7 South MS restaurants fail health inspections in a week for safety, sanitary issues
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- South MS restaurants had issues with holding temperatures and other repeat health issues.
- Two facilities cited for no certified manager; several for inadequate handwashing.
- Six C grades were recorded since March 6 across the MS Gulf Coast.
Spring cleaning and safety upgrades are in order at South Mississippi restaurants, as health inspectors found critical violations at seven kitchens in one week.
For some of the restaurants, this is the first C grade in years, while others scored a C several times in the last few years.
Raj J-Mart, 15100 Mississippi 67 in Biloxi got its third C in two years when the inspector showed up March 9 for a scheduled inspection. It was cited for:
- Toxic substance not properly identified, stored, used, a repeat violation
Corrected during the inspection was:
- Adequate handwashing facilities supplied and accessible
A follow-up inspection the next day on March 10 showed all violations were corrected and the kitchen scored a B.
Whistle Stop Cafe, 127 North Magnolia Drive in Wiggins had a scheduled inspection March 6 and got its fourth C in two years. Prior to that, there was only 1 C from 2014-2023, all under the same inspector. It was cited for:
- Improper cold holding temperatures, a repeat violation
Corrected during the inspection were:
- Proper eating, tasting, drinking or tobacco use
- Food separated and protected
- Proper hot holding temperatures
Little Caesars, 12373 U.S. 49, Gulfport, was inspected March 10 for a permit renewal. It was cited for:
- No certified manager
- Food contact surface not cleaned and sanitized, a repeat violation
Corrected during the inspection was:
- Proper eating, tasting, drinking or tobacco use
A follow-up inspection on March 19 showed no violations and the restaurant scored a B.
This is the first C dating back to 2015.
La Lechonera El Flambyan, 7724 Bienville Blvd., Ocean Springs, was inspected March 12 for a permit renewal. It was cited for:
- Inadequate handwashing facilities supplied and accessible
- Hands not cleaned and properly washed
- Hot and cold water not available at adequate pressure
No violations found during a follow-up inspection on March 19 and the restaurant scored a B.
This is the first C dating back to 2019.
The Vault CoffeeHouse, 13201 Greenacres Drive, Ocean Springs was inspected March 10 for a permit renewal. It was cited for:
- No certified manager
Corrected during the inspection was:
- Adequate handwashing facilities supplied and accessible
The only other inspection was an A in March 2025.
Popeyes, a new restaurant at 11287 Old Highway 63, Lucedale, was inspected March 12 for a permit follow-up. It was cited for:
- Inadequate handwashing facilities supplied and accessible
- Food not separated and protected
- Food contact surface not cleaned and sanitized
- Hot and cold water not available at adequate pressure
- Last inspection grade not posted
Corrected during the inspection was:
- Toxic substance properly identified, stored, used
Honey Hole Mart 2 at 9525 Mississippi 613, Moss Point, was inspected March 14 for a permit renewal. It was cited for:
- No certified manager
- Last inspection grade not posted
The only other inspection listed was an A in 2024.
The first two weeks of March have seen a dozen restaurants in South Mississippi score a C for critical health violations, 25 a B for any violations corrected during the inspection and 134 an A for a clean inspection.
This story was originally published March 16, 2026 at 5:08 AM.
