Dead Cockroaches Found in Glue Trap Under King Lee's Fridge

Health inspectors discovered a glue trap filled with dead cockroaches underneath a refrigerator at King Lees Chinese Restaurant this week, forcing the immediate closure of the establishment. The disturbing discovery, made during routine inspections between September 29 and October 5, highlighted widespread sanitation failures that led to six restaurant closures across San Francisco.

The cockroach-filled glue trap was found beneath a two-door refrigerator in the rear of King Lee's facility, where inspectors also documented food items being improperly stored inside a rear hand wash sink. The combination of pest infestation and improper food storage created conditions that posed immediate health risks to customers.

Restaurant Closures

Six San Francisco restaurants were ordered to close their doors this week following failed health inspections. King Lees Chinese Restaurant topped the list with its cockroach infestation and improper food storage violations. Reds Place was shut down after inspectors found American cockroaches on the wall of the basement mop closet, along with no hot water at the bar hand wash sink and missing paper towels.

Bowld Acai faced closure after inspectors discovered old rodent droppings on shelves in the dry storage room upstairs and on the floor underneath the three-compartment sink. The facility was also cited for offering raw tuna without proper consumer advisory warnings. Miki Restaurant failed inspection due to multiple violations including improper storage of raw eggs above ready-to-eat foods and deteriorating shelving in the sushi prep area.

Northern China BBQ and FENIKKUSU were also closed, though specific violation details were not recorded in the inspection reports. The closures represent a significant uptick in enforcement actions, with no restaurants reporting successful reopenings during the same period.

Most Serious Violations

Beyond the closures, inspectors documented alarming sanitation failures across the city. Mission Dolores Academy was found to have rodent droppings underneath sinks and equipment throughout the kitchen, with no paper towels available at either hand sink. The facility received a conditional pass but requires immediate pest control services.

Nick the Greek SF had mouse feces observed on cardboard boxes at the soda station, with no pest control reports available at the time of inspection. Multiple hand wash sinks were found blocked, including one obstructed by a bowl of chickpeas and another blocked by a backpack.

Pica Pica failed inspection with multiple violations including hand sinks lacking paper towels, open containers of food requiring refrigeration stored on shelves, and a downstairs ambient temperature reading of 94°F with non-functioning ventilation. Food debris had accumulated on equipment handles throughout the facility.

Cafe Fiore failed with expired manager food safety certification, food containers stored inside hand washing sinks, and a mechanical dishwasher not registering chemical sanitizer during the final rinse cycle. The restaurant was serving raw fish without proper consumer advisory notices on their menu.

Temperature control violations plagued numerous establishments. Yummy BBQ Kitchen LLC was cited for defrosting beef at room temperature inside the kitchen, with warm water at the handwash sink measuring only 70°F instead of the required 100-108°F range.

Conditional Passes

Fifty-six restaurants received conditional passes, allowing them to remain open while addressing violations. COCOBANG received multiple citations including foods in the walk-in cooler measuring above safe temperatures, with chicken at 44°F and kimchi at 44°F. Inspectors also found an unsecured CO2 cylinder that could fall over and wooden structures harboring cockroaches at the three-compartment sink.

ARBOR and Chalos Express both received conditional passes requiring immediate corrective actions. SF Hole in the Wall Pizza and El Faro were allowed to continue operations with specific violations that needed addressing within designated timeframes.

Native Burger received a conditional pass despite violations, as did Million Thai and Thai Nghiep Ky Mi Gia Restaurant. Viet Quan Vietnamese Noodle House rounded out the conditional pass list, demonstrating widespread issues with maintaining full compliance across diverse cuisines.

Hand Washing Station Failures

A disturbing pattern emerged regarding hand washing stations. Little Sweet had a hand sink lacking soap despite being adjacent to food preparation areas. Mixto Latin Cuisine had an empty paper towel dispenser at their only dedicated hand washing sink in the prep area.

Nazs Halal Food was found with a plastic container containing steel wool and sponge inside the hand sink, with a garbage bin blocking access. Han Il Kwan had no soap available due to an empty wall-mounted dispenser while employees were actively switching tasks without proper hand washing.

Bottle Club Pub had inoperable hot water handles at multiple sinks, requiring operators to turn on water from the main beneath the sink. Marcel Cafe operated with a leaking hand wash sink lacking hot water while awaiting plumber repairs.

Pest Control Issues

Rodent and insect infestations represented a significant portion of violations this week. Beyond the cockroach discoveries at King Lee's and Red's Place, multiple facilities struggled with pest control. Mission Dolores Academy had rodent droppings throughout the kitchen area, requiring immediate professional pest control services.

Bowld Acai displayed evidence of past rodent activity with old droppings found on multiple surfaces, though no active infestation was observed. The facility was required to seal holes and gaps while obtaining additional pest control services. Nick the Greek SF lacked any pest control documentation despite visible mouse feces at food service areas.

Results by District

The Tenderloin district led with 21 total inspections, resulting in 12 conditional passes and 9 full passes. This 57% conditional pass rate indicates widespread compliance issues in one of the city's most densely populated restaurant districts.

SOMA recorded 13 inspections with 11 conditional passes and only 2 full passes, representing an 85% conditional rate - the highest among major districts. The Mission district showed better compliance with 9 total inspections split between 4 conditional passes and 5 full passes.

Chinatown's 8 inspections resulted in 6 conditional passes and 2 full passes, while Bayview demonstrated the best performance with 8 inspections yielding only 2 conditional passes against 6 full passes. The geographic distribution suggests enforcement and compliance challenges vary significantly by neighborhood.

Temperature Control Violations

Improper temperature control emerged as a systemic issue. TOPOGATO operated without hot water in restroom sinks due to unconnected pipes. Insta Concession had no hot water throughout their boat facility, forcing a permit downgrade to prepackaged food only.

Mg Restaurants Inc had a salad topping cooler with ambient temperatures at 30°F while toppings measured 50°F and above, relying on time as a public health control without proper labeling. Multiple facilities struggled with walk-in coolers maintaining improper temperatures, leading to food spoilage risks.

Food Storage Violations

Improper food storage created contamination risks across numerous establishments. Miki Restaurant stored raw eggs on shelves above ready-to-eat foods in direct violation of basic food safety protocols. Nazs Halal Food left freshly cut lettuce at room temperature on top of rice bags.

Yummy BBQ Kitchen LLC had beef defrosting at room temperature, while Pica Pica stored open containers of temperature-sensitive foods on shelves rather than under refrigeration. These violations demonstrate fundamental misunderstandings of safe food handling practices.

Weekly Overview

The week's 127 total inspections revealed systemic problems across San Francisco's restaurant industry. With 24 failed inspections representing nearly 19% of all reviews, and 56 conditional passes accounting for 44%, only 37% of inspected establishments fully passed health standards.

The six closures without any corresponding reopenings suggest ongoing remediation challenges for affected restaurants. The lack of reopenings indicates these facilities require substantial improvements before returning to service, potentially affecting local food access and employment.

City health officials conducted comprehensive inspections covering equipment maintenance, temperature controls, pest management, and basic sanitation. The breadth of violations discovered suggests many establishments struggle with maintaining consistent food safety standards amid operational pressures.

The concentration of failures in certain neighborhoods points to possible systemic issues including aging infrastructure, training gaps, or economic pressures affecting maintenance and compliance. The Tenderloin and SOMA districts' high conditional pass rates warrant targeted intervention and support programs.

Moving forward, the inspection results underscore the critical importance of regular health monitoring and enforcement. The discovery of pest infestations, temperature abuse, and blocked hand washing stations represents clear public health risks requiring immediate remediation.

Restaurant operators must prioritize basic food safety measures including functional hand washing stations, proper pest control documentation, and maintaining safe food temperatures. The prevalence of similar violations across multiple establishments suggests industry-wide training and support needs.

Public health officials continue weekly inspections to ensure compliance and protect consumer safety. Restaurants receiving conditional passes must address cited violations within specified timeframes or face potential closure. The inspection program remains essential for maintaining food safety standards across San Francisco's diverse dining landscape.

Author: Staff Reporter at SF Restaurant Inspections