RestaurantLicence 2565183

China Express 168

4248 S Wentworth Ave, Chicago 60609

Latest verdictPassOct 5, 2026 · 8 days ago

Inspections11since Nov 20, 2017

Fail rate10.0%1 of 10 verdictscitywide 22.4% · below average

City risk ratingHigh riskWhat this kind of business could do if it went wrong — not a grade it earned.

Read the pairs, not the count. A failure is normally followed within days by a re-inspection, and that re-inspection is a second row here. On the timeline below they sit almost on top of each other — one bad day, two marks.

The whole record

Pass80%
Conditional10%
Fail10%

11 inspections from 2017 to 2026 · hover a mark

2019202120232025

PassOct 5, 2026CanvassRisk 1 (High)
1. 47
  Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
  Using tin cans and grocery bags for food storage, instructed to use proper utensils.
PassDec 24, 2025CanvassRisk 1 (High)
1. 49
  Non-food/food contact surfaces clean
  Observed all heavy equipment in prep area in need of cleaning (2 door cooler with cold hold attached, wok station as well as alongside fryer including coils. Instructed to remove grease build up and food debris and maintain equipment free of accumulated build up.
2. 55
  Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
  Observed large puddles of grease and food debris underneath wok station and fryers. Instructed to remove, clean and sanitize said area in order to prevent pest harborage.
3. 57
  All food employees have food handler training
  Instructed to provide food handler training certification for all food employees and maintain on site for review.
PassApr 23, 2024CanvassRisk 1 (High)
1. 37
  Food properly labeled; original container
  Observed several large food containers with dry products. (rice, salt sugar, onion powder, pepper ) without proper common food name markings. Must label bulk and working food containers with contents common name. Must label food storage containers when food is not in original package.
2. 47
  Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
  Noted assorted food items inside coolers and refrigeration units stored inside grocery bags. Instructed to properly store all food items inside approved food grade containers or bags.
3. 47
  Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
  Noted some use of milk crates for elevation in the kitchen area, dishwashing area, and dry storage area. Instructed not to use milk crates for elevation to prevent hiding places for pest. Must provides appropriate shelving for storage. All food items must also be stored 6" away from the wall.
4. 55
  Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
  Noted excessive grease and food debris on the stove and around the works. Instructed to detail clean and maintain all cooking equipment, ingredient containers, racks, and shelving with flour, sugar, etc. And remove dust, grease, and dirt build-up throughout.
5. 56
  Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used
  Noted heavy dirt and grease accumulation inside, on pipes/conduits, and edges of the exhaust hood and filters above cooking equipment. Instructed to detail clean and maintain hood, filters, and pipes/conduits.
PassApr 6, 2023Canvass Re-InspectionRisk 1 (High)
1. 39
  Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
  3-305.11- observed food boxes stored on the floor inside walk in freezer. Instructed manager to elevate all food storage items six inches from the floor.
2. 53
  Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned
  5-501.17-instructed manager to provide covered receptacle for employee toiler room.
3. 55
  Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
  6-501.12- must clean grease and food debris build up from floor under cooking equipment, walk in cooler and along wall bases throughout.
FailMar 27, 2023CanvassRisk 1 (High)
1. 1
  Person in charge present, demonstrates knowledge, and performs duties
  Observed no person in charge with valid Chicago food sanitation certificate.
2. 2
  City of Chicago food service sanitation certificate
  Observed facility without a valid city of Chicago food service sanitation certificate posted onsite for food employees. Informed person in charge city of Chicago original food service certificate must be posted along with the certified manager on site when time and temperature control for safety(tcs) foods are served. Priority foundation violation #7-38-012. Citation issued.
3. 5
  Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events
  Observed no adequate supplies on site to properly respond to vomit and/or diarrheal events . Instructed to provide. Priority foundation 7-38-005.
4. 38
  Insects, rodents, & animals not present
  Observed evidence of rodent activity on the premises. Observed approximately 40 mouse droppings on the floor of the rear storage area under the bulk dry ingredient containers. Management instructed to clean and remove all rodent droppings from all affected areas. Additional pest control service is needed to eliminate the pest activity. Priority foundation #7-38-020(a). Citation issued.
5. 39
  Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
  Observed food boxes stored on the floor inside walk in freezer. Instructed manager to elevate all food storage items six inches from the floor.
6. 53
  Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned
  Instructed manager to provide covered receptacle for employee toiler room.
7. 55
  Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
  Must clean grease and food debris build up from floor under cooking equipment, walk in cooler and along wall bases throughout.
PassMar 31, 2022CanvassRisk 1 (High)
1. 37
  Food properly labeled; original container
  Observed dry goods storage containers without name of item inside of the container; instructed to label containers with common name.
2. 49
  Non-food/food contact surfaces clean
  Observed the following in need of cleaning; clean and maintain: exterior surfaces of cooking equipment (fryers, wok station, hot holding unit), bottom of fryers to remove grease, exterior surfaces of refrigeration units, interiors of refrigeration units where needed, exterior surfaces of bulk storage containers.
3. 55
  Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
  Instructed to clean the floors under cooking equipment, ceiling tile and vents to remove dust observed, light shields to remove dust observed, walls at mop sink area and behind cooking equipment.
4. 56
  Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used
  Instructed to clean the vents in the hooded system above cooking equipment.
5. 57
  All food employees have food handler training
  Found expired food handler certificates; instructed to have food handlers update certificates.
6. 58
  Allergen training as required
  Unable to produce two food allergen training certificates for two food service managers; instructed to have certificates on premises at all times.
PassJul 28, 2021CanvassRisk 1 (High)
1. 37
  Food properly labeled; original container
  Must label food storage containers when food is not in original package.
2. 47
  Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
  Must remove rust from walk in cooler shelving units and lower shelves of prep tables.
3. 49
  Non-food/food contact surfaces clean
  Must clean grease and food debris build up from fryer cabinets,steam table,prep tables,wok station,prep cooler,pipes of cooking equipment.
4. 54
  Garbage & refuse properly disposed; facilities maintained
  Must eliminate buckets used for garbage cans and provide garbage can with lid.
5. 55
  Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
  Must clean grease and food debris build up from floor under cooking equipment,walk in cooler and along wall bases throughout.
6. 55
  Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
  Must repair or replace missing wall bases near rear door and where needed.
7. 56
  Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used
  Must clean excessive grease build up at filters and hood of cooking equipment.
PassJan 8, 2020CanvassRisk 1 (High)
1. 41
  Wiping cloths: properly used & stored
  Must properly store unused wiping cloths in adequate chemical sanitizing solution when not in use.
2. 53
  Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned
  Must provide covered receptacles for washroom used by female employees.
3. 55
  Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
  Must clean floor along wall base, corners at rear under shelving.
ConditionalApr 10, 2019CanvassRisk 1 (High)
1. 3
  Management, food employee and conditional employee; knowledge, responsibilities and reporting
  No employee health policy on site at the time of inspection. Instructed to obtain and maintain. Priority foundation #7-38-010
2. 5
  Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events
  No vomit or diarrhea procedure on site at time of inspection. Instructed to obtain and no citation issued maintain. Priority foundation #7-38-005
3. 23
  Proper date marking and disposition
  Variety of foods not properly labeled ( ,fish, chicken, cooked beef, etc.) stored inside the walk in and front prep reach in cooler. Food prepared and held for more than 24 hours shall be properly labeled to indicate the day or date in which the food shall be discarded. Priority foundation violation 7-38-005
4. 41
  Wiping cloths: properly used & stored
  Found no wiping cloths stored in sanitation solution. Instructed to provide and maintain
5. 58
  Allergen training as required
  All certified food service sanitation managers employed by a restaurant must receive or obtain training in basic allergen awareness principles within 30 days after employment and every 3 years thereafter. Training programs must be accredited by the american national standards institute or another reputable accreditation agency under the astm international e2659-09 (standard practice for certificate programs).
PassNov 27, 2017LicenseRisk 1 (High)
1. 34
  Floors: constructed per code, cleaned, good repair, coving installed, dust-less cleaning methods used
  Clean floors under shelving unit and cooler in front west storage area.
2. 35
  Walls, ceilings, attached equipment constructed per code: good repair, surfaces clean and dust-less cleaning methods
  Clean ceiling vent above walk-in cooler(dust buildup).
No verdictNov 20, 2017LicenseRisk 1 (High)

Fails sit above the line, passes below. Every inspection the city has published for this licence.

On the street

Apple Maps street-level imagery. Click to look around the block.

What it gets cited for

558×
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
474×
Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
493×
Non-food/food contact surfaces clean
373×
Food properly labeled; original container
563×
Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used
533×
Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned
572×
All food employees have food handler training
392×
Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display

Counted across every inspection on record here. A code that keeps coming back is the more telling signal.

Source

Published by the Chicago Department of Public Health as Food Inspections, updated weekly. This page shows every row the city holds under licence 2565183 — a business that changed hands may carry history from its predecessor.