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Inspectors find a makeshift bed in a Modesto donut shop and cups in a bathroom

Restaurant inspections

In our Reality Check stories, Modesto Bee journalists deliver fast facts about the issues that matter to local residents to hold officials and institutions accountable. Read more. Story idea? Tips@modbee.com.

Health inspectors found major violations in early to mid-May, including a makeshift bed in the storage area of a Modesto donut shop and cups stored in the bathroom of a popular coffee spot.

The majority of the 2,400 permitted food service establishments in the county get two unannounced routine food safety inspections per year, according to the Department of Environmental Resources. The website says inspection reports are scanned weekly.

Food trucks that operate under a Stanislaus County Health Department permit also are inspected by the county, though those are scheduled and done at the department’s office.

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Of the 131 restaurant inspection reports sent to The Modesto Bee on Monday, 22 were not updated on the site as of Monday morning.

Bed in storage room among major violations

Violations were found during routine inspections of the following Stanislaus County food facilities during the week of May 4-17. Only the dates of violations are listed.

The details of the reports do not indicate whether a restaurant passed or failed inspection. Corrective actions may have been made by the business by the time of publication.

The reports are linked. For updates on individual restaurants, search the DER website.

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Cost Less Foods, 888 N. Yosemite Ave. in Oakdale, had three violations during an inspection on May 4 as a result of a complaint. The complaint alleged patrons were entering the facility with their pets. The person in charge was notified that pets are not allowed in this facility since food prep sections, including the bakery and meat sections, are partially exposed to customers. The person in charge notified the department that only service animals are allowed inside. A visible “no pets” sign was noted outside the facility.

Five pouches of Gerber purée that had expired on April 30, 2026, were found on a shelf. Dented food cans were found on the retail shelves. The handwashing sink in the meat section leaked when operated.

La Mexicana Del Valle, 217 E St. in Waterford, had four violations on May 4. Produce and prepared foods were stored adjacent to raw meats in the walk-in refrigerator. Boxes of meat were stored directly on the floor in the walk-in freezer. The door to the walk-in fridge holding meat was not secured properly. The wall coving in the meat department was not secured to the wall.

Los Capitanes, 156 S. Maag Ave., Suite A, in Oakdale, had five violations on May 4. Raw bacon was stored on top of fresh produce in the walk-in cooler. A wooden table obstructed the handwashing sink in the employee bathroom. Hot water throughout the facility was noted at 115 degrees (must be a minimum of 120 degrees). The food safety certification and food handler cards were not available at the time of inspection.

Donut Basket, 1725 Prescott Road in Modesto, had four violations on May 4 — two of them major. Dishes and utensils were being washed in the prep sink instead of the ware-washing sink. The storage room had a sofa turned into a makeshift bed. A ceiling tile in the bathroom was in disrepair, and a large hole was observed. The handwashing sink in the baking area did not have soap or paper towels.

One violation remained during a reinspection on May 11.

College Market, 2110 College Ave. in Modesto, had five violations on May 4. Milk cartons in the walk-in fridge were stored on the floor. The floor sinks in the storage room and next to the wine rack were heavily soiled. Floor tiles outside the walk-in fridge were in disrepair. The bathroom lacked paper towels. Multiple light fixtures throughout facility lacked shatterproof covers.

Two violations remained during a reinspection on May 14.

Champs Mini Mart, 2244 McHenry Ave. in Modesto, had two major violations on May 5. The facility installed soda dispenser without submitting plans to DER. It lacked a three-compartment sink and a handwashing sink. The facility was restricted to selling prepackaged food due to the lack of sinks, and was told to place an out-of-order sign on the soda dispenser and submit plans to DER for the change in the menu.

Bottoms Up Espresso, 1800 Prescott Road in Modesto, had four violations on May 6. Reusable cups and lids were stored in the bathroom. The hot water at the three-compartment sink was noted at 118 degrees. The permit to operate expired in 2024 and the food safety certificate was not available.

One violation remained during a reinspection on May 11 and all were noted as corrected on May 14.

Ranch Burger, 314 N. 2nd St. in Patterson, had five violations on May 6 — two of them major. Raw beef patties were stored above condiment bottles in the prep fridge. The prep fridge was holding deli meats, raw beef patties and cut vegetables at an internal temperature of 44 degrees (must be a minimum of 41 degrees). Boxes of food were stored directly on the floor in the walk-in freezer. The mechanical exhaust ventilation hood was missing baffle blades. The food safety certificate could not be presented to the inspector.

Las Brisas De Michoacan, 42 S. Third St., Suite A, in Patterson, had two violations on May 7 — one of them major. Raw, frozen beef was stored above frozen fries in the freezer. The can opener was soiled with white accumulation.

Taquería San Jose, 1800 Prescott Road, Suite Q, in Modesto, had four violations on May 11 — one of them major. A tray of raw chicken was sitting on the ground. It was later moved to the walk-in fridge with a temperature of 60 degrees (must be a minimum of 41 degrees). Per staff, the chicken was removed from the freezer to room temperature to thaw overnight.

Various refrigerator shelves had food buildup and crust accumulation. The mop bucket was stored in the closet with soda syrup and plastic cups. Some food handler certifications were expired.

Cindy’s, 800 N. Yosemite Ave. in Oakdale, had eight violations on May 11 — two of them major. Two cold-holding units were at 46 and 50 degrees. The inner walls of the ice machine were significantly damaged, exposing rusty surfaces that were not smooth and not easily cleanable. The entrance of the walk-in freezer was covered with dirty towels. The soda machine was soiled near the nozzles. A bag of raw onions was found stored directly on the floor. A few bulk containers were found stored inside the walk-in cooler without proper lids. The prep area was lacking sanitizer buckets.

Three violations remained during a reinspection on May 15 — two of them major.

McDonald’s, 1800 Prescott Road in Modesto, had three violations on May 11. A caution cone was on top of a bucket of food in the freezer. Shelves in many of the reach-in fridges throughout the facility had food buildup. The ice cream and coffee machines had grime and syrup accumulation. The hot water temperature at the mop sink was 110 degrees (must be a minimum of 120 degrees).

All violations were noted as corrected during a reinspection on May 20.

Ernie’s Taqueria, 110 S. 3rd St. in Patterson, had two violations on May 12 — one of them major. Raw shrimp was stored above cooked beans in the walk-in refrigerator. Raw beef was stored next to pre-cooked chicken and french fries in the freezer. The 2026 permit to operate was not posted.

Baskin-Robbins, 2900 Standiford Ave., Suite 16A, in Modesto, had six violations on May 13 — two of them major. Cartons of cream were thawing in the sanitizer compartment of the three-compartment sink. Open jars of caramel were placed in a cabinet under the handwashing sink. The sanitizer at the three-compartment sink was not at the proper concentration. The floor and areas underneath equipment were soiled with food buildup and spills. The hot water was at 112 degrees at the three-compartment sink and 115 degrees at the mop sink. The sanitizer bucket did not have any sanitizer. One food handler card was expired.

All violations were noted as corrected during a reinspection on May 18.

Wienerschnitzel, 2900 Standiford Ave., Suite 20, in Modesto, had six violations on May 14 — three of them major. The prep sink did not have hot water. Slices of cheese and cut tomatoes were on top of the prep fridge and at 45 degrees. The gasket in the prep fridge was in disrepair and the fridge was not holding at 41 degrees or below. Potentially hazardous food items in the prep fridge were noted at 48 to 50 degrees. A running leak was observed under the three-compartment sink. One food handler card was expired.

Dutch Bros, 810 N. Yosemite Ave. in Oakdale, had two violations on May 15 — one of them major. Toilet paper was placed outside the dispenser. Live flies were found near the three-compartment sink.

Other food facilities with three or more, or major, violations at the time of their inspections were:

Minor violations

California Avenue Elementary School, 3800 California Ave. in Riverbank, had one violation during an inspection on May 11 which was the result of a complaint. The complaint alleged that there are cockroaches in the cafeteria. There were no signs of cockroaches during the inspection, but spider webs and dead insects were found near the entrance of the food prep room.

According to Stanislaus County, other food facilities that had one or two violations, none of them major, were:

No violations

These food facilities had no violations, according to the county:

Facility closed upon inspection

The following food facilities were not open at the time inspectors attempted an unannounced visit (this may happen when posted business hours are no longer accurate or a facility has not notified the department it is no longer in business):

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Dominique Williams
The Modesto Bee
209-253-9007
Dominique Williams writes about new business, restaurant and retail developments for The Modesto Bee. She is a Ripon native and a graduate of Sacramento State.
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