Live roaches & expired food: Worst Triangle restaurant inspections in July

North Carolina health inspectors found multiple violations at restaurants in the Triangle in July, including live flies, improper handwashing and expired food.

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

Hibachi China Buffet at 2909 E Millbrook Rd. in Raleigh:

• The restaurant received a score of 84% during an inspection on Thursday, July 31 and was in violation of 16 standards.
• Violations included a few live flies observed in the kitchen and soda nozzles at the soda machine and ice chute with heavy residue accumulation. An employee at the kitchen cook line was also observed scratching their neck and head with bare hands, then not going to wash hands before returning to duties.
• The restaurant previously scored 91% in May 2025. It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Vaishno Bhog at 810 E Chatham St. in Cary:

• The restaurant received a score of 87% on Tuesday, July 29 and was in violation of eight standards.
• Violations included a kitchen employee who washed their hands without soap, wet wiping cloths stored on the prep counter in between uses and a few containers of cooked samosas, and an open bag of carrots stored directly on the floor under the shelving in the walk-in cooler.
• The restaurant previously scored 94.5% in December 2024 and 97% in August 2024. It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Anjappar at 101 Ledgestone Way in Cary:

• The restaurant received a score of 80% on Monday, July 28 and was in violation of 16 standards.
• Violations included an employee handling cooked bread with their bare hands, several others in the kitchen without proper hair restraints and various foods uncovered in a reach-in cooler.
• The restaurant previously scored 90.5% in April 2025 and 90% in October 2024. It earned 95% upon reinspection on Thursday, July 31.

Mariscos Nayarit at 3351 Cypress Plantation Trl in Raleigh:

• The restaurant received a score of 85.5% on Monday, July 28 and was in violation of 21 standards.
• Violations included raw meat stored above vegetables on one make line bottom, re-packaged raw chicken stored above raw beef in a walk-in freezer and several live house flies were seen in the kitchen and dining area.
• The restaurant previously scored 95.5% in January and 96% in April 2024. It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Mezeh Grill at 1286 W Williams St. in Apex:

• The restaurant received a score of 89% during an inspection on Monday, July 21 and was in violation of 12 standards.
• Violations included multiple foods observed holding less than necessary temperature, food debris observed under the grill top on the counter and steam table compartments had old food debris floating in the water and the basin appears soiled.
• The restaurant previously scored 95% in March 2025 and 94% in January 2025. It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Longleaf Swine BBQ at 300 E Edenton St. in Raleigh:

• The restaurant received a score of 88.5% during an inspection on Friday, July 18 and was in violation of eight standards.
• Violations included plastic containers stored clean had sticker residue and some food debris, several flies flying throughout the kitchen area and several food items held beyond 7 days and dating as far back as June.
• The restaurant previously scored 93.5% in February 2025 and 95% in October 2024. It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Naga’s South Indian Cuisine at 1000 Lower Shiloh Way STE 106 in Morrisville:

• The restaurant received a score of 87% during an inspection on Thursday, July 3 and was in violation of 11 standards.
• Violations included multiple live flies throughout kitchen and dry storage areas, cooked rice stored directly below handwashing sink, and doors, shelving, gaskets, and sides of prep coolers, walk-in cooler, and tall reach-in coolers throughout kitchen were soiled with food and other debris. 
• The restaurant previously scored 84% in June 2025 and 93% in January 2025. It earned 99% upon reinspection on Monday, July 28.

Crab Du Jour Cajun Seafood Restaurant Bar at 6320 Plantation Center Dr. in Raleigh:

• The restaurant received a score of 87% during an inspection on Wednesday, July 2 and was in violation of 21 standards.
• Violations included a live roach on the kitchen floor near the cooking area, several live house flies in the kitchen area and several kitchen workers not wearing hair restraints.
• The restaurant previously scored 92% in November 2024 and 94% in April 2024. It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Worst Durham County sanitation scores

Big Bad Breakfast Restaurant at 2608 Erwin Rd #120 in Durham:

• The restaurant received a score of 87% on Tuesday, July 29 and was in violation of 17 standards.
• Violations included multiple gnats observed around the mop sink and a container holding dishes in the dry good area found with food debris in them making the dishes inside not clean as well. A food employee was also seen switching gloves to continue working with food without washing hands in-between.
• The restaurant previously scored 94% in March 2025 and 91% in November 2024. It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Red Crab at 4600 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd Ste.29-30 in Durham:

• The restaurant received a score of 88% during an inspection on Thursday, July 17 and was in violation of 16 standards.
• Violations included tomatoes in the walk-in cooler with mold, raw shrimp stored above vegetables and the person in charge touched cooked lobster with bare hands in the walk-in cooler.
• The restaurant previously scored 96% in January 2025 and 97% in April 2024. It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Buffalo Wild Wings at 6709 Fayetteville Rd. in Durham:

• The restaurant received a score of 86.5% during an inspection on Wednesday, July 16 and was in violation of 17 standards.
• Violations included an employee who stepped away from the prep area and rubbed gloved hands on his pants, a lot of flies and gnats throughout the kitchen and excessive black buildup on the walls in the chicken cooler, above the back door and dump sink area.
• The restaurant previously scored 93% in March 2025 and 96% in November 2024. It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Koki at 104 City Hall Plaza #101 in Durham:

• The restaurant received a score of 87.5% during an inspection on Friday, July 11 and was in violation of 15 standards.
• Violations included raw chicken stored above salsa and dressing inside a tall reach-in, several cartons of milk that had a manufacture used by date of April 6 that was opened on July 6. There were also numerous cartons of liquid eggs with a date of April 21 that were opened.
• The restaurant previously scored 93% in April 2025 and 96% in September 2024. It earned 95.5% upon reinspection on Thursday, July 31.

Los Tres Mexican Restaurant at 6905 Fayetteville Rd. in Durham:

• The restaurant received a score of 87.5% during an inspection on Thursday, July 10 and was in violation of 15 standards.
• Violations included a non-gloved employee slicing lemons at the Guac-truck, a can opener stored as clean was found in the holster with food debris on the food contact surface and black residue on ceiling tiles near stove and flip top area.
• The restaurant previously scored 93.5% in March 2025 and 94.5% in November 2024. It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Counting House at 111 Corcoran St. in Durham:

• The restaurant received a score of 88% during an inspection on Wednesday, July 9 and was in violation of 12 standards.
• Violations included several dishes stored as clean were visually soiled and still had the stickers still intact, a slicer in the bar area had food debris on the blade and surrounding parts, along with a dead cockroach near the back ice machine.
• The restaurant previously scored 92.5% in April 2025 and 95% in September 2024. It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

Noodles & Company at 2608 Erwin Rd. Suite152 in Durham:

• The restaurant received a score of 85.5% during an inspection on Wednesday, July 2 and was in violation of 17 standards.
• Violations included multiple dishes and containers holding dishes found dirty, a handwashing sink in the warewashing area was missing soap and dishes in the clean dish area were stacked wet.
• The restaurant previously scored 87.5% in March 2025 and 95.5% in November 2024. It has not been reinspected, according to county documents, as of publication.

All restaurants in Orange, Johnston and Chatham counties inspected during the month of July received A grades, or scores of at least 90%.

This story was originally published August 4, 2025 at 12:37 PM with the headline "Live roaches & expired food: Worst Triangle restaurant inspections in July."