Of 64 health inspections conducted in Monroe County last month, 27 had critical violations, five had no violations and 58 had outstanding violations from previous inspections, according to new reports released by the Monroe County Health Department.
There are more than 90,000 food service establishments in New York State, according to health.ny.gov. Inspections include any public or private facility that uses an on-site kitchen to serve food, this includes schools, nursing homes and more.
Due to the volume of food establishments inspected over the past month, a selection of the best and worst rated restaurants is presented below. You can search current and past New York State health inspection reports at data.democratandchronicle.com.
Some Rochester restaurants with the most health violations last month
Critical violations must be corrected on the spot, while non-critical violations must be resolved by a later date.
The Plum Garden
3349 Monroe Avenue, Rochester
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Inspection date: January 28, 2026
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Violations: 27 total. 10 critical, 17 non-critical, 0 unfixed from previous inspection
Samba sushi
381 Gregory Street, Rochester
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Inspection date: January 28, 2026
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Violations: 20 total. 6 critical, 14 non-critical, 0 unfixed from previous inspection
Chinese lake food
4462 Lake Avenue, Rochester
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Inspection date: January 27, 2026
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Violations: 13 total. 1 critical, 12 non-critical, 0 unfixed from previous inspection
Fox’s Deli
1841 Winton Place, Rochester
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Inspection date: January 28, 2026
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Violations: 13 total. 3 critical, 10 non-critical, 0 unfixed from previous inspection
Golden Corral Rochester & Catering
450 Jefferson Road, Rochester
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Inspection date: January 29, 2026
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Violations: 12 total. 3 critical, 9 non-critical, 0 unfixed from previous inspection
The Latino’s Paradise
478 Portland Avenue, Rochester
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Inspection date: January 29, 2026
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Violations: 12 total. 3 critical, 9 non-critical, 0 unfixed from previous inspection
Tp\’S Irish Pub & Restaurant
916 Panorama Trail, Rochester
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Inspection date: January 29, 2026
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Violations: 11 total. 1 critical, 10 non-critical, 0 unfixed from previous inspection
Monte Alban Mexican Grill (Irondequoit)
845 East Ridge Road, Rochester
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Inspection date: January 27, 2026
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Violations: 9 total. 5 critical, 4 non-critical, 0 unfixed from previous inspection
Jamaican soul
211 Genesee Street, Rochester
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Inspection date: January 28, 2026
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Violations: 9 total. 2 critical, 7 non-critical, 0 unfixed from previous inspection
Rosie Nepalese and Indian cuisine
3349 Monroe Avenue, Rochester
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Inspection date: January 29, 2026
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Violations: 9 total. 2 critical, 7 non-critical, 0 unfixed from previous inspection
Rochester restaurants with perfect health inspections last month
At these units, no violations of the sanitary code were found during the inspections.
Chapel Oaks & Catering at the community of St. Ann’S
1550 Portland Avenue, Rochester
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Inspection date: January 27, 2026
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Violations: 0 total. 0 critical, 0 non-critical, 0 not fixed from previous inspection
Gates Chili Csd-Paul Road School
571 Paul Road, Rochester
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Inspection date: January 27, 2026
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Violations: 0 total. 0 critical, 0 non-critical, 0 not fixed from previous inspection
Taqueria Monterrey
627 Culver Road, Rochester
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Inspection date: January 28, 2026
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Violations: 0 total. 0 critical, 0 non-critical, 0 not fixed from previous inspection
Chen Garden
1750 Monroe Avenue, Rochester
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Inspection date: January 29, 2026
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Violations: 0 total. 0 critical, 0 non-critical, 0 not fixed from previous inspection
River Edge Manor (Episcopal Nursing Homes)
535 Mt. Hope Avenue, Rochester
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Inspection date: January 30, 2026
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Violations: 0 total. 0 critical, 0 non-critical, 0 not fixed from previous inspection
What are critical and non-critical violations?
The red “critical” violations involve “source and condition of food, food cooking and storage temperatures, sanitary practices of food workers, water and sanitation, contamination of food with pests and use of toxic materials,” according to a spokesperson for the New York City Department of Health.
Critical violations must be corrected at the time of inspection because they include factors that could lead to foodborne illness.
In New York State, restaurant inspections are not conducted on a pass or fail basis.
Non-critical or blue violations are not related to factors that could directly cause foodborne illness, but could have a negative effect on restaurant operations. These types of violations relate to facility maintenance, design, and cleanliness.
Non-critical violations are not as urgent as critical violations and must be corrected within the time limit given by the health inspector.
How often are health inspections performed in Monroe County?
The frequency of inspections of food establishments in New York State depends on the establishment’s risk category and the establishment’s history of health code compliance.
High-risk food establishments are inspected twice a year, medium-risk ones once a year and low-risk ones every two years.
Examples of high-risk food establishments include dine-in restaurants, cafeterias and school kitchens that prepare food – these are establishments that have complex food processes, such as preparing food in advance or reheating and cooling food.
Medium-risk food establishments do not require such complex processes because they serve low-maintenance foods such as pizza, hamburgers, sandwiches.
Bars and cafes are typical low-risk food service establishments due to the minimal preparation required for their food service.
Inspectors from each county’s health department are trained by the New York State Department of Health to standardize health inspections at food establishments across the state. Information for each county health department can be found at health.ny.gov/environmental/water/drinking/ctyadd1.htm.
How do I report food establishments that may be in violation of Monroe County health standards?
The health department in each county is responsible for enforcing public health regulations.
If you suspect a food establishment is dirty or may be in violation of health standards, report them to the Monroe County Health Department and an inspector will investigate the complaint. To file a report, submit a complaint to https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/indoors/food_safety/complaints.htm.
USA TODAY Co. is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites around the country, generated with data pulled from local health department websites. Please leave feedback or corrections for this story here. This story was written by Ozge Terzioglu.
This article originally appeared on the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Restaurant inspections in Rochester NY. How safe is your favorite place?