Restaurant Report Card for Dec. 20: Top 10 violations

HOUSTON – Each week, we show you the latest findings by health inspectors at Houston restaurants to keep you up to date about what's on your plate. This week, we're dishing out a bigger helping by crunching the numbers to feature the top 10 Houston restaurants with the most health code violations in 2012.

  • Two restaurants tied for number 10. Both racked up 34 violations. Inspectors say Church's Chicken at 5725 Lockwood had gnats and no hot water. It'z near Willowbrook at 18355 Tomball Parkway had gnats too.
  • Ninth place goes to Field of Greens at 2320 West Alabama. Inspectors noted 36 violations to the restaurant, mostly for off temperature food that could make you sick.
  • Spot number 8 is reserved for a Restaurant Report Card regular. Playa el Cuco at 436 East Crosstimbers had 37 violations this year. In May, inspectors said the flies and gnats were so out of control in the kitchen, they had to close the place. They also found bugs in the sugar and dozens of pounds of food that employees left sitting out overnight.
  • Lee's Sandwiches at 11210 Bellaire Boulevard takes seventh place with 37 violations including slime in the ice machine and cockroaches.
  • Number 6 is Variedades Pasaquina at 14202 South Post Oak. Inspectors found 40 violations during four separate inspections for off-temperature food among other things.
  • Tippy's Soul Food at 4400 Yale boasts the "Best Soul Food in Town," but it's probably not bragging about the 40 violations it earned including fly activity and dirty equipment. Tippy's takes the number 5 spot.
  • Gabby's BBQ at 4659 Telephone Road is number 4 on our list with 41 violations this year, including off temperature beef and black slime in the ice machine. Gabby's customer Rick Melartin was surprised when we told him. "I'm shocked to hear that because the meat tastes great," Melartin said.
  • The restaurant with the third highest number of violations sits in River Oaks. Avalon Diner got dinged by health inspectors 44 times this year. Inspectors discarded 50 pounds of chicken and 30 pounds of sausage that was off-temperature.
  • Dairy Dreams at 6109 Hirsch comes in second place with 45 violations for dirty equipment covered in dust, dead roaches and food particles.
  • The restaurant with the most violations in 2012 is Flamingo Chill at 6404 Airline Drive. Inspectors found a total of 48 violations including slime, flies and 684 pounds of food that was off-temperature.

About the Author:

Passionate consumer advocate, mom of 3, addicted to coffee, hairspray and pastries.