Emergency Closure · Miami-Dade County
SHUT DOWN: 60+ Flying Insects Landing on Clean Equipment, Ants in the Sugar Bin — Bonfire Mofongo House Ordered Closed in Miami
Snapshot, not a sentence. An inspection is a snapshot of conditions on the day of the visit — it is not a grade of a restaurant on any other day. Findings below are quoted from the official Florida DBPR inspection report.
| Business | BONFIRE MOFONGO HOUSE AND LOUNGE |
| DBPR license | SEA2333450 |
| Address | 1704 NW 7 ST, MIAMI |
| Inspected | 2026-10-26 · Routine - Food |
| Result as recorded | Facility Temporarily Closed |
| Violations | 6 high priority · 5 intermediate · 16 basic |
Food placed in soiled equipment
Live insects flying around the kitchen
Pesticide/insecticide labeled for household use only present in establishment
Signs of rats or mice living in the place
What the Inspector Found
Bonfire Mofongo House and Lounge, at 1704 NW 7th Street in Miami, was ordered to stop operations during a routine Florida DBPR inspection on October 26, 2026. The result recorded on the official report: Facility Temporarily Closed — operations ordered stopped until violations are corrected.
Inspectors cited 27 violations — 6 of them high priority, the class DBPR defines as able to contribute directly to foodborne illness. The insect findings ran through the building: more than 60 flying insects flying around the dishwasher area and landing on clean equipment and preparation tables, and around 10 more flying and landing at the bar area. More than 20 ants were found inside the sugar bin, and a stop sale was issued.
A can of Raid — a pesticide labeled for household use only — was stored on a preparation table in the dishwasher area, and cheese and salami were stored on top of rusted shelves inside the walk-in cooler. The self-service salad bar/buffet lacked adequate sneeze guards.
The report also records no hot running water at the three-compartment sink — the water reached 80 degrees after running for about five minutes, and the employee handwash sink measured the same — no soap and, initially, no paper towels at the handwash sink, a dead roach on clean dishes at the three-compartment sink, a black/green mold-like substance inside the ice machine, standing water at the buffet area, and a run of repeat violations: a gap in the exterior door, knives stored in cracks between equipment, tongs stored on an equipment door handle, soiled cooler gaskets, and rust-pitted cooler shelves.
The Dirt first listed Bonfire Mofongo House in the October 31 closures roundup; its full DBPR report could not be re-verified in this morning's first pass — the state's detail route was erroring — and the desk re-checked it later today, when the official report loaded in full. Every finding in this story is quoted from the official DBPR inspection report — the receipts are linked below. Any response from the business will be published with this story, in full.
The Findings — In the Inspector's Own Words
| Code | Priority | Observation — as written |
|---|---|---|
| 08B-27-4 | High Priority | “Food placed in soiled equipment. Observed cheese and salami stored on top of rusted shelves inside the walk in cooler.” |
| 35A-02-8 | High Priority | “Live, small flying insects found. Observed more than 60 flying insects flying around the dishwasher area and landing on clean equipment and preparation tables. Also observed around 10 flying insects flying and landing at the bar area.” |
| 41-05-4 | High Priority | “Pesticide/insecticide labeled for household use only present in establishment. Observed a can of raid stored on preparation table in the dishwasher area.” |
| 35A-09-4 | High Priority | “Presence of insects, rodents, or other pests. Observed more than 20 ants inside the sugar bin. Stop sale was issued.” |
| 08B-01-4 | High Priority | “Self-service salad bar/buffet lacking adequate sneezeguards or other proper protection from contamination.” |
| 01B-13-4 | High Priority | “Stop Sale issued due to food not being in a wholesome, sound condition. Presence of insects, rodents, or other pests. Observed more than 20 ants inside the sugar bin. Stop sale was issued.” |
| 27-06-4 | Intermediate | “No hot running water at three-compartment sink. Observed water reached 80°F after water running for about 5 minutes.” |
| 31B-02-4 | Intermediate | “No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. Observed at the kitchen area. Employee provided paper towels. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**” |
| 31B-03-4 | Intermediate | “No soap provided at handwash sink. Observed at the kitchen area.” |
| 22-31-4 | Intermediate | “Non-pitting surface rust on food-contact equipment. Observed shelves at the walk in cooler.” |
| 27-16-4 | Intermediate | “Water with a temperature of least 85 degrees Fahrenheit not provided/shut off at employee handwash sink. Observed water reached 80°F after water running for about 5 minutes.” |
| 22-20-5 | Basic | “Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin.” |
| 14-01-5 | Basic | “Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Observed a plastic container used as scoop inside the sugar. Employee removed it. **Corrected On-Site**” |
| 35A-03-4 | Basic | “Dead roaches on premises. Observed 1 dead roach on clean dishes at the 3 compartment sink. Employee discarded it and send all dishes to the dishwasher.” |
| 13-07-4 | Basic | “Employee wearing jewelry other than a plain ring on their hands/arms while preparing food. Employee wearing a watch and bracelet. Employee removed them. **Corrected On-Site**” |
| 13-03-4 | Basic | “Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. Employee got a cap. **Corrected On-Site**” |
| 35B-01-4 | Basic | “Exterior door has a gap at the threshold that opens to the outside. **Repeat Violation**” |
| 36-22-4 | Basic | “Floor area(s) covered with standing water. Observed at the buffet area.” |
| 14-69-4 | Basic | “Ice buildup in reach-in freezer in the kitchen.” |
| 10-17-4 | Basic | “In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment. **Repeat Violation**” |
| 10-20-4 | Basic | “In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. Employee removed them. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**” |
| 35B-02-4 | Basic | “Insect control device installed over food preparation area. Observed above preparation table by the 3 compartment sink. Employee removed it. **Corrected On-Site**” |
| 23-03-4 | Basic | “Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Observed reach in cooler door gaskets soiled at the cook line. **Repeat Violation**” |
| 14-33-4 | Basic | “Reach-in cooler shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. **Repeat Violation**” |
| 38-04-4 | Basic | “Ten (10) foot-candles of light at least 30 inches from floor not provided in walk-in freezer.” |
| 14-17-4 | Basic | “Walk-in cooler/freezer shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. **Repeat Violation**” |
| 02D-01-5 | Basic | “Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Observed sugar not identified in the dry storage.” |
Also Closed That Day
- MIAMI GRILL #195 — PEMBROKE PINES · Facility Temporarily Closed · Inspected 2026-10-26 · Official report
Here Are the Receipts
The official inspection report — check it yourself
| Document | Florida DBPR food-service inspection report — BONFIRE MOFONGO HOUSE AND LOUNGE |
| Agency | Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation — Division of Hotels & Restaurants |
| License no. | SEA2333450 |
| Inspection date | 2026-10-26 |
| Original source | https://www.myfloridalicense.com/inspectionDetail.asp?InspVisitID=13775109&licid=7846029 |
| Retrieved | Nov 2, 2026, 6:04 AM ET |
The Business Responds
The business was invited to respond before publication. Any response received is published with the story, in the business’s own words. No response had been received when this story was published. If one arrives, it runs here, in full. Businesses can also reach the desk via Contact or Corrections.
Snapshot, not a sentence. An inspection is a snapshot of conditions on the day of the visit — it is not a grade of a restaurant on any other day. Findings below are quoted from the official Florida DBPR inspection report.
More From the Inspection Desk
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“Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. Establishment observed preparing, serving, or selling food to customers with an expired license.”
Snapshot, not a sentence. An inspection is a snapshot of conditions on the day of the visit — it is not a grade of a restaurant on any other day. Findings below are quoted from the official Florida DBPR inspection report.
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Food kept at unsafe temperatures — the inspector ordered it thrown out
Live insects flying around the kitchen
“Rodent activity present as evidenced by rodent droppings found. Approximately 18 rodent droppings throughout kitchen floors under coolers and cooking equipment. Approximately 40 rodent droppings in storage/prep area, und…”
Snapshot, not a sentence. An inspection is a snapshot of conditions on the day of the visit — it is not a grade of a restaurant on any other day. Findings below are quoted from the official Florida DBPR inspection report.