Taco truck hit with 65 red points. Here are Thurston Co. food safety scores for Jan. 28

Comments are taken directly from the latest Thurston County Public Health and Social Services (PHSS) inspection reports, which are available for each food establishment, at the Thurston County Environmental Health Office and their website. For questions concerning these reports, contact the health office at 360-867-2667.

Report restaurant, grocery store, deli or bakery complaints online via the complaint form here: https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/phss/Pages/eh-problem.aspx.

Reading inspection scores:

• Attention should be given to the type of violation (red versus blue) and whether the establishment has a history of red violations or repeat violations.
• Red violations are those most likely to cause food-borne illness and must be corrected immediately if feasible or according to a compliance schedule established by the health officer. Example: not keeping food at the right temperature.
• Blue violations relate to the overall cleanliness and condition of operation and must be corrected according to a compliance schedule established by the health officer. Example: a worn floor that needs replacing.
• If red points exceed 45, the county will require a reinspection within 10 business days. A reinspection also is required if total red and blue points exceed 65.
• If red points exceed 100 and there’s a lack of managerial control, the county may shut down the establishment. The establishment may reopen after the person-in-charge develops a written course of action to correct all violations and demonstrates corrective action during a pre-opening inspection. Closures also may occur if there is an imminent health hazard, regardless of the total inspection points. The length of a closure may vary depending on the violation and timeframe for corrective actions.
• Some common abbreviations: PHF/TCS is potentially hazardous food/time control for safety; RTE is ready to eat; PIC is person in charge; FWC is food worker card; CDI is corrected during inspection.

El Taco Amigo #1

3720 Pacific Avenue Southeast, Olympia

Mobile Food Unit

Jan. 20: 65 red points; 0 blue points.

Comments:

• A worker was observed contacting RTE foods without gloves or without having washed their hands. 
• Eggs and raw foods were being improperly stored in the fridge. Raw meats and other foods should be separated from RTE foods. 
• Hot-held foods were measured at between 125 degrees and 129 degrees. All hot hold items must be above 165 degrees. 
• There was no commissary log available during inspection. A commissary log must be available on site of all mobile food units.

Panda Express #708

575 Trosper Road Southwest, Suite A, Tumwater

Food Service Establishment

Jan. 20: 25 red points; 5 blue points.

Comments:

• Hot-held foods were measured between 107 degrees and 129 degrees. They must be above 135 degrees. 
• The single door prep fridge did not have a thermometer. All cold holding units must have a temperature recording device.

Pacific Mini Mart

2303 Pacific Avenue Southeast, Olympia

Grocery/Deli

Jan. 20: 25 red points; 2 blue points.

Comments:

• The PIC was not performing duties to maintain active managerial control.
• One of three Food Worker Cards were absent, and one was expired. 
• The hand sink was inaccessible and didn’t have soap at the time of inspection. 
• Raw eggs were being stored above RTE foods. They must be stored below RTE foods. 
• Propane burners and a propane tank were at the hand sink and needed to be removed. 

MiSo

209 5th Avenue Southeast, Olympia

Food Service Establishment

Jan. 21: 25 red points; 0 blue points.

Comments:

• Improper handwashing was observed. An employee put on gloves after conducting a transaction without properly washing their hands, doing so for less than 20 seconds. 

Niko Teriyaki

125 Tumwater Boulevard Southeast, Suite D122, Tumwater

Food Service Establishment

Jan. 20: 25 red points; 0 blue points.

Comments:

• Improper handwashing was observed. An employee washed their hands for less than 20 seconds before changing tasks and preparing RTE foods. 

Olympia Oyster House

320 4th Avenue West, Olympia

Food Service Establishment

Jan. 20: 20 red points; 5 blue points.

Comments:

• The establishment had a repeat violation of improper cold holding of foods. 
• Coleslaw was observed in the prep unit at between 49 degrees and 53 degrees. Cold hold units must be below 41 degrees.
• A consumer advisory for raw/undercooked foods was missing. All raw/undercooked foods on the menu must have a proper advisory.
• No test strips were available to measure the sanitizer concentration. 

Chick-fil-A

2930 Capital Mall Drive, Olympia

Food Service Establishment

Jan. 22: 10 red points; 5 blue points.

Comments:

• The establishment had inadequate handwashing facilities. One hand sink was being used as a dump sink for ice.
• Two of the six hand sinks had inadequate plumbing and weren’t reaching 100 degrees, which is the minimum temperature for adequate handwashing. The PIC said a work order had been placed.

Zen Ramen and Sushi Burrito

3238 Capital Boulevard South, Tumwater

Food Service Establishment

Jan. 21: 10 red points; 7 blue points.

Comments:

• Documentation for time as a control procedure for sushi rice was not being maintained. 
• The sanitizer solution was not prepared and test strips were unavailable. 
• There was debris accumulation and food spills throughout the kitchen.

Crumbl Cookie Olympia

1309 Cooper Point Road Southwest, Olympia

Food Service Establishment

Jan. 22: 10 red points; 3 blue points.

Comments:

• Toxic substances were inadequately labeled and stored. Cleaner wasn’t labeled in a spray bottle and a paint canister was stored near food containers. 
• Non-food contact surfaces were inadequately maintained, and the back of house had food debris build up. 

Pints Dog House

4444 6th Avenue Southeast, Suite 100, Olympia

Commissary Kitchen and Drinking Establishment

Jan. 21: 10 red points; 0 blue points.

Comments:

• The commissary needs to be permitted and requires an approved plan review. The establishment was instructed to contact the Food Safety Environmental Health Division to get an application. 

La Regia Mexican Food

116 Legion Way Southeast, Olympia

Mobile Food Unit

Jan. 20: 5 red points; 5 blue points.

Comments:

• The PIC couldn’t tell the inspector how to properly cool foods or what the cold hold temperatures were. The PIC needs to be knowledgeable in food safety and was instructed to retrain before the next inspection.
• Wastewater was being disposed of in the floor drain and must be disposed of in a sink using a 10-gallon tote. 

Budd Bay Cafe

525 North Columbia #200, Olympia

Food Service Establishment

Jan. 21: 5 red points; 0 blue points.

Comments:

• Shellfish tags were not consistently datemarked. 
• The quat sanitizer was not registering in some buckets, and the fresh water was too hot. 

Rocket #0695

1050 Plum Street Southeast, Olympia

Grocery/Deli

Jan. 20: 5 red points; 0 blue points.

Comments:

• TCS foods were being improperly cold held in the walk-in cooler, some measuring greater than 41 degrees. This was a repeat violation for the establishment. 

Safeway #1407

701 Trosper Road, Tumwater

Meat Market

Jan. 20: 5 red points; 0 blue points.

Comments:

• The raw meat case that holds prepared meats measured between 40 degrees and 43 degrees. The case must be at or below 41 degrees.

No violations

• Pints Dog House. 4444 6th Avenue Southeast, Olympia. Mobile Food Unit. Jan. 21.
• Panorama Pharmacy. 1751 Circle Lane Southeast, Lacey. Grocery Stores and Confectioneries. Jan. 21.
• Mr. Doug’s. 210 103rd Avenue, Yelm. Food Service Establishment. Jan. 21.
• Vic’s Pizzeria Eastside. 2124 Pacific Avenue Southeast, Olympia. Food Service Establishment. Jan. 20.
• Safeway #1407. 701 Trosper Road, Tumwater. Produce Cutting Area, Bakery, Grocery Stores and Confectioneries, and Deli. Jan. 20.
• Aztec Lanes. 2825 Martin Way, Olympia. Food Service Establishment. Jan. 20.
• Jasmine. 4315 6th Avenue Southeast, Lacey. Food Service Establishment. Jan. 20.

Correction: A previous version of this story mistakenly reported outdated inspection details for South Bay Pub & Eatery in Olympia, based on a duplication on the Thurston County Public Health & Social Services Department’s website. The restaurant has not been inspected since Nov. 20.

This story was originally published January 28, 2026 at 5:00 AM.

Ty Vinson

The Olympian

360-357-0201

Ty Vinson covers the City of Olympia and keeps tabs on Tumwater and other communities in Thurston County. He joined The Olympian in 2021. Before that, he earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism at Indiana University. In college, he worked as an intern at the Northwest Indiana Times, the Oregonian and the Arizona Republic as a Pulliam Fellow. Support my work with a digital subscription