Lincoln Park Bar & Grill Closed for Raw Meat Over Food Safety

The San Francisco Department of Public Health has ordered the immediate closure of Lincoln Park Bar & Grill following a failed follow-up inspection that revealed dangerous food storage practices and broken sanitation equipment that posed serious health risks to customers. During this inspection on August 22nd, health inspector Jessica Jang discovered frozen raw steak stored directly above ready-to-eat foods in the restaurant's refrigeration unit. This critical violation creates a direct pathway for dangerous bacteria like Salmonella and Campylobacter to contaminate foods that customers consume without cooking, potentially causing severe foodborne illness outbreaks affecting hundreds of people. ## Health Violations Found The Outer Richmond establishment at 300 34th Avenue, easily accessible by the 38 Geary bus, failed its inspection with five total violations, including one critical food safety violation. Inspector Jang found the restaurant's main hand sink completely inoperable, preventing staff from properly washing their hands before handling food or after touching potentially contaminated surfaces. "The sink does not work," the operator admitted during the inspection, revealing a fundamental breakdown in basic sanitation protocols that could spread harmful bacteria throughout the kitchen and onto customer plates. Hand washing is the single most important barrier against foodborne illness transmission in restaurant kitchens. The inspection also revealed missing food safety manager certification, leaving the establishment without proper oversight of critical food handling procedures. While food handler cards were available, the absence of certified management oversight significantly increases the risk of dangerous food safety violations going unnoticed. ## Equipment and Structural Problems Beyond the immediate temperature violations and sanitation failures, inspectors documented serious structural and equipment issues that compromise the restaurant's ability to maintain safe food operations. The facility relies on household appliances including refrigerators and freezers, which cannot withstand the demands of commercial food service and harbor bacteria in cracks and crevices that develop over time. A large hole behind the ice maker next to the three-compartment bar sink provides an entry point for rodents and insects while creating surfaces that cannot be properly cleaned or sanitized. Inspectors specifically ordered the restaurant to seal the hole with durable, easy-to-clean materials and explicitly warned against using spray foam. ## First-Time Offender Lincoln Park Bar & Grill has no previous inspection history in the city database, making this closure particularly concerning as it suggests fundamental food safety training gaps among new restaurant operators. The combination of critical violations discovered during what appears to be the establishment's first health department encounter raises serious questions about the restaurant's operational readiness. The restaurant, owned by Yugi Golf Management LLC and reachable at (415) 221-9911, must address all violations and pass a reinspection before reopening to the public. Given the severity of the violations found, particularly the cross-contamination risk from improperly stored raw meat, health officials have not yet authorized the restaurant to resume operations. Inspector Jang noted positive findings including proper refrigeration temperatures, adequate hot water availability, no signs of vermin activity, and proper sanitizer concentrations. However, these cannot offset the critical food safety failures that forced the closure. The closure serves as a stark reminder for Outer Richmond diners to verify restaurant inspection results before dining, as even establishments with some proper procedures can harbor dangerous food safety violations.