CRAZY OTTO'S EMPIRE DINER
100 WEST MAIN STREET, HERKIMER, NY 13350
Last inspected Mar 10, 2026
Official source: New York State Department of Health (health.ny.gov) · All data sources
Failed. Did not meet health requirements at the latest inspection. Many failures are fixed and re-inspected within days — check the inspection date.
This inspection record doesn’t carry an official letter grade — some health departments never issue one, and others (like NYC) post it after a grace period — so CleanPlate derived the status from the reported violation data. If the department posts an official grade, it replaces this automatically.
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This establishment failed its most recent health inspection. Review the record below before ordering.
The record, in plain English
CleanPlate holds 25 inspections on record for CRAZY OTTO'S EMPIRE DINER, spanning June 2011 to March 2026 — every one straight from New York State Department of Health.
It has held failed across its last two inspections.
The most recent inspection noted 4 violations, 1 of them a critical item — the kind tied directly to foodborne-illness risk.
Every sentence above is computed directly from the official record — CleanPlate adds no opinions. How our grading works →
Inspection history
Mar 10, 2026
✕4 violations
- Critical: Cooked or prepared foods are subject to cross-contamination from raw foods.
- Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
- Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
- Insects, rodents present
Sep 16, 2025
✕1 violation
- Critical: Cooked or prepared foods are subject to cross-contamination from raw foods.
Mar 19, 2025
✕2 violations
- Critical: Enough refrigerated storage equipment is not present, properly designed, maintained or operated so that all potentially hazardous foods are cooled properly and stored below 45�F as required.
- Insects, rodents present
Dec 12, 2024
✕1 violation
- Critical: Precooked, refrigerated potentially hazardous food is not reheated to 165�F or above within two hours.
Jun 7, 2024
✓Oct 26, 2023
✓Apr 3, 2023
✓1 violation
- Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
Dec 2, 2022
✓1 violation
- Non-food contact surfaces and equipment are improperly designed, constructed, installed, maintained (equipment not readily accessible for cleaning, surface not smooth finish)
Jul 11, 2022
✓3 violations
- Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
- Non-food contact surfaces and equipment are improperly designed, constructed, installed, maintained (equipment not readily accessible for cleaning, surface not smooth finish)
- Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
Jun 22, 2021
✓1 violation
- Single service items reused, improperly stored, dispensed, not used when required
Jan 28, 2020
✓May 2, 2019
✓1 violation
- Non-food contact surfaces and equipment are improperly designed, constructed, installed, maintained (equipment not readily accessible for cleaning, surface not smooth finish)
Oct 23, 2018
✓1 violation
- Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
Apr 13, 2018
✕5 violations
- Handwashing facilities inaccessible, improperly located, dirty, in disrepair, improper fixtures, soap, and single service towels or hand drying devices missing
- Critical: Food workers do not use proper utensils to eliminate bare hand contact with cooked or prepared foods.
- Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean
- Plumbing and sinks not properly sized, installed, maintained; equipment and floors not properly drained
- Pesticide application not supervised by a certified applicator
Nov 2, 2017
✓3 violations
- Lighting and ventilation inadequate, fixtures not shielded, dirty ventilation hoods, ductwork, filters, exhaust fans
- Manual facilities inadequate, technique incorrect; mechanical facilities not operated in accordance with manufacturer's instructions
- Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
Jan 19, 2017
✕1 violation
- Critical: Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).
Sep 14, 2016
✓3 violations
- Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
- Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
- Toilet facilities inadequate, inconvenient, dirty, in disrepair, toilet paper missing, not self-closing doors, missing hand wash signs
Feb 25, 2016
✓2 violations
- Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
- Toilet facilities inadequate, inconvenient, dirty, in disrepair, toilet paper missing, not self-closing doors, missing hand wash signs
Oct 28, 2015
✓3 violations
- Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean
- Lighting and ventilation inadequate, fixtures not shielded, dirty ventilation hoods, ductwork, filters, exhaust fans
- Food contact surfaces not washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any time of operations when contamination may have occurred
Mar 3, 2015
✓Feb 3, 2015
✕5 violations
- Plumbing and sinks not properly sized, installed, maintained; equipment and floors not properly drained
- Manual facilities inadequate, technique incorrect; mechanical facilities not operated in accordance with manufacturer's instructions
- In use food dispensing utensils improperly stored
- Lighting and ventilation inadequate, fixtures not shielded, dirty ventilation hoods, ductwork, filters, exhaust fans
- Critical: Enough refrigerated storage equipment is not present, properly designed, maintained or operated so that all potentially hazardous foods are cooled properly and stored below 45�F as required.
Jul 8, 2014
✓2 violations
- In use food dispensing utensils improperly stored
- Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
May 30, 2013
✓1 violation
- Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
Apr 11, 2012
✓2 violations
- Plumbing and sinks not properly sized, installed, maintained; equipment and floors not properly drained
- Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
Jun 10, 2011
✓2 violations
- Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
- Lighting and ventilation inadequate, fixtures not shielded, dirty ventilation hoods, ductwork, filters, exhaust fans
More in Herkimer
Source: New York State Department of Health (health.ny.gov). Data shown unmodified from the official government record. CleanPlate is an independent service, not affiliated with any government agency. See something wrong? Report a data issue.