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Rat Photographed In West Side BBQ Restaurant Causes Alarm On Social Media

By Tanveer Ali | June 9, 2017 4:19pm | Updated on June 13, 2017 11:49am

CHICAGO — A Facebook user spotted a rat in an Austin barbecue restaurant weeks after it failed a health inspection — and his photo is causing alarm on social media.

Antione Wallace said he spotted the rat when he was walking by Joe's BBQ and Fish at 4900 W. Madison St. Friday morning. His photo was shared nearly 3,000 times by Friday afternoon.

Employees at the restaurant refused to comment when contacted Friday, hanging up on a reporter.

On May 18, a city inspection found 65 rat droppings around a cooler and behind containers of barbecue sauce, according to city records.

The restaurant passed its most recent inspection on May 25 in which inspectors said the manager had removed and cleaned rodent droppings found during the May 18 inspection.

Since 2010, Joe's BBQ and Fish has failed at least 10 health inspections, according to city records.