Birmingham's food scene may be thriving, but these 15 Jefferson County food establishments have some work to do in the cleanliness department.

The county inspects every food establishment at least twice a year. Restaurants with less-than-stellar inspection grades get additional inspections.

Whether it's rodent droppings, roaches, or food safety not being taught to employees, the following 15 establishments are the lowest graded eateries in the county. All scored at least less than an 85 during an inspection, which triggers a reassessment by the county within 60 days.

Several on the list scored below a 70, which forces the restaurant to address whatever problems are found within 48 hours of the inspection.

Howard Koplowitz

King City Food Mart (1535 Warrior Road, Birmingham)

Score: 79

This Birmingham convenience and grocery store had three critical violations after a June inspection.

The inspector saw roaches crawling during the visit. King City Food Mart was also using pest control used for homes instead of a licensed pest control company mandated by Jefferson County.

The convenience store raised its score to a 93 after an August inspection, when roaches were seen crawling on the gaskets of a refrigerator.

Don't Edit

Howard Koplowitz

Asian Market (1581 Montgomery Highway, Hoover)

Score: 78

This Hoover grocery store had five critical violations after a November inspection.

Four points were deducted because the inspector saw an adult roach climbing on the wall near Asian Market's three compartment sink. The inspector also noted that several drain flies were around the three compartment sink in the meat packaging room.

The inspector noted that Asian Market didn't provide food safety training for all food handlers, which cost the establishment five points on its score.

Asian Market got another five-point deduction for storing boxes of duck and quail eggs in the retail sales area.

Don't Edit

Howard Koplowitz

Triple M Food Mart (1546 Fred L. Shuttesworth Drive, Birmingham)

Score: 78

This Birmingham convenience store had four critical violations after a September inspection.

The inspector saw roaches by the front kitchen, reported heavy mold inside the ice machine, no soap or paper towels at the hand sink by the ice machine and no paper towels in the bathroom.

Don't Edit

Howard Koplowitz

Egg Roll Express (100 Bessemer Superhighway, Midfield)

Score: 77

This Chinese restaurant in Midfield received five critical violations during a June inspection.

An inspector found black mildew stains inside the ice bin at the front counter and a damaged cold holding unit that caused the temperature of fried chicken, egg rolls and sweet and sour chicken to be four to nine degrees higher than normal.

The shelves above a three-compartment sink were found to be "extremely dirty" and clear plastic bottles filled with blue chemicals weren't labeled.

Two inspections in August raised the restaurant's grade to 85, but those checkups found live flies throughout the kitchen.

Don't Edit

Howard Koplowitz

New China (27 Park Road, Pleasant Grove)

Score: 75

This Chinese restaurant in Pleasant Grove had eight critical violations after a late July inspection.

Two five-point deduction was handed down when the inspector noticed a dishwasher wash their hands without using soap and the establishment's owner did the same after handling food.

Another five-point deduction was levied because raw eggs were improperly stored in the same container as bell peppers.

In another container, cooked egg rolls and cut watermelon pieces were stored below raw meat and shrimp.

New China's score improved to a 93 after a September inspection with no critical violations.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Howard Koplowitz

Sonic (1353 Montclair Road, Birmingham)

Score: 76

The Sonic on Montclair Road was docked for four critical violations during a November inspection.

Numerous employees were found to not have proper food safety training.

One employee was observed holding a cell phone in her gloved hand and then proceeding to prepare food for a customer.

Also, mold was found in the nozzles of the slushie machine.

The Sonic's score was raised to an 88 during a January inspection. The only violation found during that visit was moldy cheese inside a cooler.

Don't Edit

Howard Koplowitz

Jack's (27 Park Road, Pleasant Grove)

Score: 75

The Jack's on Park Road in Pleasant Grove was hit with five critical violations during a July inspection.

The inspector found a food chopper and a slicer were dirty and that food handlers either did not have training certificates or had out of date certificates.

The fast food joint's cold holding area had faulty equipment that led to cheese and sliced tomatoes to have a higher than normal temperature.

Jack's stepped up its game during a September inspection and earned a 95 score with no critical violations.

Don't Edit

Howard Koplowitz

IHOP (1804 Crestwood Boulevard, Irondale)

Score: 74

The IHOP on Crestwood Boulevard in Birmingham had four critical violations during a November inspection.

Among those violations were roaches on the walls in the dry storage area and the women's restroom.

Seven food employees were found not to have proper food safety training.

The dishwasher was ran twice and tested negative for chlorine for both times. The inspector noted that sanitizing solution was not seen on the top of the machine.

The IHOP raised its score to an 88 during a January checkup. One critical violation, for dirty fountain drink nozzles, was recorded at that time.

Don't Edit

Howard Koplowitz

Pablo's Mexican Restaurant (3439 Colonnade Parkway, Birmingham)

Score: 74

Five critical violations were recorded at Pablo's during a November inspection.

The inspector noticed rodents in traps near the storing room and droppings behind a hot water heater and behind the wall.

Also found were pest control spray not approved for commercial use.

Don't Edit

Howard Koplowitz

Wing Out (1806 Avenue V, Ensley)

Score: 72

This Ensley sports grill racked up four critical violations during its latest inspection in October.

The inspector found Wing Out didn't have soap or hand dryers in the restaurant's handwashing sinks.

Food in a cold handling unit had temperatures that were higher than what is allowed. Faulty equipment led punch, celery and sliced tomatoes to be stored at 62 degrees.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Howard Koplowitz

Sakura (156 River Square Plaza, Hueytown)

Score: 70

This Japanese restaurant in Hueytown racked up seven critical violations when a food inspector showed up in November.

Five food workers were found not to have proper safety training and a toxic cleaner was not properly labeled.

Meanwhile, the dish washing machine and sink did not have chemical test kits for sanitizer solution.

Sakura raised its score to 93 after a late December inspection, where no critical violations were found.

Don't Edit

Howard Koplowitz

Lucky 7s Food Mart (7502 Parkway Drive, Leeds)

Score: 69

This convenience store in Leeds had a whopping nine critical violations -- tied for the most of any establishment on this list -- after a January inspection.

Five points were deducted when the inspector observed loose rodent bait in an open plastic tray inside the cabinets in the self-service counter.

Four points were deducted from the convenience store's score because there was no hot water in two handwashing sinks. The store got two other four-point deductions for not having soap or paper towels at hand sinks in the warewashing and ice machine room.

Lucky 7s had three more inspections since January, and raised its score up to an 87 after an early Feburary inspection.

Don't Edit

Howard Koplowitz

Rib It Up (830 1st Avenue North, Birmingham)

Score: 68

Rib It Up racked up five critical violations after it was inspected in late June.

Rodent droppings were observed on the bottom of cabinets and shelving in dry storage areas -- a four-point deduction.

Four points were docked after the inspector said a can opener had "caked on grime and residue" on the blade.

Five points were knocked off Rib It Up's score because potentially hazard foods was maintained at temperatures too low to be considered safe.

A follow-up inspection three days later improved the restaurant's score to a 93.

Don't Edit

Howard Koplowitz

Hong Kong Seafood & Crown Food Mart (1101 3rd Avenue West, Birmingham)

Score: 63

This Birmingham Chinese joint racked up nine critical violations, tied with the most of any restaurant on this list, after a June inspection.

The inspector noticed mold inside the ice machines, a rice cooker was unplugged with rice that had been cooked at 4 a.m., and cooked chicken pieces were not stored in food grade containers.

Hong Kong Seafood also had points deducted because a large open box of chicken was covered with frozen condensation in the freezer.

By the time of the restaurant's latest inspection in November, it received a score of 86.

Don't Edit

Howard Koplowitz

Paradise Biryani Point (1841 Montgomery Highway, Hoover)

Score: 49

Paradise Biryani Point was the only restaurant in the county with a score so low it had to temporarily close.

A food inspector found roaches, flies and drain flies throughout the Hoover establishment during a Feb. 6 visit. The inspector also noted that an employee handled naan with their bare hands.

Other major deductions included chicken, grilled onions and grilled peppers were stored at the wrong temperatures, while a a pan of chicken biryani was being stored at room temperature.

On a follow-up inspection two days later, roaches were still being observed in the restaurant, although the establishment raised its score to an 85. A third inspection the next day increased the score to 93.

Don't Edit