THE BAYOU CAFE

Name: THE BAYOU CAFE
Address: 118 E TARPON AVE, TARPON SPRINGS, FL, 34689, US
Rating: 29.4

118 E TARPON AVE, TARPON SPRINGS, FL 34689

License #6213591

☕ Café/Breakfast ℹ️

29.4 Grade F / 100

Failing Health Score

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Latest inspection

April 2, 2026 · 5 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

THE BAYOU CAFE in TARPON SPRINGS currently holds an InspectFL Health Score of 29.4 out of 100 — an F grade — a serious pattern of repeat or critical violations. This restaurant has been inspected 11 times from Florida DBPR, with the most recent inspection on April 2, 2026. Across those visits, inspectors documented 79 total violations — 23 critical, 37 major, 19 minor.

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Record snapshot

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Inspections on file

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The latest inspection on April 2, 2026 shows 5 observation rows: 2 critical, 1 major, and 2 minor.

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Inspector notes

Coverage note

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Community reaction

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Would you eat here?

THE BAYOU CAFE 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: Warning Issued
[12B-07-4] Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Open employee bed over drop in cooler, operator discarded.
[22-16-4] Reach-in cooler interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues. Cooler on cook line
[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. Chlorine sanitizer 0 ppm, operator changed bucket, corrected to 50 ppm .
[50-17-3] Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. Expired since 02/01/2026, Establishment open and operating, servicing food to the public.
[31B-02-4] No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. By cook line, operator put towels by sink

Disposition: Emergency order recommended
[22-16-4] Reach-in cooler interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues. Reach in cooler on cook line
[24-17-4] Silverware/utensils dried with a towel/cloth. Dishwasher dried lid with towel, discussed air drying with staff and operator.
[12A-13-4] Employee handled soiled equipment or utensils and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Dishwasher came in from dining room, took clean dishes out of rack to put away.discussed proper hand wash with operator.
[50-17-3] Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. Expired 2/1/26
[35A-04-4] Rodent activity present as evidenced by rodent droppings found. 2 rodent droppings on ledge by hand wash sink in back room 7 rodent droppings behind white folding table in back room 5 rodent droppings in back room behind cook line on wooden ledge 2 rodent droppings in floor in back room behind cook line 1 rodent dropping in copper pipe by fry oil in back room
[03A-02-5] Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. In drop in cooler on cook line - sliced provolone (54F - Cold Holding); sliced cheddar cheese (53F - Cold Holding), pans over filled, operator moved to vertical cooler,
[22-02-4] Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Fray baskets have build up.
[02B-01-5] Menu does not identify which items contain raw or undercooked animal foods covered by the consumer advisory. Poached eggs on menu not identified as undercooked menu has not been corrected. operator marked all menus and consumer advisory at bottom of menu.
[51-16-7] No plan review submitted and approved - renovations were made or are in progress. Must submit plans and plan review application to DBPR H and R Plan Review office located at 2601 Blair Stone Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-1011. Plans must be submitted AND approved within 60 days. The direct link to the Plan Review page is https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/plan-review/. www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/plan-review/. Food prep area and oven added in area behind front counter. Plans received 7/14, plans denied due to lack of communication, letter sent to operator on 9/3/25 from Robin in plan review. Spoke to Carly in plan review on 9/3/25, plans have not been received.restaurant is open and serving customers, operator states that plans have not been sent to Tallahassee.
[53B-05-5] Required employee training expired for all employees. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233.

Disposition: Emergency order recommended
[12B-07-4] Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee beverage on top of ice machine, operator moved to bottom shelf. Employee Becca over drop in cooler on cook line, moved to shelf
[22-16-4] Reach-in cooler interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues. Reach in cooler on cook line, interior of cooler and next pans, vertical cooler near pass shelf, bottom of cooler and tracks of door
[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. Operator cutting lemons for garnish on beverages with bare hands, discussed proper hand wash and glove usage
[35A-02-7] Live, small flying insects found Approximately - 16 Small flies Under dish machine 2 small flies behind ice machine 1 on towel bucket at wait station
[08A-02-6] Raw animal food stored over or with ready-to-eat food in a freezer - not all products commercially packaged. Raw beef cheesesteaks in pan over open box of raw sausage, operator moved eggs moved beef to bottom
[35A-04-4] Rodent activity present as evidenced by rodent droppings found. Approximately 12 rodent droppings between bag in box soda in dish room. 1 rodent dropping on top of bag in box soda 6 rodent droppings on left side of chest freezer near from counter 2 rodent droppings on floor under shelf by 3 compartment sink 5 rodent droppings on floor in hall by water heater 7 rodent droppings on shelf on cook line next to boxes of pancake mix 4 rodent droppings on shelf next to flat top grill 2 rodent droppings on shelf under flat top grill 2 rodent droppings on bottom shelf of shelving unit by door to kitchen
[07-08-5] Time/temperature control for safety food re-served to customers. Red bowl with butter pads picked up from one table and given to customer at next table. Operator states that butter is kept in cooler and she puts it back into the cooler when customer leaves.
[41-27-4] Wiping cloth sanitizer solution exceeds the maximum concentration allowed. At Server station - greater than 200 ppm, corrected to 100 ppm
[22-02-4] Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Fry baskets
[02B-01-5] Menu does not identify which items contain raw or undercooked animal foods covered by the consumer advisory. Menu does not identify which items contain raw or undercooked animal foods covered by the consumer advisory. Poached eggs on menu not identified as under cooked.
[51-16-7] No plan review submitted and approved - renovations were made or are in progress. Must submit plans and plan review application to DBPR H and R Plan Review office located at 2601 Blair Stone Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-1011. Plans must be submitted AND approved within 60 days. The direct link to the Plan Review page is https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/plan-review/. Food prep area and oven added in area behind front counter. Plans received 7/14, plans denied due to lack of communication, letter sent to operator on 9/3 from Robin in plan review. Spoke to Carly in plan review today, plans have not been received.restaurant is open and serving customers

Disposition: Met Inspection Standards
[22-16-4] Reach-in cooler interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues. Reach in cooler on cook line, interior of cooler and next pans, vertical cooler near pass shelf, bottom of cooler and tracks of door
[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. Operator cutting lemons for garnish on beverages with bare hands, discussed proper hand wash and glove usage
[07-08-5] Time/temperature control for safety food re-served to customers. Red bowl with butter pads picked up from one table and given to customer at next table. Operator states that butter is kept in cooler and she puts it back into the cooler when customer leaves.
[41-27-4] Wiping cloth sanitizer solution exceeds the maximum concentration allowed. At Server station - greater than 200 ppm, corrected to 100 ppm
[22-02-4] Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Fry baskets
[02B-01-5] menu has not been corrected.
[51-16-7] No plan review submitted and approved - renovations were made or are in progress. Must submit plans and plan review application to DBPR H and R Plan Review office located at 2601 Blair Stone Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-1011. Plans must be submitted AND approved within 60 days. The direct link to the Plan Review page is https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/plan-review/. Food prep area and oven added in area behind front counter. Plans received 7/14, plans denied due to lack of communication, letter sent to operator on 9/3 from Robin in plan review. Spoke to Carly in plan review today, plans have not been received.restaurant is open and serving customers