General Information

FOOD INSPECTION SEARCH
ABOUT FOOD INSPECTIONS
FOOD SERVICE RESPONSIBILITY
ABOUT THIS WEBSITE

About Food Inspections

The Houston Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Consumer Health Service's role is to carry out a city-wide program for food safety to promote health and to prevent food-borne disease through education, training and regulation. This system is designed to work in partnership with the people who make the day-to-day decisions that actually determine food safety - the owners, operators and employees of all food service establishments.

Food dealer's permits are required to operate food service establishments. These permits are issued to food establishments only after they meet all the requirements of the Houston food ordinance. Educational services are provided to assist managers and workers in creating and maintaining safe food service operations and to assist them in complying with the requirements of the Houston food ordinance. Continuing education on food safety is offered in several ways.

All food service managers must attend a class and pass a written test on food safety to receive a food manager's certificate. A certified manager must be on duty at the food establishment at all times that food is being handled. In addition to English, classes and information are available in Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese. The certificate is good for three years. Renewal classes are offered in all of the above languages.
Each year, a food establishment will receive one or more unannounced routine inspections by sanitarians. Routine inspections address safe food handling practices and sanitation. As the inspector finds problems, deficiencies are recorded on the inspection report. He/she will explain the public health rationale and demonstrate the correct way to safely prepare food and protect it from contamination. The number of inspections made each year is based on the risk factors of the establishment and the establishment's sanitation history. The more hazards identified at a food establishment, the more inspections it will receive.

Sanitarians provide at least one annual visit to all establishments. There are approximately 35 sanitarians who monitor approximately 12,500 food service establishments including mobile food units and about 5,000 temporary food establishments.

When necessary, sanitarians take action to enforce the Houston food ordinance. Actions are taken when there is an immediate health risk or the operator has not responded to previous inspections and trainings. Enforcement actions may include reinspections, municipal court citations, temporary closures, product or equipment quarantines and permit suspensions or revocations.

Who is responsible for food safety in food service establishments?

The operator or the owner of the food service establishment is responsible for food safety and code compliance. The standards and regulations for food safety are found in the Houston food ordinance. The Bureau of Consumer Health Services assists and supports the food establishment in fulfilling its responsibilities through education, training, monitoring and regulation.The operator or the owner of the food service establishment is responsible for food safety and code compliance. The standards and regulations for food safety are found in the Houston food ordinance. The Bureau of Consumer Health Services assists and supports the food establishment in fulfilling its responsibilities through education, training, monitoring and regulation.

Each establishment must meet standards in order to remain in compliance. At the time of initial licensing, each business is assigned a category that corresponds to the complexity of food handling practices, the type of foods served and the served population and the potential for causing a food-borne illness. The number of inspections that an establishment receives per year depends upon its assigned category and inspection history. Additional inspections may be conducted in response to complaints or suspected food-borne illnesses.

Open or Closed Temporarily Status of an Establishment

A status of Open is displayed on the website if the establishment met the requirements of the ordinance with only minor violations or did not have violations present during the inspection. An establishment that corrects violations during the inspection may also receive this status.

A status of Closed Temporarily is displayed on the website if the establishment had serious violations that were not corrected during the inspection. The business must correct the violations promptly and comply with the ordinance requirements as required. The department will conduct a reinspection within specified time limit. A reinspection may be conducted between 24 hours and one month based on existing violations. A status of Closed Temporarily is also given if the establishment did not correct numerous or serious violations during the inspection. The establishment may also be asked to cease operations.

About This Website

Although all food inspection records are public information under the Texas Public Information Act, the Houston Department of Health and Human Services (HDHHS) has developed this web site to provide easy access to basic information and to increase public awareness of food establishment inspection results. Every effort is taken to post timely and accurate information. However, due to the complexity of the process involved, the City of Houston cannot be responsible for any discrepancies between information posted on this website and actual inspection reports.

Violations noted during the inspection are merely allegations. The posted information may reflect inspections that have not yet been adjudicated. The information posted describes conditions found only at the time of the last inspection and is not intended to provide a historical picture of the establishment. In a limited number of cases, the information posted may not be from the most recent inspection. The date of inspection is noted for each establishment. This website only includes inspections conducted by HDHHS sanitarians. The inspection status (Open or Closed Temporarily) for a specific food establishment on this website represents a snapshot of the facility's condition and practices at the time of the most recent inspection.

Users of this website are responsible for checking the accuracy, completeness, timeliness and/or suitability of all information. The information provided on this website is deemed reliable but should not be used as a legal document. HDHHS disclaims any and all liability for any claims or damages that may result from providing the information contained on this site, including any websites maintained by third parties and linked to the HDHHS website. HDHHS makes no effort to independently verify and does not exert editorial control over information on pages outside of the http://www.houstontx.gov domain..

HDHHS does not endorse any of the food establishments referenced on this website. Any mention of food establishments, vendors, products or services is for informational purposes only. HDHHS does not collect or track personal information from its website visitors. Generic information may be used to track the number of hits to the site and to find out what types of browser software are used by visitors.

Additional information not available on this website may be obtained:

Houston Department of Health and Human Services
Bureau of Consumer Health Services
8000 North Stadium Drive, Suite 200
Houston, TX 77054

Phone: 832.393.5100
Fax: 832.393.5208