Philadelphia Dominican Restaurant Cited for Multiple Health Violations

[Editor’s note: The report mentioned here is from an inspection conducted on November 17 and may not represent the future health inspection status of the food establishment.]

The Philadelphia Department of Health conducts routine inspections of restaurants in the area. On November 17, 2025, the department revealed several violations at Casa Dominicana Restaurant. A follow-up inspection will verify the correction of these violations.

Casa Dominicana Restaurant

• Where: 3858 N 5th St, Philadelphia, PA 19140
• Date: November 17, 2025

Casa Dominicana Restaurant on 5th Street was cited for several health code violations. According to the inspection report by the Philadelphia Department of Health, these violations were noted.

• Food employees were seen donning single-use gloves without washing their hands.
• There were no paper towels at the handwashing sink in the rear and basement prep areas.
• There was no soap at the basement food prep area’s handwashing sink.
• In the POS area, there were dirty dishes inside the prep sink.
• Various foods were improperly stored. The raw eggs were on top of pepper and celery in the walk-in cooler. Raw chicken was on top of onions and peppers in the reach-in cooler.
• The rice in the hot holding unit was at 89°F instead of the required 135°F or above.
• The potato salad and lettuce were held between 43°F and 53°F. The required holding temperature is 41°F or below.
• The 3-bay warewash sink’s sanitizing solution had a quaternary ammonium concentration of 0 ppm. It is supposed to be at 200 ppm.

• In the basement storage area, insecticides that are not labeled by the manufacturer for food facility usage were found.
• Unlabeled working bulk food ingredient storage containers were found at the facility.
• Bowls or food containers without handles were in direct contact with bulk food ingredients.
• The utensils in the POS area were stored with their food contact surfaces exposed to hand contact.
• Employees wore single-use gloves for multiple tasks without changing them. They were not being discarded even when damaged or soiled.
• The cutting boards had deep scratches, making them difficult to clean properly.
• Non-NSF-approved chest freezers were found in the basement.
• Raw wood pallets were used for elevation in the basement.
• In the basement, there were chest freezers with ice accumulating inside.
• There was dust accumulation on the fan inside the walk-in cooler.
• There were cracked floor tiles throughout the facility.
• In the rear food prep area, the paint on the ceiling was peeling.
• In the upstairs prep area, the stainless steel wall was not flush with the wall.
• There was water accumulating on the basement floor.
• Employees’ personal items were placed next to and on top of service plates.

A full health inspection report for Casa Dominicana Restaurant is available online.

Follow-Up Inspection

The management of the restaurant needs to correct the violations noted in the report. A follow-up inspection will verify whether the violations have been corrected satisfactorily. If not, the department may revoke the facility’s health license.