2 Macon restaurants got a ‘C’ on their health inspections, but they cleared the follow-ups

Brittany McGee
·3 min read

Two Macon restaurants raised their scores last month in a follow-up health inspection after a series of mistakes resulted in a “C” score for the businesses.

Osaka Sushi and Hibachi on Mercer University Drive earned a 74 on its Dec. 29 routine health inspection for violations including displaying expired food safety certificates, water not reaching required temperatures, food stored without labels and not keeping a temperature log for sushi rice.

During the follow-up inspection on Jan. 3, many of the previous violations were corrected, raising Osaka Sushi and Hibachi’s score to an 89.

Another restaurant, Steve’s Corner Cafe on Arkwright Road, also raised its score from a “C” in its follow-up inspection.

The restaurant earned a 75 in a Jan. 24 inspection because of violations including improperly labeled food and food stored at incorrect temperatures.

Two days later, on Jan. 26, Steve’s Corner Cafe corrected all the violations, earning a perfect score.

There were 64 restaurants, lounges and bars inspected in January, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health’s online portal. Of the 58 Macon businesses offering food services that received “A’s” in their routine inspections, 25 of them earned perfect scores. (Note: Three businesses got two scores for different parts of their operation.)

Here are the restaurants that received perfect scores in January.

Perfect food safety scores

  • 3 Countries Restaurant, 195 Springs St.

  • 5 Star Mac Shack, 1780 Anthony Road

  • Compass Rose Cafe, 1780 Anthony Road

  • Carmella Joe’s, 777 Hemlock St.

  • Dab’s Cafe, 1000 Terminal Drive

  • Daiquiris & More “DM”, 408 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

  • Einstein Bros. Bagels at Tarver Library, 1501 Mercer University Drive

  • Legends Fitness, 4551 Billy Williamson Drive

  • Macon Arts Center, 4570 Pio Nono Ave.

  • Margarita’s at Mercer Village, 1602 Montpelier Ave. Ste. 106

  • Marriott Macon City Center, 240 Coliseum Drive

  • Medical Center of Central Georgia, 777 Hemlock St.

  • Mercer Dining Law School Sidebar Cafe, 1021 Georgia Ave.

  • Mercer Mobile Base, 1327 Stadium Drive

  • Mercer University Concessions, 1400 Coleman Ave.

  • Mercer University Connell Center, 1400 Coleman Ave.

  • Mercer University Stadium Home Concession, 1327 Stadium Drive

  • Mercer University Stadium Visitor Concession, 1327 Stadium Drive

  • Papa Johns #4372, 4126 Hartley Bridge Road

  • Party Ice, 3271 Houston Ave.

  • Ribbons Cafe, 800 First St.

  • Rosie’s Market, 777 Hemlock St.

  • Shiloh Center/Edward’s Catering, 3617 Masseyville Road

  • South Macon Diner, 3297 Houston Ave.

  • Steve’s Corner Cafe, 3955 Arkwright Road

  • Taste and See Coffee Shop & Gallery, 546 Poplar St.

  • The Bears Den, 1191 Oglethorpe St.

  • The Corner Cafe at Medical Center Navicent Health, 777 Hemlock St.

How the grading works

Restaurants receive one of four letter grades that are assigned based on how many points are deducted from 100:

  • “A” grades mean food safety is excellent is achieved by receiving 90-100 points

  • “B’s” are issued when there is “satisfactory compliance” with the business receiving 80-89 points

  • “C’s” mean there is marginal compliance and applied to scores between 70-79

  • “U’s” represent unsatisfactory compliance and are applied to scores of 69 or less.

Establishments that receive a “C” or “U” food safety grade will have at least one additional routine inspection added in a 12-month period, according to state law.

The Telegraph monitors inspection scores each month and typically reports the highest and lowest scores.