Lake Buffet
2908 PIONEER AVE, Rice Lake, WI 54868 · Barron County
Establishment
- Type
- Restaurant (retail food serving meals) (Retail Food - Serving Meals)
- Inspected by
- Barron County Department of Health & Human Services
- License / ID
- SYOG-7QRMZA
- Status
- Permitted
- Phone
- (715) 236-2220
- Official record
- Barron County Department of Health & Human Services inspection reports
Year by year
| Year | Inspections | Violations | Serious |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 8 | 4 |
| 2024 | 2 | 10 | 4 |
Inspections
-
Oct 29, 2025 Routine · 4 priority, 2 priority foundation, 2 core, 1 repeat
-
Serious
Priority
Corrected on site
PACKAGED AND UNPACKAGED FOOD - RAW OVER RTE-FOODS
Vegetables were stored under raw chicken in the walk in cooler.
Correction: Reorganized food storage so that ready-to-eat foods are stored above raw animal food and raw vegetables. Discard ready-to-eat foods that show evidence of contamination. Moved raw chicken to designated shelves in the walk in cooler that store raw meats.
Code 3-302.11 (A) (1)
-
Serious
Priority
Corrected on site
PACKAGED AND UNPACKAGED FOOD - NESTING OR RAW ANIMAL FOODS STORED TOGETHER
Raw pork was stored under raw chicken in the walk in cooler.
Correction: Store raw animal foods in order of descending hazard to prevent cross contamination. Rearranged raw meat storage so that pork was above chicken.
Code 3-302.11 (A) (2)
-
Serious
Priority
Corrected on site
FOOD CONTAMINATION PREVENTED BY CUSTOMERS IN FOOD DISPLAY
Almond cookies and crunchy noodles in the customer self-service area are not protected from contamination.
Correction: Provide a food shield, food guard, or other effective means to protect food from potential consumer contamination. Moved almond cookies under the shield provided in desert area and replaced crunchy noodles with ones that are in a package.
Code 3-306.11
-
Serious
Priority
Corrected on site
TCS FOOD - COLD HOLDING
Cooked chicken in the Superior cooler is cold held at 50°F.
Correction: Maintain cold time/temperature control for safety food at or below 41°F. Discard unsafe food items. Removed all items from cooler. Discontinued use of cooler until fixed. Contacted refrigeration maintenance company for maintenance call. Maintenance provided from Rice Lake Refrigeration to recharge cooler- cooler holding appropriate temperature below 41 °F.
Code 3-501.16 (A) (2) AND (B)
-
Not serious
Priority Foundation
RTE/TCS FOOD - PROPER DATE MARKING
Hardboiled eggs in the "True Pepsi" Cooler is improperly date marked. Not providing date marking to these items.
Correction: Adjust method or procedures so that all ready-to-eat time/temperature control for safety food, if required, are provided with date marking or an effective method of identifying when a food item has exceeded 7 days. Discard improperly date marked food or food that has past the 7 day shelf life. Discussed making one days worth of eggs at a time so that they are not held for longer than 24 hours.
Code 3-501.17 (A)
-
Not serious
Priority Foundation
FOOD CONTACT SURFACES - SOILED
Measuring cups used for scoops in the bulk flour and sugar bins is visibly soiled.
Correction: Maintain food contact surfaces in a clean condition.
Code 4-601.11 (A)
-
Not serious
Core
Corrected on site
IN-USE UTENSILS, BETWEEN USE STORAGE
Measuring cups in bulk containers of flour and sugar wer improperly stored with handle laying in the food.
Correction: Store in-use utensils in the food item with handle extended. Measuring cups hung on hooks inside the containers.
Code 3-304.12
-
Not serious
Core
Repeat
NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES - CLEAN
Non-food contact surfaces of exteriors of coolers, freezers, and equipment are soiled with grease build up.
Correction: Clean and remove dust, dirt, food residue, and other debris from all non-food contact surfaces of equipment.
Code 4-601.11 (C)
-
Serious
Priority
Corrected on site
-
Feb 16, 2024 Re-inspection · No items found
No violations cited.
-
Feb 14, 2024 Routine · 3 priority, 3 priority foundation, 3 core, 1 repeat
-
Serious
Priority
PACKAGED AND UNPACKAGED FOOD - RAW OVER RTE-FOODS
Ready to eat sauces (soy sauce, etc.) are stored under raw shell eggs.
Correction: Reorganize food storage so that ready-to-eat foods are stored above raw animal food and raw vegetables. Discard ready-to-eat foods that show evidence of contamination.
Code 3-302.11 (A) (1)
-
Serious
Priority
TCS FOOD - COLD HOLDING
Turbo Air 3 door cooler is cold holding at 60°F.
Correction: Maintain cold time/temperature control for safety food at or below 41°F. Discard unsafe food items.
Code 3-501.16 (A) (2) AND (B)
-
Serious
Priority
TCS FOOD - COLD HOLDING
Peppers in the M3 Prep cooler are cold held at 50°F.
Correction: Maintain cold time/temperature control for safety food at or below 41°F. Discard unsafe food items.
Code 3-501.16 (A) (2) AND (B)
-
Serious
Priority
FOOD CONTACT SURFACES - WAREWASHING EQUIPMENT, CHEMICAL, TEMPERATURE, pH, CONCENTRATION AND HARDNESS
The chlorine sanitizer in the dishwasher is not being used according to EPA registered label use instructions and is at 0 PPM.
Correction: Provide training to employees on proper use and concentration of sanitizer or repair or adjust warewashing equipment to provide proper sanitizer concentration.
Code 4-501.114 (A) - (E)
-
Not serious
Priority Foundation
EQUIPMENT AND UTENSILS - FOOD CONTACT SURFACES, CLEANABILITY
Covers for bulk containers of rice located in kitchen near the rice cooker are not cleanable due to breaks and cracks.
Correction: Provide food contact surfaces that are smooth, free of sharp edges and are free from breaks and cracks.
Code 4-202.11 (1) - (4)
-
Not serious
Priority Foundation
WAREWASHING - CLEANING AGENTS
The tumbler (for chicken) does not use the proper cleaning product or procedures washing purposes.
Correction: Equipment should be washed and sanitized using appropriate procedures: 1.Wash (soap and water) 2. Rinse (clean water) 3. Sanitize (sanitizer solution)
Code 4-501.17
-
Not serious
Priority Foundation
Repeat
FOOD CONTACT SURFACES - SOILED
The interior food contact surface of the ice machine is visibly soiled with slime mold.
Correction: Maintain food contact surfaces in a clean condition.
Code 4-601.11 (A)
-
Not serious
Core
FOOD CONTAMINATION PREVENTED - MISCELLANEOUS CONTAMINATION
Tumbler used for raw chicken is not protected from potential contamination. Tumbler is stored and used within 18" of handwashing sink.
Correction: Move the chicken tumbler so that it is not within 18" of handwash sink or install a splash guard on the handwash sink.
Code 3-307.11
-
Not serious
Core
NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES - CLEAN
Non-food contact surfaces of equipment (prep coolers, pepsi display coolers, 3 door cooler, exterior fryers, doors between kitchen and salad prep area) are soiled with grease and food debris.
Correction: Clean and remove dust, dirt, food residue, and other debris from all non-food contact surfaces of equipment.
Code 4-601.11 (C)
-
Not serious
Core
FOOD CONTACT SURFACES - NON TCS FOOD - IMPROPER CLEANING
Working containers of sugar and salt held near the wok station not contacting TCS food is improperly cleaned. These containers are not cleaned every 24 hours and had food residue build up present.
Correction: Clean utensil and equipment not contacting TSC food any time contamination occurs, at least every 24 hours, or at a frequency according to manufacturer specifications.
Code 4-602.11 (E)
-
Serious
Priority
Source: Barron County Department of Health & Human Services. History last read Oct 2, 2026. Violation text is the inspector's wording. “Serious” is the source's own top tier. About this data.