CLEVELAND’S OK MAGUEY GETS A HEALTH SCORE THAT’S LESS THAN OKAY

Today, the Tennessee Health Department inspected Ok Maguey at 210 Paul Huff Parkway, Cleveland, TN, assigning a score of 61 due to significant food safety violations. Any score lower than 70 is considered a failing grade.
Key issues included:
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Employee Hygiene & Food Handling: Employees drank from unapproved containers, lacked proper handwashing facilities (no paper towels at bar sink, no hot water in men’s restroom), and caused cross-contamination by handling raw chicken and other foods without changing gloves, leading to product discards or cooking to 165°F.
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Temperature Control: Birria meat at 66°F was removed for reheating, and 100 pounds of refried beans and ground beef were embargoed due to improper cooling (56–70°F after 18 hours). Date-marking violations led to 40 pounds of product embargoed.
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Equipment & Storage: Leaking walk-in cooler, damaged wooden platters, non-food-grade tortilla bags, wet-stacked containers, improper utensil storage, and unlabeled chemical bottles were noted. Employee jacket storage on dry stock was also cited.
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Consumer Advisory: No advisory for undercooked eggs on the menu.
Positive findings included approved food sources, proper cooking temperatures, and no bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods. The report highlights a lack of managerial control, recommending food safety training, equipment repairs, and improved practices.
Those interested in seeing the full report can do so here: https://inspections.myhealthdepartment.com/tennessee/inspection/?inspectionID=B7E78CBA-4A81-447E-BB59-A582EB18E330