BACKWATER FINS

Name: BACKWATER FINS
Address: 13982 W OZELLO TRL, CRYSTAL RIVER, FL, 34429, US
Rating: 53.1

13982 W OZELLO TRL, CRYSTAL RIVER, FL 34429

License #1901322

53.1 Grade F / 100

Failing Health Score

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Latest inspection

May 15, 2026 · 9 findings · 2 critical

Routine - Food

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Critical

Highest-priority rows.

Major

Worth checking for repeats.

Minor

Usually lower-risk context.

Quick take

BACKWATER FINS in CRYSTAL RIVER currently holds an InspectFL Health Score of 53.1 out of 100 — an F grade — a serious pattern of repeat or critical violations. This restaurant has been inspected 12 times from Florida DBPR, with the most recent inspection on May 15, 2026. Across those visits, inspectors documented 64 total violations — 21 critical, 13 major, 30 minor.

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Record snapshot

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Inspections on file

Clean inspections

Callback visits

Latest clean pass

December 1, 2025

The latest inspection on May 15, 2026 shows 9 observation rows: 2 critical, 2 major, and 5 minor.

Official recordInspection data quality

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Official source: DBPR

Inspection coverage

83%

Inspector notes

Coverage note

Inspector notes linked where available

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DBPR

Community reaction

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Community pulse

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BACKWATER FINS has a rough inspection history. Would you risk it?

F record

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*Scores are calculated by InspectFL based on public DBPR inspection data and are not official state ratings.

Inspection timeline

Inspection History

Read the newest inspection first, then scan for patterns. Repeated high-priority findings matter more than one isolated bad day.

Critical Major Minor

Inspector notes are being added across all restaurants. Some inspections may only show violation codes until notes are available.

Disposition: Met Inspection Standards
[35A-03-4] Dead roaches on premises. 1. One dead roach in floor at salad room entrance. 2. One dead roach on floor beside water heater. 3. One dead roach on floor in liquor storage closet. Manager swept all areas during this inspection.
[40-06-5] Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. 1. Employee phone stored on prep area above reach-in cooler at cookline. 2. Employees backpack stored on top of soda syrup in salad room. Manager moved both items during this inspection.
[33-15-4] Garbage can located outside has no lid or lid open/broken. One trash can in outdoor seating area without lid.
[36-24-5] Hole in or other damage to wall. Hole in wall beside ice machine.
[29-49-6] Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler. Standing water inside bottom of reach-in cooler in salad room.
[03A-02-5] Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. On top of refrigerated make-table at cookline: butter packets (71F - Cold Holding). Manager stated the butter packets have been held at room temperature for almost three hours, then placed them in a freezer with ice to rapidly cool them to 41F.
[29-34-4] Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. Backflow prevention device missing at spigot on fence beside restaurant entrance.
[22-02-4] Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Interior of reach-in cooler on right-side in salad room soiled with food debris.
[31A-11-4] Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Plastic pan stored inside handwash sink beside dish machine. Inspector removed the pan from the sink before washing hands.

Disposition: Warning Issued
[06-09-1] Commercially processed reduced oxygen packaged fish bearing a label indicating that it is to remain frozen until time of use no longer frozen and not removed from reduced oxygen package. Observed grouper still sealed in ROP packing and completely thawed in reach-in cooler on cook line. See stop sale.
[29-27-4] No mop sink or curbed cleaning facility provided at establishment.
[28-23-4] Approval of the septic tank system limits the establishment to a maximum number of seats. The maximum number of seats has been exceeded. Observed approval for 95 seats and 117 seats were observed at time of inspection.
[28-12-4] Establishment operating with increased seating without septic system approval for such change. Observed approval for 95 seats and 117 seats were observed at time of inspection.
[08A-05-6] Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw shrimp wrapped in bacon stored over ready-to-eat sausage in reach-in cooler with hood on cook line. Employee stored correctly.
[28-11-4] Septic tank system operated beyond approved limitations. Observed approval for 95 seats and 117 seats were observed at time of inspection.
[28-16-5] Sewage on ground from failed septic system. Operator stated septic system has failed and is not working properly and that the drain field is needing to be replaced. Operator is having a septic company pumping out the septic tank once a week. Large holes in ground with dirt coming out. Some area of surrounding ground and drain field is wet and has seapage. The septic area is roped off and employees and customers do not need to walk into the area for operation at the establishment. located department of health who has not been notified of the issue. Tom Daughtery from DOH arrived on site by the end of the inspection.
[01B-13-4] Stop Sale issued due to food not being in a wholesome, sound condition. Commercially processed reduced oxygen packaged fish bearing a label indicating that it is to remain frozen until time of use no longer frozen and not removed from reduced oxygen package. Observed grouper still sealed in ROP packing and completely thawed in reach-in cooler on cook line. See stop sale.
[31B-02-4] No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink at dock bar area. Employee placed paper towels.
[31B-03-4] No soap provided at handwash sink in dock bar area. Employee placed soap.

Disposition: Warning Issued
[12B-07-4] Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee beverage bottle stored on prep table in cook line area. Employee removed.
[40-06-5] Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employee cell phone on prep table in cook line area. Employee removed.
[13-07-4] Employee wearing jewelry other than a plain ring on their hands/arms while preparing food. Employee wearing watch in cook line area
[13-03-4] Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. Employee preparing food in cook line area
[12A-16-4] Employee began working with food, handling clean equipment or utensils, or touching unwrapped single-service items without first washing hands. Employee breaded raw fish with single use gloves, removed gloves and touched clean equipment without washing hands. Discussed with employee who washed hands.
[50-17-3] Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. Expired 2/1/24
[03A-02-5] Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. cooked potatoes (45F - Cold Holding); raw fish filets (44F - Cold Holding) operator states walk in cooler door was propped open due to delivery. Operator turned down cooler temperature.
[41-15-5] Wiping cloth solution exceeding the maximum concentration allowed stored in a location that could result in the cross contamination of food, equipment, utensils, linens, single-service, or single-use articles. Sanitizer bucket in kitchen area over 500ppm. Operator added water to bucket 300ppm
[22-02-4] Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Soda gun nozzles in front and back bar areas
[31A-09-4] Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Strainer in hand wash sink in front bar area. Employee removed.