EL TAMARINDO CAFE

Name: EL TAMARINDO CAFE
Address: 233 SR 84, FORT LAUDERDALE, FL, 33315, US
Rating: 71.2

233 SR 84, FORT LAUDERDALE, FL 33315

License #1618419

☕ Café/Breakfast ℹ️

71.2 Grade C / 100

Mixed Health Record

How is this score calculated? →

Latest inspection

March 17, 2026 · 14 findings · 2 critical

Routine - Food

View inspection data

Need help reading this?

Newest inspection first. Red dots matter most.

The score is the shortcut, but the inspection timeline is the proof. Start with the newest visit, then scan for repeat critical or major findings.

Critical

Highest-priority rows.

Major

Worth checking for repeats.

Minor

Usually lower-risk context.

Quick take

EL TAMARINDO CAFE in FORT LAUDERDALE currently holds an InspectFL Health Score of 71.2 out of 100 — a C grade — a noticeable pattern of violations across recent inspections. This restaurant has been inspected 5 times from Florida DBPR, with the most recent inspection on March 17, 2026. Across those visits, inspectors documented 45 total violations — 11 critical, 8 major, 26 minor.

How to read this page

Start with the newest inspection

Use the score as a shortcut, then verify the latest DBPR record and nearby options.

Latest inspection ↓ Official DBPR ↗ Compare nearby ↓

Record snapshot

What stands out in this inspection history

Use this as context before you scroll through every inspection.

Inspections on file

Clean inspections

Callback visits

Latest clean pass

None on file yet

The latest inspection on March 17, 2026 shows 14 observation rows: 2 critical, 2 major, and 10 minor.

Official recordInspection data quality

DBPR source + data confidenceWhat’s powering this page

Official source: DBPR

Inspection coverage

100%

Inspector notes

Coverage note

Inspector notes linked where available

InspectFL turns public DBPR records into a scan-friendly timeline. Use the official DBPR link when you want to verify the newest inspection at the source. InspectFL reorganizes public DBPR inspection records into a page you can actually scan. When exact inspector notes are available, they appear inline. Otherwise, the page falls back to violation categories plus the official DBPR record.

What you’ll see here

•Inspector notes appear inline when available.
•The official DBPR inspection timeline still stays visible, even on pages with zero violations or zero inspector notes.

Map + verificationLocation + actions

Open the place or verify the recordSee the place, then share or verify

Open in Google Maps ↗ Open in Apple Maps ↗

DBPR

Community reaction

What do locals think?

Use the inspection history as the starting point, then compare it with real diner feedback. Vote first, then add what you actually saw.

Community pulse

Would you eat here?

EL TAMARINDO CAFE has some meaningful issues on record. Would you still eat here?

C record

This is where the context matters most — some people will still eat there, others will want cleaner inspections first.

Join the discussion

Seen this place in person? Share what stood out — cleanliness, food handling, service, or whether the inspection record matches the real experience.

Add your take in under a minute

or comment with email

Also send the weekly restaurant roundup

Loading comments…

*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
[14-01-5] Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Plastic cup inside container of ceviche inside walk in cooler. Manager removed.
[36-34-5] Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. Entire kitchen and dishwasher area. AC vents and tiles, build up of grease and dust.
[14-09-4] Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. 3 flip top- cutting board unable to get clean.
[14-11-5] Equipment in poor repair. Under shelves of all prep tables with build up of rust.
[36-73-4] Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris. Soiled floor with loose food debris in cook line and preparation area.
[36-17-5] Floor tiles missing and/or in disrepair. Several broken tiles in cook line ,preparation area and dishwasher area.
[22-08-4] Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. Cook line- old food spills and residues inside oven.
[23-03-4] Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Hood filter at cook line- right side substantial build up of grease.
[21-09-4] Wet wiping cloths used for occasional spills on equipment food- and nonfood-contact surfaces not clean. Multiple soiled wiping cloths around cook line cutting boards and preparation tables. Employee removed all.
[21-07-4] Wiping cloth chlorine sanitizing solution not at proper minimum strength. Sanitizer Bucket (Chlorine 10ppm), employee de new solution, sanitizer chlorine at 50 ppm.
[35A-02-7] Live, small flying insects found 4 flies around dishwasher area- outside of kitchen . Employee killed, cleaned and sanitized area. After 20 minutes, not flying insect activity.
[03B-01-6] Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Preparation- Oven- grilled chicken (112F - Hot Holding), per employee food hot held less than two hours, employee reheated on oven to high temperatures, second temperature (169F).
[22-02-4] Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Dough mixer head, build up of black like substance.
[41-17-4] Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. Bar area, spray bottle containing a cleaning solution, employee labeled.

Disposition: Warning Issued
[14-09-4] Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. Observed deep grooves on cutting board at cook line flip top cooler.
[08B-38-4] Food stored on floor. Observed carton of frying oil stored on floor at cook line, next to hand wash sink.
[14-69-4] Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. Observed ice buildup on floor inside walk in freezer.
[10-08-5] Ice scoop handle in contact with ice. Observed ice scoop stored inside ice bin at bar, handle in contact with ice.
[21-04-4] In-use wet wiping cloth/towel used under cutting board. Observed wiping cloth stored under flip top cooler cutting board at cook line.
[38-04-4] Ten (10) foot-candles of light at least 30 inches from floor not provided in walk-in freezer.
[14-12-4] Utensils in poor condition. Observed rubber spatula, stored at cook line, in poor condition. Operator discarded.
[03A-02-5] Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed chimichurri (46F - Cold Holding)at cook line. Per operator, food not prepped or portioned today; food out of temperature for approximately 30 mins. Operator put food inside cooler to quick chill.
[03B-01-6] Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed meatballs (126F - Hot Holding)at cook line. Per operator, food out of temperature for approximately 35 minutes. Operator reheated meatballs to 171F for hot holding.
[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. Observed Sanitizer Bucket (Chlorine 200ppm) at cook line. Employee remade sanitizer to 50ppm.
[01C-03-4] Clam tags not marked with last date served.
[31A-09-4] Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Observed spoon stored inside handwashing sink at cook line.
[02C-02-5] Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Observed Piccadillo stored inside walk in cooler without date marking. Per operator, food prepared two days prior to inspection.