Moldy food & live roaches: Worst Triangle restaurant inspections in October

North Carolina health inspectors found multiple violations at restaurants in the Triangle in October, including mold, live pests and expired food items.

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 the lowest scores in the last month.

Worst Wake County sanitation scores

Imperial Garden Chinese Restaurant at 7713 Lead Mine Rd #15 in Raleigh

• The restaurant received a score of 86.5% on Friday, Oct. 17 and was in violation of 12 standards.
• Violations included several lemons and oranges with microbial growth on their peels, dried-on meat debris and red droplets on the slicer and meat grinder under the prep table next to a prep sink and food debris buildup inside the reach-in freezer.
• The restaurant previously scored 90.5% in March 2025 and 90% in July 2024.
• It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

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

• The restaurant received a score of 87% on Friday, Oct. 17 and was in violation of 16 standards.
• Violations included no date on moldy salsa and green moldy cooked chicken in the side prep unit, very moldy peppers and cilantro, along with several live fruit flies observed in the kitchen and front service and bar areas.
• The restaurant previously scored 88% in June 2025 and 96.5% in November 2024.
• It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Gen Ramen at 2330 Bale St # 112 in Raleigh

• The restaurant received a score of 85.5% on Thursday, Oct. 16 and was in violation of 19 standards.
• Violations included multiple containers stored as clean with sticker residue remaining, and a couple with food residue. There was also a large pan of hard-boiled eggs cooling on the floor in the kitchen and a food handler observed working with food without wearing a hat or hair net.
• The restaurant previously scored 92% in June 2025 and 96.5% in November 2024.
• It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Hilton Raleigh North Hills - 88 Oaks at 3415 Wake Forest Rd. in Raleigh

• The restaurant received a score of 87.5% on Thursday, Oct. 16 and was in violation of 16 standards.
• Violations included a food handler observed working with food without wearing a hat or hair net and a clean dish storage rack with residue/debris accumulation. On the breakfast buffet, cut melon, cream cheese, 2% milk and whole milk were not at the proper cold holding temperatures.
• The restaurant previously scored 94% in March 2025 and 94.5% in August 2024.
• It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Hibachi Grill Supreme Buffet at 3131 Capital Blvd. in Raleigh

• The restaurant received a score of 88% on Tuesday, Oct. 14 and was in violation of 16 standards.
• Violations included an open fly strip hanging over boxes of stored food and food prep sink area, multiple containers of prepared foods stored under open rusting/peeling wire shelving without covers in the walk-in coolers and reach-in cold-hold units, and black char accumulation and residue in the hot-holding oven.
• The restaurant previously scored 90% in March 2025 and 94% in April 2024.
• It was reinspected again Oct. 29 and received a 96%.

BB’s Crispy Chicken at 1147 Parkside Main St. in Cary

• The restaurant received a score of 89% on Wednesday, Oct. 8 and was in violation of 10 standards.
• Violations included soda nozzles with accumulations of black residues on the interior rims, fried chicken being actively dripped and splashed on by accumulations of condensate in the walk-in cooler and interior panels of the dish machine soiled with thick orange residues.
• The restaurant previously scored 92% in May 2025 and 96.5% in December 2024.
• It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Sheeba Restaurant at 3933 Western Blvd. in Raleigh

• The restaurant received a score of 87% on Wednesday, Oct. 8 and was in violation of 13 standards.
• Violations included raw livers stored over a very large container of ready-to-eat carrots, a few small flies observed around the soiled meat saw area and two large pots of sauces stored on the floor inside the walk-in cooler.
• The restaurant previously scored 97.5% in May 2025 and 95.5% in February 2024.
• Note: The restaurant is listed as permanently closed on Google, and the Raleigh location is not on its website.

As previously reported, the restaurant is listed as permanently closed on Google and has been removed from the list of locations on its website. But according to county documents, it was reinspected Oct. 16 and received a 99%.

Taco Bamba Ridgewood at 3518 Wade Ave. in Raleigh

• The restaurant received a score of 86% on Wednesday, Oct. 8 and was in violation of 13 standards.
• Violations included an onion dicer stored clean with food debris and mushrooms being cut without first being rinsed. Multiple employees were also noted washing hands very briefly, with one employee noted not using any hand soap.
• The restaurant previously scored 98% in January 2025 and 97% in August 2024.
• It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Worst Durham County sanitation scores

Glasshouse Kitchen at 5 Laboratory Dr. Building 3 in Durham

• The restaurant received a score of 83.5% on Tuesday, Oct. 28 and was in violation of 21 standards.
• Violations included raw beef above cheese and raw oysters above ready-to-eat foods in a reach-in cooler and at least one staff member observed working in kitchen without hair restraints. Cleaning was also needed of walls behind cooking line and at dishwashing area, as marked as moldy.
• The restaurant previously scored 98% in June 2025 and 94.5% in January 2025.
• It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

The Federal at 914 W Main St. in Durham

• The restaurant received a score of 87% on Monday, Oct. 20 and was in violation of 16 standards.
• Violations included numerous flies observed in the kitchen and raw fish and shrimp stored above ready to eat shredded pork in low reach in a glass front cooler. There were also multiple containers of items such as sour cream, cut lettuce, pico and chicken without any date marking in low boy coolers and the walk-in cooler. 
• The restaurant previously scored 95.5% in April 2025 and 97% in December 2024. 
• It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Zaxby’s at 3520 Hillsborough Rd. in Durham

• The restaurant received a score of 87% on Friday, Oct. 1 and was in violation of 20 standards.
• Violations included egg rolls in the freezer found uncovered and unwrapped, an ice machine found dirty around the ice chute, and a 4-compartment sink had sewage spilling onto the floor when all compartments were emptied.
• The restaurant previously scored 97% in June 2025 and 94.5% in January 2025.
• It was reinspected on Oct. 28 and received a 96.5%.

Refuel 117 at 2716 Guess Rd. in Durham

• The restaurant received a score of 88.5% on Friday, Oct. 10 and was in violation of 17 standards.
• Violations included items in the hot display found over an hour past the 4-hour mark and the women’s bathroom handwashing sink was missing soap. A lot of items were also either missing date marks, had the wrong date mark, or were out of date such as a container of opened chipotle sauce that had been in there since May and was long expired.
• The restaurant previously scored 94.5% in April 2025 and 95% in December 2024. 
• It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Worst Johnston County sanitation scores

Flippin’ Wings at 11466 US-70 BUS in Clayton

• The restaurant received a score of 85% on Thursday, Oct. 30 and was in violation of 11 standards.
• Violations included live roaches seen in the facility, food spills, debris, and build up on equipment. The can wash or utility sink is also not draining properly and needs to be repaired, with a strong odor coming from the plumbing in this area.
• The restaurant previously scored 92.5% in June 2025 and 97.5% in February 2025.
• It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Jordana’s at 309 S Walton Dr. in Benson

• The restaurant received a score of 87% on Thursday, Oct. 9 and was in violation of 12 standards.
• Violations included flies sitting on the floor of the pizza oven area, flies actively landing on cutting boards on the prep surfaces, on prep tables, on clean utensils, and on in use utensils at the pizza prep area. The floors and walls throughout the kitchen were also heavily soiled with food debris and sticky films.
• The restaurant previously scored 95% in May 2025 and 97% in January 2025.
• It was reinspected on Oct. 21 and received a 91%.

All restaurants in Orange and Chatham counties inspected in October received A grades.

This story was originally published November 3, 2025 at 12:25 PM with the headline "Moldy food & live roaches: Worst Triangle restaurant inspections in October."