Lexington, S.C. – The South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) released the results of a routine inspection at O’Hara’s Public House, located at 131 East Main Street, on November 2, 2026. The restaurant earned a “C” grade after inspectors documented a series of food‑safety and sanitation violations.
Temperature and storage problems
Inspectors found several hot‑holding items below the required 135 °F minimum. Cooked chicken was measured at 100 °F and beer cheese at 128 °F. Cold‑holding items also exceeded the 41 °F maximum, including capicola (64 °F), coleslaw (50 °F), sauerkraut (47 °F), rice (64 °F), shredded pickled cabbage (64 °F) and raw hamburger patties (54 °F). The cold‑holding issue was marked as a consecutive violation, indicating it had been noted in a prior inspection.
Additional concerns involved raw chicken wings stored above a spinach dip in the walk‑in cooler, violating rules that require raw animal products to be kept separate from ready‑to‑eat foods. Blue‑cheese dressing and prepared cabbage were also found to have been held beyond the permitted seven‑day period; the violation was corrected on site, though verification was still pending.
Hand‑washing and sanitation lapses
Multiple instances of inadequate hand hygiene were recorded. One employee failed to wash hands after changing gloves while handling raw protein and then touched ready‑to‑eat items. Another server touched hair and a phone without washing hands before preparing salads. A third employee handled dirty dishes before clean items without washing hands. The kitchen’s hand‑washing sink lacked the required signage.
Sanitation issues extended to dishes that appeared clean but contained food residue and sticker debris, a violation also flagged as consecutive. Inspectors noted black and pink growth inside the ice machine and the soda‑machine ice chute, as well as an employee with long, painted acrylic nails handling food without gloves.
Pest activity and facility concerns
In the bar area, fruit flies were observed around the beer drain and hand‑washing sink, and open windows were noted without adequate pest protection. Additional violations included a mop‑sink faucet connected to a pressurized hose lacking a back‑flow prevention device, raising the risk of contaminated water entering the potable supply. Dust accumulation on electrical lines along the kitchen walls was also documented.
Management oversight and follow‑up
Inspectors cited the restaurant’s leadership for insufficient food‑safety knowledge and oversight, labeling the deficiency as a consecutive violation. Three consecutive violations—management oversight, food‑contact surface cleanliness, and improper cold‑holding temperatures—were highlighted as potentially subject to referral to the department’s enforcement section.
The SCDA report indicated that several violations remained uncorrected at the close of the November 2 inspection, requiring additional verification. A follow‑up inspection is mandated, along with another routine inspection within 60 days. Under South Carolina law, establishments that fail to comply may face monetary penalties of up to $1,000 per violation for each day of non‑compliance.
What’s next for O’Hara’s?
The inspection report does not state whether any penalties have been imposed, and no subsequent inspection results were available at the time of this writing. FITSNews will continue to monitor the situation and report any enforcement actions or corrective measures taken by O’Hara’s Public House.
Ensuring safe food handling and sanitation is a cornerstone of public health in the Palmetto State. Residents are encouraged to stay informed about local restaurant inspections, which are publicly available through the SCDA’s online portal.
Original reporting: FITSNews — read the source article.
