Noren Izakaya Closed for Food Storage and Handwashing Issues

Noren Izakaya, a Japanese restaurant in North Beach, has been ordered to close by San Francisco health inspectors following a routine inspection that uncovered multiple serious food safety violations on September 2, 2025. The Japanese establishment at 1701 Powell Street near the Powell-Mason Cable Car line failed its health inspection after inspectors discovered critical violations that posed immediate risks to customer safety, according to this inspection conducted by Inspector Michael Mooney.

Critical Health Violations Force Closure

The most alarming discovery involved the complete absence of hand soap at kitchen handwashing stations during the inspection. While the bar area had soap available, kitchen staff had no means to properly sanitize their hands - a fundamental requirement for food safety. This violation creates direct pathways for dangerous pathogens like norovirus and salmonella to contaminate food through unwashed hands. Inspectors also found staff meals left sitting at dangerous temperatures of 113°F on kitchen shelves, far above the safe holding temperature. Additionally, chicken in the prep cooler was discovered at 45°F and kimchi in the two-door line cooler reached 50°F - both well above the required 41°F maximum for potentially hazardous foods. The restaurant's person in charge claimed the food had been delivered at 3 PM and placed in refrigerators, but the equipment was clearly failing to maintain safe temperatures.

Unsafe Food Storage and Handling Practices

Perhaps most concerning for customers who consumed raw or undercooked items, the restaurant completely lacked required consumer advisories on its menu. This violation was marked as a repeat offense, indicating the establishment had been previously cited for the same dangerous oversight. Without proper warnings, customers consuming sushi, sashimi, or other raw preparations remained unaware of potential health risks. Inspectors discovered chicken thawing improperly under counters at room temperature rather than using approved thawing methods. The unsafe practice creates ideal conditions for bacterial growth, particularly dangerous strains of salmonella and campylobacter that thrive in the temperature danger zone. The inspection also revealed open containers of dry goods including panko breadcrumbs and flour stored in an exterior wooden storage area lacking approved food-grade finishes. This violation exposes ingredients to pest contamination and weather damage while violating basic food storage requirements.

First-Time Inspection Reveals Systemic Issues

Particularly troubling for North Beach diners, this marked Noren Izakaya's first recorded health inspection since opening, with no previous inspection history on file. The immediate closure following this initial inspection suggests systemic food safety problems rather than isolated incidents. The combination of missing handwashing supplies, temperature violations, improper thawing methods, and inadequate food storage created multiple pathways for foodborne illness that could have sickened numerous customers.

Impact on North Beach Dining Scene

The closure removes a Japanese dining option from the popular North Beach tourist corridor, where restaurants serve thousands of visitors daily. The violations discovered during this inspection raise serious questions about the establishment's commitment to basic food safety protocols. The restaurant remains closed with no reopening date scheduled, pending correction of all cited violations and a successful reinspection by the San Francisco Department of Public Health.