ACWORTH, Cherokee County

Tacos El Don Base

5683 BELLS FERRY RD ACWORTH, GA 30102

Food
Latest score
96
Mar 2, 2026
City
ACWORTH
County
Cherokee
Inspections
5

Score history

Inspection scores over time for this facility.

Inspection history

Georgia inspection history is score-based, with violations grouped under each recorded inspection.

Mar 2, 2026

Routine

Score: 962 violations

4-2B - food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized

Regulation: 511-6-1.05(6)(n) - manual and mechanical warewashing equipment, chemical sanitization-temperature, ph, concentration, hardness (p,pf)

4 ptsCorrected: YesRepeat: No

[FROM BASE OF OPERATION] Observed in-use chlorine sanitizer bucket on cookline at 10 ppm. Sanitizer must be 50-100 ppm. COS by remaking to 50 ppm.

4-2B - food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized

Regulation: 511-6-1.05(7)(a)1 - equipment, food-contact surfaces,& utensils (pf)

4 ptsCorrected: YesRepeat: No

[FROM BASE OF OPERATION] Observed a stack of dish tub lids stored as clean but visibly dirty. Equipment food-contact surfaces and utensils shall be clean to sight and touch. COS by rewashing.

Jun 16, 2025

Routine

Score: 893 violations

1-2B - certified food protection manager

Regulation: 511-6-1.03(3)(a) - food safety manager certification (pf)

4 ptsCorrected: NoRepeat: No

Observed no adequate Certified Food Safety Manager (CFSM) for facility. Miguel Sanchez is listed however, he is the owner and does not actively work at facility on a daily basis to oversee food prep. Food service establishments shall have in its employ a Certified Food Safety Manager (CFSM) as specified in paragraph (b) of this subsection to ensure food safety is being managed within the food service establishment during all hours of operation as specified within paragraph (d) of this subsection.

4-2A - food stored covered

Regulation: 511-6-1.04(4)(c)1(iv) - packaged & unpackaged food, food stored covered(c)

4 ptsCorrected: YesRepeat: No

Observed a large amount of food stored uncovered in walk-in cooler. Except as specified under paragraph 2. of this subsection and when cooling as specified in DPH Rule 511-6-1-.04(6)(e)2.(ii), storing the food in packages, covered containers, or wrappings, except for loosely covered or uncovered containers in which food is being cooled if protected from overhead contamination. COS by covering with lids.

11A - proper cooling methods used: adequate equipment for temperature control

Regulation: 511-6-1.04(6)(e) - cooling methods (pf, c)

3 ptsCorrected: YesRepeat: No

Observed cooked salsa verde cooling in large, deep containers and stored completely covered.

  1. Cooling shall be accomplished in accordance with the time and temperature criteria specified under DPH Rule 511-6-1-.04(6)(d) by using one or more of the following methods depending on the type of food being cooled:

(i) Placing the food in shallow pans; Pf

(ii) Separating the food into smaller or thinner portions; Pf

(iii) Using rapid cooling equipment; Pf

(iv) Stirring the food in a container placed in an ice water bath; Pf

(v) Using containers that facilitate heat transfer; Pf

(vi) Adding ice as an ingredient; Pf or

(vii) Other effective methods. Pf

COS by transferring to ice bath.

Oct 24, 2024

Routine

Score: 912 violations

4-1A - food separated and protected

Regulation: 511-6-1.04(4)(c)1(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii) - packaged & unpackaged food separation, packaging, and segregation (p, c)

9 ptsCorrected: NoRepeat: No

Observed employee use scraper utensil to wipe off spatula used for handling raw meats, then proceed to use scraper to cut up ready to eat quesadilla. Employees must use separate equipment for handling raw meats and ready to eat foods. Food was served before Health Authority could stop it. Employee got new utensils.

4-1A - food separated and protected

Regulation: 511-6-1.04(4)(c)1(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii) - packaged & unpackaged food separation, packaging, and segregation (p, c)

9 ptsCorrected: NoRepeat: No

Observed employee use tongs for handling raw meats to flip ready to eat tortillas on grill. Employees must use separate utensils for handling raw meats and ready to eat foods. Food was served before Health Authority stop it. Employee grabbed new set of tongs.

Nov 15, 2023

Followup

Score: 852 violations

4-1A - food separated and protected

Regulation: 511-6-1.04(4)(c)1(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii) - packaged & unpackaged food separation, packaging, and segregation (p, c)

9 ptsCorrected: YesRepeat: No

Observed carton of raw shell eggs stored on top of multiple bags of tortillas. Raw eggs/meats may not be stored above ready-to-eat foods. COS by moving eggs back to cooler.

6-2 - proper date marking and disposition

Regulation: 511-6-1.04(6)(g) - ready-to-eat time/temperature control for safety food, date marking (pf)

4 ptsCorrected: NoRepeat: Yes

Observed TCS several foods in prep top/reach-in coolers not date marked. Time/temperature control for safety food prepared and held in a food establishment for more than 24 hours shall be clearly marked to indicate the date or day by which the food shall be consumed on the premises, sold, or discarded, when held at a temperature of 41°F or below for a maximum of 7 days. The day of preparation shall be counted as Day 1. COS by placing dates on food.

NOTE: if food is portioned from a larger batch that is held in walk-in, the date must follow the food.

Sep 11, 2023

Routine

Score: 784 violations

6-1A - proper cold holding temperatures

Regulation: 511-6-1.04(6)(f) - time/temperature control for safety; cold holding (p)

9 ptsCorrected: YesRepeat: Yes

Observed all time/temperature control for safety (TCS) foods in walk-in cooler, prep top units (in kitchen and dining room), and reach-in coolers being cold held at temperatures greater than 41°F. Except during preparation, cooking, or cooling, or when time is used as the public health control, TCS food shall be maintained at 41°F or below when being cold held. COS by discarding all food not prepped today. Food that was prepped today was moved to a different unit.

1-2A - pic present, demonstrates knowledge, performs duties

Regulation: 511-6-1.03(2)(a)-(n)(p),(q) - responsibility of pic (pf)

4 ptsCorrected: NoRepeat: No

Observed no active managerial control at facility. There is no person in charge and employees are not practicing proper food safety. Five out of six coolers in facility are not maintaining temperature. Please see the responsibilities of the person in charge below:

511-6-1.03(2)(a)-(l)(n)(o) - Responsibility of PIC (Pf) (a) Food service establishment operations are not conducted in a private home or in a room used as living or sleeping quarters; Pf

(b) Authorized Personnel Access. Persons unnecessary to the food service establishment operation are not allowed in the food preparation, food storage, or warewashing areas, except that brief visits and tours may be authorized by the person in charge if steps are taken to ensure that exposed food; clean equipment, utensils, and linens; and unwrapped single-service and single-use articles are protected from contamination; Pf

(c) Authorized Persons Compliance. Employees and other persons such as delivery and maintenance persons and pesticide applicators entering the food preparation, food storage, and warewashing areas comply with this Chapter; Pf

(d) Employee Handwashing. Employees are effectively cleaning their hands, by routinely monitoring the employees’ handwashing; Pf

(e) Monitoring of Receiving. Employees are visibly observing and verifying delivered foods as they are received to determine that they are from approved sources and are placed into appropriate storage locations, as required by this Chapter, such that they are received and maintained at the required temperatures, protected from contamination, unadulterated, and accurately presented, by routinely monitoring the employees’ observations, maintaining receiving/corrective action records for deliveries during non-operating hours, and periodically evaluating foods upon their receipt as specified within DPH Rule 511-6-1-.04(3)(m);Pf

(f) Proper Cooking Techniques. Employees are properly cooking cold/hot holding, and reheating for hot holding time/temperature control for safety food, being particularly careful in cooking, reheating, and holding those foods known to cause severe foodborne illness and death, such as eggs and comminuted meats, through daily oversight of the employees’ routine monitoring of the cooking, holding, and reheating for hot holding temperatures using appropriate temperature measuring devices properly scaled and calibrated. Pf

(g) Proper Cooling Methods. Employees are using proper methods to rapidly cool time/temperature control for safety food, that are not held hot or are not for consumption within four hours, through daily oversight of the employees’ routine monitoring of food temperatures during cooling; Pf

(h) Consumer Food Safety. Consumers who order raw or partially cooked ready-to-eat foods of animal origin are informed that the food is not cooked sufficiently to ensure its safety; Pf

(i) Proper Sanitizing. Employees are properly sanitizing cleaned multiuse equipment and utensils before they are reused, through routine monitoring of solution temperature and exposure time for hot water sanitizing, and chemical concentration, pH, temperature, and exposure time for chemical sanitizing; Pf

(j) Clean Tableware. Consumers are notified that clean tableware is to be used when they return to self-service areas such as salad bars and buffets; Pf

(k) Bare Hand Contact. Unless the conditions specified in DPH Rule 511-6-1-.04(4)(a)4 are met, employees are preventing cross-contamination of ready-to-eat food with bare hands by properly using suitable utensils such as deli tissue, spatulas, tongs, single-use gloves, or dispensing equipment; Pf

(l) Food Safety Training. Employees are properly trained in food safety, including food allergy awareness, as it relates to their assigned duties; Pf

(n) Imminent Health Hazard. If an imminent health hazard exists because of an emergency such as a fire, flood, interruption of electrical or water service for two or more hours, sewage malfunction, misuse of poisonous or toxic materials, onset of an apparent foodborne illness outbreak, gross unsanitary occurrence or condition, or other circumstances that may endanger public health, then operations are immediately discontinued and the Health Authority is notified. P However, establishments may continue to operate under an emergency operation plan that has been approved by the Health Authority prior to the occurrence of such emergency events.Pf

(o) Procedures and Plans. Written procedures and plans, where specified by this Chapter and as developed by the food service establishment, are maintained and implemented as required.Pf

511-6-1.03(2)(a)-(l)(n)(o) - Responsibility of PIC (Pf) (a) Food service establishment operations are not conducted in a private home or in a room used as living or sleeping quarters; Pf

(b) Authorized Personnel Access. Persons unnecessary to the food service establishment operation are not allowed in the food preparation, food storage, or warewashing areas, except that brief visits and tours may be authorized by the person in charge if steps are taken to ensure that exposed food; clean equipment, utensils, and linens; and unwrapped single-service and single-use articles are protected from contamination; Pf

(c) Authorized Persons Compliance. Employees and other persons such as delivery and maintenance persons and pesticide applicators entering the food preparation, food storage, and warewashing areas comply with this Chapter; Pf

(d) Employee Handwashing. Employees are effectively cleaning their hands, by routinely monitoring the employees’ handwashing; Pf

(e) Monitoring of Receiving. Employees are visibly observing and verifying delivered foods as they are received to determine that they are from approved sources and are placed into appropriate storage locations, as required by this Chapter, such that they are received and maintained at the required temperatures, protected from contamination, unadulterated, and accurately presented, by routinely monitoring the employees’ observations, maintaining receiving/corrective action records for deliveries during non-operating hours, and periodically evaluating foods upon their receipt as specified within DPH Rule 511-6-1-.04(3)(m);Pf

(f) Proper Cooking Techniques. Employees are properly cooking cold/hot holding, and reheating for hot holding time/temperature control for safety food, being particularly careful in cooking, reheating, and holding those foods known to cause severe foodborne illness and death, such as eggs and comminuted meats, through daily oversight of the employees’ routine monitoring of the cooking, holding, and reheating for hot holding temperatures using appropriate temperature measuring devices properly scaled and calibrated. Pf

(g) Proper Cooling Methods. Employees are using proper methods to rapidly cool time/temperature control for safety food, that are not held hot or are not for consumption within four hours, through daily oversight of the employees’ routine monitoring of food temperatures during cooling; Pf

(h) Consumer Food Safety. Consumers who order raw or partially cooked ready-to-eat foods of animal origin are informed that the food is not cooked sufficiently to ensure its safety; Pf

(i) Proper Sanitizing. Employees are properly sanitizing cleaned multiuse equipment and utensils before they are reused, through routine monitoring of solution temperature and exposure time for hot water sanitizing, and chemical concentration, pH, temperature, and exposure time for chemical sanitizing; Pf

(j) Clean Tableware. Consumers are notified that clean tableware is to be used when they return to self-service areas such as salad bars and buffets; Pf

(k) Bare Hand Contact. Unless the conditions specified in DPH Rule 511-6-1-.04(4)(a)4 are met, employees are preventing cross-contamination of ready-to-eat food with bare hands by properly using suitable utensils such as deli tissue, spatulas, tongs, single-use gloves, or dispensing equipment; Pf

(l) Food Safety Training. Employees are properly trained in food safety, including food allergy awareness, as it relates to their assigned duties; Pf

(n) Imminent Health Hazard. If an imminent health hazard exists because of an emergency such as a fire, flood, interruption of electrical or water service for two or more hours, sewage malfunction, misuse of poisonous or toxic materials, onset of an apparent foodborne illness outbreak, gross unsanitary occurrence or condition, or other circumstances that may endanger public health, then operations are immediately discontinued and the Health Authority is notified. P However, establishments may continue to operate under an emergency operation plan that has been approved by the Health Authority prior to the occurrence of such emergency events.Pf

(o) Procedures and Plans. Written procedures and plans, where specified by this Chapter and as developed by the food service establishment, are maintained and implemented as required.

6-2 - proper date marking and disposition

Regulation: 511-6-1.04(6)(g) - ready-to-eat time/temperature control for safety food, date marking (pf)

4 ptsCorrected: YesRepeat: No

Observed several foods in reach-in coolers not date marked. Time/temperature control for safety food prepared and held in a food establishment for more than 24 hours shall be clearly marked to indicate the date or day by which the food shall be consumed on the premises, sold, or discarded, when held at a temperature of 41°F (5°C) or below for a maximum of 7 days. The day of preparation shall be counted as Day 1. COS by discarding

11A - proper cooling methods used: adequate equipment for temperature control

Regulation: 511-6-1.04(6)(e) - cooling methods (pf, c)

3 ptsCorrected: YesRepeat: No

Observed improper cooling methods for ALL items cooling. Items being improperly cooled include:

  1. Observed 1/2 chickens prepared this afternoon cooling in individually wrapped plastic and stored in a cooler where the ambient temperature was 51.8 degrees.
  2. Observed pre-portioned shrimp prepared this afternoon cooling in plastic wrap
  3. Observed various cooked foods prepared today cooling in large, deep pans and stored covered
  4. Observed large container of salsa verde cooling on ice with ice wand. All ice was melted and employees were not stirring.

COS by (1) unwrapping items cooling in plastic, (2) uncovering pans, stirring food, and placing in freezer, and (3) adding more ice to ice bath.