Health Department Closes Three Restaurants with Roach Infestations

The Southern Nevada Health District shut down El Burrito Mexican Restaurant at 8508 Del Webb Blvd. on May 2 after a customer complained that she found a cockroach in her refried beans. Inspectors found dead, multi-generational roaches in the kitchen food prep areas, inside the cook line, and on top of a food container. Live roaches crawled on the walls, on a cutting board, and in a wall panel next to the prep area, according to KTNV.

Aside from being shut down for an imminent health hazard, inspectors found expired food, fried chiles held at unsafe temperatures, ground beef stored in a bucket, and uncovered food that could be contaminated in the 26-demerit inspection.

The restaurant reopened on May 6 with a zero-demerit A grade.

SNHD shut down Las Palmas, the seafood restaurant at 953 E. Sahara Ave. in the Commercial Center, on May 1 for a multi-generational cockroach infestation. The restaurant reopened on May 10 with a 3-demerit A grade.

Denny’s at Buffalo Bill’s in Primm had four different types of pests when it was shut down by the health department on April 30. Inspectors found cockroaches, fruit flies, large black beetles, and a dead rat on a glue board in the dining room. KTNV reports that Buffalo Bill’s main kitchen was closed during the same inspection. Both reopened May 2 with a zero-demerit A grades.

The health district conducts unannounced inspections at least once a year. Inspections are posted online about five days after the inspection. The Southern Nevada Health District routinely shuts down restaurants that receive more than 40 demerits. Restaurants have the option of requesting a re-inspection before the next scheduled inspection.

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