Unlicensed cooked chicken vendor shut down in Burien over health hazards

A street food vendor selling cooked chicken at the corner of Ambaum Blvd. SW and SW 142nd Street was shut down by Public Health — Seattle & King County on Saturday morning, May 31, 2025, due to multiple health code violations.

According to health officials, the business was operating without a valid permit and posed an “imminent health hazard” due to a lack of basic food safety infrastructure.

Inspectors found the vendor did not have refrigeration equipment capable of keeping food at safe temperatures, and was also operating without handwashing facilities or hot water — all of which are required to prevent the spread of foodborne illnesses.

The operation was ordered closed at 10:20 a.m. The vendor’s name was not publicly released.

• Reasons: 
  • Operating without a valid permit
  • Imminent health hazard: Insufficient refrigeration to keep food safe
  • Imminent health hazard: Operating without handwashing facilities
  • Imminent health hazard: Operating without hot water available
• Status: Closed

“Vendors must have the proper facilities and permits to ensure food is prepared and served safely,” a Public Health spokesperson said in a written statement. “When food safety can’t be guaranteed, we have to act quickly to protect the public.”

As of press time, the business remains closed.

According to their website:

“Public Health lists the reason(s) the establishment was closed. Reasons for closing an establishment may be due to food code violations and failure to follow the permitting process. Depending on the type of closure, additional information may include the date the facility was shut down, whether the establishment has reopened, the date it reopened, and additional notes.

“Information for restaurants closed by Public Health will remain online for a minimum of 7 days after the establishment is reopened.”