Dead roaches. False advertising. Harsh chemicals. Worst SC Midlands February restaurant inspections

There are plenty of popular restaurants in South Carolina, but some of them don’t meet the state’s health and safety standards.

Between dirty facilities, improper hand-washing and pest activity, dozens of SC restaurants posed a health risk to paying customers, South Carolina Health inspectors found.

The following Midland restaurants had health inspection grades of C, which is the lowest achievable grade.

BJ Country Buffet at 611 E Martintown Road in Aiken

BJ Country Buffet had an inspection on Feb. 23 and received a score of 70.

The restaurant catfished customers with their seafood, an inspector found, selling frozen swai fish fillets and advertising it as catfish. Additionally, workers were caught not washing their hands before putting on gloves. Chemical cleaning agents were stored above food products and multiple chemical sprays had no label.

Last but not least, the inspector saw an employee wipe their arms with a cleaning rag and then use it to wipe a prep table.

Captain D’s at 818 Hwy 1 S in Kershaw

Captain D’s had an inspection on Feb. 9 and received a score of 79.

The inspector found that the hand sink in the restaurant’s serving area was removed. Dishes that were stored as clean were found with grime and debris on them. Some dairy items were not refrigerated properly.

Roach activity was found during the inspection and dead roaches were littered around the restaurant. The hand sink faucet was rusted all over, and cabinets were in poor repair and had black growth and grime inside. Rust and damage was found on many surfaces in the facility.

Heavy amounts of grease and grime were building up on multiple equipment items throughout the restaurant.

Captain D’s had a follow-up inspection on Feb. 19 and received an A grade.

Shealy’s PDQ Retro at 1 Crystal Springs Rd in Lexington

Shealy’s PDQ Retro had an inspection on Feb. 24 and received a score of 64.

An inspector saw a worker pick up trash from the ground and then continue food preparation without changing gloves. They then proceeded to touch their clothes and hair with gloves. Some ready-to-eat foods weren’t separated from raw foods in the freezer. Dishes with food debris were stored as clean. Several hot and cold food items weren’t stored at their required temperatures.

There were several food items, such as deli ham and bologna, that were stored weeks past their expiration date. Rodent droppings were found in the kitchen and dry storage areas. The facility greatly exceeded their septic tank system capacity. The original system only approved 40 people total, but the current total is 102 people.

Shealy’s PDQ Retro had a follow-up inspection on Feb. 25 and received another C grade.

China King at 2744 N Lake Dr in Lexington

China King had an inspection on Feb. 4 and received a score of 70.

Employees were caught handling raw food and then continuing food preparation without washing hands. Raw food was stored right next to ready-to-eat foods. Containers and utensils were stored as clean but still had food debris. Many foods, both raw and cooked, were not properly refrigerated.

Food products were stored on top of dirty tools and exposed supplies. This was a consecutive violation. Cutting services were gouged and stained. Equipment handles and exterior surfaces throughout the restaurant were dirty and grimy with food matter and debris.

China King had two follow-up inspections. The first follow-up inspection gave the restaurant another C grade. The second follow-up inspection resulted in an A grade.

Cynthia Soul Food at 140 Stoneridge Dr in Richland

Cynthia Soul Food had an inspection on Feb. 23 and received a score of 71.

The inspector noted that hands were not washed properly between tasks and after touching cash from the register. Additionally, there were no gloves provided in the facility, and ready-to-eat foods were handled with bare hands.

Raw foods were stored next to ready-to-eat foods, which can lead to contamination. There was no date marking system in place, meaning it’s impossible to tell what is expired and what’s not. Harsh chemicals were not labeled for identification and were stored above food products.

Equipment was dirty and there was heavy carbon buildup in fryers and cooking equipment.

A follow-up inspection is required for Cynthia Soul Food.

This story was originally published March 4, 2026 at 6:00 AM.