Three Lexington County restaurants received a C, the lowest Food Grade given out by the state Department of Health and Environmental Control, during the month of February.

The restaurants are located in Batesburg-Leesville and West Columbia.

Waffle House, located at 130 West Church St. in Batesburg, received a B on a routine inspection conducted on Feb. 1. It was downgraded to a C on a follow-up inspection conducted Feb. 8, remaining with a C on a second follow-up conducted on Feb. 15.

The restaurant was able to improve to an A after a third follow-up inspection conducted Feb. 22.

Among the violations noted Feb. 8 (when Waffle House received a score of 87%) noted a hand washing violation, improper holding temperatures and “dead insects in the cabinetry below the left coffee machine” and “rodent droppings on the cook line in the cabinetry below the left coffee machine.”

All five violations the Waffle House received Feb. 8 were noted as uncorrected violations from the previous inspection.

The Feb. 15 report (when the restaurant received a score of 88%) noted that all five previous violations were uncorrected, again observing dead insects and rodent droppings in cabinetry.

No violations were recorded on the Feb. 22 follow-up when the restaurant was given a score of 100%

Mi Rancho, located at 421 East Church St. in Leesville, received a B on a routine inspection conducted Feb. 1. It was downgraded to a C on a follow-up inspection conducted Feb. 8.

The restaurant was able to improve to an A after a follow-up conducted Feb. 15.

The report from Feb. 8 (when the restaurant received a score of 96%) noted improper cooling temperatures and “unfinished wood walls in the bar area that were not smooth or easily cleanable” and “baseboards in poor repair throughout kitchen area.”

One violation was recorded on the Feb. 15 follow-up when the restaurant was given a score of 99%, with the same facility repair issues again being noted.

La Fogata, located at 2805 Sunset Blvd. in West Columbia, received a C on a routine inspection conducted Feb. 27. It received another C on a follow-up conducted Feb. 28.

The restaurant was able to improve to an A after a follow-up conducted March 10.

The report from Feb. 28 (when La Fogata received a score of 85%) noted improper prevention of hand contamination and violations for improper cooling and improper hot holding temperatures, among others.

DHEC observed “bar staff handling limes for drinks with bare hands” and a container of mole and a covered pan of birria cooked the previous day and not stored at a cold enough temperature.

Five of the violations assessed were noted as uncorrected violations from the previous inspection.

Three violations were noted on the March 10 follow-up (when the restaurant scored a 97%), with the reporting in-use utensils not being properly stored, non-food-contact surfaces not being cleaned and “dirty shelving throughout facility” along with “build up on exteriors of equipment.”