SF Restaurant Serves Food with Mouse Droppings, Mold Found

A popular North Beach restaurant served customers while rodent droppings contaminated the kitchen floor and mold grew inside the ice machine, according to a failed health inspection that exposed serious food safety violations. The Showdown at 1268 Grant Avenue failed this inspection on October 9th after San Francisco health inspectors discovered mouse droppings scattered near garbage cans in the basement, along with a moldy ice machine that had been serving drinks to unsuspecting customers. The violations put diners at risk of salmonella, hantavirus, and other serious foodborne illnesses.

Health Violations Found

Inspector John Wells documented 11 total violations during the routine inspection, including two major infractions that posed immediate health risks. The most alarming discovery came when inspectors found mouse droppings on the floor near garbage cans in the restaurant's lower level. According to health experts, mice produce up to 50 droppings daily containing dangerous pathogens like salmonella and hantavirus that can cause severe illness. The inspection also revealed mold growing on the baffle inside the ice machine downstairs, meaning customers had been consuming contaminated ice with their beverages. Food contact surfaces harboring mold can spread bacteria to dozens of food items and create biofilms that protect dangerous pathogens from normal cleaning procedures. Temperature violations added another layer of danger, as inspectors measured milk and roast beef stored at 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the kitchen's main food preparation coolers. The milk had been sitting at unsafe temperatures for hours before being moved, while the roast beef had been stored overnight at dangerous temperatures and was ultimately discarded. Temperature abuse causes 63% of foodborne illness outbreaks, with bacteria like Clostridium perfringens multiplying rapidly between 70-120 degrees.

Equipment and Sanitation Issues

The violations extended beyond rodents and temperature problems. Inspectors discovered missing towels at handwashing stations, creating conditions where staff could not properly sanitize their hands after handling contaminated surfaces. The three-compartment sink in the bar area only reached 107 degrees, falling short of the required 120 degrees needed for proper dish sanitization. Additional equipment violations included unsecured CO2 cylinders that could fall and cause injury, damaged ventilation hood filters with two-inch gaps, and wet wiping towels stored without sanitizer solution. A submerged drain line beneath the dishwashing machine and a leaking backflow prevention device created additional contamination risks.

Restaurant Response and Requirements

The restaurant's person in charge, Benjamin Beahrend, refused to sign the inspection report, though the establishment was not ordered to close. The Showdown must address all violations before passing a follow-up inspection, including professional pest control treatment, equipment repairs, and temperature monitoring system improvements. Located near the Powell-Mason Cable Car line in the heart of North Beach, The Showdown serves customers in one of San Francisco's most popular dining districts. This marks the restaurant's first recorded inspection in the city's database, making the extensive violations particularly concerning for a new establishment. Customers who dined at The Showdown around the inspection date should monitor for symptoms of foodborne illness, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever, which can appear within hours or days of exposure to contaminated food or beverages.