DirtyFLRestaurant Inspection Data

CHINA BUFFET

Health inspection records show CHINA BUFFET in TAMPA has 6 inspections with a food safety rating of 2.3/5. Recent inspections indicate some food safety concerns.

1245 East Fowler Avenue
Tampa, Florida, 33612
Hillsborough County County

Overall Food Safety Rating

★★☆☆☆ (2.3/5)
Based on 6 health inspection reports

All Inspection Reports

Inspection Date: 8/25/2025

Inspection #: Visit ID: 10907613

  • 22-20-5:Basic - Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. Interior of ice machine by back door is soiled.
  • 12B-07-4:Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee drink stored on reach in cooler cutting board on cooks line. Employee drink stored in same pan as raw crab.
  • 12B-12-5:Basic - Employee drinking from an unenclosed beverage container in a food preparation/clean dishware area and the container does not have a dispensing mechanism to prevent hand contact with lip contact area of drink container. Employee drink from a coke with no lid on cooks line.
  • 35B-08-4:Basic - Fly sticky tape hanging over food/food preparation area/food-contact equipment. 4 fly sticky tapes hanging from ceiling in kitchen area.
  • 08B-31-4:Basic - Food stored in undrained ice. Shrimp inside walk in cooler in sitting water. Manager drained water from shrimp. Corrected On-Site
  • 08B-38-4:Basic - Food stored on floor. Bucket of potatoes, soy sauce stored in floor inside walk in cooler . Repeat Violation
  • 14-69-4:Basic - Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. Ice buildup in white freezer in food preparation area.
  • 10-07-4:Basic - In-use utensil stored in standing water less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Spoon stored in standing water on front buffet line. Manager removed and placed spoon at dishwasher. Corrected On-Site
  • 23-03-4:Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Hood filters have buildup of grease overtop flattop grill and fryers.
  • 02D-01-5:Basic - Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Sauces removed from original containers and placed in clear bottles has no labeling of ingredients throughout kitchen area. Repeat Violation
  • 22-41-4:High Priority - Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly. Dishwasher has an empty bottle of chlorine connected to it. Manager connected new bucket of chlorine to dishwasher. Repeat Violation
  • 08A-20-5:High Priority - Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Raw chicken stored overtop raw fish inside walk in cooler. Manager removed and properly stored chicken.
  • 03F-02-5:High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has no time marking and the time removed from temperature control cannot be determined. Sushi held on time as a public health control on front buffet has no time markings.
  • 16-33-4:Intermediate - Chemical test kit not used to ensure proper sanitization of equipment and utensils when using a chemical sanitizer. Empty bucket of chlorine connected to dishwasher. Repeat Violation
  • 01C-02-4:Intermediate - Establishment not maintaining clam/mussel/oyster tags for 90 days. Repeat Violation
  • 31B-03-4:Intermediate - No soap provided at handwash sink. No handwashing soap at handwashing sink in kitchen area by fryer station. Manager placed soap at handwashing sink. Corrected On-Site
  • 01C-01-4:Intermediate - No tag on/for original container of raw, in-shell clams/mussels/oysters. No tags for raw oyster inside walk in cooler. Spoke with manager all fresh raw oysters must be cooked before serving. Repeat Violation

Inspection Date: 4/2/2025

Inspection #: Visit ID: 10809860

  • 08A-05-6:High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw shrimp over ready to eat bread and green beans in walk in cooler.
  • 12A-03-4:Intermediate - Employee washed hands in a sink other than an approved handwash sink. Employee picked trash up off the floor then proceeded to wash his hands in food preparation sink. Had a conversation about proper handwashing procedures. Employee washed his hand in appropriate sink. Corrected On-Site
  • 31A-11-4:Intermediate - Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Handwashing sink has lids stored inside it. Owner removed lids and placed at dishwasher. Corrected On-Site

Inspection Date: 3/17/2025

Inspection #: Visit ID: 10800231

  • N/A:No Violations Were Observed

Inspection Date: 3/17/2025

Inspection #: Visit ID: 10792893

  • 14-01-5:Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Bowl without a handle used as scoop inside flour bin on table across from flattop grill in back kitchen area.
  • 12B-01-4:Basic - Employee eating while preparing food. Employee eating while preparing food in back kitchen area.
  • 08B-38-4:Basic - Food stored on floor. Buckets of soy sauce stored on floor in kitchen area.
  • 10-07-4:Basic - In-use utensil stored in standing water less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Utensil's stored in water at 111F.
  • 08B-39-4:Basic - Raw fruits/vegetables not washed prior to preparation. Green beans not washed before preparation.
  • 02D-01-5:Basic - Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Clear bottles of sauces used for cooking has no labeling of ingredients on counter by flattop grill in kitchen area.
  • 22-41-4:High Priority - Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly. Dishwasher tested 0ppm of chlorine. Owner prime sanitizer retested at 100ppm. Corrected On-Site
  • 12A-10-4:High Priority - Employee touched bare body part and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Employee on cooks line turned his hat backwards put on gloves without washing his hands.
  • 08A-05-6:High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw beef stored overtop ready to eat sauces inside walk in cooler. Owner removed and properly stored beef. Corrected On-Site
  • 16-33-4:Intermediate - Chemical test kit not used to ensure proper sanitization of equipment and utensils when using a chemical sanitizer.
  • 01C-05-4:Intermediate - Clam/mussel/oyster tags not maintained in chronological order according to the last date they were served in the establishment.
  • 01C-03-4:Intermediate - Clam/mussel/oyster tags not marked with last date served.
  • 31A-11-4:Intermediate - Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Handwashing sink has rice in the drain by double door refrigerator in back kitchen area.
  • 01C-01-4:Intermediate - No tag on/for original container of raw, in-shell clams/mussels/oysters. See stop sale. No tags on oysters on buffet.
  • 02C-02-5:Intermediate - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Bulk pasta salad made and held longer then 24 hours has no date markers inside walk in cooler.

Inspection Date: 2/11/2025

Inspection #: Visit ID: 10730706

  • 50-08-7:High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Establishment unable to be licensed at time of licensing inspection from the Division of Hotels and Restaurants. Operator must obtain a public food service license from the Division of Hotels and Restaurants within 60 days. Submit a license application and payment to DBPR/Bureau of Central Intake Unit, 2601 Blair Stone Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0783. To apply online or obtain an application for license visit http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/ Establishment has compliance violations to comply before being able to be issued license. Warning - From follow-up inspection 2025-02-11: Unable to license at time of callback inspection Admin Complaint
  • 51-16-7:Intermediate - - From initial inspection : Intermediate - 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 http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/licensing/plan-review/. Freezer extended, added storage room next to water heater, dishwasher moved to other side of kitchen near office, hand wash sink removed near 3 compartment sink near dry storage and moved across from 3 compartment sink. 3 compartment sink added next to walk in cooler. Bakers section converted to server station for serving soda. Total 7 buffet tables added. Ceiling not smooth and easily cleanable above buffet tables. Oven removed near side kitchen area toward right of establishment. Server nook added across from register, with ice machine and hand sink added. Warning - From follow-up inspection 2025-02-11: No new plan submitted yet. Provided plan review application to operator at time of inspection. Admin Complaint

Inspection Date: 11/26/2024

Inspection #: Visit ID: 10701729

  • 36-37-5:Basic - Ceiling not smooth, nonabsorbent and easily cleanable in food preparation, food storage, or warewashing areas. Ceiling above buffet area, acoustic tile. Warning
  • 36-36-4:Basic - Ceiling tile missing. Ceiling tile missing above beer cooler. Warning
  • 14-09-4:Basic - Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. White cutting board on prep station Warning
  • 02D-01-5:Basic - Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Water bottle sprayer not labeled. Warning
  • 50-08-7:High Priority - Establishment unable to be licensed at time of licensing inspection from the Division of Hotels and Restaurants. Operator must obtain a public food service license from the Division of Hotels and Restaurants within 60 days. Submit a license application and payment to DBPR/Bureau of Central Intake Unit, 2601 Blair Stone Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0783. To apply online or obtain an application for license visit http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/ Establishment has compliance violations to comply before being able to be issued license. Warning
  • 41-10-4:High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Spray cleaner above plates. Warning
  • 51-16-7:Intermediate - 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 http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/licensing/plan-review/. Freezer extended, added storage room next to water heater, dishwasher moved to other side of kitchen near office, hand wash sink removed near 3 compartment sink near dry storage and moved across from 3 compartment sink. 3 compartment sink added next to walk in cooler. Bakers section converted to server station for serving soda. Total 7 buffet tables added. Ceiling not smooth and easily cleanable above buffet tables. Oven removed near side kitchen area toward right of establishment. Server nook added across from register, with ice machine and hand sink added. Warning