The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s latest data reveals a troubling concentration of safety failures in Duval County. The county's chronic density sits 18% above the Florida average, signaling a systemic breakdown in food safety oversight. With 100 recent high-priority hits on the current board, the numbers demand an explanation for why these establishments are allowed to operate under such scrutiny. The failure mix includes 1 Asian restaurant, 1 Brunch spot, 1 Cafe, and 1 College establishment. Under 61C-1.002 FAC, high-volume restaurants must be inspected 1–4 times per year, yet these hits suggest a pattern of recurring negligence. Why do these specific venues continue to rack up violations instead of achieving compliance before the state intervenes?
Emergency Orders
38 records this window
Restaurants closed by DBPR emergency order in the last 90 days.
The regulatory question is simple: 38 kitchens shut down under emergency orders in the last 90 days. These immediate closures represent a significant regulatory response, moving faster than standard administrative actions or corporate dissolution. In this recent window, the Red Alert cohort included 2 cafes and 1 Seafood establishment that failed to meet safety standards. DUNKIN DONUTS in Middleburg, ROYALE CAFE in Jacksonville and PHILLY BOYZ FERNANDINA in Yulee headlined the recent failures. While Florida law requires high-volume restaurants to be inspected regularly, these specific locations triggered immediate state intervention. The volume of emergency orders remains steady compared to previous reporting periods.
- DUNKIN DONUTSMiddleburg1 HP1 BASScore 101last visit 2026-06-11
- ROYALE CAFEJacksonville3 HP2 INTScore 320last visit 2026-06-10
- PHILLY BOYZ FERNANDINAYulee2 HP1 INT3 BASPestScore 263last visit 2026-06-04
- THE HIDDEN CRABFernandina Beach3 HP1 BASPestScore 351last visit 2026-06-01
- NERO’S CAFE/TINI MARTINI BARSt. Augustine1 HPPestScore 150last visit 2026-05-29
+33 more in this section on the live site.
Near Miss
100 records this window
Inspections in the last 30 days that posted high-priority violations but were not shut down.
The public record leaves one hard question: NOURA-CAFE in Jacksonville, FUSION SUSHI in Jacksonville and FINN’S BEACHSIDE PUB in Flagler Beach drew the loudest scorecard in Duval County. 100 high-priority citations posted in the 30-day window — none of these resulted in an emergency-order closure (those are in Red Alert). They are the near-miss watch list: restaurants that drew inspector attention but stayed open. Any of them could receive a follow-up inspection. The recurring violation labels were HP and BAS. That is not atmosphere; it is a compliance record.
- NOURA-CAFEJacksonville5 HP3 INT12 BASPestScore 592last visit 2026-06-12
- FUSION SUSHIJacksonville4 HP1 INT4 BASPestScore 464last visit 2026-06-12
- FINN’S BEACHSIDE PUBFlagler Beach5 HP3 INT5 BASPestScore 585last visit 2026-06-11
- PANDAN LEAVESJacksonville4 HP1 INT4 BASPestScore 464last visit 2026-06-10
- RINCON EL GUAJIROPalm Coast5 HP6 INT4 BASPestScore 614last visit 2026-06-09
+95 more in this section on the live site.
Worst Offenders
217 records this window
Active enforcement targets and repeat offenders: restaurants carrying emergency-order history, chronic 11-year systemic violation patterns, or cross-flag enforcement tiers.
A deep dive into the regulatory history of Duval County reveals a disturbing trajectory for local food safety. Our investigation identified 217 historical bad actors in the county based on an 11-year pattern view. This data highlights a persistent failure to meet basic sanitation standards over more than a decade. The repeat-offender record is headlined by CASA DORA ITALIAN CAFE and GRILLED CHEESE GALLERY. These operators have established a documented history of violations that warrants serious scrutiny. Why do these specific entities continue to cycle through the system instead of being permanently removed from the licensing pool?
- CASA DORA ITALIAN CAFEJacksonvilleActive bad actorlast visit 01/26/2026
- GRILLED CHEESE GALLERYSt. AugustineActive bad actorlast visit 02/20/2026
- CASA MARINA HOTEL & RESTAURANTJacksonville BeachActive bad actorlast visit 03/26/2026
- RED LANTERNJacksonvilleActive bad actorlast visit 01/13/2026
- RAMADA BY WYNDHAM JAX HOTEL AND CCJacksonvilleActive bad actorlast visit 04/27/2026
+212 more in this section on the live site.
Closures
41 records this window
The closed-door file: confirmed shutdowns, owner-validated closure posts, DBPR status signals, and external places data that say service has stopped.
Inspectors and public records identified TEQUILA'S TOWN MEXICAN RESTAURANT in Jacksonville, JIM'S PLACE in St. Augustine, and BELLWETHER in Jacksonville as leading the board for critical issues in Duval County. The 90-day window shows 41 headline closure signals with a total of 1329 closure events across the broader ledger pool. These signals stem from silent inspector histories, inactive licenses, corporate dissolutions, or third-party verifications. The data reveals a heavy concentration in high-volume sectors: 77 fast-food spots, 53 pizza spots, 47 sandwich shops, and 47 seafood establishments are among the closure signals. This group includes 1041 standalone restaurants and 193 chain locations. The primary drivers for these records include 1117 DBPR revoked or status-45/46 entries and 206 social or silence signals. Confidence levels vary across the data, with 1078 suspected and 251 confirmed cases. Velocity remains steady as 38 permanent closure signals were recorded in the last 90 days, including 26 within the last 30 days. Dated closure signals span a long trajectory from 2007-10-27 to 2026-06-14, showing a consistent volume of closures against recent public cuts. These are identified as signals rather than all confirmed permanent closures. Only those with a Closure Score of 4/4 are third-party verified, while lower scores indicate likely or DBPR-flagged inactive statuses. Why do so many high-volume locations fall into these categories? Florida law requires strict adherence to safety standards, yet these patterns suggest a systemic failure in maintaining operational compliance.
- TEQUILA'S TOWN MEXICAN RESTAURANTJacksonvilleclosure score 3
- JIM'S PLACESt. Augustineclosure score 3
- BELLWETHERJacksonvilleclosure score 2
- JJ'S CRAB SHACKJacksonvilleclosure score 2
- LILYJacksonvilleclosure score 2
+36 more in this section on the live site.
New Owners
22 records this window
DBPR ownership-change records in the last 30 days — "Approve Change Owner Request" actions.
Inspectors identified 38 restaurants under emergency orders across Duval County recently. These critical failures highlight a breakdown in basic food safety protocols. While 1288 total recent failures were reported statewide in the last 30 days, the concentration of high-priority issues remains a significant concern for local consumers. EGGBRED in St. Augustine, HABANA TRADITIONS CUBAN BAKERY in Orange Park, and SISTA SMOKE BBQ in Jacksonville appear in the latest records. These establishments represent ongoing operations rather than closures. The data shows 22 ownership-change filings posted in the 30-day window. These filings signify a new owner-of-record on an existing license, not cancellations or revocations. This volume of operator turnover is even with the last public cut. We must ask: are these frequent leadership changes a sign of instability or a necessary transition to bring these kitchens back into compliance?
- EGGBREDSt. Augustine
- HABANA TRADITIONS CUBAN BAKERYOrange Park
- SISTA SMOKE BBQJacksonville
- REDLINEKeystone Heights
- CHINA ONE RESTAURANTPalm Coast
+17 more in this section on the live site.
Chain Activity
61 records this window
Multi-location chain brands flagged via aggregated signals across all locations.
Three years of inspection records tell this story: a massive footprint in Duval County where 61 chain brands now operate a combined 397 locations. This rollup includes 141 FSQ-confirmed closures and 4 lapsed licenses. Major players in this geographic concentration include Rrg Of Jacksonville, Llc, Taco Bell, and Compassmsp. Under Florida Statute 61C-1.002 FAC, high-volume restaurants must be inspected 1–4 times per year to ensure public safety. Why are these major brands showing such a high volume of license lapses and confirmed closures in the Duval County area? The data suggests a pattern of systemic oversight failures that demand closer scrutiny of how these large-scale operators maintain compliance across hundreds of sites.
- Rrg Of Jacksonville, LlcFlorida22 flagged locations
- Taco BellFlorida29 flagged locations
- CompassmspFlorida11 flagged locations
- Jimmy John'sFlorida10 flagged locations
- Hardee'sFlorida13 flagged locations
+56 more in this section on the live site.
Most Improved
2 records this window
Restaurants whose recent-window violation count is at least 50% lower than the prior window, with the most recent inspection clean.
This is the part operators cannot wave away: KFC # L518069 in Jacksonville and HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS & SUITES in Jacksonville drew the loudest scorecard in Duval County. 2 restaurants met the sustained-improvement test: at least four inspections in each 12-month window, recent HP+Critical counts cut by 50% or more, and an active license. KFC # L518069 in Jacksonville dropped HP+Critical counts from 4 to 2 across the two 12-month windows (50.0% better). The numbers are the story.
- KFC # L518069Jacksonville1 BASPestScore 51
- HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS & SUITESJacksonville3 BASScore 3
Openings
80 records this window
New DBPR licenses plus confirmed opening signals: the places that just joined the map and still need their first public-record track record.
Florida statute 61C-1.002 sets the cadence; the inspectors honor it: and Professional Regulation recorded 250 new license records in Duval County, while 40 additional openings were identified through news announcements and operator signals. These figures, along with 33 ownership-transfer openings and 45 reopening or reissue records, account for a total of 80 opening signals. Current names on the ledger include SMALL BATCHES in Bunnell, ZAXBY'S in Jacksonville, and COVE RESTAURANT in Jacksonville. The venue mix includes 15 Fast Food locations and 182 Unknown establishments. Area concentration shows 178 locations in JACKSONVILLE and 35 in SAINT AUGUSTINE. These signals were recorded between 2025-07-01 and 2026-06-14, with a velocity of 120 opening signals in the last 90 days and 52 in the last 30 days. These entries represent license issuances or operational evidence that can precede an initial routine inspection. Because these are opening signals rather than completed inspections, they do not imply a clean history of compliance with Florida food safety standards.
- SMALL BATCHESBunnell
- ZAXBY'SJacksonville
- COVE RESTAURANTJacksonville
- ALE PIE HOUSEOrange Park
- FROSTIBunnell
+75 more in this section on the live site.
Clean Plates
167 records this window
Restaurants with multiple inspections in the current quarter and zero high-priority or intermediate violations.
In Duval County, 167 licensees maintained a clean ledger throughout Q2 2026 across multiple inspections. This group includes BY DESIGN CATERING, SONAPA GRILLE, and FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON JACKSONVILLE BEACHFRONT. These operators were not rewarded for a single lucky pass; they earned their standing through consistent performance with zero high-priority or intermediate violations during repeat visits. The data reveals an extraordinary trajectory of compliance at BY DESIGN CATERING. The operator stretched a high-priority-free run to 34 inspections, covering approximately 8.5 years of operation. This level of sustained oversight meets the rigorous standards of 61C-1.002 FAC, which requires high-volume restaurants to be inspected 1–4 times per year. It raises the question: how many other operators in Duval County are maintaining this standard while others fall into chronic failure?
- BY DESIGN CATERINGSt. Augustine
- SONAPA GRILLEJacksonville Beach
- FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON JACKSONVILLE BEACHFRONTJacksonville Beach
- SONNY`S REAL PIT BAR B QPalm Coast
- THE LANDING STRIP TAVERNPalm Coast
+162 more in this section on the live site.