License No. 5402004|Public Food Service Establishment|Monroe County, FloridaInspected Jan 12, 2026
State of Florida Inspection Record

PIRATES COVE

617 FRONT ST, KEY WEST, FL 33040

PIRATES COVE has a mixed inspection record — 9 violations in the past year, including 3 high-priority. Not alarming, but worth knowing before you order. The trailing-year record shows 9 violations, including 3 high-priority and 0 Emergency Orders of Closure.

Spotty
72.6
Trailing year of inspections
How this kitchen compares
Against KEY WEST

Scores higher than 45% of the 297 inspected restaurants in KEY WEST on the trailing-year record.

72.6
Lowest scoreCity median · 76.3Highest score
Against Monroe County

3 high-priority violations on the trailing-year record — above the Monroe County average of 2.9.

This kitchen3
County average2.9
Above county average
Computed from the trailing-year records of all inspected restaurants in the same city and county. Official State of Florida inspection data — scores calculated by this site.

The Inspection Record

5 inspections

Full available history. The score uses only the most recent 365 days — older visits are shown for context, not counted.

Visit 01 — Routine - Food
Jan 12, 2026
Disposition
Inspection Completed - No Further Action
Raw-food separation & protection

Raw meat, poultry, or seafood not separated from ready-to-eat food, or food left unprotected during prep, storage, or display.

High-priority×2
Food at unsafe temperature

Food held, cooled, cooked, or reheated outside safe temperatures, letting dangerous bacteria multiply.

High-priority
Bare hand contact

Workers handling ready-to-eat food with bare hands without an approved alternative procedure.

High-priority
Dishwashing facilities & test kits

Dish machine or sinks not set up or working properly, or missing sanitizer test kit and gauges.

Intermediate
Improper thawing

High-risk food (like meat) thawed improperly, promoting bacterial growth.

Basic
In-use utensil storage
Repeat — 2nd time

Scoops and other in-use utensils stored improperly (e.g. handle down in the food).

Basic
Equipment & surface condition
Repeat — 3rd time

Food-contact or nonfood-contact surfaces improperly designed, constructed, maintained, or located.

Basic
Non-food surfaces dirty

Shelves, counters, handles, or equipment exteriors soiled with grease, debris, or dust.

Basic
Source: State of FloridaState inspection document
Visit 02 — Routine - Food
Jul 29, 2025
Disposition
Inspection Completed - No Further Action
Handwash sinks & supplies

Handwash sink missing, blocked, or used for other purposes, or missing soap, towels, or the handwash sign.

Intermediate
In-use utensil storage

Scoops and other in-use utensils stored improperly (e.g. handle down in the food).

Basic
Equipment & surface condition
Repeat — 2nd time

Food-contact or nonfood-contact surfaces improperly designed, constructed, maintained, or located.

Basic
Plumbing & backflow

Plumbing not installed or maintained properly — leaks, mop sink issues, unserviced water filters, or missing backflow prevention.

Basic
License current & displayed
Repeat — 2nd time

The establishment's license expired, not obtained, or not properly displayed.

Basic
Source: State of FloridaState inspection document
Visit 03 — Routine - Food
Feb 26, 2025
Disposition
Inspection Completed - No Further Action
Equipment & surface condition

Food-contact or nonfood-contact surfaces improperly designed, constructed, maintained, or located.

Basic
Wiping cloths & linens

Dirty wiping cloths not stored in sanitizer, or soiled linens handled improperly.

Basic
Dirty food-contact surfaces
Repeat — 2nd time

Surfaces that touch food — cutting boards, ice bins, dish racks — soiled or not sanitized.

Basic
Source: State of FloridaState inspection document
Visit 04 — Routine - Food
Apr 16, 2024
Disposition
Follow-up inspection · Compliance recordedCall Back - Complied
No violations on record for this visit

This visit closed with no further action required.

Source: State of FloridaState inspection document
Visit 05 — Routine - Food
Apr 16, 2024
Disposition
Inspection Completed - No Further Action
Water source & pressure

Water not safe, or hot (100°F) and cold water not available under pressure.

Intermediate
Dirty food-contact surfaces

Surfaces that touch food — cutting boards, ice bins, dish racks — soiled or not sanitized.

Basic
Clean equipment storage

Clean equipment and utensils stored improperly or not air-dried.

Basic
License current & displayed

The establishment's license expired, not obtained, or not properly displayed.

Basic
Source: State of FloridaState inspection document
What the violations mean

Violation categories, explained

9 violations · 8 categories

Every violation on this record falls into one of the state's standardized categories. Here is what each category covers and why inspectors check for it — in plain English, with the trailing-year count for this kitchen.

Raw meat, poultry, and seafood must be kept away from ready-to-eat food, and all food must be protected during prep, storage, and display. Inspectors treat separation seriously because raw-food drips and splashes carry pathogens onto food that will not be cooked again.

On this record, the category appears in 1 of the 1 trailing-year inspection. The written details for each entry are in the state inspection documents linked above.

† Item numbers refer to the State of Florida’s standardized inspection form; the same item recurring across visits indicates an unresolved problem. Severity groupings and the sanitation score are explained in How it works.
Check our work

The inspection record above comes straight from the state's files.

Dirty Dish List is built from public inspection data published by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The inspection dates, dispositions, and violations on this report card mirror what the state has on file for License No. 5402004 — you can read the original documents yourself and compare.

License on file
5402004
Inspected
Jan 12, 2026
Scoring
Trailing-year aggregate — How it works
Official State of Florida inspection records Opens myfloridalicense.com — the state's public inspection search
Official State of Florida inspection data — scores calculated by this site
Dirty Dish List.

Official inspection data, translated for the people who eat here.

SOURCE: STATE OF FLORIDA
No accounts. No ads. No ratings to game.
BROWSE BY AREA
County → · City → · ZIP →