored on the shelf in the dry storage area. [CA] Store all open bag food products in properly labeled bulk containers.
Food Code 3-302.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Top to bottom
- 1. Top: ready-to-eat food (salads, desserts, cut fruit, cooked leftovers, deli meat, cheese, drinks)
- 2. Raw fish and seafood (cooked to 145°F)
- 3. Whole cuts of beef, pork and lamb; raw shell eggs (145°F)
From Food Code 3-302.11
Keep raw meat types apart
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Fridge and freezer storage order
The full guide has 3 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you Mexico Lindo? Fix it
Wiping cloths left out of sanitizer
The department's words
K40 Wiping cloths: properly used, stored
Couple of wet/soiled wiping cloths were stored on the counters. [CA] Wet/soiled wiping cloths must be stored in a bucket that has standard sanitizer concentration in between use which is 200 ppm quaternary ammonia or 100 ppm chlorine (bleach).
Food Code 3-304.14
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Keep the bucket strong
- Wet cloths sit in sanitizer between uses: chlorine 50–99 ppm, or quat at label strength.
- Test with the cloths in the bucket when you mix it and every 2 hours.
- Remake it at once if it tests low or has food or dirt in it. Never just add more sanitizer to a dirty bucket.
From Food Code 3-304.14
Keep cloths apart
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Wiping cloths and sanitizer buckets
The full guide has 3 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you Mexico Lindo? Fix it
The department's words
K23 No rodents, insects, birds, or animals
Couple of dry rat droppings were observed by the mechanical dishwasher. [CA] Eliminate all insects and rodents from the facility by a legal method.
Food Code 6-501.111
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
What to do
- Any sign of mice, rats or roaches: act now. Protect or throw out affected food, clean the area, and call the pest control operator the same day.
- Flies or ants in food areas: act within 24 hours.
- Insects in food: throw that food out and check the stock around it.
From Food Code 6-501.112
What NOT to do
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Signs of pests and what to do
The full guide has 3 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you Mexico Lindo? Fix it
Show 2 more
Utensils or dishes stored wet or unwashed
The department's words
K36 Equipment, utensils, linens: Proper storage and use
The ice scoop for the ice machine was stored on an unclean surface. [CA] All reusable utensils including the ice scoop must be stored on clean surface/container in between use. Boxes of single use and other utensils were stored on the floor back in the storage area. [CA] For easy floor cleaning and to prevent insect/rodent infestation and hiding, store all utensils/equipment at least six inches off the floor on approved shelf/dunnage rack at all the time.
Food Code 4-901.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
In CleanCleaver: Check a room top to bottom
Utensils and dishes stored clean and dry
In CleanCleaver: Check a room top to bottom
Are you Mexico Lindo? Fix it
Food on the floor or under drips
The department's words
K30 Food storage: food storage containers identified
Many food products on boxes were stored directly on the floor or on milk crate back in the storage area. [CA] To prevent insect hiding and breading and for easy cleaning of the floor area, please store all food products at least six inches off the floor on an approved shelf or dunnage rack.
Food Code 3-305.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Where food may never be stored
- Keep food at least 6 inches off the floor.
- Never in restrooms, locker or dressing rooms, garbage rooms, or mechanical rooms (furnace, water heater, electrical).
- Never under stairs, or under sewer lines, leaking water lines or fire sprinkler lines.
From Food Code 3-305.11
Top to bottom
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Fridge and freezer storage order
The full guide has 3 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you Mexico Lindo? Fix it
EarlierOct 8, 2025Routine inspection77 out of 100 (Green placard)
10 violations listed, 0 marked critical.
Not critical (10)
Raw food not kept apart from ready-to-eat food
The department's words
K27 Food separated and protected
Some open bag food products were stored on the shelf in the dry storage area. [CA] Store all open bag food products in properly labeled bulk containers.
No backflow test on file
The department's words
K41 Plumbing approved, installed, in good repair; proper backflow devices
There is a leakage from the handwash sink located by the cook line. [CA] Repair the leakage immediately to give the employees easy access to wash hands.
Eating or drinking in a food area
The department's words
K04 Proper eating, tasting, drinking, tobacco use
Employees working in the back in the kitchen area were observed drinking with open cup containers. [CA] Employees may only drink or eat in designated areas. If employees must drink in the food preparation area, they must use covered cup container with a straw. Their drinks must also be stored in designated areas to prevent possible contamination.
Shelves and surfaces need cleaning
The department's words
K33 Nonfood contact surfaces clean
The screen covers of the make-up air vents back in the preparation area and the restroom’s exhaust fan have heavy dust accumulation. [CA] Clean the screen covers of the makeup air and the exhaust fan regularly.
Show 5 more
Wiping cloths left out of sanitizer
The department's words
K40 Wiping cloths: properly used, stored
Couple of wet/soiled wiping cloths were stored on the counters. [CA] Wet/soiled wiping cloths must be stored in a bucket that has standard sanitizer concentration in between use which is 200 ppm quaternary ammonia or 100 ppm chlorine (bleach).
Signs posted; last inspection report available
The department's words
K47 Signs posted; last inspection report available
The current Environmental Health permit was not posted on public view. [CA] The most current Environmental Health permit must be posted on public view at all the time.
Utensils or dishes stored wet or unwashed
The department's words
K36 Equipment, utensils, linens: Proper storage and use
The ice scoop for the ice machine was stored on an unclean surface. [CA] All reusable utensils including the ice scoop must be stored on clean surface/container in between use.
Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repair
The department's words
K45 Floor, walls, ceilings: built,maintained, clean
There are some damaged/broken or missing floor tiles and coving tiles below and on the walls of the cooking equipment in the cooking line and back in the preparation area. [CA] Replace the damaged/broken or missing floor tiles immediately. There is a gap between the ceiling and the wall of one of the dry storage room. [CA] To prevent vermin infestation, please seal the gap between the two structures.
The department's words
K06 Adequate handwash facilities supplied, accessible
The bar's handwash station was used to store bottle of liquors. [CA] Please removed the drinks from the handwash station to provide access for employees to wash hand whenever it is needed.
EarlierJan 9, 2025Routine inspection70 out of 100 (Green placard)
11 violations listed, 1 marked critical.
Critical (1)
Marked critical by County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
The department's words
K06 Adequate handwash facilities supplied, accessible
There was no soap supply on the kitchen's preparation area handwash station. [CA] Refill the wall-mounted soap dispenser immediately. Until the wall-mounted soap dispenser is refilled/fixed, provide a pump-type soap dispenser. The facility manager provided a pump-type soap dispenser (COS).
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Not critical (10)
No backflow test on file
The department's words
K41 Plumbing approved, installed, in good repair; proper backflow devices
There is a heavy leakage from the bar's handwash station. [CA] Repair the leakage immediately.
Hood filters need cleaning
The department's words
K38 Adequate ventilation/lighting; designated areas, use
Repeated violation: There are gaps in between the screens of the exhaust hood. [CA] To trap all the steam, smoke, grease, and heat produced by the equipment located below the exhaust hood, seal |the gaps observed between the screens.
Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repair
The department's words
K44 Premises clean, in good repair; Personal/chemical storage; Adequate vermin-proofing
Couple of open cup employee drinks were stored on the preparation tables. [CA] To prevent possible contamination, employees may only drink with covered cup container and store their drink in designated areas. Employee belongings including clothes and backpacks were stored on the utensil and food storage shelves. [CA] Employee belongings must be stored in designated area.
Wiping cloths left out of sanitizer
The department's words
K40 Wiping cloths: properly used, stored
Couple of wet/soiled wiping cloths were stored on the counters. [CA] Wet/soiled wiping cloths must be stored in a bucket that has standard sanitizer concentration in between use which is 200 ppm quaternary ammonia or 100 ppm chlorine (bleach).
Food-contact surfaces not cleaned or sanitized right
The department's words
K14 Food contact surfaces clean, sanitized
There is a slime buildup inside the ice machine. [CA] Clean the internal part of the ice machine regularly. Some recently washed utensils were stacked together on the utensil storage shelf. [CA] Air dry all clean utensils before staking them together.
Show 5 more
Permits available
The department's words
K49 Permits available
--48 HOUR NOTICE— Our records indicate this facility is operating without a valid permit and has a delinquent account. Your balance due is $ 2,153.75 Payment must be made immediately to DEH at the address at the top of this report or via our website at www.Ehinfo.org/payment using the account ID number AR1291003. A facility that submits payment of the outstanding balance within 48 hours (2 business days) of this notice will be issued and mailed an operating permit by this department. Failure to comply within 48 hours will result in facility closure and additional enforcement, including but not limited to reinspection(s) and additional cost recovery fees. A facility found to be in continued operation without a permit may incur a penalty of three (3) times the operating permit fee, and fee(s) for re-inspection(s) charged at the current hourly rate approved by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. Penalties and fees incurred due to enforcement activities must be paid in full prior to the issuance of an operating permit.
Food on the floor or under drips
The department's words
K30 Food storage: food storage containers identified
Some food products on boxes including syrup were stored directly on the floor or on milk crate back in the kitchen area. [CA] To prevent insect hiding and breading and for easy cleaning of the floor area, please store all food products at least six inches off the floor on approved shelf or dunnage rack.
Shelves and surfaces need cleaning
The department's words
K33 Nonfood contact surfaces clean
Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repair
The department's words
K45 Floor, walls, ceilings: built,maintained, clean
Food residue and slime buildup was observed on the floor and the floor sinks located below the preparation and wash sinks, and below the equipment stands. [CA] Conduct a thorough and regular cleaning on the floor areas.
The department's words
K01 Demonstration of knowledge; food safety certification
Repeated violation: There is not a food safety manager certified person in the facility. [CA] Someone from the facility must take a food safety certificate class within two months and keep copy of the certificate on file. Food Safety Manager certificate class may be taken on the following websites: 1. Premier Food Safety: https://www.premierfoodsafety.com/food-manager-certification/california\ 2. Learn 2 Serve: https://www.360training.com/learn2serve/food-safety-manager/California 3. Serve Safe Manager: https://www.servsafe.com/ServSafe-Manager Couple of the employees do not have food handler cards. [CA] Employee engaged in food preparation, storage, and service and who do not have food safety certificate must take food handler cards within a month of hire. California approved Food Handler Card (FHC) class providers All Directory Listing (ahttps://anabpd.ansi.org/Accreditation/credentialing/certificate-issuers/AllDirectoryListing?prgID=228,238&statusID=4nsi.org)
Source: County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health. This is the department's data, not CleanCleaver's. See the department's full record (opens the department's site)
What you can do
As a customer of Mexico Lindo, you can:
Learn how these get fixed
Free, step-by-step guides for each item.
- Dish sink or dish machine not set up right Read the free guide
- Thermometer missing or reading wrong Read the free guide
- Raw food not kept apart from ready-to-eat food Read the free guide
- Wiping cloths left out of sanitizer Read the free guide
- Pests seen inside: rats Read the free guide
- Utensils or dishes stored wet or unwashed In CleanCleaver: Check a room top to bottom
- Food on the floor or under drips Read the free guide
Call Mexico Lindo
Ask for the manager. Mexico Lindo can only fix what it knows about.
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Complain directly to the health department
We are not the health department. You can report to them on their site. Report to County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health (opens the department's site)
When regulars speak up kindly and kitchens fix things, the whole neighborhood eats well. Now you know what the inspector found, and what you can do about it.
About this record
Opens the county's own page for this place.
Most people don't know what a normal result looks like for a place that's open every day. The ranges use each place's last routine inspection in this area. No other county is mixed in.
100 means the inspector found no problems. Santa Clara County takes points off for each problem. Big ones take off more.
The county posts a green, yellow or red placard after each inspection, and gives routine inspections a score. In the county's data, a routine inspection with no violations listed scored 100, and the score drops as violations are found. The county's page does not say which scores or findings give each color: ask the department.
- Inspection type
- Routine inspection
- Result
- 85 out of 100 (Green placard)
- Source
- County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
This is not an official ranking or grade. See the official source: County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health (opens the department's site) .
Information on this page may be out of date. Check the original source to confirm.