The Birmingham Metro area is the epicenter of the culinary universe after Highlands Bar & Grill took home the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant after it snapped a nine-year streak of being nominated for the honor but not receiving the prize.

But the restaurants in this slideshow aren't exactly award-winning, especially when it comes to upkeep. If there were a Razzie Awards version of the James Beard awards, however, these eateries would be top conetenders.

All of the establishments below have scored an 85 or worse after being inspected by the Jefferson County Health Department.

Howard Koplowitz

Oscar's at the Museum, 2000 Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd., Birmingham

Score: 84 (upgraded to 93 on reinspection)

Oscar's was cited for three critical violations after a May 9 inspection.

The inspector observed a cook who didn't wash their hands before putting on gloves and handling raw fish -- which cost Oscar's five points.

A bottle of degreaser containing a bleach and water mix was not properly labeled.

Oscar's was reinspected on Wednesday, June 13, and its score improved to a 93.

Updated at 12:55 p.m. June 15 with Oscar's updated score.

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Howard Koplowitz

The Wing Cafe, 7521 Parkway Drive, Leeds

Score: 83 (upgraded to 96 on follow-up inspection)

This Leeds eatery had two critical violations after a May 8 inspection.

Rodent dropping were observed inside the cabinets at the service counter, on the floors of the rear storage area, and in the dining room, the inspector noted. Meanwhile, a dead rodent was found caught in a glue trap in the rear storage area.

Another four points was dinged from The Wing Cafe's score because one food handler on duty was "overdue" for food safety training.

A reinspection on June 6 upped The Wing Cafe's score to a 93.

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Howard Koplowitz

Marre & Allen Bar & Kitchen, 3590 Grandview Parkway, Birmingham

Score: 83

The restaurant inside the Birmingham Marriott received three critical violations during a May 15 inspection.

Cut melons, eggs and sliced tomatoes were being stored above the required 41 degrees -- a five-point deduction.

Another five points was taken off the restaurant's score because toxic sprays being kept by the bar were not labeled.

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Howard Koplowitz

Hilton Garden Inn Restaurant, 3230 Edwards Lake Parkway, Birmingham

Score: 83

The hotel restaurant received two critical violations that knocked eight points off its score after a April 18 inspection.

Gnats and drain flies were observed by the drink station and the bar area by the handsink, the inspector noted.

The inspector also docked the restaurant four points for having a dirty can opener.

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Howard Koplowitz

Hamburger Heaven, 1703 Crestwood Blvd., Irondale

Score: 82

The Irondale Hamburger Heaven received two critical violations after an April 23 inspection.

An unlabeled toxic spray bottle knocked five points off the burger joint's score.

Another five points was deducted because shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes and sliced cheese were stored above acceptable temperatures.

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Howard Koplowitz

Big Al Pasquale's Pizza, 5180 Old Springville Road, Pinson

Score: 83

This Pinson pizza joint received three critical violations resulting in a 14-point deduction on its score after a late April inspection.

"Observed employee take phone call and put on gloves and begin preparing food and also other employee take an order at cash register and place gloves on and begin preparing food," the inspector wrote in their report. The infraction knocked five points off Big Al Pasquale's Pizza's score.

The eatery was dinged another five points because the sanitizer in a sink wasn't working at the time of inspection.

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Howard Koplowitz

Triple M Food Store, 1546 Fred L. Shuttlesworth Drive, Birmingham

Score: 82

Triple M is a repeat offender on AL.com's worst restaurant list after appearing in March with a 78 score.

While Triple M fared better, with an 82 score during a May 16 inspection, the improvement wasn't enough to avoid the list.

Three critical violations were recorded during the inspection, including one for evidence of mice where mice may have eaten through a bag of beans.

The inspector also found an accumulation of mildew around the dispensing area on the interior of the ice machine,

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Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center - East Hall kitchen, 2101 Richard Arrington Blvd. North, Birmingham

Score: 82

The restaurant at the civic center in downtown Birmingham was hit with three critical violations after a May 21 inspection.

Live roaches were found crawling on the floor, walls and handsoap dispenser, the inspector noted.

The inspector also found mold and mildew inside the ice machine, which cost the restaurant four points on its score.

(Updated 3:30 p.m. June 13 to correct that the restaurant is not inside the hotel)

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Howard Koplowitz

Hardee's, 611 Bessemer Super Highway, Midfield

Score: 81:

This Midfield Hardee's received two critical violations that knocked nine points off its score after an early May inspection.

A five-point deduction was handed down because of a "large amount of grease spills" on the ground.

A four-point infraction was levied because not all staff had documentation that they received food safety training, the inspector noted.

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Kemp's Kitchen, 1423 Gadsden Highway, Trussville

Score: 80

Kemp's Kitchen racked up four critical violations after a May 22 inspection.

The inspector observed that cooked chicken, cole slaw and tomatoes were being stored above acceptable temperatures, resulting in two five-point deductions.

Two four-point deductions were also levied because food safety training wasn't provided to food handlers and drink and tea nozzles in the drink station were dirty.

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Howard Koplowitz

Burger King #16437, 7757 Crestwood Blvd., Birmingham

Score: 80

The Crestwood Boulevard Burger King had four critical violations after a late April inspection.

Two unlabeled bottles of chemical spray were found in a dry storage area, which knocked five points off the chain restaurant's score.

Meanwhile, another five points was deducted because containers of cut lettuce, sliced tomatoes and cheese were being stored for more than four hours.

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Howard Koplowitz

Western Supermarket #6, Deli, 3350 Morgan Dr., Vestavia Hills

Score: 80

The Western Supermarket in Vestavia Hills received five critical violations during a late April inspection.

A five-point deduction was dinged from Western's score because pork chops, Mexican casserole and chicken tenders were stored below the required 135 degrees. The chicken tenders were discarded by the person in charge, the inspector noted, while the casserole and pork chops were reheated.

Another five-point deduction was recorded because a bottle of toxic spray was stored near the deli slicer at the time of the inspection.

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Logan's Roadhouse, 2740 John Hawkins Parkway, Hoover

Score: 79

Logan's Roadhouse on John Hawkins Parkway in Hoover was whacked with four critical violations that knocked 18 points off its score.

"Several cuts of raw beef and salmon" were being stored out of temperature, the inspector wrote on their report.

Meanwhile, blue cheese, shredded cheddar and black bean salsa were stored above the required temperature.

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Howard Koplowitz

Winn-Dixie #461, Deli, 465 Main St., Trussville

Score: 78

The Trussville Winn-Dixie had five critical violations after an inspector visited on May 29.

The Winn-Dixie's deli didn't have a working digital food temperature thermometer at the time of the inspection.

The dishwashing sanitizing machine was also not washing at high enough temperatures.

A five-point deduction was handed down because charcoal starter fluid was stored on a shelf in the deli prep area beside unwrapped single-use articles.

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Howard Koplowitz

Rogue Tavern, 2312 2nd Ave. North, Birmingham

Score: 78

Rogue Tavern was hit with five critical violations during a May 10 inspection.

Accumulation of mildew was observed on the ice machine, resulting in a four-point deduction.

Another five points was deducted raw burger patties and raw chicken breasts were stored at a higher than acceptable temperature.

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Howard Koplowitz

Waffle House #664, 3023 Columbiana Drive, Vestavia Hills

Score: 77

A health inspector gave the Columbiana Waffle House four critical violations during a late May visit.

The worst violations were handed down because a container of raw shell eggs were stored above the grill during the inspection and because the dish sanitizing machine wasn't recording the proper temperature for utensils.

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Howard Koplowitz

Domino's Pizza, 1506 Montclair Rd., Birmingham

Score: 77

Domino's incurred six critical violations during a May 16 inspection.

The pizza chain in Crestwood received two four-point deductions for being out of soap at its handwashing sink and for having no paper towels in the restroom.

Domino's also had two separate four-point deductions because the manager on duty didn't have a certification from the state health department and because most employees on duty during the inspection weren't certified by the county health department.

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Howard Koplowitz

Off The Hook, 1205 Lake Drive SE, Bessemer

Score: 77

The Off The Hook Food Truck, which had been parked on Lake Drive Southeast in Bessemer both during its inspection and when AL.com showed up, racked up four critical violations in late May.

An inspector noted that there were two metal pans of partially cooked chicken wings with blood -- which cost Off The Hook four points off its score. On an earlier visit, the inspector warned the truck of non-continuous cooking of chicken wings.

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Howard Koplowitz

Katie's Plates

Score: 77 (upgraded to 93 after follow-up inspection)

Katie's Place, an eatery inside the Shoppes at Montevallo shopping center, was hit with five critical violations after an April 17 inspection.

The inspector found that Katie's Place violated a section of the health code mandating restaurants "provide safe, unadulterated and honestly presented food" because several bags of dry ingredients were "soiled with wet substance." The violation deducted the restaurant's score by five points.

Another five-point deduction was levied because meatballs, cheese balls and baked chicken were stored below acceptable temperatures.

The 77 score triggered a reinspection. Katie's Place was subsequently given a score of 93 after a follow-up visit.

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Howard Koplowitz

Dairy Queen Grill & Chill, 4500 Overton Rd., Birmingham

Score: 77

The Dairy Queen on Overton Road received four critical violations that knocked 18 points off its score after a May 21 inspection.

"Live roach found crawling across kitchen. Pest control was notified at time of observation," the inspector wrote. The violation resulted in a four-point deduction.

Also, several employees with artificial nails weren't wearing gloves, resulting in another four points taken off Dairy Queen's score.

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Howard Koplowitz

Brito's Supermarket #3 - Deli, 118 Green Springs Hwy., Homewood

Score: 76

Brito's was dinged with four critical violations during a late April inspection.

Rotisserie chickens on display inside the deli were maintained below 135 degrees. The deli "voluntary discarded" the chicken, the inspector noted.

Brito's had another four points knocked off its score for not having paper towels in the men's restroom, while an additional four points was deducted after an inspector observed a bowl of ready-to-eat fruit stored in a hand sink.

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Sea Land Fish 'N' Chips, 8236 Rugby Ave., Birmingham

Score: 76

This Birmingham fish and chips joint received four critical violations after an April 19 inspection.

The inspector observed a live roach on the bottom of the drink station and gnats and flies by the mop sink.

Sea Land Fish 'N' Chips was also found to be in violation of providing "safe, unadulterated and honestly preserved food" after molded hamburger buns were found in a cooler and raw chicken was stored beside soup on a counter.

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Waffle House #208, 1833 Crestwood Blvd., Birmingham

Score: 73

The Crestwood Boulevard Waffle House received four critical violations during a April 19 inspection.

"Several stacks of 'clean' dishes were dirty," the inspector wrote in their report, resulting in a five-point deduction.

"Several employees on schedule" at the time of the inspection didn't have food safety training -- a four-point hit to the Waffle House's score.

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Howard Koplowitz

Golden Corral, 1185 Center Point Parkway, Birmingham

Score: 71

This Golden Corral has the dubious diction of being the lowest rated restaurant in Jefferson County after it received a score of 71 after an April 23 inspection.

Food safety training wasn't provided for all food handlers, which knocked four points off Golden Corral's score.

The inspector observed dirty nozzles in the ice drink station, and the interior ice machine was dirty -- another four-point violation.

Several foods, including sausage, spiral ham, five pans of leftover pot roast, buttermilk and a carton of eggs were stored above acceptable temperatures -- a five-point ding to Golden Corral's score.