At a glance
CleanCleaver food safety systematic review results
What happened?
90/ 100 · 10 points taken off
4 problems found · Routine county inspection · Jul 22, 2026
Is that a lot?
Most food places here got 2 to 15 points taken off. Santa Fe Taqueria 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 Santa Fe Taqueria?
It's fair to care about this. Here's what the county found. Tap any item to see how a kitchen fixes it.
- Food-contact surfaces not cleaned or sanitized right K14How to fixFix it
- Hot food below 135°F K07How to fixFix it
- Equipment in poor repair K35How 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 Santa Fe Taqueria's team
Is this your place?
Welcome, Santa Fe Taqueria. We'll walk through this together, one item at a time. To log the fixes, claim Santa Fe Taqueria 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 Santa Fe TaqueriaWe'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: Food-contact surfaces not cleaned or sanitized rightThe county found: “There was some food residue accumulation on the recently washed knives stored on the knife store plates. [CA] Conduct…”
First step: Clean first, then sanitize
Then the next one: Hot food below 135°F
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 4-603.16, Food Code 3-403.11, Food Code 6-501.112, Food Code 3-501.19.
Try it yourself
Fix and log it: Food-contact surfaces not cleaned or sanitized right
A practice run. Nothing is saved. Tap each step when it's done.
0 of 3 done
Clean first, then sanitize
From Food Code 4-603.16
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 Santa Fe TaqueriaWe'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 · 4 inspections on record · Last checked Oct 6, 2026
The county visited 2 times in the last 12 months (2 routine).
Fewer points taken off than last time (13 → 10). That takes a team.
Every visit
LatestJul 22, 2026Routine inspection90 out of 100 (Green placard)
This one: 90 out of 100 (Green placard), inspected Jul 22, 2026.
4 violations listed, 0 marked critical.
Not critical (4)
Food-contact surfaces not cleaned or sanitized right
The department's words
K14 Food contact surfaces clean, sanitized
There was some food residue accumulation on the recently washed knives stored on the knife store plates. [CA] Conduct a thorough cleaning of the utensils and equipment before reuse.
Food Code 4-602.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Clean first, then sanitize
- 1. Scrape off food.
- 2. Wash with detergent and warm water.
- 3. Rinse off the soap (soap weakens sanitizer).
From Food Code 4-603.16
When to clean food-contact surfaces
4 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Cleaning vs sanitizing, and sanitizer strengths
The full guide has 4 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you Santa Fe Taqueria? Fix it
The department's words
K07 Proper hot and cold holding temperatures
Some potentially hazardous foods stored on the preparation fridge, including diced tomato, cheese, and sour cream were measured between 45°F and 50 °F. [CA] All potentially hazardous foods like meat, seafood, poultry, dairy products, cooked vegetables, cooked cereals, greens, and diced tomatoes shall always be held at 41°F or below or at 135°F or above. Please monitor the temperature and use of the refrigeration unit regularly
Food Code 3-501.16(A)(1)
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
If food is out of range
- Hot food below 135°F for less than 2 hours: reheat to 165°F.
- Cold food above 41°F for less than 2 hours: chill it right away.
- Unknown time or longer: throw it out.
Which foods need temperature control (TCS)
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Hot and cold holding
The full guide has 3 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you Santa Fe Taqueria? Fix it
Equipment in poor repair
The department's words
K35 Equipment, utensils: Approved, in good repair, adequate capacity
Ambient air temperature of one of the preparation fridges located n the preparation area was measured above 45 OF. [CA] The ambient temperature of any refrigeration unit must be kept at or below 41 OF. Until the unit’s temperature adjusted to 41 OF or below, please do not solely use the unit to store any potentially hazardous foods.
Food Code 4-101.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
In CleanCleaver: Look over the equipment; report anything broken
Equipment in good repair
In CleanCleaver: Look over the equipment; report anything broken
Are you Santa Fe Taqueria? Fix it
Thermometer missing or reading wrong
The department's words
K39 Thermometers provided, accurate
There was no functional thermometer inside of the under-counter preparation ridge. [CA] To monitor the ambient air temperature of the units, please install a functional thermometer on all refrigeration units.
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 Santa Fe Taqueria? Fix it
EarlierFeb 3, 2026Routine inspection87 out of 100 (Green placard)
5 violations listed, 0 marked critical.
Not critical (5)
Cooked food not cooled in time
The department's words
K09 Proper cooling methods
Cooling of freshly cooked rice, beef stew, and beans was done at room temperature. [CA] All hot-held food products must be cooled from 135 OF to 70 OF within the first two hours and from 70 OF to 41 OF with another four hours by: (1) Placing the FOOD in shallow pans. (2) Separating the FOOD into smaller or thinner portions. (3) Using rapid cooling EQUIPMENT. (4) Using containers that facilitate heat transfer. (5) Adding ice as an ingredient. (6) Using ice paddles. (7) Inserting appropriately designed containers in an ice bath and stirring frequently. The manager demonstrated the proper cooling procedure using an ice bath and smaller portions.
No backflow test on file
The department's words
K41 Plumbing approved, installed, in good repair; proper backflow devices
The drainpipe from the ice machine is immersed inside the floor sink. [CA] To prevent possible contamination from backup of sewage, please provide at least one inch air gap between the floor sink and the drainpipes.
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 not reheated to 165°F for hot holding
The department's words
K11 Proper reheating procedures for hot holding
The department's words
K07 Proper hot and cold holding temperatures
Frozen potato stored on the ice bath was measured at 49 oF. [CA] All cold-held food products must be stored at or below 41 oF or at or above 235 oF.
EarlierJul 25, 2025Routine inspection87 out of 100 (Green placard)
5 violations listed, 0 marked critical.
Not critical (5)
Pests seen inside: drain flies
The department's words
K23 No rodents, insects, birds, or animals
Many of houseflies and drain flies were observed in the meat slicing, processing, and packaging areas. [CA] Eliminate all insects and rodents from the facility by a legal method.
Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repair
The department's words
K44 Premises clean, in good repair; Personal/chemical storage; Adequate vermin-proofing
There is a gap between the screen door and the concrete floor in the back door. [CA] To prevent insect/rodent infestation, please install a weatherstripping on the screen door.
The department's words
K07 Proper hot and cold holding temperatures
Shredded cheese stored on the preparation fridge was measured at 46 °F. [CA] All potentially hazardous foods like meat, seafood, poultry, dairy products, cooked vegetables, cooked cereals, greens, and diced tomatoes shall always be held at 41°F or below or at 135°F or above. Please monitor the temperature and use of the refrigeration unit regularly
Time as a control not marked or logged
The department's words
K08 Time as a public health control; procedures & records
No written procedures available for Time as a Public Health Control (TPHC) for pastor gyro stored on the vertical broiler. Per food handlers and store manager, cones are to be used within 2 hours or shave down and cooked thoroughly. But there were no time/temperature logs for all the gyros stored on the gyro stand. [CA] If time only, rather than time in conjunction with temperature, is used as the public health control for a working supply of potentially hazardous food before cooking or for ready-to-eat potentially hazardous food that is displayed or held for service for immediate consumption, the following shall occur: (1) The food shall be marked or otherwise identified to indicate the time that is four hours past the point in time when the food is removed from temperature control. (2) The food shall be cooked and served, served if ready-to-eat, or discarded within four hours from the point in time when the food is removed from temperature control. (3) The food in unmarked containers or packages or marked to exceed a four-hour limit shall be discarded. (4) Written procedures shall be maintained in the food facility and made available to the enforcement agency upon request, to ensure compliance with this section and Section 114002, for food that is prepared, cooked, and refrigerated before time is used as a public health control. [SA] Since the chef said the gyro was put on the stands at midday, he was told to shave off them and rapidly cool the food products to 70 OF within two hours by storing them in flat panels inside the walk-in cooler.
Thermometer missing or reading wrong
The department's words
K39 Thermometers provided, accurate
There was no functional thermometer inside of the under-counter fridge. [CA] To monitor the ambient air temperature of the units, please install a functional thermometer on all refrigeration units.
EarlierJan 14, 2025Routine inspection98 out of 100 (Green placard)
1 violation listed, 0 marked critical.
Not critical (1)
Shelves and surfaces need cleaning
The department's words
K33 Nonfood contact surfaces clean
There is an abundant dust accumulation on the restroom’s exhaust vent screen. [CA] Conduct a regular cleaning on the screens.
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 Santa Fe Taqueria, you can:
Learn how these get fixed
Free, step-by-step guides for each item.
- Food-contact surfaces not cleaned or sanitized right Read the free guide
- Hot food below 135°F Read the free guide
- Equipment in poor repair In CleanCleaver: Look over the equipment; report anything broken
- Thermometer missing or reading wrong Read the free guide
Call Santa Fe Taqueria
Ask for the manager. Santa Fe Taqueria can only fix what it knows about.
Share this page
Use CleanCleaver at home
Families clean together. Chores and food dates for everyone at home.
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.
Do you work at or run Santa Fe Taqueria?
See the plan to fix each item and show what you did.
Address thisAbout 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
- 90 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.