Restaurants in Wichita KS fail for cockroaches, filth, foul smell, old food & more

Amy Renee Leiker
·15 min read

Nineteen restaurants, hotels and other businesses in Sedgwick County were out of compliance during food safety and lodging inspections conducted by the Kansas Department of Agriculture over the past two weeks.

Information about the establishments and their violations appears below in an alphabetical list with a summary of the problems inspectors found. You can see more details in The Eagle’s searchable database of non-compliant restaurant and hotel inspections at www.kansas.com/databases. This list includes inspections from Sept. 10-23 and is broken down by week. It was compiled Sept. 27.

The 100 establishments that passed inspections during the same time period also appear alphabetically below. Some may have been non-compliant in previous weeks, including those listed in this article.

Business owners or managers who want to clarify or comment on inspection results can contact Eagle reporter Amy Renee Leiker at 316-268-6644 or aleiker@wichitaeagle.com. Comments will be added to online stories.

How establishments fail

Most violations are minor and are corrected during an inspection.

Businesses fall out of compliance when they have too many violations, issues that can cause foodborne illnesses or when a problem can’t be fixed right away, like bug and rodent infestations.

It’s rare for a facility to shut down over a failed inspection, but it can happen. Circumstances that might lead to a closure include sewage backups, ongoing or untreated pest problems, and if a business operates without water, power or refrigeration. Usually closures are temporary.

When an establishment fails, it’s typically inspected again within 10 days.

You can search food and lodging inspection results in any Kansas county at www.foodsafety.kda.ks.gov/FoodSafety/Web/Inspection/PublicInspectionSearch.aspx.

Out-of-compliance inspections

Sept. 17-23

Best Western Plus Wichita West Airport Inn, 3800 W. Kellogg Drive in Wichita — Four violations on Sept. 21 during a routine inspection. No backflow preventer on mop sink faucet, hotel didn’t fill out required paperwork, cockroach in storage room, broken faucet handles at mop sink and kitchen so water can’t be turned on. Next inspection: Oct. 1.

Pho Special, 2409 E. Pawnee in Wichita — Eight violations on Sept. 18 during a complaint inspection. Egg rolls weren’t kept hot enough, raw beef thawing at room temperature got too warm, thawing chicken and container of cooked duck weren’t labeled with preparation dates, cockroaches behind water heater and crawling on walls by sinks and under refrigerator, cook touched ready-to-serve egg roll with bare hands, several holes in walls behind water heater and in men’s bathroom, walls in disrepair, “black buildup of an unknown substance” on pipe, bean sprouts and thawing beef got too warm, at least half an inch of “heavy grease buildup” on side of fryer is “a potential food source” for roaches. Next inspection: Sept. 28.

Pizza Hut, 1708 E. Pawnee in Wichita — Four violations on Sept. 22 during a complaint inspection. Leaky backflow preventer and corroded areas around valve, dozens of metal food containers and at least 10 dessert pans had “greasy residue” on them, cockroach in dish area, grease built up above and on fryers and wall next to pizza oven and in other areas of restaurant, “heavy grime buildup” on dishwasher and black mold on walls in three-vat sink area. Next inspection: Oct 2.

Ziggy’s Pizza East, 12115 E. 21st St. in Wichita — Six violations on Sept. 20 during a routine inspection. Several refrigerated items including meats and cheeses weren’t cold enough, food splatter on wall and debris on other machines and shelving, dirty floors and other surfaces, clutter in basement and pooled liquid in beer keg coolers, bottle of sanitizer was stored with spray nozzle pointed toward to-go containers, unlabeled chemical bottles, no probe-style food thermometer, dried “black food residue” on can opener blade. Next inspection: Sept. 30.

Sept. 10-16

Braum’s Ice Cream and Dairy Store, 444 E. Pawnee in Wichita — Three violations on Sept. 11 during a follow-up inspection. Peanuts and food residue that wasn’t cleaned up is a food source for cockroaches, container of shake mix got too warm sitting out at room temperature, cockroaches around soft serve ice cream machine and dessert station bar. Next inspection: Nov. 11.

Carniceria El Guero No. 3, 1560 S. Main St. in Wichita — Three violations on Sept. 11 during a modified complaint inspection. Flies, cheese and meats including hot dogs and ham were too warm, no paper towels at hand-washing sink by meat coolers. The business was in compliance during a Sept. 21 follow-up inspection.

Deshi Curry, 6249 E. 21st St. in Wichita — Seven violations on Sept. 14 during a modified complaint inspection. Old beef curry and tomato sauce, restaurant wasn’t using sanitizer on dishes, scrubber stored in dedicated hand-washing sink, no paper towels at hand-washing sink in kitchen, “accumulation of food debris and grease on equipment and around prep areas that could potentially contaminate food items,” butter was too warm, no sanitizer testing strips on site. The next inspection date wasn’t listed.

Easy Egg, 5700 W. Kellogg Drive in Wichita — Eight violations on Sept. 14 during a routine inspection. Ham wasn’t labeled with package opening date, jalapeno cheese in refrigeration was too warm, paneling pulled away from drywall, dirty food slicer, plumbing issue with food preparation sink, ham and butter were too warm, hot water faucet at hand-washing sink didn’t work, cockroaches on walls and in old walk-in cooler. Next scheduled inspection: Sept. 24.

Fat Ernie’s Family Dining, 2806 S. Hydraulic in Wichita — Five violations on Sept. 13 during a follow-up inspection. Several dead cockroaches in server alley and kitchen, sanitizer test strips didn’t work because they were waterlogged, restaurant needs another hand-washing sink, cockroaches crawling on walls by dishwasher and near food preparation table, vegetable soup wasn’t labeled with correct preparation date. Next inspection: Nov. 13.

Gorditas Durango Mexican & American Grill, 527 W. 13th St. in Wichita — Ten violations on Sept. 14 during a routine inspection. Employees didn’t wash hands during glove changes, eggs weren’t cold enough in refrigeration, no probe-style food thermometer, hand-washing sink didn’t drain, medications were stored above food preparation areas, refrigerated foods including cheese and carne asada were too warm, no consumer advisory warning of risk of consuming undercooked eggs, raw eggs were stored above and on top of milk and cooked foods, employees were using wrong sink to wash hands because dedicated hand-washing sink didn’t drain well, no paper towels at kitchen sink. The business was still out of compliance at its Sept. 25 follow-up inspection.

KS Smoke Shop & Grocery, 5701 E. Lincoln in Wichita — Three violations on Sept. 14 during a follow-up inspection. Old gyro meat, raw eggs were stored above butter and cheese in cooler, “floors and wall junctures have a build up of grease, food debris and dirt throughout the back kitchen and food preparation area.” Next inspection: Nov. 14.

Local Flavor, 5400 E. Central, Suite 100 in Wichita — Seven violations on Sept. 12 during a routine inspection. Water from cooler condenser was dripping on uncovered pan of sausage links, walk-in cooler wasn’t holding temperature resulting in several foods including chicken and pork needing to be thrown away, several foods including brisket and vegetables weren’t labeled with preparation dates, old pork and brisket, no sanitizer in dishwasher, no soap at hand-washing sink. Next scheduled inspection: Sept. 22.

Lucky Restaurant, 6710 W. Kellogg Drive in Wichita — Ten violations on Sept. 14 during a complaint inspection. Issue with how employee washed dishes, no hot water at hand-washing sink and cold water faucet wouldn’t turn, cockroaches crawling on sushi bar and inside of rice scoop, cockroaches on floor and crawling on bag of flour, grease and grime along kitchen baseboards and under wok table and fryer, “foul smell” inside storage room, container of sanitizer stored in dedicated hand-washing sink, dead bugs around restaurant, noodles weren’t temperature compliant, containers and bucket blocking hand-washing sink, leaky sink, no paper towels at hand-washing sinks. Next scheduled inspection: Sept. 24.

Mulligan’s Pub, 8343 E. 32nd St. North, Suite 110 in Wichita — Six violations on Sept. 12 during a routine inspection. Old deli meats and chicken wings, grease and debris on pans in clean storage, employee didn’t wash hands after touching dirty dishes, no sanitizer in dishwasher, basil pesto wasn’t labeled with package opening date, plumbing issue at mop sink. The restaurant was in compliance on Sept. 25.

New Lemongrass: Taste of Vietnam, 300 N. Mead, Suite 108 in Wichita — One violation on Sept. 15 during a reopening inspection. Cockroaches around restaurant including on ceiling and floor in service area and in hallway by bathroom. Next scheduled inspection: Sept. 25.

Quality Suites, 658 S. Westdale Drive in Wichita — Eight violations on Sept. 12 during a complaint inspection. No emergency plan available, carbon monoxide detector didn’t have a battery installed, missing fire and sprinklers system inspection records, fire extinguishers were overdue for inspection, no receptacle for used towels in fitness room, no records showing when smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are tested, no towels for guests in fitness room. The hotel was in compliance on Sept. 26.

Thai An Oriental Market, 2425 S. Hillside, Suite 500 in Wichita — Fourteen violations on Sept. 12 during a routine inspection. Business was vacuum packaging raw meats without proper clearance from the state, jar of crab wasn’t labeled with allergen information, no probe-style food thermometer, raw beef was touching raw chicken, mung beans and fried tofu had no labels on packages, table blocking hand-washing sink in kitchen, chicken gizzards and beef stomach were thawing at room temperature, no sanitizer in three-compartment sink, seaweed wasn’t labeled in English, red bean truffles and cooked rice cakes were too warm, hair product and soap stored above pork rinds, no sale date on shellfish tags, “approximately 20 dead flies” on top of kitchen cooler. Next scheduled inspection: Sept. 22.

Tianluo Bistro, 11309 E. Kellogg Drive, Suite 200 in Wichita — Five violations on Sept. 13 during a follow-up inspection. Beef and duck weren’t labeled with preparation dates, several refrigerated foods including beef and noodles weren’t kept cold enough, dead fly in water containing noodle container, raw chicken and raw eggs stored on top of ready-to-eat foods, restaurant had wrong equipment to measure sanitizer concentration in dishwasher. Next inspection: Nov. 13.

Vora Restaurant European, 3252 E. Douglas, Suite 106 in Wichita — Eleven violations on Sept. 16 during a routine inspection. Gnocchi was labeled with incorrect preparation date, window cleaner was incorrectly labeled as sanitizer, restaurant is supposed to use data logger for cook-chill plan but it didn’t work “due to not having corresponding software platform to retrieve information,” no soap at hand-washing sink, restaurant threw away certain food logs that are supposed to be kept for six months, container of heavy cream wasn’t labeled with package opening date, demiglace sauces weren’t kept hot enough, employee didn’t wash hands after touching raw calamari, old fingerling potatoes and roasted red pepper coulis, no test strips to measure concentration of sanitizer in dishwasher, clean pans had sticker residue on them. Next scheduled inspection: Sept. 26.

How to complain about conditions

If you see problems at a food or lodging establishment, you can file a complaint.

To notify the state about unsavory or questionable conditions anywhere that serves or sells food to the public, email kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767. You can also file a report at www.foodsafetykansas.org.

To report an illness you think was caused by a restaurant, food or event, call the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at 877-427-7317 or file a report at www.foodsafetykansas.org.

Complaints about conditions at hotels and motels can be submitted at https://agriculture.ks.gov/kda-services/complaint-form/food-safety-and-lodging-complaint.

For more information about foodborne illnesses, visit www.foodsafety.gov.

These businesses passed inspections

  • Afton Motel, 855 S. Broadway in Wichita

  • Allen Elementary School, 1881 S. Elpyco in Wichita

  • Arby’s, 910 E. 53rd St. North in Park City

  • Asian Groceries, 6249 E. 21st St., Suite 100 in Wichita

  • Atomic Dog (mobile vendor/food truck), 2111 E. Ventnor in Wichita

  • Bentley Primary School, 212 N. Phelps in Bentley

  • Big Five Motel, 3235 N. Broadway in Wichita

  • Bowlero Wichita, 11413 E. 13th St. in Wichita

  • Braum’s Ice Cream and Dairy Store, 2121 N. Ridge Road in Wichita

  • Buckner Performing Arts Magnet Elementary School, 3530 E. 27th St. North in Wichita

  • Calvin’s Hamburger Haven, 2417 S. Seneca, Suite 100 in Wichita

  • Carniceria El Guero No. 3, 1560 S. Main in Wichita

  • Cessna Elementary School, 2101 W. 45th St. South in Wichita

  • Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, 535 S. Ridge Road Circle in Wichita

  • Clark Elementary School, 650 S. Apache in Wichita

  • Crested Crane Cafe (mobile vendor/food truck), 10115 E. Mount Vernon in Wichita

  • Dairy Queen/Orange Julius Treat Center inside Towne East Square, 7700 E. Kellogg Drive in Wichita

  • Debs Never Mind Food Truck (mobile vendor/food truck), 256 N. Davidson in Bentley

  • Dodge Literacy Magnet Elementary School, 4801 W. Second St. in Wichita

  • Enders Open Magnet Elementary School, 3030 S. Osage in Wichita

  • Eurest Dining at Spirit AeroSystems/CMF, 3801 S. Oliver in Wichita

  • Eurest Dining at Spirit AeroSystems/High Bay, 3801 S. Oliver in Wichita

  • Eurest Dining at Spirit AeroSystems/KK41, 3801 S. Oliver in Wichita

  • Eurest Dining at Spirit AeroSystems/Nacelle, 3801 S. Oliver in Wichita

  • FioRito Ristorante, 3134 E. Douglas in Wichita

  • Fish and More, 2021 S. Oliver in Wichita

  • Franklin Elementary School, 214 S. Elizabeth in Wichita

  • Freeman Elementary School, 1745 W. Grand in Haysville

  • Genesis Sports Complex Club 56, 221 N. Crowne Drive in Goddard

  • Golden Corral, 616 S. Ridge Road in Wichita

  • Great Wall Chinese Restaurant, 410 N. Hillside, Suite 600 in Wichita

  • Hamilton Middle School, 1407 S. Broadway in Wichita

  • Haysville West Middle School, 1956 W. Grand in Haysville

  • Headshots Bar & Grill, 2120 N. Woodlawn, Suite 324 in Wichita

  • The Hill Bar & Grill, 4800 E. Douglas in Wichita

  • Hog Wild Pit Bar-B-Q, 233 S. West St. in Wichita

  • Home2 Suites by Hilton Wichita Northeast, 2102 N. Crossmark Place in Wichita

  • ICTea, 3300 N. Rock Road, Suite A3 in Wichita

  • IHOP, 11855 E. Kellogg Drive in Wichita

  • Irfan Safdar Gill (Elroi mobile vendor/food truck), 6917 W. Oneil Court in Wichita

  • Isely Traditional Magnet Elementary School, 5256 N. Woodlawn in Bel Aire

  • Jackson Elementary School, 2717 N. Woodlawn in Wichita

  • Jimmie’s Diner, 1519 S. George Washington Drive in Wichita

  • JTM Foods, 2261 N. Cleveland in Wichita

  • Kentucky Fried Chicken, 441 S. West St. in Wichita

  • Kung Fu Tea, 1625 S. Rock Road, Suite 129 in Wichita

  • La Michoacana Ice Cream, 829 W. Maple in Wichita

  • La Tlaxcaltena Food and Candy, 1608 E. Harry in Wichita

  • Levy Special Education Center, 400 N. Woodchuck in Wichita

  • M&M Concessions (mobile vendor/food truck), 1221 N. Curtis in Wichita

  • Maize Middle School, 4600 N. Maize Road in Maize

  • McDonald’s, 917 N. Baltimore in Derby

  • McDonald’s, 1050 N. Broadway in Wichita

  • Mead Middle School, 2601 E. Skinner in Wichita

  • Meddy’s, 2441 N. Maize Road, Suite 1501 in Wichita

  • Mr. Miyagi Japanese Grill, 3130 N. Rock Road in Wichita

  • Nacho’s Mama, 828 W. 11th St. in Wichita

  • OutWest, 1690 S. 183rd St. West in Goddard

  • Papa Murphy’s, 13303 W. Maple in Wichita

  • Park City Senior Center, 6100 N. Hydraulic in Park City

  • Payne Elementary School, 1601 S. Edwards in Wichita

  • PeeWee & Sweet’s Bakehouse, 2724 E. Central, Unit 400 in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at Aircraft Covers Unlimited, 1830 E. Industrial in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at American Red Cross, 707 N. Main in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at Cintas, 9333 E. 35th St. North in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at Crave Beauty Academy, 3804 W. Douglas in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at Kice Industries, 5500 N. Mill Heights Drive in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at Sharpline Converting, 1520 S. Tyler in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at Trinity Precision, 1935 Walker in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at TW Metals, 1200 E. Blake in Park City

  • Premier Food Service at Wescon Controls, 2533 S. West St. in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at Orr Nissan of Wichita, 10625 E. Kellogg Drive in Wichita

  • Pizza Hut, 333 E. 47th St. South in Wichita

  • Pray-Woodman Elementary School, 605 W. Academy in Maize

  • Reflection Ridge Golf Club, 7700 W. Reflection in Wichita

  • Reverie Roasters, 114 N. Madison in Wichita

  • Riverside Leadership Magnet Elementary School, 1001 N. Porter in Wichita

  • Schlotzsky’s, 2550 N. Rock Road in Derby

  • Snack Zone inside the Sedgwick County Courthouse, 525 N. Main in Wichita

  • Songbird Juice Company, 1617 Briggs in Wichita

  • Sonic Drive-In, 1414 E. Grand in Haysville

  • Spangles, 415 S. West St. in Wichita

  • St. Margaret Mary Catholic Elementary School, 2635 S. Pattie in Wichita

  • Starbucks, 2525 S. Seneca in Wichita

  • Starbucks, 18731 W. Kellogg Drive in Goddard

  • Sticky Bird, 616 S. Tyler Road in Wichita

  • Sugar Llamas, 841 N. Tyler Road in Wichita

  • Taco Bell, 5808 E. Central in Wichita

  • Taco Bell, 6515 E. 37th St. North in Wichita

  • Taco Tico, 1303 N. Tyler Road in Wichita

  • Tacos Honey (mobile vendor/food truck), 3324 E. Neely Court in Wichita

  • Thai Tradition, 650 N. Carriage Parkway, Suite 120 in Wichita

  • United School District 385 Meadowlark Elementary School, 1122 N. 159th St. East in Wichita

  • Waggin Waffles (mobile vendor/food truck), 6215 E. Oxford in Wichita

  • Wendy’s, 2120 N. Woodlawn in Wichita

  • Wendy’s, 930 E. Connolly Court in Park City

  • White Elementary School, 5148 S. Kansas in Wichita

  • Wichita East High School, 2301 E. Douglas in Wichita

  • Wingstop, 7809 E. Harry in Wichita

  • Wyndham Garden Wichita Downtown, 221 E. Kellogg in Wichita

Note: Occasionally an address listed — especially for mobile vendors and food trucks — is not where food is actually served to the public. Contact those establishments directly for specific service locations.