Methodology

Data Collection

SF Restaurant Inspections collects data from official San Francisco Department of Public Health sources:

Primary Source: Environmental Health Division inspection reports
Format: Official PDF inspection reports from health inspectors
Collection Frequency: Automated checks every hour, 24/7
Processing Speed: New reports published within minutes of availability
Success Rate: 97% data collection rate (2,012 of 2,077 available inspections)
Coverage: All food establishments requiring health permits in San Francisco
Tracking Since: August 2025

Note: We publish inspection reports as soon as the San Francisco Department of Public Health posts them online. The delay between inspection date and publication varies - some reports appear same-day, while others take longer. Our hourly monitoring ensures we capture and publish reports immediately when they become available from the city.

Data Processing

Our data processing pipeline includes:

Document Ingestion: Official inspection PDFs are collected from public records
Data Extraction: Inspection details, violations, and inspector notes are extracted
Validation: Data is cross-referenced and validated for accuracy
Enrichment: Location data, cuisine classification, and neighborhood information are added
Publication: Processed data is published to our searchable database

Inspection Scoring

We present inspection results as reported by the San Francisco Department of Public Health:

PASS: Facility met health code requirements
FAIL: Critical violations requiring immediate correction
CONDITIONAL: Violations found but facility may continue operating with corrections

Violation Classification

Violations are categorized by severity based on California Health and Safety Code:

Critical Violations: Immediate health hazards (e.g., pest infestation, improper food temperatures, sewage issues)
Major Violations: Significant issues requiring prompt correction
Minor Violations: Issues that should be corrected but pose lower immediate risk

Closure Criteria

Restaurants may be closed by the Health Department for:

Active rodent or cockroach infestations
Sewage or plumbing failures
No hot water for handwashing
Refrigeration failures
Imminent health hazards
Operating without valid permit

Data Limitations

Please note:

Our automated system successfully collects 97% of available inspections; approximately 3% may be unavailable due to source document issues
We publish reports immediately when the Health Department posts them online; some are same-day, some take longer
Facility conditions may have changed since the last inspection
Some violations may be corrected immediately during inspection
Data accuracy depends on original source documents from the Health Department
This information should supplement, not replace, your own judgment

Editorial Standards

SF Restaurant Inspections maintains strict editorial standards:

Objectivity: All facilities are treated equally based on inspection data
Independence: We accept no payment from restaurants for coverage
Accuracy: We correct errors promptly when identified
Transparency: Our methodology and data sources are fully disclosed

Corrections

If you believe any information on our site is inaccurate, please contact us with:

The specific page or record in question
The information you believe is incorrect
Documentation supporting the correction

We will review all correction requests and update our records as appropriate.