ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Earlier this week, Albuquerque’s Environmental Health Department shut down five restaurants within and around Coronado Mall: Cheesecake Factory, Longhorn Steakhouse, Keva Juice, Panda Express, and Sbarro.

Some of the reasons for the closures include live and dead cockroaches, evidence of rodent infestation, not properly using hair nets, having holes in walls and more.

Keva Juice, Panda Express and Sbarro were checked Tuesday. Longhorn Steakhouse was checked Wednesday and Cheesecake Factory was checked Thursday. All restaurants except for Keva Juice and Sbarro have since reopened.

Alan McLean is the general manager with Cheese and Coffee Cafe, which is down the street from the mall. He was surprised to know some of the businesses that were shutdown were chain restaurants.

“It’s surprising, especially when they’re like a bigger name, you know, but I think that it’s really all just a matter of taking care of your product,” said McLean. 

McLean explained his family’s business has been in the community for 20 years, and they know what goes into health inspection.

“They come whenever they want to, it’s not scheduled or anything. And then he comes in and just kind of like, goes with one person around to the kitchen, you know, takes temperatures on everything. Just really keeping everything rotated,” said McLean. 

McLean says some of the most important aspects of the check is food temperature and proper labeling.

“All of your hot products have to be a certain temp, everything in your walk-in cooler has to be a certain temp, and labeled and dated is huge too,” said McLean. “I would say we’re not really just the label on dating and your temperatures are key, but then cleanliness to making sure that everything’s like throughout the day, just constantly checking and cleaning.”

The Cheesecake Factory, Longhorn Steakhouse and Panda Express are back open – we checked on Saturday. Keva Juice and Sbarro are still closed.