Inspection Report

Business Name
Chili's Grill & Bar

Business Address
1951 S SIGNAL BUTTE RD MESA AZ 85209

Permit Number
FD-11148

Permit Type
Food Establishment - Eating & Drinking

Inspection Purpose
CI Food Routine Inspection

Inspection Date
9/3/2025

Grade
C

Priority Violation
2

Inspection Status
Completed

Violations

Violation #: 16

Description: Food-Contact Surfaces: Cleaned and Sanitized

Comments:

4-601.11(A) - Priority Foundation: Equipment, Food-Contact Surfaces, Nonfood-Contact Surfaces, and Utensils. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you. https://www.maricopa.gov/4574/AMC-Toolbox---Food-Contact-Surfaces. Addl Notes: Observed several of the amber pans stored as clean in the prep area to have food debris and particles on the inside, food contact surfaces. PIC placed the soiled pans into the dish pit and will inspect and rewash/rinse/sanitize any other pans that have food debris. The pans are used to store various TCS foods such as cooked pasta, cooked proteins, dairy products (cheese sauce) etc. PIC will retrain employees to prewash dishes to remove debris and inspect prior to stacking and storing as clean. TCS food debris remaining on clean equipment is a potential source of contamination for foods that come into contact with the equipment. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 21

Repeat Violation

Description: Proper Hot Holding Temperatures

Comments:

PRIORITY VIOLATION-3-501.16(A)(1) - Priority: Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food, Hot Holding. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you. https://www.maricopa.gov/4614/AMC-Toolbox---Hot-Holding.

Addl Notes: 2ND CONSECUTIVE VIOLATION Observed cooked chicken breasts hot holding in the warmer trays on the cook-line with internal temperatures from 107-129F, probe thermometer, verified by PIC. PIC unsure of how long the chicken was held in the warmer; PIC voluntarily discarded the chicken, see embargo form. Discussed the policy for hot holding and routinely taking temperatures of the chicken to ensure that at least 135F is maintained. Maintaining cooked TCS foods at 135F or more during hot holding prevents significant regrowth of heat-injured microorganisms and prevents recontamination with bacteria that are newly introduced. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 22

Repeat Violation

Description: Proper Cold Holding Temperatures

Comments:

PRIORITY VIOLATION-3-501.16(A)(2) and (B) - Priority: Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food, Cold Holding. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you.https://www.maricopa.gov/4576/AMC-Toolbox---Cold-Holding.

Addl Notes: 2ND CONSECUTIVE VIOLATION Observed mozzarella planks and cooked chicken wings cold holding in the top of the cook-line reach-in, next to the fryer, with internal temperatures of 45-52F, probe thermometer, verified by person in charge (PIC). According to PIC, the reach-in was stocked 2 hours or less prior to inspection and placed the cheese sticks and wings into the walk-in cooler to rapidly cool to 41F or less. Discussed the policy and procedure for cold holding. Discussed the importance of maintaining cold food at 41F or less to limit pathogen growth and avoid causing foodborne illness. Except during preparation, cooking, cooling, or when time is used as a control all TCS food must be maintained at 41°F or less. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 33

Description: Proper Cooling Methods Used; Adequate Equipment for Temperature Control

Comments:

3-501.15 (A) - Priority Foundation: Cooling Methods. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you. https://www.maricopa.gov/4617/AMC-Toolbox---Cooling. Addl Notes: Observed several cooked and cooling racks of ribs, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and stacked in a deep plastic pan in the walk-in cooler. The internal temperature of the ribs observed at 80-110F, with 20 minutes left to reach 70F (from 135F). PIC placed the cooling ribs into a single layer on a rack in the walk-in freezer to cool to 70F or less within 20 minutes. The temperature was verified to reach less than 70F and will be left in the freezer to cool to 41F or less, before being placed into the cooler. TCS foods must cool from 135-70F in 2 hours and from 70-41F in the next 4 hours. PIC will retrain employees on proper cooling methods such as uncovered/loosely covered, shallow containers less than 4 inches deep, in equipment designed to rapidly cool, by using an ice bath, by using ice as an ingredient, or another effective means. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Comments/Details

Calibrated thermometer. An AMC training is scheduled on Monday, 9/8/2025 at 8:00 am.
No County legal action will result from this inspection.

"A" for Food Safety

Through our grading system, Maricopa County Environmental Services Department provides at-a-glance indications of how food establishments perform during food safety inspections. This system is designed to grade food establishments in terms of food safety requirements and provide recognition to those who choose to participate.

How does it work?

The issuance of grade cards to food establishments is based on voluntary participation. The person in charge, who is present during the inspection, will be asked whether they would like to participate in the Grading System. This will be decided prior to each inspection. If an establishment does not participate in the Grading System, Not Participating or NP will appear on the inspection report, and the inspection will still occur. If an establishment does participate, a grade of A, B, C, or D will be determined at the conclusion of the inspection using the Grading System chart below. Participating establishments will then be provided with a grade card that can be posted in the establishment. The status of the establishment’s grade will also appear on the Restaurant Ratings page of the department’s website.

How can I determine the grade?

The Grading System chart can be used to determine grades earned for establishments that do not participate. Grades are determined by the number of Priority and Priority Foundation violations received at the time of inspection. Violation types are defined in general terms below.

Definitions

Priority Violation: Major violation that directly contributes to increasing the risk of foodborne illness or injury (e.g. Food employees do not properly wash hands when required).
Priority Foundation Violation: Minor violation that does not directly contribute to an increased risk of foodborne illness but failure to correct this violation may lead to the occurrence of a priority violation. For example, hand washing soap and paper towels not available at hand wash sink (may lead directly to food employees not properly washing hands when required).
Core Violation: Minor violation that relates to general maintenance and sanitation (e.g. No sign reminding employees to wash hands).
Cutting Edge Program: All county food-related establishments can partner with Maricopa County to implement a proactive approach to reducing foodborne illness risk factors by implementing food safety systems that include policies, training, and verification processes. Partners enrolled in the Cutting Edge Program receive an A+ when an A is earned.

Grading System The matrix below is used to grade food inspections under the voluntary grading system.
Violation Category	Grade A	Grade B	Grade B	Grade B	Grade B	Grade B	Grade B	Grade B	Grade C	Grade C	Grade C	Grade C	Grade C	Grade C	Grade D	Grade D
Priority	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	0	1	1	2	2	2	more than 2	more than 3
Priority Foundation	0	1	2	3	4	0	1	2	5	3	4	0	1	2	more than 3	more than 0

Any legal action for a pattern of non-compliance or permit suspension results in a D.