Roaches & missing floor tiles: Latest Kansas City-area restaurant inspections
From grimy microwaves to pizza crusts in trash bags, health inspectors in Missouri and Kansas found numerous violations at Kansas City-area restaurants last week.
Dining establishments like sit-down restaurants, drive-thrus, gas stations and grocery stores are required to get food inspections, and governments have to release those inspections to the public.
In Kansas City and Independence, each city’s health department enforces the food code while in Kansas, the state’s Department of Agriculture handles inspections. The lower the number of violations, the better.
Most restaurants correct violations at the time of the original inspection or shortly after. The full inspections show how each establishment has corrected or is working to correct any remaining violations. They are available for Kansas City at inspectionsonline.us/foodsafety/mousakansascity/search.htm and Johnson and Wyandotte counties at agriculture.ks.gov.
Here are the restaurants in Kansas City and Johnson counties that received seven or more priority and priority foundation violations from March 8 to 14. No restaurants from Wyandotte County or Independence met the threshold.
Anejo Modern Mexican Cuisine and Bar KC
- 8600 NW Prairie View Road
- 9 critical violations for a March 13 routine inspection
The inspector found the dishwashing sink backed up and leaking at this Zona Rosa Mexican restaurant. A used knife was stashed between prep tables, and the hand-washing sink contained food scraps.
A follow-up inspection has not occurred. Read the full report for Anejo Modern Mexican Cuisine.
Monkey King
- 9520 Marshall Drive, Lenexa
- 8 priority and priority foundation violations for a March 11 routine inspection
Duck wings and pork knuckles were incorrectly dated according to an employee of this Lenexa Cantonese barbecue restaurant. A hand-washing sink was out of soap.
The restaurant did not need a follow-up inspection. Read the full report for Monkey King by searching for the restaurant on the Kansas inspection lookup.
Thai House
- 9938 Holmes Road
- 8 critical violations for a March 10 routine and complaint inspection
Two live roaches hid near the boiler at this south Kansas City Thai restaurant. Containers of noodles, sauce and soaking rice were kept on the floor and there was “heavy grease build up” on range hood vents.
The restaurant corrected all violations, according to a March 16 follow-up inspection. Read the full report for Thai House.
Phikul Thai Bistro
- 17 E. Fifth St.
- 8 critical violations for a March 10 routine and complaint inspection
The inspector found duct tape on the floor of the women’s bathroom and missing tiles in the dish-washing area of this River Market Thai restaurant. Dead roaches lay on top of the grease trap, and red curry had expired in the cooler.
A follow-up inspection has not occurred. Read the full report for Phikul Thai Bistro.
Noka
- 334 E. 31st St.
- 8 critical violations for a March 10 routine inspection
Mice had pooped in the basement of this upscale Japanese restaurant in midtown. The salmon, tuna, beef and scallops in the display case were not cold enough.
The restaurant corrected all violations, according to a March 17 follow-up inspection. Read the full report for Noka.
Wok and Roll Express
- 4841 W. 135th St., Leawood
- 7 priority and priority foundation violations for a March 11 complaint inspection
Fish, beef and chicken were stored directly inside plastic shopping bags at this Asian restaurant near Prairiefire. Two microwaves had “a build up of debris/residue on every surface.”
The scheduled follow-up inspection has not yet occurred. Read the full report for Wok and Roll Express by searching for the restaurant on the Kansas inspection lookup.
Nick and Jake’s
- 6830 W. 135th St., Overland Park
- 7 priority and priority foundation violations for a March 9 routine inspection
Expired hummus, prime rib, peanut sauce and red pepper aioli sat in the fridges of this bar and grill off of Metcalf. One of the coolers wasn’t keeping food cold enough, and restaurant staff had to throw away six items.
The restaurant did not need a follow-up inspection. Read the full report for Nick and Jake’s by searching for the restaurant on the Kansas inspection lookup.
Original Pizza (Sal’s Original Pizza on Google)
- 11511 W. 95th St., Overland Park
- 7 priority and priority foundation violations for a March 9 routine inspection
An inspector found 10 pizza crusts stored inside of white trash bags at this Oak Park Mall food court stand. There were seven dishes stored as clean with bits of food and residue.
The restaurant did not need a follow-up inspection. Read the full report for Sal’s Original Pizza by searching for the restaurant on the Kansas inspection lookup.
This story was originally published March 20, 2026 at 8:50 AM.
