But what if you live outside the city? In places like Wasilla or Fairbanks or Juneau?
It's not so easy.
The state inspects all Alaska restaurants outside Anchorage. Currently, those reports are only on paper, but the state the says they'll start appearing online before long.
For now, checking up on your local restaurants takes time and maybe a little luck.
Here's what happened when the Daily News recently asked for inspection reports in three cities:
• Fairbanks: It took a call to the local food safety office, where an employee e-mailed a public records request form. We signed the paperwork and faxed back. Within an hour, someone e-mailed us a copy of the report.
• Wasilla: Same drill as Fairbanks -- call and ask for the restaurant inspection, receive a public records request form by e-mail, fill it out and fax it back. Took 40 minutes.
• Juneau: No luck. When we called the local state offices, an employee said the person who could help us had just left for Anchorage. She wouldn't be back for the rest of the week.
"It's not perfect. The current system isn't and we're shooting to improve it," said Division of Environmental Health Director Kristin Ryan.
The state had once planned to put inspection reports on the Internet as early as 2006.
That didn't happen.
One reason for the delay? The state adopted new food-safety regulations, said Ron Klein, food safety and sanitation program manager.
Now the state is aiming to have the reports online by July, he said.
Find Kyle Hopkins' political blog online at adn.com/alaskapolitics or call him at 257-4334.
Outside Anchorage
Want to see restaurant inspection reports in your town? Call these local state food safety offices:
Fairbanks: 451-2120
Wasilla: 376-1854
Juneau: 465-5285
Important warning about e-mails purporting to be from the adn.com staff.