Merk's Bar & Grill

193 N Causeway, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169 · Permanent Food Service · License 7405552

Official report

out of 100

Grade C

Safety score 73 of 100

Latest visit: Aug 20, 2026

What drove the grade

Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food not consumed/sold within 7 days after opening/preparation.High priority · no follow-up needed · 14 other violations

How the score was calculated

Starting score100
Violations at the Jul 10 complaint inspection
2 high priority (no follow-up needed), 3 intermediate, 8 basic
-23
Violations at the Aug 20 complaint check
1 intermediate, 1 basic; 2 also cited at the Jul 10 complaint inspection and counted there
-4
Safety score73

Our own summary of the public record, not an official state rating. How grades work · Report an error

Inspection history

2 inspections · 2 visits

Latest inspection

Aug202026

Complaint check

4 violations found

First visitAug 20, 2026 No follow-up needed
Met the state's inspection standards; the inspector didn't need to come back. Any violations cited still count toward the grade.
4 violations found:
- 1 Intermediate
- 3 Basic
What the inspector cited
Intermediate1
- Code 53, Manager certification and employee training: No currently certified food service manager on duty with four or more employees engaged in food preparation/handling.
  A list of accredited food manager certification examination providers can be found at http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/food-lodging/food-manager/
Basic3
- Code 23, Non-food contact surfaces clean: Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust.
  Interior bar walls, behind and under equipment, around reach in cooler gaskets
- Code 36, Floors, walls, ceilings and ventilation: Wall soiled with accumulated grease, food debris, and/or dust.
  Cookline
  Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris.
  Bar, along walls in kitchen, under equipment
Official report, on the Florida DBPR website

Earlier inspections 1

Jul102026C77Complaint inspection13 violations, 2 high priority No follow-up needed

First visitJul 10, 2026 No follow-up needed
Met the state's inspection standards; the inspector didn't need to come back. Any violations cited still count toward the grade.
13 violations found:
- 2 High priority
- 3 Intermediate
- 8 Basic
What the inspector cited
High priority2
- Code 01, Approved source; food safe and unadulterated: Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food not consumed/sold within 7 days after opening/preparation.
  See stop sale. Hot dogs from last Friday
- Code 09, Bare hand contact with ready-to-eat food: Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands - food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145°F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact.
  Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. - Employee touching ice as ice bucket is filling - employee garnishing bar drinks with bare hand hands.
Intermediate3
- Code 03, Food out of temperature: Establishment conducts non-continuous cooking of raw animal foods without monitoring and documenting initial heating time and temperature, cooling times and temperatures, cold holding temperature and final cooking temperature.
  Wings
  Food being cooled by nonapproved method as evidenced by inadequate rate of cooling during time of inspection.
  134 rice F (cooling at 10:45), at 11:30, 120°F. Advised to cool in uncovered shallow pans
- Code 22, Food-contact surfaces clean and sanitized: Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime.
  - Interior oven - Interior ice machine
Basic8
- Code 12, Handwashing and hygienic practices: Opened employee beverage container in a cold holding unit with food to be served to customers.
  Multiple in reach in freezer
- Code 14, Food-contact surfaces designed and maintained: Ripped/worn tin foil used as shelf cover.
- Code 21, Wiping cloths and linens: Wiping cloth quaternary ammonium compound sanitizing solution not at proper minimum strength.
  Less than 100 ppm quat Corrected to 200 ppm Corrected On-Site
  Fixed on the spot
- Code 23, Non-food contact surfaces clean: Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust.
  Fan in prep area
- Code 33, Garbage and refuse: Storage area not maintained clean and organized.
  Outside storage area, pooled visibly soiled water, trash.
- Code 35, Insects, rodents, pests and animals: Dead roaches on premises.
  1 on dry storage shelf
  Fixed on the spot
- Code 36, Floors, walls, ceilings and ventilation: Hole in or other damage to wall.
  Adjacent to steamer
  Wall soiled with accumulated grease, food debris, and/or dust.
  Cookline
Official report, on the Florida DBPR website

Reading this report

Priority levels

High priority The problems most likely to make someone sick directly.
Intermediate Could lead to a high-priority problem if not fixed.
Basic Best practices and general upkeep.

Terms in the inspectors’ reports

Time/temperature control for safety food: Food that has to be kept hot, at 135°F or above, or cold, at 41°F or below, to stay safe: meat, seafood, eggs, dairy, cooked rice and beans, cut melons and the like.
Ready-to-eat food: Food eaten without further cooking, such as salads, sandwiches, deli meats and cooked dishes.
Food-contact surface: Anything food touches, such as cutting boards, utensils, counters and the inside of ice machines.
Nonfood-contact surface: Surfaces food doesn’t touch, such as the outsides of equipment, handles and door gaskets.
Stop sale: An order that the food can’t be sold or served.