Rodent feces, roach, spoiled food: Worst Triangle restaurant inspections in June

North Carolina health inspectors found multiple violations at restaurants in the Triangle in June, including spoiled food, fruit flies and even rodent feces.

Sanitation scores and their corresponding letter grades are used in North Carolina to assess restaurants’ adherence to rules and standards intended to mitigate and prevent the spread of food-borne illnesses.

Here are the restaurants that received some of the lowest ratings around the area.

Worst Wake County sanitation scores

Luna Azul Tacos & Mariscos Restaurant at 2645 E Millbrook Rd. in Raleigh

• The restaurant received a score of 88% during an inspection on Wednesday, June 4 and was in violation of 20 standards.

• Violations included several foods in cold-hold units that spoiled and were moldy, like rice, chicken, jalapenos, cut avocado, banana leaves, beans, corn silk for liver and beef. There was also residue accumulation and dead fruit flies in reach-in cold-hold units, along with an open bag of sugar and boxes of tortillas stored on the floor.

• The restaurant previously scored 96.5% in November 2024.

• It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Raleigh Beer Garden at 614 Glenwood Ave Suite B in Raleigh

• Violations included a small live baby rodent observed in the kitchen and a live roach observed along the walls in the kitchen, a tomato slicer seen with food debris and rodent feces and cleaning needed of all shelving throughout the kitchen due to food debris and rodent feces.

• The restaurant previously scored 96% in January 2025 and 97.5% in June 2024.

• It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Naga’s South Indian Cuisine at 1000 Lower Shiloh Way in Morrisville

• The restaurant received a score of 84% during an inspection on Tuesday, June 24 and was in violation of 18 standards.

• Violations included raw shrimp stored directly above ready-to-eat sauce, a dead mouse seen on the floor in the middle of the dry storage room and containers of food were stored on the floor throughout the kitchen, within the walk-in cooler, and within the walk-in freezer.

• The restaurant previously scored 93% in January 2025 and 88% in December 2024.

• It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Mi Cancun #3 at 1400 Boulderstone Way in Cary

• The restaurant received a score of 86.5% on Thursday, June 26 and was in violation of 10 standards.

• Violations included raw shell eggs stored above lettuce, cheese and other ready-to-eat foods in the walk-in cooler, a few flies present in the kitchen and seen landing on exposed foods and multiple foods in multiple coolers observed well above necessary temperatures.

• The restaurant previously scored 94% in January 2025 and 95% in October 2024.

• It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Note: The Wake County inspection management system lists this establishment as Mi Cancun #3 but the restaurant’s website lists it as Mi Cancun Cary.

Worst Durham County sanitation scores

Asian Kitchen at 1125 NC-54 in Durham

• Violations included cooked pork stored near uncooked pork and beef in a freezer, employees using bare hands when switching between raw and cooked food products and cooked food stacked high at room temperature in the make line.

• The restaurant previously scored 97% in January 2025.

• It was reinspected on Tuesday, June 10 and scored 88%.

The House Restaurant & Catering at 4310 S. Miami Blvd. in Durham

• Violations included foods not being frozen in the walk-in freezer, some foods in the warmer and pancake mix, maseca, minced garlic and bags of bread crumbs on a storage rack were left uncovered while not in use. An employee also handled ready-to-eat food with bare hands.

• The restaurant previously scored 93.5% in February 2025 and 91% in October 2024.

• It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Thai 55 at 2223 N.C. 54, Suite Q in Durham

• Violations included raw shell eggs stored above dressing and sauces inside the low reach-in cooler next to the grill area, wrapped portions of cooked noodles sitting at room temperature on the counter and multiple items in the reach-in and walk-in cooler observed without dates.

• The restaurant previously scored 91.5% in February 2025 and 96.5% in July 2024.

• It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Mi Barrio at 5023 Wake Forest Hwy in Durham

• The restaurant received a score of 86% on Thursday, June 26 and was in violation of 14 standards.

• Violations included raw bacon in the same container as a package of cooked ham, cups stacked wet and cleaning needed of stove and oven area as well as inside of shelving in the dining area.

• The restaurant previously scored 91% in January 2025 and 90% in May 2024.

• It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

All restaurants inspected in Orange, Johnston and Chatham counties in June received A grades.

Ask the North Carolina Service Journalism Team

Have a question about your community you’d like answered? Or maybe a tip or story idea you’d like to share? The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you.

Where was Netflix’s ‘The Waterfront’ filmed? Here’s a list of NC locations

The best cocktail bar in the Triangle has a drink menu as vibrant as the decor