Metro Health Closed Two San Antonio Food Spots in October Over Roaches and Rodents — Both Have Reopened
El Pirata Seafood & Mexican Sports Bar on W.W. White Road and Chica's Bakery y Mas on Zarzamora were both ordered closed after October inspections; neither closure has been linked to a reported illness, and the city's portal shows what inspectors actually found.
San Antonio's Metropolitan Health District temporarily closed two food businesses in October after inspectors found roaches and rodent droppings, and both have since reopened, according to KSAT's reporting as summarized by Food World News on Oct. 28. El Pirata Seafood & Mexican Sports Bar, at 2525 S. W.W. White Road, was ordered closed after an Oct. 12 inspection for "gross and unsanitary conditions," with 27 violations reported, including dead pests on shelves and stuck in grease, rodent droppings, and a cook who did not wash hands or change gloves. Chica's Bakery y Mas, at 9155 S. Zarzamora St., closed after an Oct. 6 inspection over roach and rodent activity and reopened Oct. 9, Metro Health confirmed to KSAT. Neither closure has been linked to any reported illness.
The full reports are blunter than the scores. El Pirata was closed until Oct. 15 and passed a reinspection on Oct. 16 with a score of 91 — an A on the city's scale — yet the Oct. 16 report on the city's inspection portal still lists five violations, including rodent droppings and grease on floor baseboards, household laundry bleach used as a sanitizer, and raw beef patties stored above French fries, Food World News reported from the portal. At Chica's, the Oct. 6 report shows a score of 72 (KSAT reported 71) and 14 violation items: dead roaches in the reach-in freezer, rat droppings on shelves, baseboards and floors near flour and bagged goods, and live weevils in 50-pound flour bags that were ordered discarded. The bakery's owner, who goes by Chica, told KSAT the building is old, pointed to worn freezer door seals, and showed the station pest-control and cleaning changes made since. "Things happen," she said. "Why hide it?"
The desk's service note: a score alone does not tell the story. Diners can read the full record on the city's Food Establishment Inspections page at sa.gov by choosing "Search Inspections" and searching by business name; scores run from 100 down, with 90 to 100 graded A, 80 to 89 B, and 79 or lower C, as KSAT reports. Complaints about a food business go to 3-1-1 or 210-207-6000, or through the city's 311 page, with the business name, location, date and details ready.
