Three Dollar Cafe fails health inspection with score of 60

A popular Atlanta bar and restaurant dropped from a B grade to a failing score after a health inspector found 11 violations Thursday, including a black mold-like substance inside the ice machine, improperly stored raw meat, and chicken being held at a temperature 30 degrees below the legal minimum.

What’s happening: Three Dollar Cafe at 4600 Roswell Rd in Atlanta scored 60 out of 100 during a routine inspection October 22, earning a U. In Georgia, any score of 69 or below results in a U grade. The restaurant had scored an 84 in April and a perfect 100 in March.

The violations: Inspectors cited 11 new violations during the roughly 80-minute inspection. The problems included:

• A black mold-like substance found inside the ice machine
• A black substance on the soda gun nozzle at the bar
• Raw chicken, shrimp, and beef stored above sauce containers in the walk-in cooler
• Raw beef sliders stored above ready-to-eat onions in a cooler on the cook line
• Chicken tenders sitting under a heat lamp at 105 degrees, well below the required minimum of 135 degrees
• An employee scooping ice with a customer’s cup instead of an ice scoop
• The hand sink in the main kitchen blocked by a table holding a chip warmer machine
• A back door that would not close properly, with visible light coming through the gaps
• Wet dishes stacked together before drying
• A scoop handle touching flour inside a flour container
• No test strips available to check the strength of the sanitizing solution the restaurant uses

What’s important: The person in charge corrected the raw beef storage problem on the spot by rearranging the cooler. The chicken tenders held at the wrong temperature were thrown away. Most other violations carried a correction deadline of October 23.

How this affects real people: Customers who visit Three Dollar Cafe should be aware the restaurant is operating under a failing grade. Georgia requires food service establishments to post their most recent inspection grade where customers can see it.

The path forward: Because all 11 violations were cited as new rather than repeat problems, a follow-up inspection will determine whether the restaurant has corrected the issues. If violations remain unresolved, the Georgia Department of Public Health has the authority to take further action, including additional inspections or permit consequences.