Cafe on the Ave
4201 University Way Ne, Seattle, WA 98105
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.
The official rating comes from Public Health – Seattle & King County, which looks at the trend of the last few routine inspections, so it can differ from the BiteKarma score. The BiteKarma score works the same way in every city we cover.
At a glance
- Keeps coming up: Proper cooling procedure, cited 2 times, plus 10 other repeat issues.
- #81 in Seattle's Hall of Shame, among the lowest BiteKarma scores in the city.
- Passed 2 of 10 graded inspections since 2020.
- Last inspected Aug 13, 2026: failed with 3 violations, 1 critical.
- 8 critical violations in the last two years.
Inspection history 13 visits
- 2026
- Failed Aug 13
Routine Inspection
3 violations, 1 critical
- Critical Proper cooling procedure
- Minor Nonfood-contact surfaces maintained and clean
- Minor Potential food contamination prevented during delivery, preparation, storage, display
- Visit Feb 4
Educational Inspection
- 2025
- Perfect Dec 19
Return Inspection
No violations
- Failed Dec 4
Routine Inspection
10 violations, 5 critical
- Critical Food worker cards current for all food workers; new food workers trained
- Critical Toxic substances properly identified, stored, used
- Critical Proper cooling procedure
- Critical No room temperature storage; proper use of time as a control, procedures available
- Critical Proper cold holding temperatures; between 42 to 45°F (6 to 7°C)
- Minor Sewage, wastewater properly disposed
- Minor Plumbing properly sized, installed, and maintained; proper backflow devices, indirect drains, no cross-connections
- Minor Food-contact surfaces maintained, cleaned, sanitized
- Minor Nonfood-contact surfaces maintained and clean
- Minor Potential food contamination prevented during delivery, preparation, storage, display
Nearby
BiteKarma scores around Cafe on the Ave, which is the dark pin. Zoom in to see the dots' scores, and tap a pin marked + to see everything at that address.