F.A.Q.s

How do you obtain health inspection records?

The information is typically published by the health departments in charge of performing the inspections as part of the Open Government Data Act. Open data is published in sites like Data.gov and many other local health department sites. Every restaurant page in our site cites its data source at the bottom of the page.

Why can’t I find a restaurant that opened recently in my neighborhood?

It could be that the establishment has not been inspected yet or that the information has not been published online by the corresponding health department. We recommend you checking back on our website as we follow the health inspection data updates closely and refresh our database often.

The latest inspection for my favorite restaurant was performed many months ago. Do you know why?

Each health department has their own inspection cycle and policies for how often restaurant health inspections are performed. We recommend you to contact your city's health department with this question.

Why do the restaurants in my city do not show violation details for their inspections?

Some health departments do not publish detail information such as violations. They only provide the date and score/demerit/grade. You can always contact your city’s health department and request full details of a health inspection performed on a restaurant.

Who do I contact if I have a complain about a establishment’s hygiene practices?

For hygiene and sanitation complaints please contact the health department in your area.

Can you send me the full inspection report for an establishment?

For detailed information about establishments, such as, violation details or copies of inspection reports please contact the health department in your area. Most of them have an Open Records Request in their website.

I became sick after eating at a restaurant. How can I report this?

It is important that you report the incident (e.g. food borne illnesses) to the corresponding health department so they can investigate further. Most of them have information on their website on how to report these type of incidents.

How do I contact the health department in my area?

You can find the contact information in our site, go to the footer of this page and select your metro area. You may also visit The Center for Disease Control website here for more information

How do you obtain health inspection records?

The information is typically published by the health departments in charge of performing the inspections as part of the Open Government Data Act. Open data is published in sites like Data.gov and many other local health department sites. Every restaurant page in our site cites its data source at the bottom of the page.

I believe some health inspection records are erroneous. Can you do something about it?

We gather the information directly from government sources, if you believe the inspection data is incorrect please contact your city’s health department so they can address the issue on their side. Feel free to contact us if you have any other questions.

I found incorrect details about my establishment (e.g. phone number or restaurant hours).

Please contact us and we will be happy to help with this.