Dead Rat Found at McTeague's Saloon Entrance

San Francisco health inspectors made a stomach-turning discovery at Mcteague's Saloon this week: a dead rat at the entrance to the establishment's downstairs area, accompanied by widespread evidence of rodent activity throughout the facility. The popular watering hole received a conditional pass despite the grim findings, which included rat droppings in the abandoned cooler, liquor storage areas, and on shelves, plus mouse droppings near the mop sink.

The disturbing scene at McTeague's wasn't limited to rodent issues. Inspectors also documented a broken sewer pipe near the dishwasher creating a drip leak, with raw sewage accumulating beneath the pipe that required immediate cleaning. Fruit flies had gathered near the broken sewer, creating an additional health hazard. Staff at the establishment had no food handler cards on file, and the bar's hand sink lacked paper towels during the inspection.

Restaurant Closures and Reopenings

While no restaurants were ordered closed during the November 17-23 inspection period, the city saw a significant wave of reopenings following previous closures. On the Bridge successfully reopened after addressing a severe rodent infestation that had forced its closure. The facility had been shut down after inspectors found numerous rodent droppings throughout the kitchen, including by the water heater, on dry storage ledges near bags of rice and boxes of onions, under the dishwashing machine, and along walls near refrigeration units.

Taylor Street Coffee Shop also returned to service this week after resolving violations that had led to its closure. Montecristo Restaurant #2 rejoined the ranks of operating establishments, along with Hermelinda Restaurante Guatemalteco and Rain Tree Cafe Inc, all having satisfied health department requirements for safe operation.

Most Serious Violations

Beyond the dead rat at McTeague's, inspectors uncovered alarming conditions at multiple establishments across the city. Cheeseboat failed its inspection after inspectors discovered mouse droppings at the front counter, in the walk-in cooler, and under shelves, along with dead cockroaches on glue traps. The facility also had no food safety manager on site, most food handler cards were missing, and there was no soap at the kitchen handwash sink. Raw ground beef measured at 45°F had to be discarded, as the cooler's ambient temperature reached a dangerous 52°F.

Original Buffalo Wings received a conditional pass despite inspectors finding "lots of mice droppings" at both the back facility and front prep area. The establishment's employees had no food handler cards, the food safety certificate wasn't available, and an ice cream scoop was found sitting in standing dirty water. The back of the facility was cluttered with non-functional items creating harborage opportunities for pests.

Sushi Zen shocked inspectors when an operator was observed failing to wash hands properly after touching raw chicken, merely rinsing for five seconds with plain water instead of following proper handwashing protocols. The establishment's dish machine failed to dispense any detectable levels of chlorine sanitizer, and old rodent droppings were discovered on the floor underneath the dish machine and grill area. The consumer advisory warning for raw fish consumption was missing from menus.

Peet's Coffee & Tea had rodent droppings inside the hand sink cabinet and white storage cubicle, earning a conditional pass. Twin Peaks Pizza and Pasta faced both rodent and cockroach activity, with inspectors discovering unapproved pesticide on site. The facility's hot water measured only 113°F when 120°F is required for proper sanitization.

Temperature Violations and Food Safety Failures

Critical temperature violations put customers at risk at several establishments this week. San Francisco Eagle Bar had its freezer completely off with food sitting at 57°F, requiring voluntary disposal of all affected items. The bar also had old rodent droppings near the hot water heater, fruit flies near soda guns, and a dishwasher dispensing 0ppm chlorine.

Irving Pizza faced multiple temperature failures with ranch dressing at 52°F, tomatoes at 45°F, and other dressings ranging from 49-50°F. Multiple foods required disposal as the cooler maintained temperatures between 45-55°F instead of the required 41°F or below. Employees at the establishment had no food handler cards, and personal items were hanging on food shelves.

Om Indian Cuisine had to discard mango lassi that measured 49°F after being stored overnight in an undercounter cooler. Tandoor chicken was found at 111°F after sitting at room temperature for 30 minutes. The facility also had a handwash sink obstructed by a large pot, preventing proper hand hygiene.

Subway 31419 lacked a manager food safety certificate, with the person in charge holding only an employee food handler certificate. Sliced tomatoes measured 48.5°F in a refrigerator running at 57°F, requiring relocation to functioning refrigeration.

Conditional Passes

Among the 57 conditional passes issued this week, Jw Marriott San Francisco Union Square received two separate conditional ratings during the inspection period, indicating ongoing compliance challenges at the high-profile hotel. Temple SF Night Club also received both a pass and conditional rating, with inspectors noting lack of paper towels at the kitchen handwash sink, hot water measuring only 102°F instead of the required 120°F, and missing chlorine test strips.

Ginza Japanese Restaurant employees claimed to have food handler cards but couldn't provide evidence during inspection. The facility had unsecured CO2 cylinders by the handwash station and in the dishwash room, plus a cardboard-lined shelf under the microwave creating potential contamination risks.

Fancy Wheatfield Bakery Inc and Luke's Local Inc joined the lengthy list of conditional passes, along with Tea Plus and Tratto, all requiring follow-up to ensure violations are corrected.

Employee Hygiene and Training Failures

A disturbing pattern of employee hygiene violations emerged across multiple establishments. Aegean Delights had an operator observed opening gloves to grab candies without first washing hands. The facility also had eggs stored directly on top of salad greens and sesame seeds stored in the restroom shelving area.

Emperor Palace Restaurant had an expired food manager certificate and two employees without food handler cards. Inspectors found preserved vegetables with mold growth on the liquid surface in a two-door refrigerator, requiring immediate disposal.

Coffeeshop provided no food handler cards during inspection and had dirty cooking equipment and shelves. Nite Cap staff claimed to have food handler cards but couldn't produce them, and heavy mold-like substance was growing inside the ice machine.

Results by District

The SOMA district led inspection activity with 12 total inspections, split evenly between 6 conditional passes and 6 full passes. The Mission district also saw 12 inspections but fared better with 8 passes and only 4 conditional ratings.

The Castro district recorded 9 inspections with 7 passes and 2 conditional ratings, showing stronger compliance than many other neighborhoods. In stark contrast, the Haight-Ashbury district struggled significantly with 6 of its 8 inspections resulting in conditional passes and only 2 achieving full passing grades.

The Tenderloin, often scrutinized for health violations, had 7 total inspections with 4 conditional passes and 3 full passes, performing slightly better than Haight-Ashbury despite its reputation.

Weekly Overview

The week of November 17-23 saw 107 total inspections across San Francisco, with health inspectors issuing 3 outright failures, 57 conditional passes, and 47 full passes. While no new closures were ordered, the high number of conditional passes - representing over half of all inspections - signals ongoing challenges in the city's food service industry.

The 11 reopenings represent progress for previously shuttered establishments, but the prevalence of rodent activity, temperature violations, and basic hygiene failures across multiple facilities raises concerns about systemic issues in food safety compliance. From dead rats and broken sewer pipes to operators failing to wash hands after handling raw chicken, this week's inspections revealed that many San Francisco food establishments continue to struggle with fundamental health and safety requirements.

The pattern of missing or expired food handler cards and food safety certificates suggests widespread training deficiencies, while the numerous pest infestations indicate ongoing challenges with facility maintenance and pest control. As the holiday season approaches and restaurant traffic increases, these violations pose heightened risks to public health.

City health officials continue conducting regular inspections to identify and address violations before they lead to foodborne illness outbreaks. Establishments receiving conditional passes must correct identified violations and may face re-inspection to ensure compliance with health codes.

*Staff Reporter at SF Restaurant Inspections*