Fire ants, flies, roaches & mold: Worst Beaufort, Jasper County restaurant inspections in April
Six Beaufort County and two Jasper County food businesses were cited with “B” and “C” grades in April’s health inspections by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Here is a rundown of the restaurants that received the lowest ratings in April:
Cabritos Mexican Restaurant: 119 Mathews Drive, Suite C
Cabritos Mexican Restaurant scored 83% (B) on April 23 in a routine inspection. Issues noted by inspectors included:
The hand-wash sink was holding dirty equipment.
Dishes were not washed with the required sanitation step.
The hot line stove was not at a proper temperature for cooking meat products.
Beef was left to thaw at ambient temperatures.
Packaged food had broken seals and was stored incorrectly.
Silverware was not properly handled.
The refrigerator and freezer were in poor condition.
Cabritos Mexican Restaurant was reinspected on April 25 and scored 100% (A).
Captain Woody’s Bar & Grill: 17 State of Mind Street
Captain Woody’s Bar & Grill scored 84% (B) on April 25 in a routine inspection. Issues noted by inspectors included:
Employee did not wash their hands before handling food items.
Meats, including shrimp, fish and steak were thawing together in a sink.
Oyster shells were not handled properly to avoid contamination risks.
Date marks were not followed for certain food items, like shrimp chili.
Steak, hamburger meat, fish and shrimp were thawing in standing water.
Fly traps were installed over clean glassware racks.
Employee with long painted fingernails was handling and slicing citrus fruits for beverages.
Captain Woody’s Bar & Grill has not been reinspected as of May 1, but one is required within 10 days.
Celeste: 20 Hatton Place
Celeste scored 82% (B) on April 3 in a routine inspection. Issues noted by inspectors included:
No shellstock tags were in use.
Reheating procedures for hot-holding items were not corrected.
No date mark system was in place.
Raw and undercooked meats were served with no consumer advisory plainly visible on the menu.
Raw beef, raw shucked oysters and smoked sausage were thawing at ambient temperatures.
The dishwasher was leaking.
A reinspection report has not been posted for Celeste as of May 1, but one was required within 10 days.
La Cabinita: 59 Dillon Road
La Cabinita scored 78% (B) on April 7 in a routine inspection. Issues noted by inspectors included:
The kitchen sink did not have warm enough water as required.
Uncovered raw vegetables were stored on a shelf below raw chicken.
Uncovered beans and salsas were cooling below an active prep shelf.
Chicken stew, beans and beef were held at incorrect hot-holding temperatures.
Hot dogs, cheese and milk were held at incorrect cold temperatures.
Fire ant granules were stored with dish chemicals.
No food thermometer was available.
An open bag of sugar was stored on the kitchen floor.
Knives and other utensils were stored among the kitchen equipment.
The refrigerator could not hold the correct cold temperature.
Chlorine test strips were not available.
La Cabinita was reinspected on April 15 and scored 86% with a “C” letter grade due to repeated violations. Another inspection was required within 10 days, but has not been posted as of May 1.
Lowcountry Produce: 1919 Trask Parkway
Lowcountry Produce scored 82% (B) on April 3 in a routine inspection. Issues noted by inspectors included:
Raw shrimp and hot dogs were thawing in the same bucket in the prep sink.
No date mark system was used for ready-to-eat foods.
Tomato Pie, potatoes, onions, chili and mushrooms did not have labels with a proper discard date.
Blanched fries are left out all day and then discarded. The facility does not have a written policy or a time stamp for this product.
Fish was thawed and not removed from packaging.
Live and dead roaches were observed throughout the facility.
Sinks were in poor condition and not properly sealed to the wall.
The inside of the dishwasher had a buildup of limescale.
Lowcountry Produce was reinspected on April 11 and scored 90% (A).
Taqueria Las Abuelitas: 4490 Bluffton Park Crescent
Taqueria Las Abuelitas scored 83% (B) on April 28 in a routine inspection. Issues noted by inspectors included:
The hand-washing sink does not have working hot water and was full of dishes and utensils.
Cooked chicken, pork and beef were held at incorrect hot-holding temperatures.
A date marking system was in place, but not used for items including cooked pork, beef, chicken, red sauce and green sauce.
2-gallon ziploc bags of cooked beef were observed thawing at ambient temperatures in the sink.
The back door screen was open and torn.
To-go bags full of raw pork were seen in the reach-in freezer.
The prep cooler had standing water at the bottom.
The water heater is not able to heat to the correct temperature.
No sanitizing test strips were available.
Reach-in freezer had a buildup of ice and food debris.
Taqueria Las Abuelitas has not been reinspected as of May 1, but one is required within 10 days.
Agave Azul Tacos and Tequila: 51 Riverwalk Boulevard
Agave Azul Tacos and Tequila scored 83% (B) on April 8 in a routine inspection. Issues noted by inspectors included:
No handwashing soap was found at three separate sink locations.
Oranges stored in the cooler had green and white organic growth.
Cooked pork was at the wrong hot temperature in the pan.
Pain medication was stored near food stations and commingled with to-go silverware.
Raw, sealed raw meat was left thawing in standing water.
A hole in the walk-in cooler caused a leak near ready-to-eat foods and another leak in the ceiling.
Containers without handles were being used as scoops stored in bulk food bins.
Agave Azul Tacos and Tequila was reinspected on April 18 and scored 100% (A).
Burrito Express Mexican Grill: 130 Independence Boulevard
Burrito Express Mexican Grill scored 85% (B) on April 25 in a routine inspection. Issues noted by inspectors included:
No hand-drying items were available for use.
Whole shell eggs were sitting at ambient temperature.
Rubbing alcohol was stored over the food prep area and ready-to-eat foods.
First aid supplies was stored over the food prep area and ready-to-eat foods.
Whole fish was stored in an undrained bucket of icy water.
Clean silverware was stored incorrectly.
Soiled and broken-down cardboard boxes were being used as shelf liners.
Organic matter and food debris were observed on the gaskets of the reach-in cooler.
Burrito Express Mexican Grill has not been reinspected as of May 1, but one is required within 10 days.
What the grades mean
Inspectors give restaurants a grade of A, B or C, depending on the conditions found at the time. Points are docked for various infractions, and restaurants have a chance to correct the problems and improve their score in a reinspection.
The grade scale is as follows:
A: 88% to 100%
B: 78% to 87%
C: 77% or less
In April, the SCDA recorded 205 inspections of restaurants, schools, stores and other food establishments in Beaufort County and 40 in Jasper County.
The agency publishes the results of these health inspections on its website.
Newer food-grade decals include a QR code that customers can scan with their phones to see a food establishment’s latest report.
How to request an inspection
If there is an establishment for which you wish to request an inspection, you can submit a concern to the SCDA by filling out this Food Safety Complaint Form.
This story was originally published May 2, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
