Food-safety inspectors across Iowa have flagged a wave of serious violations at restaurants, grocery stores and care-facility kitchens over the past two months, ranging from rodent infestations and severely expired products to buffets holding food at dangerously unsafe temperatures. At least two establishments were forced to halt operations while repairs were made.
The violations were documented by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing (DIAL), along with several county health departments, during routine and complaint-driven inspections conducted between mid-June and early August 2026. Under state policy, inspection reports are held from public release for eight days after the visit date.
Officials note that these reports capture conditions at a single moment in time, and many problems are fixed immediately, before the inspector even leaves the premises.
Cedar Rapids Restaurant Hit With 10 Violations After Illness Complaint
An Aug. 5 inspection at Black Sheep Social Club (600 1st St., Cedar Rapids) turned up 10 risk-factor violations — a notably steep number for one visit. A Linn County inspector described a recurring failure around employee handwashing, and found several items in the walk-in cooler sitting between 48 and 72 degrees, far above the 41-degree safety threshold. Staff discarded the affected food and repaired the cooler on the spot.
The inspection also revealed that the cook-line handwashing station was inaccessible and lacked soap and paper towels, and the bar-area sinks had no soap either. The visit stemmed from one illness report and one general complaint; no evidence of pests turned up, and the case remains under review.
Grocery Chain Cited for Chicken, Sushi and Deli Meats Held Too Warm
At the Hy-Vee Food Store in Grinnell (320 W St.), an Aug. 4 state inspection found rotisserie chicken sitting at 47 degrees, while fried chicken, sushi rolls and egg rolls registered 44 degrees. A second cooler held pulled pork and ribs at 45–46 degrees. Everything outside the safe range was thrown out.
Inspectors also found food debris clogging the sushi department’s handwashing sink, and a container of chemical sanitizer stored alongside milk in the dairy cooler. A display case had been fluctuating between 52 and 59 degrees, and sushi temperature-logging records were incomplete — with no documentation of corrective steps and no sign that managers had reviewed them. The visit followed a complaint about improper food temperatures, which the inspector confirmed as valid.
Grimes Restaurant Shuts Down for Cooler and Sink Repairs
A state inspector visiting Hacienda Vieja (1101 E. 1st St., Grimes) on Aug. 3 found rice sitting at just 68 degrees on the steam table; staff reheated it to 185 degrees to bring it back into compliance. Salsa, pico and diced tomatoes in the walk-in cooler were measured at 45–47 degrees and discarded, and a prep-table cooler that had never been switched on was holding food at 62 degrees — that food was also thrown away.
The dishwasher showed zero detectable sanitizer, and the kitchen sink was leaking with no hot water because its valve had been shut off. The inspector also flagged vacuum-sealed fish being thawed while still packaged — a practice that can mask spoilage — and noted the most recent inspection report wasn’t posted as required. Facing the scope of the repairs needed, the restaurant chose to close temporarily.
Bettendorf Restaurant Cited for 11 Violations, Raw Chicken Found on Cooler Floor
A Scott County inspection on July 22 at Indian Garden Bar & Grill (2503 E. 53rd Ave., Bettendorf) resulted in 11 risk-factor citations. Multiple food items across the prep and walk-in coolers lacked freshness date labels, and others that were labeled had already expired — some since mid-May.
Grease and food buildup coated shelving throughout the kitchen, along with a can opener, microwaves, prep coolers, the handwashing sink and a large mixer. The inspector also discovered fly spray in the kitchen that wasn’t approved for use around food, two buckets of rice sitting in water on the floor (one containing a dead insect), and raw chicken stored directly on the walk-in cooler floor. Standing water pooled beneath a prep cooler near the grill, and grease coated equipment, fans, floors, walls and ceiling throughout.
Hospital Kitchen Missing Illness-Reporting Forms
During an Aug. 3 visit to Trinity Medical Center (4500 Utica Ridge Road, Bettendorf), a Scott County inspector found the hospital’s food-service department had none of the mandatory forms for staff to report illness. Cottage cheese, sliced tomatoes and sliced cheese were all found around 50 degrees; the tomatoes and cheese were iced down to a safe temperature, while the cottage cheese was tossed.
Several items — lunchmeat, tuna salad and others — lacked proper date labeling, and multiple products had already expired, including roast beef and celery dated two days prior and batter over a week old. The microwave interior and kitchen carts were coated in food debris. The inspector also observed frozen soup being thawed improperly in a sink without running water, and salmon thawing while still vacuum-sealed. A leaking dishwasher left standing water on the floor.
Garber Supper Club Found With Moldy Dough, No Certified Manager
A state inspector’s July 31 visit to Anchor Inn Supper Club (906 Front St., Garber) found no certified food-safety manager on staff, along with an unidentified dough-like substance showing mold growth inside a beverage cooler. Raw hamburger was improperly stored, and potatoes sat directly on the floor.
Pork loin prepared more than a day earlier had no date marking and was discarded, and several products were well past a seven-day shelf limit — pizza sauce over two months old, salsa and noodles both weeks expired. Cooler and freezer interiors showed moderate debris buildup, a sink faucet sprayed uncontrollably, and the dishwasher leaked onto the floor with every use. Records show this was the establishment’s first inspection since November 2019.
Senior Living Facility Cited for Cross-Contamination Risks
At The Fountains Independent and Assisted Living Center (3752 Thunder Ridge Road, Bettendorf), a July 29 inspection found raw-egg French toast batter stored on top of jalapenos and raw sausage stored above garlic bread — both cross-contamination risks. Numerous food items across both the independent- and assisted-living kitchens lacked date labels.
Bacon bits were found dated more than three weeks earlier, and items with unclear expiration — including opened hot dogs and lunchmeat — were discarded as a precaution. A can opener, ice chest interior, beverage dispensers, food racks, microwave and juice machine all showed debris buildup. Salmon was thawed improperly, food was stored directly on a freezer floor, and grease and debris coated ovens, grills, shelving and floors throughout both kitchens.
Bettendorf Mexican Restaurant Cited 14 Times
A July 27 Scott County inspection at La Herradura Mexican Grill (6854 Championship Drive, Bettendorf) produced 14 risk-factor violations — an exceptionally high count. A chicken dish was found at just 145 degrees and had to be reheated to 165; queso and sauces in a hot-holding unit measured only 114 degrees and needed reheating as well.
Refried beans, queso and chicken cooked the day before hadn’t cooled properly and were found between 49 and 59 degrees, forcing their disposal. Dessert cups without date labels were also thrown out. The bar’s handwashing sink was being used to store equipment, and a leaking cooling fan inside a walk-in cooler was dripping water directly onto food.
Sioux City Dairy Queen: Soiled Equipment, Undercooked Burgers
A July 23 inspection at the Southern Hills Mall Dairy Queen (4400 Sergeant Road, Sioux City) by the Siouxland District Health Department found hamburgers in the hot-holding unit at just 65–73 degrees, requiring disposal. Soda and syrup nozzles, the ice machine and numerous dishes were visibly dirty, as were the equipment, floors, walls and ceilings throughout the facility.
Davenport Restaurant Found With Mouse Droppings, Unapproved Insecticide
Inspectors visiting Sippi’s American Grill (406 W. 2nd St., Davenport) on July 23 discovered what appeared to be mouse droppings in the dry-storage area, the janitor’s closet, and near the dishwasher and canned-goods shelving, along with heavy fruit-fly activity. A prep-table cooler was holding pasta salad, potato salad and dressing at 51–56 degrees, well above the safe limit.
Pre-portioned pork and prime rib pulled from the freezer had exceeded the seven-day storage window. Two cans of insecticide not approved for restaurant use were found on-site, and ribs made earlier that day were cooling improperly inside a tightly sealed container. A leaking air-conditioning condenser above the walk-in freezer had created standing water and sludge at the freezer entrance. The visit followed an illness complaint that investigators were unable to confirm.
Sioux City Senior Center Coffee Shop: Expired Certification, Failed Refrigerator
At the Siouxland Senior Center Coffee Shop (313 Cook St., Sioux City), a July 22 inspection found the manager’s food-safety certification had lapsed more than two years earlier. Yogurt parfaits with berries were found at 52 degrees, and a deli sandwich measured 58 degrees — the refrigerator holding them was found to be running at 66 degrees ambient air temperature. Both food items were discarded and the broken unit was pulled from service. A meat slicer and ice machine were also found visibly dirty.
Davenport Café Cited 13 Times, Dead Mouse Found in Trap
A July 22 Scott County inspection at Tommy’s Café (916 W. 3rd St., Davenport) resulted in 13 violations. Inspectors found uncovered sliced cheese, apples and applesauce inside a cooler, along with cut lettuce and cheese sitting at 51–54 degrees. Several prepped items, including diced ham and peppers, had no date labels, and expired shaved ham was found in a cook-line cooler.
The ice machine, a knife storage container, magnetic knife racks and a reach-in cooler all showed dried food residue. The cook-line handwashing sink was being used to hold dirty dishes. Mouse droppings were found in multiple spots, including near the doughnut station, and a sticky trap under a shelving unit contained a dead baby mouse; several fly traps hung throughout the kitchen. The visit followed an illness complaint that could not be verified.
Davenport Buffet Cited for 16 Violations in April, More Problems in July
At Gog Dynasty Buffet (5388 Elmore Ave., Davenport), a July 17 visit found multiple cooked dishes — including macaroni and cheese, noodles and meat items made over the prior two days — that had failed to cool to a safe temperature and had to be discarded. Several refrigeration units throughout the restaurant, including both walk-in coolers and the sushi prep station, were running too warm.
Buffet items such as watermelon, lettuce, tomato salad and sprouts weren’t properly chilled on ice. Inspectors also found staff pre-filling sushi-rice preparation logs with times that couldn’t be verified as accurate — a repeat issue from prior visits. The dishwasher had no detectable sanitizer, and handwashing sinks couldn’t produce hot water above 90 degrees. The inspection coincided with a visit from the city’s fire and building departments, who were addressing structural, electrical and grease-related issues at the same time. The restaurant had previously been cited for 16 violations in April 2026.
Dubuque Bar Finds Dead Insects in Soda Equipment
At Mason Dixon (163 Main St., Dubuque), a July 16 city inspection found a fruit cooler running at 60 degrees, forcing disposal of its contents. Dead insects were discovered inside the soda-gun holsters at the basement bar, and access to handwashing sinks was blocked.
Bettendorf Thai Restaurant: Manager Lacked Basic Food-Safety Knowledge
A July 16 Scott County inspection at Soi 4 Thai (5023 Competition Drive, Bettendorf) found the person in charge unable to demonstrate basic understanding of food storage, temperature control or safety procedures, resulting in 11 violations. Microwave-heated rice measured only 123 degrees and needed reheating, and curry made the day before hadn’t cooled properly and was discarded.
Inspectors found no consistent date-marking system in place; some containers pulled from the freezer displayed only a partial date.
Des Moines Restaurant Voluntarily Closes for the Night After Complaint
A July 14 state inspection at Sam’s Fine Foods and Egg Rolls (3300 SW 9th St., Des Moines) found raw poultry, fried chicken, cooked pork and rice sitting at temperatures as high as 62 degrees in a reach-in cooler; all were discarded. The inspector reported no date-marking system existed at all, and that prep tables, pans, containers and cutting boards were heavily soiled throughout the kitchen.
An overflowing water bin was found dripping onto food stored in the reach-in cooler. Following an illness complaint that couldn’t be verified, the owner chose to close for the rest of the evening to clean and reorganize food storage after one cooler was taken offline.
Des Moines Hy-Vee: Soups and Meats Found Well Above Safe Temperatures
At Hy-Vee Foods (1107 S.E. Army Post Road, Des Moines), a July 7 inspection found egg drop soup at 124 degrees and sweet-and-sour soup at 118 degrees — both discarded. In the Chinese food section, beef measured 56 degrees, chicken 55 degrees and raw pork 45 degrees; all were thrown out. A bakery mixing bowl and meat-department display shelving, walls and dividers were found soiled. The visit followed two complaints about food sourcing and general sanitation, both of which the inspector confirmed.
Des Moines Restaurant Cited 13 Times Over Knowledge Gaps
A June 25 state inspection at Uchu (1704 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines) produced 13 violations after the person in charge couldn’t demonstrate knowledge of required hot- and cold-holding temperatures, safe cooling methods, date-marking practices or sanitizing procedures. Cooked chicken held at 108 degrees was discarded, as were cooked beans that hadn’t cooled properly from the day before. Several prepared items throughout the kitchen had no date labels, and the inspector noted dishes were being washed with soap but no sanitizer.
Bettendorf Pizzeria Cited 11 Times Over Cooler and Expiration Issues
At Tony’s Chicago Pizza and Breakfast (2297 Falcon Drive, Bettendorf), a June 23 inspection found a salad-prep cooler running at 45–50 degrees, taking it out of service, and the main prep cooler holding food at 44–45 degrees. Multiple coolers contained undated food, and separately, linguine noodles nearly two weeks old and salsa more than two months expired were both discarded. One handwashing sink had no water supply at all.
Altoona Thai Restaurant Cited 12 Times for Cooling Failures
A June 18 state inspection at Thai Basil Altoona (550 36th Ave., Altoona) resulted in 12 violations. Frozen items left uncovered on sheet pans in the walk-in freezer risked contamination, while chicken and beef cooked earlier that day were still at 64–68 degrees rather than properly cooled. A large batch of soup from the previous day remained at 66 degrees and was discarded.
Multiple containers of house-made curry sauce were found at 70 degrees and thrown out, and other house-made sauces had already passed their discard dates. Raw fish was being thawed improperly, several knives were unclean, and frozen chicken was found thawing in a bucket of standing water on the counter.