COLUMBIA RESTAURANT OF ST AUG

Name: COLUMBIA RESTAURANT OF ST AUG
Address: 98 ST GEORGE ST, SAINT AUGUSTINE, FL, 32084, US
Rating: 32.8

98 ST GEORGE ST, SAINT AUGUSTINE, FL 32084

License #6500596

🌮 Mexican/Latin ℹ️

32.8 Grade F / 100

Failing Health Score

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Latest inspection

September 22, 2026 · 11 findings · 5 critical

Routine - Food

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Quick take

COLUMBIA RESTAURANT OF ST AUG in SAINT AUGUSTINE currently holds an InspectFL Health Score of 32.8 out of 100 — an F grade — a serious pattern of repeat or critical violations. This restaurant has been inspected 13 times from Florida DBPR, with the most recent inspection on September 22, 2026. Across those visits, inspectors documented 91 total violations — 26 critical, 18 major, 47 minor.

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Inspections on file

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Latest clean pass

April 3, 2026

The latest inspection on September 22, 2026 shows 11 observation rows: 5 critical, 1 major, and 5 minor.

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Inspection coverage

69%

Inspector notes

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COLUMBIA RESTAURANT OF ST AUG has a rough inspection history. Would you risk it?

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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

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Official DBPR inspection report ↗

Inspector notes not available yet — showing violation categories below.

Disposition: Inspection Completed - No Further Action
Stop Sale orders issued on food found unsafe to serve — temperature abuse, unsound condition, dented cans, expired ready-to-eat food, and shellfish tagging issues.
Stop Sale orders issued on food found unsafe to serve — temperature abuse, unsound condition, dented cans, expired ready-to-eat food, and shellfish tagging issues.
Ready-to-eat TCS food not properly date marked, working containers not labeled with common name, and menu disclosure issues for raw/undercooked foods.
TCS food held above 41°F when cold-held, below 135°F when hot-held, or not cooled within required timeframes. The most-cited High Priority category in our current scraped dataset.
Improper thawing methods for TCS food, and labeling/handling issues for commercially processed reduced-oxygen-packaged fish.
In-use utensils stored improperly between uses — in standing water below 135°F, on equipment door handles, or in unsanitary positions.
In-use utensils stored improperly between uses — in standing water below 135°F, on equipment door handles, or in unsanitary positions.
In-use utensils stored improperly between uses — in standing water below 135°F, on equipment door handles, or in unsanitary positions.
Employee personal beverage container in food prep area; employees handling food or clean equipment without washing hands first or after touching soiled surfaces.
Single-service items (cups, plates, utensils, straws) stored improperly, exposed to contamination, or reused after intended single use.
Spray bottles of toxic substances unlabeled, chemicals improperly stored, sanitizer above maximum allowed concentration, medicine improperly stored.

Specific inspector observations for this inspection are in the official DBPR report at myfloridalicense.com.

Disposition: Warning Issued
[51-11-4] Carbon dioxide/helium tanks not adequately secured. Not secured. Person in charge secured.
[12B-07-4] Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Several drinks on prep tables and near dishes.
[40-06-5] Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Personal bag and phone on bar counter. Person in charge removed.
[13-03-4] Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. Observed cook on cook line with dreads hanging out of hat. Chef addressed and he placed hair under hat.
[14-11-5] Equipment in poor repair. Gaskets are worn/torn on pantry cooler.
[10-20-4] In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. Tongs hanging from oven. Person in charge removed.
[10-06-5] In-use utensil not stored with handle above the top of time/temperature control for safety food and rim of the container. At server station; ice scoop in ice. Person in charge removed.
[21-04-4] In-use wet wiping cloth/towel used under cutting board. Observed several wet rags under cutting boards. Person in charge removed all.
[29-49-6] Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler. Standing water in cooler #1. Person in charge wiped cooler clean.
[02D-01-5] Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Unlabeled flour/bread crumbs. Person in charge labeled.
[22-49-4] Dishmachine not sanitizing properly. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly. Dish machine in kitchen only reaches 150F, and bar dish machine only reaches 148F.
[12A-07-5] Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. Observer cook put on gloves without washing his hands 1st.
[12A-25-4] Employee touched face/hair and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Observed a serve fix her hair and not wash her hands.
[12A-05-4] Employee used tobacco, ate, or drank then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Observed several open a water bottle, drink then screw top back on and not wash hands. Observed a cook with gloves on take a drink and go Bach to line without washing his hands.
[12A-02-4] Server handled soiled dishes or utensils and then picked up plated food, served food, or prepared a beverage without washing hands. Observed several servers take soiled plates to dish then grab clean tray.
[03A-02-5] Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. 1st cooler; cheese 44F, cheese 49F,lettuce 47F, chimichurri 59F, fish 48F; ( - Cold Holding). Items in cooler for 1 hr. Placed on ice. Drawers; chicken 49F chicken placed in blast cooler. 2 cooler; potatoes 59F, filet 50F, guacamole 44F, pasta 44F, Mac n cheese, rice, piccagallo 47F; ( - Cold Holding). Everything placed on ice. Butter 65F, 63F; ( - Cold Holding). Person in charge time stamped.
[01C-03-4] Clam/mussel/oyster tags not marked with last date served. Tags not marked with the last date sold.
[12A-03-4] Employee washed hands in a sink other than an approved handwash sink. Observed person wash hand in a prep sink.
[22-02-4] Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Can opener is soiled. Person in charge took to dish to be washed.
[53B-02-5] No proof of required state approved employee training provided for employee hired more than 60 days ago. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. Most staff are newer and have not been trained.

Disposition: Warning Issued
[08B-38-4] Observed: Food stored on floor. Bread on floor of walk-in freezer. Operator relocated.
[05-05-4] Observed: Ambient air thermometer in holding unit not accurate within plus or minus 3 degrees Fahrenheit. Ambient thermometer at 40F after calibration
[03G-24-5] Observed: Cook-chill reduced oxygen packaged food cooled to and held cold at 34 degrees Fahrenheit or below held for more than 30 days from the date packaged. Bean soup on cook line from 5/20/2025 cook chill vacuum packaged bag not time/temperature tracked.
[12A-07-5] Observed: Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. Employee handled phone then poured a customer drink no hand wash and no gloves. Employee handling ready to eat bread with no gloves. Discussed with employees.
[12A-29-4] Observed: Employee touched soiled surface and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Observed waitstaff employee handling phone, then prepare beverage for customer with no hand wash step.
[24-08-4] Observed: Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Clean plastic containers on shelf stacked while wet.
[22-02-4] Observed: Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Green cutting board on salad line with food residue staining. Cutting board on cook line pass through stained. White cutting boards on storage shelf with build up of food residue staining. Debris build up on cookline can opener.
[10-02-4] Observed: In-use utensil not stored on a clean portion of food preparation or cooking equipment. Spatula stored under panini press. Tongs on reach in cooler door handler, operator relocated. Cookline spoon stored in water at 62. Knifes stored between reach in cooler and prep table.
[35A-02-7] Observed: Live, small flying insects found Two flies observed on cook line by can opener.
[23-03-4] Observed: Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Debris residue in reach in cooler door gaskets.
[01B-24-5] Observed: Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food not consumed/sold within 7 days after opening/preparation. See stop sale. Bean soup on cook line from 5/20/2025 cook chill vacuum packaged bag not time/temperature tracked.
[22-49-4] Priority: High Priority Observed: Dishmachine not sanitizing properly. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly. High temperature dishwasher machine at 158. Operator placed service call and has set up three compartment sink.
[03G-50-1] Priority: Intermediate Observed: Operator is doing a special process, conducting reduced oxygen packaging, cooking time/temperature control for safety food to a time and temperature combination lesser than those in the Food Code or operating a molluscan shellfish tank for human consumption without a HACCP plan approved by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants. Establishment has no approved HACCP plan for multiple processes. Written plan available in office but not approved by the division.

Disposition: Met Inspection Standards
[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 fish not removed from its reduced oxygen packaging while thawing. Fish not fully thawed. Person in charge cut bags open.
[23-03-4] Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Observed gaskets on cook line soiled with food debris.
[29-08-4] Plumbing system in disrepair. Observed hand washing station plumbing leaking. Person in charge has plumbing scheduled for morning after inspection.
[22-45-4] Food-contact surfaces not sanitized after cleaning, before use. Do not use equipment/utensils not properly sanitized. Observed bar utensils washed and rinsed without sanitation. Person in charge sanitized utensils and discussed with employee.
[03A-02-5] Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed white fish (50F - Cold Holding); cut tomatoes (51F - Cold Holding); rice (50F - Cold Holding) in grill cooler for less than 4 hours per person in charge. Person in charge placed all products in blast chiller during inspection. All products were 41F and below by end of inspection.
[16-62-1] No measuring device available for measuring utensil surface temperature when using hot water as sanitizer in a dishmachine. Observed no independent way to measure high temperature dish machines. Discussed with person in charge.
[03G-18-5] Temperature not monitored, not recorded and/or the records not maintained for 6 months during cooling process of cook-chill/sous vide reduced oxygen packaged food. Observed thermometer and rapid chilling reports not kept onsite for 60 days. Observed oldest reports Sop-r-tc Thermometer Calibration report from 9/23/2024 and CCP-R-RC Rapid Chilling from 9/24/2024

Disposition: Met Inspection Standards
[14-11-5] Equipment in poor repair. Gaskets on drawers are torn.
[36-01-4] Floor not cleaned when the least amount of food is exposed. Floor and debris on floor between cook lines.
[36-17-5] Floor tiles missing and/or in disrepair. Floor tiles are cracked along the cook line.
[08B-38-4] Food stored on floor. oil on floor. Person in charge moved oil.
[10-14-5] Ice bucket/shovel stored on floor between uses. Observed person set ice buckets on floor. Person in charge took buckets to dish area.
[10-17-4] In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment. Knife in between toasters. Person in charge removed.
[22-08-4] Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. Ovens on cookline are soiled.
[25-05-4] Single-service articles improperly stored. Single Service to go containers on floor. Person in charge moved to go containers.
[29-49-6] Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler. Standing water in 2 cooler on cookline. Person in charge wiped clean.
[02D-01-5] Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Rice not labeled. Person in charge labeled.
[09-01-4] Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands - food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145 degrees F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact. Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. Observed person at bar cutting limes with bare hands. Addressed immediately and person discarded limes, washed hands and put gloves on.
[03F-02-5] Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has no time marking and the time removed from temperature control cannot be determined. Missing on roasted onions. Person in charge time stamped.
[03B-01-6] Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Ropa vieja 83F, roast pork 111F; ( - Hot Holding). Person in charge reheated to 165F.
[29-34-4] Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. Missing on the red hose at mop sink. Person in charge put hose Bibb on hose.
[31A-09-4] Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. By trash can. Person in charge removed.

Disposition: Met Inspection Standards
[51-11-4] Carbon dioxide/helium tanks not adequately secured. Next to the blast chiller, seven tanks of nitrogen stored unsecured.
[35A-03-4] Dead roaches on premises. Observed one dead roach by the service waitstation area and liquor cage. Operator swept and discarded the dead roach. Per operator pest control sprayed recently.
[24-08-4] Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. On the storage shelf by the blast chiller, clean plastic containers stacked while wet.
[10-17-4] In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment. At the pastry prep counter under the lettuce cold hood unit, knife stored between metal guard and prep table. Operator relocated the knife.
[22-08-4] Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. Salamander over on cook line has build up of food debris. Per operator not used for cooking only for storage of grill scrapers.
[31B-04-4] No handwashing sign provided at a hand sink used by food employees. Hand wash sink on the main cook line and downstairs service station missing employee hand wash signage. Current signage states sink only to be used as hand wash sink.
[08B-12-5] Stored food not covered. In the walk in freezer, tub of ice cream with missing lid.
[21-12-4] Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. Wet wiping cloth stored on the prep table of the crimping device.
[08A-05-6] Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. In the flip top reach in cooler on the back side of the hot cook line, raw shrimp over ready to eat lobster. Operator relocated the lobster.
[22-02-4] Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Cutting boards on the main cook line have build up of food residue staining.
[31A-09-4] Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Hand wash sink on the pastry line blocked by trash can during inspection. Hand wash sink on the main cook line blocked by push cart during inspection. Operator made all hand wash sink available.
[41-17-4] Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. Unlabeled yellow and blue chemical spray bottle by the liquor cage. Operator asked employee to label the spray bottles.