Restaurant · Wake County, NC

Moe's Southwest Grill #205

Name: Moe's Southwest Grill #205
Address: 168 Shenstone Blvd, Wake County, NC

168 Shenstone Blvd

Last inspected Jun 25, 2026 · View Map ↗ · Compare ↗

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Score 96.5

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More issues recentlyThe latest inspection recorded more violations than the one before it. Review the dated records below.

The full inspection history

5 inspections

1 - Inspection

Jun 25, 2026

Score 96.5

Official score: 96.5 · Understand this area’s scale

6 recorded violations

notedCode 3-501.16 (A) (1) Time / Temperature Control for Safety FoodFood temperature

Official wording

Proper hot holding temperatures

Inspector’s notes

3-501.16 (A) (1) Time / Temperature Control for Safety Food; Hot and Cold Holding (P) In a hot hold cabinet Corn was held at 109F; Pinto Beans was held at 130F; Queso was held at 106F; and Ground Beef was held at 109F. These potentially hazardous foods must be held at 135F or above. CDI... The food items were reheated 165F.

In plain English

Food was not kept cold enough, hot enough, cooled fast enough, or cooked or reheated to the right temperature. Bacteria grow quickly in the "danger zone" between 41°F and 135°F, which makes this one of the most important food-safety checks.

More about food kept at an unsafe temperature

notedCode 3-501.16 (A) (2) and (B) Time / Temperature Control for Safety FoodFood temperature

Official wording

Proper cold holding temperatures

Inspector’s notes

3-501.16 (A) (2) and (B) Time / Temperature Control for Safety Food; Hot and Cold Holding (P) Pico was being held at 49F; Lettuce was held at 51F; Cheese was held at 48F. These potentially hazardous foods must be held at 41F or below. CDI... The food items were cooled down to 41F before the end of the inspection.

In plain English

More about food kept at an unsafe temperature

minorCode 4-901.11 Equipment and UtensilsEquipment and utensils

Official wording

Utensils; equipment & linens: properly stored; dried & handled

Inspector’s notes

4-901.11 Equipment and Utensils; Air-Drying Required (C) Cross stack the dishes to allow the air-drying process to take place. There were several dishes that were stacked wet.

In plain English

Equipment, utensils, thermometers, cutting boards, or single-use items were not in good condition, not the right type, or not stored properly.

More about equipment or utensil issues

minorCode —Cleaning and sanitizing

Official wording

Equipment; food & non-food contact surfaces approved; cleanable; properly designed; constructed & used

Inspector’s notes

4-501.11 Good Repair and Proper Adjustment - Equipment (C) There was a reach-in hot hold unit that could not maintain hot temperatures of 135F or above. The cold hold unit could not maintain food temperatures at 41F or below. All equipment must be in good repair. CDI.. A work order has been place to repair the equipment.

In plain English

Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.

More about cleaning or sanitizing problems

minorCode 4-601.11 (B) and (C) EquipmentCleaning and sanitizing

Official wording

Non-food contact surfaces clean

Inspector’s notes

4-601.11 (B) and (C) Equipment; Food-Contact Surfaces; Nonfood Contact Surfaces; and Utensils (C) Clean around the cooking equipment. Clean all items to remove debris.

In plain English

Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.

More about cleaning or sanitizing problems

minorCode 6-501.16 Drying Mops (C) Wet mops were stored on the wall after being used. After useCleaning and sanitizing

Official wording

Physical facilities installed; maintained & clean

Inspector’s notes

6-501.16 Drying Mops (C) Wet mops were stored on the wall after being used. After use; mop shall be placed in a position that allows them to air-dry without soiling walls; Equipment; or supplies.

In plain English

Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.

More about cleaning or sanitizing problems

Official record from Wake County Environmental Services, Jun 25, 2026 · Original Source

1 - Inspection

Jul 21, 2025

Score 98.5

Official score: 98.5 · Understand this area’s scale

3 recorded violations

notedCode —Food temperature

Official wording

Proper cooling methods used; adequate equipment for temperature control

Inspector’s notes

3-501.15 Cooling Methods (Pf) The corn salsa and pico was in covered containers to cool in the walk-in cooler. The items were at 49F. The items had been cooling down for about an hour. To properly cool the food items leave items in loosely covered containers in the walk-in cooler. CDI... The lids were placed loosely on the containers. This is a repeat item but not severe enough to take full credit.

In plain English

More about food kept at an unsafe temperature

notedCode 4-901.11 Equipment and UtensilsEquipment and utensils

Official wording

Utensils; equipment & linens: properly stored; dried & handled

Inspector’s notes

4-901.11 Equipment and Utensils; Air-Drying Required (C) Cross stack the dishes to allow the air-drying process to take place. There were several dishes that were stacked wet. 4-903.11 (A) Store cleaned equipment; utensils; linens in a clean; dry location; where they are not exposed to splash; dust; or other contamination; and at least 6 inches above the floor. There were some clean dishes that were left in a container of seating water. Clean dishes must be stored in a clean location. CDI.. The dishes were placed in the trash can by the manager on duty.

In plain English

Equipment, utensils, thermometers, cutting boards, or single-use items were not in good condition, not the right type, or not stored properly.

More about equipment or utensil issues

notedCode —Facility maintenance

Official wording

Meets ventilation & lighting requirements; designated areas used

Inspector’s notes

6-303.11 Intensity - Lighting (C) The lighting in the walk-in cooler was very low. Replace the blown light bulbs to all adequate lighting in the walk-in cooler. CDI.. A light will be added before the end of day.

In plain English

Floors, walls, ceilings, lighting, ventilation, or garbage areas needed repair or cleaning. These are usually less urgent than food-handling problems but still need to be fixed.

More about building upkeep issues

Official record from Wake County Environmental Services, Jul 21, 2025 · Original Source

1 - Inspection

Jan 24, 2025

Score 98

Official score: 98 · Understand this area’s scale

4 recorded violations

notedCode 4-602.11 (A) (1) Observed some black mold-like build-up along the soda machine gaskets. Equipment food contact surfaces and utensils shall be cleanedCleaning and sanitizing

Official wording

Food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized

Inspector’s notes

4-602.11 (A) (1) Observed some black mold-like build-up along the soda machine gaskets. Equipment food contact surfaces and utensils shall be cleaned; and sanitized per 4-702.11/4-703.11; before each use with a different type of raw animal food. CDI- EHS instructed PIC to removed soak; reclean and sanitize gaskets.

In plain English

Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.

More about cleaning or sanitizing problems

notedCode 3-501.15Food temperature

Official wording

Proper cooling methods used; adequate equipment for temperature control

Inspector’s notes

3-501.15; Priority Foundation; Noted two tightly covered containers of pico cooling in the walk in cooler unit. Noted both containers of pico were prepared 30 mins prior to inspection and temping between 52-53 F. Ensure TCS items are loosely covered and placed into shallow containers during the cooling process. CDI- Noted containers loosely covered

In plain English

More about food kept at an unsafe temperature

notedCode 4-901.11Equipment and utensils

Official wording

Utensils; equipment & linens: properly stored; dried & handled

Inspector’s notes

4-901.11; Core; Noted several containers stacked while still wet above the 3-compartment sink. Cross stack containers of air dry separately during the air-drying process.

In plain English

Equipment, utensils, thermometers, cutting boards, or single-use items were not in good condition, not the right type, or not stored properly.

More about equipment or utensil issues

minorCode 6-201.11 FloorsCleaning and sanitizing

Official wording

Physical facilities installed; maintained & clean

Inspector’s notes

6-201.11 Floors; Walls and Ceilings - Cleanability (C) - Noted floor grout pitted in various locations throughout the prep kitchen. Repair and regrout noted areas.

In plain English

Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.

More about cleaning or sanitizing problems

Official record from Wake County Environmental Services, Jan 24, 2025 · Original Source

1 - Inspection

Jul 8, 2024

Score 96

Official score: 96 · Understand this area’s scale

9 recorded violations

criticalCode 4-602.11Cleaning and sanitizing

Official wording

Food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized

Inspector’s notes

4-602.11; Priority; Discussion with Person in charge; determined that pizza slicer (used for quesadillas) noted properly cleaned and sanitized every 4 hours. According to person in charge; noted slicer was clean more than 4 hours prior to inspection. EQUIPMENT FOOD-CONTACT SURFACES and UTENSILS shall be cleaned if used with POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS FOOD (TIME/TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR SAFETY FOOD); EQUIPMENT FOOD-CONTACT SURFACES and UTENSILS throughout the day at least every 4 hours. CDI- Education provided.

In plain English

Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.

More about cleaning or sanitizing problems

criticalCode 3-501.16(A)(1)Food temperature

Official wording

Proper hot holding temperatures

Inspector’s notes

3-501.16(A)(1) ; Priority. Found containers of Queso temping at between 128-130 F on the make-line. Ensure all TCS items are held at 135 F or above for hot holding. CDI- Person in charge voluntarily discarded noted items.

In plain English

More about food kept at an unsafe temperature

criticalCode 3-501.16 (A)(2) and (B)Food temperature

Official wording

Proper cold holding temperatures

Inspector’s notes

3-501.16 (A)(2) and (B); Priority; Noted multiple TCS items were holding above 41 F in make line prep cooler. Noted ambient air for cooler reading at 45 F. Also noted a few containers of salsa were reading above 41 F in side prep cooler as well. Further investigation determined someone had inadvertently changed the ambient air temp of the side cooler. Side cooler temperature adjusted. Verification visit required by July 10th for the make line prep cooler.

In plain English

More about food kept at an unsafe temperature

majorCode 3-501.15Food temperature

Official wording

Proper cooling methods used; adequate equipment for temperature control

Inspector’s notes

3-501.15; Priority Foundation; Noted two doubled stacked; tightly covered containers of pico cooling in the walk in cooler unit. Noted both containers of pico were prepared 2 hours prior to inspection and temping between 47-53 F. Ensure TCS items are loosely covered and placed into shallow containers during the cooling process. CDI- Noted containers loosely covered and placed into walk-in cooler.

In plain English

More about food kept at an unsafe temperature

minorCode 3-302.12Food source and labeling

Official wording

Food properly labeled: original container

Inspector’s notes

3-302.12; Core; Found a large container of sugar missing a label. Except for containers holding FOOD that can be readily and unmistakably recognized such as dry pasta; working containers holding FOOD or FOOD ingredients that are removed from their original packages for use in the FOOD ESTABLISHMENT; such as cooking oils; flour; herbs; potato flakes; salt; spices; and sugar shall be identified with the common name of the FOOD

In plain English

Food came from an unapproved source, was missing required date marks or labels, or was past its use-by date. Knowing where food came from and how old it is helps prevent illness.

More about food source, dating, or labeling problems

minorCode 4-901.11Equipment and utensils

Official wording

Utensils; equipment & linens: properly stored; dried & handled

Inspector’s notes

4-901.11; Core; Noted several containers stacked while still wet above the 3-compartment sink. Cross stack containers of air dry separately during the air-drying process.

In plain English

Equipment, utensils, thermometers, cutting boards, or single-use items were not in good condition, not the right type, or not stored properly.

More about equipment or utensil issues

minorCode 4-501.11Cleaning and sanitizing

Official wording

Equipment; food & non-food contact surfaces approved; cleanable; properly designed; constructed & used

Inspector’s notes

4-501.11; Core. The make line/prep cooler unit is not functioning properly. Equipment shall be maintained in a state of repair and condition that meets the requirements specified under Parts 4 1 and 4-2. A follow-up visit will be conducted by REHS by July 10th.

In plain English

Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.

More about cleaning or sanitizing problems

minorCode 6-501.16Cleaning and sanitizing

Official wording

Physical facilities installed; maintained & clean

Inspector’s notes

6-501.16; Core; Mop holder on wall is not being used and mops are being placed against walls handle down. Use mop holder and place mops handle up to allow for drying into mop sink. 6-501.16; Core; After use; mops shall be placed in a position that allows them to air-dry without soiling walls; EQUIPMENT; or supplies.

In plain English

Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.

More about cleaning or sanitizing problems

minorCode 6-304.11Facility maintenance

Official wording

Meets ventilation & lighting requirements; designated areas used

Inspector’s notes

6-304.11; Core; Noted A/C Unit currently not working properly and condensation beginning to drip from the A/C system onto the dining room floor at the rear of the facility. If necessary to keep rooms free of excessive heat; steam; condensation; vapors; obnoxious odors; smoke; and fumes; mechanical ventilation of sufficient capacity shall be provided.

In plain English

Floors, walls, ceilings, lighting, ventilation, or garbage areas needed repair or cleaning. These are usually less urgent than food-handling problems but still need to be fixed.

More about building upkeep issues

Official record from Wake County Environmental Services, Jul 8, 2024 · Original Source

1 - Inspection

Jan 18, 2024

Score 97

Official score: 97 · Understand this area’s scale

7 recorded violations

minorCode Observation: The person in charge is not a certified food manager. 2-102.12 (A)Permits, training, and postings

Official wording

Certified Food Protection Manager

Inspector’s notes

Observation: The person in charge is not a certified food manager. 2-102.12 (A); Core; A) The PERSON IN CHARGE shall be a certified FOOD protection manager who has shown proficiency of required information through passing a test that is part of an ACCREDITED PROGRAM.

In plain English

A required permit, food safety certificate, trained manager, or posted sign was missing or not current. These show the business is following the rules and has trained staff.

More about paperwork, training, or posting issues

majorCode Observation: The hand sink in the women's restroom observed at 56F. 5-202.12Handwashing

Official wording

Handwashing sinks supplied & accessible

Inspector’s notes

Observation: The hand sink in the women's restroom observed at 56F. 5-202.12; Core; (A) A handwashing sink shall be equipped to provide water at a temperature of at least 38oC (100oF) through a mixing valve or combination faucet.; Observation: The trash can was placed in front of the hand sink in the kitchen making it inaccessible to staffing. Ensure that all hand sinks are available to staff to wash hands. 5-205.11; Priority Foundation;(A) A handwashing sink shall be maintained so that it is accessible at all times for employee use. Pf CDI: Operator moved trash can out of the way for staff access.

In plain English

Staff were not washing their hands when required, or a handwashing sink was blocked, missing soap or paper towels, or used for something else. Hands are one of the most common ways germs reach food.

Official wording

Personal cleanliness

Inspector’s notes

Observation: Staff wearing visor that is not a full hair covering. A visor should be used with hair net OR a different hair covering that covers hair. 2-402.11; Core; A) Except as provided in par. (B) of this section; FOOD EMPLOYEES shall wear hair restraints such as hats; hair coverings or nets; beard restraints; and clothing that covers body hair; that are designed and worn to effectively keep their hair from contacting exposed FOOD; clean EQUIPMENT; UTENSILS; and LINENS; and unwrapped SINGLE-SERVICE and SINGLE-USE ARTICLES.

In plain English

This covers things like hair restraints, jewelry, clean clothing, eating or drinking in food prep areas, touching ready-to-eat food with bare hands, or not having a sick-employee policy.

More about employee hygiene or health policy issues

minorCode Observation: Utensils and equipment are being stacked while still wet. **REPEAT** 4-901.11Equipment and utensils

Official wording

Utensils; equipment & linens: properly stored; dried & handled

Inspector’s notes

Observation: Utensils and equipment are being stacked while still wet. **REPEAT** 4-901.11; Core; After cleaning and SANITIZING; EQUIPMENT and UTENSILS: (A) Shall be air-dried or used after adequate draining as specified in the first paragraph of 40 CFR 180.940 Tolerance exemptions for active and inert ingredients for use in antimicrobial formulations (food-contact surface SANITIZING solutions); before contact with FOOD;

In plain English

Equipment, utensils, thermometers, cutting boards, or single-use items were not in good condition, not the right type, or not stored properly.

More about equipment or utensil issues

minorCode Observation: Single service cups are not dispensed protected from hand contact. Maintain plastic sleeve on cups when stacked at the register or utilize different dispenser. 4-904.11Equipment and utensils

Official wording

Single-use & single-service articles: properly stored & used

Inspector’s notes

Observation: Single service cups are not dispensed protected from hand contact. Maintain plastic sleeve on cups when stacked at the register or utilize different dispenser. 4-904.11; Core; A) SINGLE-SERVICE and SINGLE-USE ARTICLES and cleaned and SANITIZED UTENSILS shall be handled; displayed; and dispensed so that contamination of FOOD- and lip-contact surfaces is prevented.

In plain English

Equipment, utensils, thermometers, cutting boards, or single-use items were not in good condition, not the right type, or not stored properly.

More about equipment or utensil issues

minorCode Observation: The thermometers placed into the hot holding cabinet were not calibrated within range of actual air temperature. One thermometer read 123F and other read 117F - Actual air temperature was 138F 4-502.11(A) and (C)Cleaning and sanitizing

Official wording

Equipment; food & non-food contact surfaces approved; cleanable; properly designed; constructed & used

Inspector’s notes

Observation: The thermometers placed into the hot holding cabinet were not calibrated within range of actual air temperature. One thermometer read 123F and other read 117F - Actual air temperature was 138F 4-502.11(A) and (C); Core; C) Ambient air temperature; water pressure; and water TEMPERATURE MEASURING DEVICES shall be maintained in good repair and be accurate within the intended range of use.

In plain English

Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.

More about cleaning or sanitizing problems

minorCode Observation: Mop holder on wall is not being used and mops are being placed against walls handle down. Use mop holder and place mops handle up to allow for drying into mop sink. 6-501.16Cleaning and sanitizing

Official wording

Physical facilities installed; maintained & clean

Inspector’s notes

Observation: Mop holder on wall is not being used and mops are being placed against walls handle down. Use mop holder and place mops handle up to allow for drying into mop sink. 6-501.16; Core; After use; mops shall be placed in a position that allows them to air-dry without soiling walls; EQUIPMENT; or supplies.; Observation: Prep refrigerators and other equipment no longer in use or working condition are being stored on premises. Remove excess litter and nofunctional equipment so as not to create harborage conditions. 6-501.114; Core; (A) Items that are unnecessary to the operation or maintenance of the establishment such as EQUIPMENT that is nonfunctional or no longer used stored on site

In plain English

Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.

More about cleaning or sanitizing problems

Official record from Wake County Environmental Services, Jan 18, 2024 · Original Source