Cafe Lava Bento

290 Washington St, Boston, MA 02135

Failed · Oct 5, 2026 Directions
65
Poor BiteKarma score 65 out of 100
How the BiteKarma score works

Each routine inspection starts at 100 and loses 7 points for every critical violation and 2 for every other one, half again as much when the same problem was cited at one of the two inspections before. A failed inspection counts as 69 at most. The score averages the five newest routine inspections, with the most recent counting most, and stays below 70 for 90 days after a fail unless the restaurant passes again. 90 and up is excellent, 80s good, 70s fair, and below 70 poor.

At a glance

  • Keeps coming up: Using a handwashing sink-operation and maintenance, cited 3 times, plus 7 other repeat issues.
  • Passed 3 of 10 graded inspections since 2023.
  • Last inspected Oct 5, 2026: failed with 6 violations, 4 critical.
  • 13 critical violations in the last two years.

Inspection history 10 visits

  1. 2026
  2. Failed Oct 5

    Inspection

    6 violations, 4 critical
    • Critical Handwashing sinks installation
    • Critical Discarding or reconditioning unsafe adulterated or contaminated food
    • Critical Person-in-charge-duties
    • Critical Ready-to-eat time/temperature control for safety food date marking
    • Minor Maintaining premises unnecessary items and litter
    • Minor In-use utensils between-use storage
  3. Failed Apr 23

    Inspection

    3 violations, 1 critical
    • Critical Variance requirement
    • Minor Maintaining premises unnecessary items and litter
    • L1
  4. Failed Apr 17

    Inspection

    9 violations, 3 critical
    • Critical Variance requirement
    • Critical Person-in-charge-duties
    • Critical Using a handwashing sink-operation and maintenance
    • Minor Effectiveness-hair restraints
    • Minor Repairing-premises structures attachments and fixtures-methods
    • Minor Eating drinking or using tobacco
    • Minor Maintaining premises unnecessary items and litter
    • Minor Equipment food-contact surfaces nonfood-contact surfaces and utensils
    • L1
  5. 2025
  6. Failed Jul 9

    Inspection

    5 violations, 3 critical
    • Critical Before use after cleaning
    • Critical Using a handwashing sink-operation and maintenance
    • Critical Sanitizing solutions testing devices
    • Minor Nonfood-contact surfaces
    • Minor Effectiveness-hair restraints

Nearby

BiteKarma scores around Cafe Lava Bento, which is the dark pin. Zoom in to see the dots' scores, and tap a pin marked + to see everything at that address.

  1. 100 Taco Bell Same address
  2. 71 Nakhon Southern Thai 50 ft
  3. 68 Peka 100 ft
  4. 58 Dash Cafe 350 ft
  5. 76 Brighton Bodega 400 ft