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Rockit Burger Bar Shut Down After Live Rodents Found Inside, City Says

By Ariel Cheung | April 9, 2015 2:54pm | Updated on April 9, 2015 3:14pm
 Rockit Burger Bar, 3700 N. Clark St., shut down Tuesday after the Department of Public Health suspended the Wrigleyville restaurant's license.
Rockit Burger Bar, 3700 N. Clark St., shut down Tuesday after the Department of Public Health suspended the Wrigleyville restaurant's license.
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Ariel Cheung/DNAinfo Chicago

WRIGLEYVILLE — The Chicago Department of Public Health has suspended the license of Rockit Burger Bar, citing a litany of issues, including live rodents and rodent droppings found onsite.

The restaurant blamed water heater issues and Wrigley Field construction across the street.

The restaurant, at 3700 N. Clark St., was shut down Tuesday. A sign outside promised customers, "We are working with the city around the clock to get these areas fixed and will reopen as quickly as we can."

"The winter and local construction has not been kind. Cracks in our floors and surrounding our water heater have caused us to undergo some necessary repairs," the sign reads.

Workers at the restaurant declined comment to DNAinfo Chicago, but promised to let customers know as soon as possible when it would reopen.

The city's health inspection report noted that a live mouse and baby rat were found, along with more than 400 rodent droppings on three floors of the building. The inspector found holes in the basement ceiling, floorboards and other spots where the rodents were possibly entering from outside.

 Rockit Burger Bar, 3700 N. Clark St. shut down Tuesday after the Department of Public Health suspended the Wrigleyville restaurant's license.
Rockit Burger Bar, 3700 N. Clark St. shut down Tuesday after the Department of Public Health suspended the Wrigleyville restaurant's license.
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Ariel Cheung/DNAinfo Chicago

There was a "foul smell of rodent urine odor throughout the basement," where the walk-in cooler, ice machine and dry food storage are located, the report reads. The inspector also cited the restaurant for food, grease and dust build-up around food areas, loose or missing floor tiles and cluttered storage rooms.

Meanwhile, next door at Yak-Zies, general manager Scott Mulvanny told DNAinfo that Rockit's water heater exploded during the Tuesday health inspection.

Mulvanny said within 20 minutes of the health inspector's arrival, the water heater in the basement level broke, flooding the floor.

The shutdown was first reported by Chicago Eater.

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