Live roaches, rodents & black mold. Worst October restaurant inspections for Beaufort & Jasper

Fourteen Beaufort and Jasper County food businesses received B grades in October health inspections conducted by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. No locations received C grades this October.

Here is a rundown of the restaurants that received the lowest ratings:

Albany Grocery: 539 Keans Neck Road, Dale

Albany Grocery had a routine inspection on Oct. 30 and scored an 82% (B). Issues noted by inspectors included:

• The facility did not have a person in charge with a food manager certificate.
• Paper towels were not supplied at the kitchen area hand sink at the start of the inspection.
• Items were not held at the proper cold temperature, including cooked pork, raw beef and deli meats.
• Cans of Raid spray were stored above bottles of mayonnaise.
• Large gaps in the ceiling near the walk-in cooler led directly to the outside.
• Dead roaches were observed under the display cooler and checkout area.
• Food in boxes and single-use to-go containers was stored directly on the floor in the walk-in freezer.
• The display cooler was in poor repair and could not maintain 41 degrees or below; the cooler gaskets were damaged.
• The ceiling near the walk-in cooler was in poor repair, with insulation falling.
• The walk-in cooler light bulb lacked a protective cover.
• The walk-in freezer floor had a major buildup of debris.

A re-inspection is required within 10 days, but had not occurred as of Nov. 3.

Country Club of Hilton Head: 70 Skull Creek Drive, Hilton Head Island

The Country Club of Hilton Head had a routine inspection on Oct. 30 and scored an 80% (B). Issues noted by inspectors included:

• The hand sink on the hot line did not have an approved drying provision; repeat violation not corrected.
• The facility failed to mark several ready-to-eat foods for disposition or discard them after 7 days.
• Undated or expired foods included baked beans, pork sauce, bread pudding, beef jus, demi-glacé, caramelized onions, and vegetable stock.
• Spray bottles of bleach and degreaser were not labeled for identification.
• Residential pest spray was stored in the kitchen.
• Commercially packaged tuna was found fully thawed while still sealed, contrary to labeling requirements.
• Evidence of rodent activity was found in the dry storage closet, dish area and downstairs dry storage.
• Cases of food and wrapped items were stored on the freezer floor.
• Both downstairs and upstairs walk-in shelves were rusted, dirty and in poor repair. The upstairs shelves had an accumulation of white organic growth.
• Cutting boards on the hot line were deeply scored, stained and no longer easily cleanable.
• The interior of the mechanical dish machine had a heavy buildup of lime scale; the exterior was also soiled.
• Wastewater was observed backing up from the floor drain near the dish machine.

A reinspection is required within 10 days, but had not occurred as of Nov. 3.

Daufuskie Crab Company: 256 Cooper River Landing Road, Daufuskie Island

Daufuskie Crab Company had a routine inspection on Oct. 2 and received a 78% (B) rating. Issues noted by inspectors included:

• The person in charge was not certified.
• The kitchen hot line hand sink had no cleanser.
• Food storage pans and utensils stored as clean had visible food debris.
• The inside bar nozzle had organic slime buildup.
• The indoor bar ice machine interior had black organic growth.
• Hot holding temperatures were not maintained for heat-treated burgers and deviled crab.
• The facility did not have a date-marking system.
• Ready-to-eat foods without date marks included heat-treated chicken wings, pork, house-made deviled crab, shrimp dip, and potato salad.
• Tilex and pest control spray were stored with food and clean equipment.
• Fully thawed intact tuna was found in packaging labeled to remove fish before thawing.
• The kitchen back door was propped open and had a damaged screen that did not prevent pest entry.
• Knives were stored between the line equipment.
• Dry storage shelves were rusted.
• Equipment storage shelves in the line area had heavy grease and food debris buildup.
• Floor and wall junctures near the hot line were not covered or sealed.

Daufuskie Crab Company was reinspected on Oct. 10 and scored a 100% (A).

El Super Market: 33 Sherington Drive, Bluffton

El Super Market had a routine inspection on Oct. 16 and received a 81% (B). Issues noted by inspectors included:

• The butcher line hand sink and employee restroom had no approved hand drying items.
• A bucket of tres leches mixture had a layer of organic growth on top.
• In the butcher area chest freezer, raw pork and beef were stored in direct contact with ready-to-eat smoked pork loin.
• Unprotected cuts of meat were stored against the walls with heavy ice buildup, a repeat violation.
• Knives in the butcher area were stored as clean but had dried-on food debris.
• The interior of the market ice machine had black organic growth.
• Working containers of chemicals in the bakery area were not labeled for identification.
• Graphite and liquid lubricants were stored above food prep stations, clean equipment and utensils.
• Personal care items and over-the-counter medications were stored with food and utensils.
• Bulk cheese and containers of crema repackaged in the facility were offered for sale without proper labeling.
• The condenser in the walk-in meat cooler was leaking.
• Cutting boards in the butcher area were deeply scored, stained, and no longer easily cleanable.
• Chest freezers in the meat market area had excessive ice buildup.
• The walk-in freezer floor was damaged.

El Super Market was reinspected on Oct. 22 and scored a 99% (A).

Grays Hill Hispanic Grocery: 2706 Trask Parkway, Beaufort

Grays Hill Hispanic Grocery had a routine inspection on Oct. 13 and scored a 79% (B). Issues noted by inspectors included:

• A large trash can was blocking the hand sink, and a plastic bag was found in the basin of the hand sink at the start of the inspection.
• Raw beef and raw chicken were stored in plastic bags in direct contact with ready-to-eat foods.
• Hot holding temperatures were below the required level; items included fried chicken, cooked beef, grilled chicken, and beans in a crock pot.
• Cold holding temperatures were also above the safe limit in the walk-in cooler for queso fresco, chorizo and sliced cheese. This was noted as a consecutive violation.
• The facility did not have a date-marking system for ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety foods.
• Heat-treated beef, chicken, pork, cooked peppers, cooked tamales, and potato salad were stored without labels identifying proper discard dates.
• The walk-in cooler was in poor repair and unable to maintain food at 41 degrees or lower.
• Clean utensils were stored in an area where they could be splashed when using the hand sink.
• A plastic grocery bag was used in direct contact with food items.
• The facility was observed participating in outdoor cooking without an approved cook site or prior departmental approval.

Grays Hill Hispanic Grocery was reinspected on Oct. 22 and scored a 100% (A).

IZU: 30 Plantation Park Drive #208, Bluffton

IZU had a routine inspection on Oct. 8 and scored an 84% (B). Issues noted by inspectors included:

• Bowls were stacked on top of each other inside a reach-in refrigerator with the bottoms touching ready-to-eat salad and vegetables.
• The in-use cutting board was deeply scored and unclean to sight and touch.
• The ice machine reflector plate had a buildup of grime.
• An employee washed and rinsed containers without completing the sanitizing step before storing them as clean.
• A bottle of pain medicine and burn cream were stored around and on top of ready-to-eat food.
• Live roaches were observed in the hibachi grill area, and rodent droppings were found in the hot water heater closet. Dead roaches were observed in the dry storage area.
• Wiping cloths were used to cover ready-to-eat salad.
• Containers of fruit garnish were stored in a ready-to-eat ice bin.
• Boxes of vegetables and raw shrimp were stored on the floor inside the walk-in cooler.
• Scoops were stored inside dry goods without handles.
• Gaskets and shelving inside the sushi bar reach-in refrigerator had a buildup of grime and food debris.

IZU was reinspected on Oct. 17 and scored a 100% (A).

Jinya Ramen Bar: 95 Mathews Drive, Suite F3, Hilton Head Island

Jinya Ramen Bar had a routine inspection on Oct. 1 and scored an 85% (B). Issues noted by inspectors included:

• A food handler was observed washing utensils in the basin of the noodle line hand sink.
• The mechanical dish machine failed to reach the proper hot-water sanitization temperature.
• Cold holding temperatures were not maintained at the noodle station prep cooler for items including heat-treated chicken, pork belly and raw shrimp.
• Chopped hard-cooked eggs were held on the countertop at ambient temperature with no time stamp. The facility’s time/temperature control policy only covered rice for sushi and did not include hard-cooked eggs. This was also noted as a consecutive violation.
• Prep coolers in the noodle station were unable to hold time/temperature control for safety foods at 41 degrees or below as required.

Jinya Ramen Bar was reinspected on Oct. 3 and scored a 100% (A).

Maria’s Mexican Kitchen: 330 Robert Smalls Parkway, Beaufort

Maria’s Mexican Kitchen had a routine inspection on Oct. 14 and scored an 80% (B). Issues noted by inspectors included:

• The chemical dish machine did not have an adequate chlorine sanitizing concentration.
• Cooked pork and cooked beans were stored in the walk-in cooler without proper cooling methods; both had been prepared the day before and placed directly in the cooler in deep containers.
• Cold holding temperatures were incorrect in the walk-in cooler for shredded cheese, cooked chicken, cut lettuce, raw beef, and raw chicken. This was a consecutive violation.
• A large pump spray bottle of chemicals was not labeled for identification.
• Bottles of bleach were stored next to and above food items in the dry storage area.
• A bottle of Raid spray was stored on the cook line next to plates; this was also a consecutive violation.
• The main walk-in cooler was not holding food at or below 41 degrees; the facility stated it would operate out of the walk-in freezer until repairs were made.
• Multiple live and dead roaches were observed throughout the facility.
• A bowl without a handle was stored inside the ice machine, and utensil handles (tongs and bowls) were stored in contact with ready-to-eat products and spices.
• The walk-in cooler door jamb was in poor repair.
• The wall at the side of the dish machine, baseboards next to the cook line and paint in the prep area were all in poor repair or peeling.

Maria’s Mexican Kitchen was reinspected on Oct. 29 and scored a 98% (A).

Ryan’s Famous Pizza & Subs: 14 Savannah Highway, Suite 9, Beaufort

Ryan’s Famous Pizza & Subs had a routine inspection on Oct. 27 and scored an 81% (B). Issues noted by inspectors included:

• Multiple employees were observed washing their hands in the triple sink over dirty dishes.
• The kitchen hand sink was not supplied with soap or paper towels.
• Raw chicken and raw steak were stored above and next to ready-to-eat foods.
• The facility did not have a date-marking system in place for ready-to-eat and time/temperature control for safety foods.
• Cooked chicken wings, cut deli ham, cooked lasagna, and sliced tomatoes were stored without discard-date labels.
• The chemical dish machine did not have an adequate chlorine sanitizing concentration.
• The facility was using non-splash bleach as sanitizer.
• Medicine was stored above and next to food and food equipment.
• Scoops without handles were stored inside multiple containers of bulk food items.

A reinspection is required within 10 days, but had not occurred as of Nov. 3.

South Carolina Yacht Club: 10 Yacht Club Drive, Hilton Head Island

South Carolina Yacht Club had a routine inspection on Oct. 7 and scored an 82% (B). Issues noted by inspectors included:

• An employee rinsed hands underwater, applied cleaning compound, and did not dry thoroughly.
• An employee handled a cell phone and returned to food preparation without properly washing their hands.
• Another employee washed hands in a two-compartment food prep sink.
• The bar area hand sink contained placemats and wiping cloths.
• No hand drying items were available at the hand sinks in the prep kitchen or behind the bar.
• The facility was not dating shell stock tags for the last date sold and was not maintaining them in chronological order as required.
• The facility failed to properly mark or dispose of several ready-to-eat foods, including pea purée, crème brûlée, heat-treated sprouts, and chicken.
• The facility was not following approved procedures for vacuum packaging seafood; fully thawed salmon, pasta dough, frozen meats, and cheeses were stored in reduced-oxygen packaging contrary to requirements.
• Commercially packaged tuna was fully thawed while still sealed in packaging labeled for removal before thawing.
• Multiple dead roaches were observed throughout the walk-in dry storage area.
• Several bags of clean linen were stored on the floor in the walk-in storage closet.

South Carolina Yacht Club was reinspected on Oct. 9 and scored a 100% (A).

Station 300: 25 Innovation Drive, Bluffton

Station 300 had a routine inspection on Oct. 29 and scored an 84% (B). Issues noted by inspectors included:

• The person in charge handled raw animal protein and then ready-to-eat food without washing their hands between tasks.
• The kitchen hand sink was blocked by a prep table and filled with dishes.
• The hand sink in the dish area was not supplied with paper towels.No handwashing signage was posted in the public restrooms or at the kitchen hand sinks.
• Cutting boards, pans and utensils were stored as clean had visible food debris.
• A food handler worked with cooked chicken while using tubs stored on the floor.
• Takeout boxes were stored on the floor inside the dry storage closet.
• Shelving racks throughout the kitchen were lined with cardboard.
• The top of the dish machine was heavily soiled with lime scale and food debris.
• Reach-in refrigerator gaskets had black organic buildup; walk-in cooler fan covers were dusty; and hood filters and walls behind the hot line were coated with grease and food debris.
• Trash was stored outside in a manner accessible to pests and rodents, with unbagged trash on the ground around the dumpster. This was noted as a consecutive violation.

A reinspection is required within 10 days, but had not occurred as of Nov. 3.

El Nuevo Vallarta Mexican Bar & Grill: 1008 Fording Island Road, Bluffton

El Nuevo Vallarta Mexican Bar & Grill had a routine inspection on Oct. 27 and scored an 83% (B). Issues noted by inspectors included:

• The person in charge was not certified.
• A food handler was eating and drinking from an open-top cup on the hot line.
• Items were stored inside the hand sink basin.
• A container of raw marinated chicken was placed on top of ready-to-eat tortillas; the container exterior was soiled with chicken marinade.
• Hot holding temperatures were too low for items, including heat-treated pork, rice and beans.
• Cleaning chemicals were stored and commingling with food and above clean utensils.
• The facility did not have a small-diameter probe thermometer to measure food temperatures.
• The facility did not have running water during the inspection.

El Nuevo Vallarta Mexican Bar & Grill was reinspected on Oct. 28 and scored a 100% (A).

Williams Meals on Wheels: 10 De Gullah Way, St. Helena

Williams Meals on Wheels was first inspected on Oct. 17 and scored an 88% (A). The facility had a follow-up inspection on Oct. 24 and scored a 95% with a B letter grade for repeated violations. Those included:

• The handwashing sink was not operational during the inspection.
• The facility did not have a consumer advisory or asterisk next to menu items that may be served undercooked, such as burgers.
• The facility did not have access to hot and cold water; plumbing lines had been removed. As a result of this, the owner agreed to voluntarily close due to the lack of running water.

The facility was reinspected once more on Oct. 28 and scored a 100% (A).

Waffle House #2017: 471 Independence Boulevard, Hardeeville

Waffle House was first inspected on Oct. 23 and scored a 94% (A). It was reinspected on Oct. 30 and scored a 95% with a B letter grade for repeated infractions, which included:

• Improper cold holding temperature for sliced tomatoes and diced ham in the tabletop prep cooler next to the grill.
• The tabletop prep unit next to the grill was unable to maintain food at 41 degrees or below as required.

A reinspection is required within 10 days, but had not occurred as of Nov. 3.

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 Oct., the SCDA recorded 282 inspections of restaurants, schools, stores, and other food establishments in Beaufort County and 28 in Jasper County.

The agency publishes the results of these health inspections on its website.

Newer food-grade decals include a QR

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.

To learn more about how the grading system and inspections work, click here.

This story was originally published November 4, 2025 at 6:00 AM.

Anna Claire Miller

The Island Packet

Anna Claire Miller is a former journalist for the Island Packet