Octavia American Restaurant Gets Conditional Pass for Minor Issues

Octavia, the American restaurant located at 1701 Octavia Street in Nob Hill, received a conditional pass during its routine health inspection on November 21, 2025. The establishment can continue serving customers while addressing minor violations identified by health inspectors during the afternoon inspection. Health inspectors discovered several correctable issues during this inspection, including rodent droppings in dry storage and kitchen areas, as well as black mold-like substance inside two ice machines. The inspection revealed a total of five violations, with one classified as critical and three as major, though most issues were addressed immediately on site.

Inspection Details

The most significant finding involved rodent activity throughout the facility. Inspectors observed mouse droppings along walls in the dry storage area, on rack shelves, and under kitchen equipment. The restaurant management immediately began cleaning and sanitizing contaminated surfaces with dilute bleach solution, demonstrating their commitment to food safety standards. The establishment also provided documentation of their ongoing pest control partnership, showing a recent service report dated November 10, 2025. Ice machine contamination presented another concern, with inspectors noting black spotty substance inside two kitchen ice machines. Restaurant staff initiated thorough cleaning procedures during the inspection to eliminate potential ice contamination risks. This violation highlights the importance of regular equipment maintenance in commercial American cuisine establishments. Additional violations included dirty fan guards in the walk-in cooler that required cleaning to prevent cross-contamination, and an improper cooking setup where a pot of oil containing vegetables was being heated without proper exhaust hood ventilation. Staff immediately relocated the cooking operation under the appropriate hood system when notified by inspectors.

Corrective Actions Required

The restaurant must complete several follow-up actions to maintain its conditional pass status. Most critically, management must repair the hot water supply at the front kitchen handwash sink by November 28, 2025. This plumbing repair is essential for maintaining proper hand hygiene standards required in food service operations. For rodent control, Octavia must seal all cracks, gaps, and holes throughout the facility using approved materials such as metal plates or quarter-inch wire mesh. The inspector specifically noted that foam sealants are not approved for this purpose under California retail food code regulations.

Restaurant Operations Continue

Despite the violations found, Octavia remains open and operational while implementing the required corrections. The conditional pass allows the Nob Hill establishment to continue serving customers near the Van Ness Muni line while demonstrating compliance improvements. The restaurant's immediate response to correct violations on site shows management's dedication to food safety standards. This marks the first recorded inspection for Octavia in available health department records, providing baseline documentation for future compliance monitoring. The establishment operates under Kore Restaurant Group LLC ownership and can be reached at (415) 286-3184 for customer inquiries. The San Francisco Department of Public Health will conduct a follow-up inspection after November 28 to verify completion of required plumbing repairs and confirm that all rodent exclusion measures have been properly implemented according to health code requirements.