CHINA LEE BUFFET

Name: CHINA LEE BUFFET
Address: 3933 E SILVER SPRINGS BLVD, OCALA, FL, 34470, US
Rating: 51.7

3933 E SILVER SPRINGS BLVD, OCALA, FL 34470

License #5203191

🥡 Chinese ℹ️ Categories are auto-assigned based on restaurant names and may not be 100% accurate

51.7 Grade F / 100

Failing Health Score

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Quick take

CHINA LEE BUFFET in OCALA currently holds an InspectFL Health Score of 51.7 out of 100 — an F grade — a serious pattern of repeat or critical violations. This restaurant has been inspected 5 times from Florida DBPR, with the most recent inspection on May 4, 2026. Across those visits, inspectors documented 48 total violations — 16 critical, 7 major, 25 minor.

Inspection data quality

What’s powering this page

Official source: DBPR

Inspection coverage

80%

Imported observations

Coverage note

Inspector notes shown when available

InspectFL reorganizes public DBPR inspection records into a page you can actually scan. When imported inspector observations are available, they appear inline. Otherwise, the page falls back to violation categories plus the official DBPR record.

What you’ll see here

•Imported DBPR observations appear directly inside inspection entries when available.
•When note coverage is missing, the official violation record still stays visible.

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DBPR

*Scores are calculated by InspectFL based on public DBPR inspection data and are not official state ratings.

Inspection timeline

Inspection History

Read the newest inspection first, then scan for patterns. Repeated high-priority findings matter more than one isolated bad day.

Critical Major Minor

Inspector notes are being added across all restaurants. Some inspections may only show violation codes until notes are available.

Administrative complaint recommended
[22-57-6] Heat strip failed to turn black to indicate the sanitization temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit was achieved on the dish surface and/or high temperature holding thermometer did not reach 160F. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired. Dish machine in dish area,142F. Manager turned booster heater on, 162F.
[06-01-5] Time/temperature control for safety food thawed in an improper manner. Shrimp thawing in standing water in prep sink next to kitchen ice machine. Manager placed shrimp under running water.
[24-08-4] Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Pans stored on shelf next to dish area. Cups stored in both wait stations.
[32-12-6] Covered waste receptacle not provided in womens bathroom. Unisex bathroom across from office.
[35A-02-7] Live, small flying insects found. Observed three flies in kitchen.
[40-06-5] Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employee personal phone on shelf above reach-in cooler across from cook line grill. Manager removed phone during inspection.
[29-42-4] Vacuum breaker missing at mop sink faucet or on fitting/splitter added to mop sink faucet. Hose side of splitter in mop sink.
[36-17-5] Floor tiles missing and/or in disrepair. Floor tiles in area in front of walk-in coolers and walk-in freezer.
[08B-17-4] Unwashed fruits/vegetables stored with ready-to-eat food. Unwashed melons stored over cooked noodles in walk-in cooler closest to back door. Manager moved noodles to top shelf.
[22-02-4] Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. White cutting boards stored underneath prep table across from walk-in freezer.
[31A-11-4] Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Employee dumped ice in hand washing sink in grill area in front of kitchen.
[14-01-5] Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Bowl used to scoop rice on cook line. Manager discarded bowl.
[02C-02-5] Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Cooked chicken stored in walk-in cooler next to dish area. Manager stated chicken was prepared the previous morning.
[16-21-4] Accumulation of debris on exterior of warewashing machine. Dish machine in dish area.
[12B-07-4] Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee drink on prep table across from cook line. Manager removed drink.

Administrative complaint recommended
[09-01-4] Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands - food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145 degrees F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact. Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. At the prep area, male employee cutting vegetables with bare hands, Manager instructed to stop wash hands and use gloves.
[23-03-4] Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Exterior of reach-in coolers and gaskets soiled with food residue. Also exterior of cooking equipment with grease build up. Walk-in cooler shelves soiled with food residue.
[24-08-4] Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Stacked metal containers at the cook line, also at the server area, cups stored wet.
[31B-06-4] Soap dispenser at handwash sink not working/unable to dispense soap. Handwash sink at the end of the cook line, manager change batteries.
[40-06-5] Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Multiple employee personal items (cellphones, keys jackets cups) stored above prep and make tables throughout the kitchen.
[41-10-4] Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Spray bottles with degreasers stored right next to cook and raw chicken at the cook line, also spray bottles of concentrated bleach stored above make tables throughout the at the cook line. Medicine above prep table, Manager moved all chemicals.
[03F-02-5] Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has no time marking. At the cook line, raw chicken, cooked chicken and egg rolls no time marking, Manager set the time.
[08A-05-6] Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Reach-in cooler at the kitchen entrance, raw beef stored above Mac and cheese, manager moved.
[16-48-4] Old food stuck to clean dishware/utensils. Cleaned stacked containers at the cook line with standing dirty water due to accumulation of food residue, Manager over all to dish machine.
[53B-14-5] Required employee training expired for some employees. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. Twelve employee certifications expired.
[22-20-5] Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. Ice machine at the server area with mold like substance.
[12B-07-4] Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Multiple employee drinks above prep and make tables.
[14-01-5] Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Bowl no handle inside rice cooker, manager removed the bowl.
[21-38-4] Wiping cloth sanitizing solution stored on the floor. Multiple sanitizer buckets stored directly on floor, manager moved all.
[14-31-5] Nonfood-grade bags used in direct contact with food. At the sushi bar area, wasabi stored in direct contact with a thank you bag.

Administrative complaint recommended
[06-01-5] Time/temperature control for safety food thawed in an improper manner. At the prep area, raw fish thawed at room temperature, manager moved to cooler.
[10-17-4] In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment. At the cook line, knife between reach-in cooler and prep table.
[14-01-5] Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Bowl no handle inside cooked rice, Manager moved.
[23-03-4] Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Exterior of cooking equipment (oven) heavily soiled with grease build up. Walk-in cooler shelves soiled with food residue.
[31A-09-4] Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Handwash sink at the end of the cook line, lids and items inside sink, also at the triple sink/prep area, trash can in front of sink, employee moved all.
[41-07-4] Container of medicine improperly stored. At the cook line, containers of medicine above prep table and cooler, employee moved.
[22-16-4] Reach-in cooler interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues. Reach-in cooler at the kitchen entrance heavily soiled, also coolers at the cook line soiled with food residue.
[21-04-4] In-use wet wiping cloth/towel used under cutting board. In use round cutting board with a wet towel underneath.
[02C-02-5] Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. In walk-in cooler, pork and Krab salad no date marked, per employee food prepared 11/02-03/25. Also at the server area, milk and half and half no date marked, manager voluntarily discarded them.
[24-08-4] Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Cleaned stacked cups at the server station, also pans on cook line.
[12B-07-4] Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Multiple employee drinks on prep table, no lids and or no straw, employee moved drinks.
[08A-05-6] Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. In walk-in cooler, raw chicken above cooked chicken, employee moved, also at the sushi bar area, raw tuna stored on top of cooked shrimp, employee moved.
[03F-02-5] Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has no time marking. At the sushi bar area, three containers of sushi rice only one time marked, Manager time marked.
[09-01-4] Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands - food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145 degrees F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact. Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. At the cook line, male employee touched egg rolls with bare hands, inspector instructed to stop and use utensils.
[12A-09-4] Single-use gloves not changed as needed after changing tasks or when damaged or soiled. Male employee at the cook line wearing observable soiled gloves touched soiled handles and immediately after portioned noodles, inspector instructed to washed his hands and wear gloves.
[12A-17-4] Employee rubbed hands together for less than 10-15 seconds while washing hands. Male employee at the cook line, working with raw chicken washed hands for less than 10 seconds.

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