Moths in rice. Moldy cheese. Worst SC Midlands October restaurant inspections
South Carolina health inspectors found multiple violations at restaurants in the Midlands in October, from moths in rice and peppers, to moldy cheese and flies on food. The state each month releases grades and inspection reports for food establishments across Midlands counties.
Here are the restaurants that received some of the lowest ratings in October.
Freddy’s F.C. & Steakburgers at 505 E. Martintown Rd. in Aiken
Freddy’s F.C. & Steakburgers had an inspection on Oct. 8 and got a C grade.
An inspector observed an excessive amount of flies in the facility.
Food was seen thawing in a sink with dirty dishes in it. An employee was seen changing tasks without washing hands. No water was available in the women’s washroom.
Raw ground beef was seen on the prep table and on handles. A pan of lettuce was seen stored past its discard date. Ice cream scoops were seen stored with food buildup. Floors were unclean throughout the facility.
The restaurant had a required followup inspection on Oct. 10 and got an A grade.
Applebee’s at 605 Columbia Ave. in Lexington
Applebee’s had an inspection on Oct. 30 and got a C grade.
An inspector observed food stored directly on the floor in the walk-in cooler.
Employees were seen handling raw proteins and then touch ready to eat food without washing hands. Employees were also seen adding fruit as garnish to bar drinks with bare hands.
Dishes with old food matter and debris on them were seen stored as clean. Certain foods were seen not kept at proper cold holding temperatures. Equipment, shelving were seen with dirt and grime buildup.
A required followup inspection has not yet been held.
Hudson’s Smokehouse BBQ at 4952 Sunset Blvd. in Lexington
Hudson’s Smokehouse BBQ had an inspection on Oct. 16 and got a C grade.
An inspector observed an employee cutting and handling produce with bare hands.
Utensils were seen stored in the hand washing sinks. Pulled pork cooked the previous night was found not cooled properly. Certain foods were seen not kept at proper holding temperatures.
The restaurant had a required followup inspection on Oct. 24 and got an A grade.
Keg Cowboy at 108 East Main St. in Lexington
Keg Cowboy had an inspection on Oct. 1 and got a C grade.
An inspector observed large bins of food stored directly on the ground inside the walk-in cooler.
An employee was seen prepping food inside a sink filled with dirty dishes. An employee was seen lathering and rinsing hands, then wiping the wet hands on shorts.
Grated parmesan cheese was found with green fuzzy growth. Certain foods were seen not left at proper cold holding temperatures. Medicine bottles were seen stored around the prep table and above the bread warmer cabinet. Black buildup was seen on walls and ceiling inside cook kitchen.
The restaurant had a required followup inspection on Oct. 11 and got an A grade.
Mi Tierra 2 at 5303 Highway 321 in Lexington
Mi Tierra 2 had an inspection on Oct. 13 and got a C grade.
An inspector observed flies throughout the facility on food and food contact surfaces.
Handwashing sink in kitchen seen blocked with corn husks. Meat was seen stored over an open package of fish. Label residue was seen on containers stored as clean. Certain foods were seen not kept at proper holding temperatures.
Onion bag was seen stored with chemicals.
The restaurant had required followup inspections on Oct. 22 and Oct. 30 and received C grades. A third followup inspection has not yet been held.
Waffle House at 2208 Airport Blvd. in Lexington
Waffle House had an inspection on October. 24 and got a C grade.
An inspector observed workers breaking raw eggs, handling raw bacon and raw sausage before grabbing clean plates without removing gloves and adequately washing hands in between.
Black buildup was seen inside the ice machine. Certain foods were seen not kept at proper cold holding temperatures. Chemical cleaners were seen stored with single service food items.
The restaurant had a required followup inspection on Oct. 30 and got another C grade. A second followup inspection has not yet been held.
Bojangles at 91 Clemson Rd. In Richland
Bojangles had an inspection on Oct. 1 and got a C grade.
An inspector observed employees changing tasks without washing hands.
Flour was seen being dumped into the hand sink. Liquid eggs were seen stored above coleslaw mixture in the cooler. Dishes with food residue were seen stacked as clean.
Drain for the ice machine was clogged. Food and grease residue were seen on the floors, walls and ceiling.
The restaurant had a required followup inspection on Oct. 9 and got an A grade.
Burger Tavern 77 at 2631 Devine St. in Richland
Burger Tavern 77 had an inspection on Oct. 3 and got a C grade.
An inspector observed evidence of rodents throughout the facility. Also observed an open and exposed area of the roof over the dry storage area, exposing it to insects, rodents and other animals.
Employee hand sink was seen without running water. Chemical dish machine was seen not meeting minimum sanitation criteria. Black buildup was seen inside ice machine.
Open food product was seen underneath the prep cooler. Deep grooves and dark cutting marks were seen in cutting surfaces. Food debris and grime were seen on equipment, underneath tables and on containers.
The restaurant had a required followup inspection on Oct. 15 and got an A grade.
Calabash Caribbean Grill at 817 St. Andrews Rd. in Richland
Calabash Caribbean Grill had an inspection on Oct. 30 and got a C grade.
An inspector observed sea moss gel labeled as “honey.”
An employee was seen placing a dirty container that held raw chicken on top of boxes of frozen goat in the prep sink. Sea moss drink and sea moss “honey” gel production was seen without an approval from a special process team.
A required followup restaurant inspection has not yet been held.
Mariscos Jalisco at 1803 Decker Blvd. in Richland
Mariscos Jalisco had an inspection on Oct. 30 and got a C grade.
An inspector observed live and dead moths in rice and dried peppers.
Employees were seen changing gloves between tasks without washing hands. Employees were seen using a prep cooler cutting board for ready to eat food and raw chicken.
Raw eggs were seen stored above limes. Certain foods were seen not kept at proper cold holding temperatures.
A required followup inspection had not yet been held.
Popeyes at 7540 Garners Ferry Rd. in Richland
Popeyes had an inspection on Oct. 1 and got a C grade.
An inspector observed an employee use a disposable cloth to wipe hands after handling raw chicken, then use the same cloth to dry hands after hand washing.
Damaged gaskets were seen prep in coolers. Cove base boards were seen separating from walls throughout the facility. Debris, black buildup were seen on floors and underneath equipment.
The restaurant had a required followup inspection on Oct. 14 and got an A grade.
Red Bowl Asian Bistro at 481-11 Town Center PL. in Richland
Red Bowl Bistro had an inspection on Oct. 29 and got a C grade.
An inspector observed food stored in grocery bags.
Employees were seen changing tasks without washing their hands. Raw meat was seen stored over real to eat meat. Food debris was seen on dishes stored as clean.
A required followup inspection has not yet been held.
This story was originally published November 4, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
