LA NOPALERA MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Name: LA NOPALERA MEXICAN RESTAURANT
Address: 2024 KINGSLEY AVE, ORANGE PARK, FL, 32073, US
Rating: 50.1

2024 KINGSLEY AVE, ORANGE PARK, FL 32073

License #2001208

🌮 Mexican/Latin ℹ️

50.1 Grade F / 100

Failing Health Score

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Latest inspection

October 21, 2026 · 13 findings · 4 critical

Routine - Food

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Critical

Highest-priority rows.

Major

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Minor

Usually lower-risk context.

Quick take

LA NOPALERA MEXICAN RESTAURANT in ORANGE PARK currently holds an InspectFL Health Score of 50.1 out of 100 — an F grade — a serious pattern of repeat or critical violations. This restaurant has been inspected 8 times from Florida DBPR, with the most recent inspection on October 21, 2026. Across those visits, inspectors documented 64 total violations — 17 critical, 14 major, 33 minor.

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Record snapshot

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Inspections on file

Clean inspections

Callback visits

Latest clean pass

February 2, 2026

The latest inspection on October 21, 2026 shows 13 observation rows: 4 critical, 1 major, and 8 minor.

Official recordInspection data quality

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Inspection coverage

75%

Inspector notes

Coverage note

Inspector notes linked where available

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LA NOPALERA MEXICAN RESTAURANT has a rough inspection history. Would you risk it?

F record

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*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.

Disposition: Administrative complaint recommended
[03A-02-5] Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed a pan of cheese sauce on top of the oven at 49F. Per employee, cheese sauce brought from the walk-in cooler approximately one hour prior. Cheese sauce placed back in the walk-in cooler.
[10-20-4] In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. Tongs stored on oven door handle. Operator moved tongs to stove top area.
[23-03-4] Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Gaskets on flip top reach in cooler in kitchen are soiled.
[24-08-4] Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Water observed between stacked plastic cups at the soda machine and at clean dish table storage area.
[31A-11-4] Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Pot in handwash sink by the steam table. Employee removed the pot. Also, trash can blocking access to handwash sink at the ice machine.
[33-12-4] Dumpster rusted out on bottom. Near bottom of left dumpster is rusted out with holes present. Operator states he will contact the dumpster company to replace.
[08B-38-4] Food stored on floor. Multiple buckets of beef stored on the floor in the walk-in freezer.
[22-20-5] Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. Interior lid and deflector plate on ice machine with black mold-like substance.
[36-73-4] Floor/wall/ceiling/vent soiled/has accumulation of debris. Wall by the toilet in the right employee restroom has black mold-like substance. Vent above soda machine and storage rack with single-service items has accumulation of dust.
[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. Prepared quesadillas being held on time as a public health control have no time marking. Employee states quesadillas made at 12:00pm and labeled the quesadillas with the time.
[36-24-5] Hole in or other damage to wall. Hole in wall under the dishmachine. Also, floor in walk-in cooler is worn exposing raw concrete.
[41-07-4] Container of medicine improperly stored. Bottle of pain reliever stored above canned corn and mole sauce on shelf by walk-in freezer. Operator moved medicine to another location.
[08A-02-6] Raw animal food stored over or with ready-to-eat food in a freezer - not all products commercially packaged. On speed rack in walk-in freezer, tray of plastic wrapped raw beef stored over tray of individually portioned scoops of ice cream. Operator moved ice cream above raw beef.

Disposition: Warning Issued
[22-20-5] Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. Interior of ice machine at the back exit and in the service station deflector plate has black mold-like substance.
[32-12-5] Covered waste receptacle not provided in womens bathroom. No covered waste receptacle available in womens restroom.
[24-08-4] Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Wet nesting observed on stacked pans in dish room and stacked plastic cups at service station.
[08B-38-4] Food stored on floor. Multiple buckets of food on the floor in walk in freezer.
[33-16-4] Open dumpster lid. Left dumpster lid is open.
[08B-12-5] Stored food not covered. Cooked taco bowls/shells stored on shelf in kitchen are not covered. Employees added covering to shells.
[14-12-4] Utensils in poor condition. Rubber spatula on utensil rack behind steam table has pieces of rubber missing on food contact surface. Ice scoop in bar has piece of metal missing near the handle and the scoop has pitted, no longer smooth and easily cleanable.
[03D-01-5] Cooked/heated time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit within 2 hours. Observed refried beans in large container on shelf in kitchen. Per operator, beans prepared 2.75 hours prior. Temperature taken at 119F. Operator moved beans to walk in freezer, temperature taken approximately 30 minutes later at 106F.
[08A-20-5] Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Observed raw chicken stored above raw fish in reach in cooler at back of kitchen. Employee moved products to proper storage.
[12A-09-4] Single-use gloves not changed as needed after changing tasks or when damaged or soiled. Observed employee with gloved hands place raw chicken in a pan, then with same gloved hand place raw beef in the same pan. Employee then went to handwash sink, rinsed gloved hand with plain water and dried gloved hands with a paper towel. Operator spoke to employee. Employee removed gloves and properly washed hands.
[41-15-5] Wiping cloth solution exceeding the maximum concentration allowed stored in a location that could result in the cross contamination of food, equipment, utensils, linens, single-service, or single-use articles. Sanitizer bucket in kitchen and in the bar tested at 200+ppm chlorine. Operator remade solutions to 50ppm chlorine and 100ppm chlorine respectively.
[02C-03-5] Commercially processed ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food opened and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked after opening. Milk in reach in cooler in kitchen, per operator opened 5 days prior has no date marking. Operator added correct open date to container of milk.
[35A-11-4] Evidence of feeding stray/wild animals - food/water bowls provided outside. Observed a bowl of chicken and a bowl of milk food bowls at dumpster area.
[03D-15-4] Food being cooled by nonapproved method as evidenced by inadequate rate of cooling during time of inspection. Observed refried beans in large container on shelf in kitchen. Per operator, beans prepared 2.75 hours prior. Temperature taken at 119F. Operator moved beans to walk in freezer, temperature taken approximately 30 minutes later at 106F.
[53A-03-7] Food manager certification expired. A list of accredited food manager certification examination providers can be found at http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/food-lodging/food-manager. Manager on duty, Eddie C. without proof of food handler training.
[22-02-4] Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Can opener at prep table has debris. Interior of soda nozzles on Coke and Coke Zero on soda machine in service station have accumulation of debris.
[31A-09-4] Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Hand wash sink at prep table in kitchen has a storage shelf in front of the sink making it inaccessible.
[53B-01-5] No proof of required state approved employee training provided for any employees. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. All employee food handler training is expired and approximately 10 missing training.
[11-26-1] No proof provided that food employees are informed of their responsibility to report to the person in charge information about their health and activities related to foodborne illnesses. No proof available.