Dead Roaches Found in SF Restaurant Hand Sink, Ice Storage

A San Francisco restaurant was immediately shuttered this week after health inspectors discovered dead cockroaches inside a hand washing sink and live roaches crawling on ice cream storage equipment. The shocking discovery at None represents one of the most egregious violations found during the city's latest round of restaurant inspections.

During the December inspection, health officials observed "a dead roach inside the basin of the back area hand sink" where food workers are required to wash their hands. Even more disturbing, inspectors found "a live cockroach nymph crawling on top of the white box freezer storing ice cream" along with "dead roaches on the floor underneath the 3-dr fridge, and a possible dead roach next to a wok at the cook's line."

The facility's person in charge admitted that the restaurant "never had a licensed pest control operator provide a treatment and has been self treating with sprays" - a practice that clearly failed to control the severe infestation.

Restaurant Closures

Two San Francisco restaurants were forced to close this week due to critical health violations that posed immediate risks to public safety. Along with None and its cockroach infestation, None was shuttered after inspectors discovered what they described as "a severe rodent infestation" throughout the facility.

At the second closed establishment, health officials found "numerous fresh rodent droppings on the front bar on the multiple shelves where drink shaker containers and other bar utensils are stored." The contamination extended to the storage areas, with "numerous rodent droppings in dry storage area on the rack and on the floor along the wall and on the shelves where wine bottles are stored."

The rodent problem at None was so extensive that droppings were found "under three compartment sink in the back kitchen area," indicating the pests had access to critical food preparation and cleaning areas. Additionally, the facility was cited for temperature violations, with "cooked potatoes in a metal container measuring 54F at room temperature."

Both facilities received immediate closure orders and cannot reopen until they demonstrate compliance with all health codes and pass reinspection.

Most Serious Violations

Beyond the two closures, several other restaurants were cited for violations that could seriously endanger public health. None was found to have rodent droppings scattered throughout the facility, with inspectors observing "old rodent droppings on the floor near chest freezers, under front counter, in back storage area, near water heater, around electrical panels, in attic, and near back screen door."

Temperature control failures plagued multiple establishments this week. At None, inspectors found "cut papaya at 47F and cut melon at 51F" in a retail cooler with an ambient temperature of 53F - well above the required 41F. The same facility had "mac n cheese at 112F, cooked meat at 98F, cooked soup at 108F" improperly cooling without intervention.

Another serious violation occurred at None, where a two-door refrigerator unit registered 44F, causing "cooked chicken nuggets 45F, cooked meatloaf 46F, cooked chicken pot pie 47F" to be stored overnight at unsafe temperatures. Staff voluntarily discarded the affected foods.

Hand washing violations were widespread, with Joe & the Juice lacking soap at a back hand wash sink and None having boxes blocking access to hand washing facilities. These violations are particularly concerning as proper hand hygiene is critical for preventing foodborne illness.

Conditional Passes

Thirty-six restaurants received conditional passes this week, meaning they were allowed to remain open but must correct violations within specified timeframes. Many of these facilities struggled with basic sanitation requirements and food safety protocols.

None was cited for employees who "lacked basic food safety knowledge" in critical areas including manual and mechanical ware washing, cleaning and sanitizing, and proper handwashing procedures. The facility was ordered to provide valid California food handler cards for all employees and ensure at least one staff member obtains a food safety manager certificate.

Several establishments failed to maintain proper sanitizer levels. Starbucks Coffee had no test strips to monitor their high-temperature dishwashing machine, while None was found without chlorine test strips for their undercounter dishwasher.

Cross-contamination issues were identified at None, where raw animal foods were stored improperly near ready-to-eat items. The facility was also cited for blocking hand wash stations with food containers and failing to maintain proper sanitizer concentrations.

Food storage violations were common among conditional passes. Poke Bar and other facilities were found storing items directly on floors, while None had accumulated food debris and grime under shelving and behind cooking equipment.

Successful Reopenings

On a positive note, two previously closed restaurants successfully corrected their violations and reopened this week. Montecristo Restaurant #2 demonstrated compliance with all health codes and was cleared to resume operations after addressing previous violations.

None, despite being among this week's closures for rodent infestation, was also listed as having reopened, though this likely refers to a temporary reopening before the current closure or represents a data reporting issue that requires clarification from health officials.

Results by District

SOMA led all neighborhoods with 12 inspections, though only three resulted in conditional passes while nine facilities passed inspection. This suggests relatively good compliance in the area's busy restaurant corridor.

The Mission district saw more compliance issues, with seven of eight inspected restaurants receiving conditional passes and only one achieving a full pass. This high conditional rate indicates ongoing challenges with food safety protocols in one of the city's most popular dining destinations.

Nob Hill showed similar patterns with five conditional passes out of six total inspections. Visitacion Valley had a more balanced outcome with three conditional passes and three full passes among its six inspections.

The Outer Richmond had four inspections total, with three conditional passes and one full pass, suggesting room for improvement in basic food safety compliance.

Weekly Overview

The week of November 30 to December 7 saw San Francisco health inspectors conduct 68 restaurant inspections across the city. With only 30 facilities achieving full compliance, the 44% pass rate indicates significant ongoing challenges with basic food safety protocols throughout the city's restaurant industry.

The two closures represent 3% of all inspections, while the 53% conditional pass rate suggests many establishments are operating with correctable violations that could pose health risks if not addressed promptly.

Temperature control emerged as a recurring theme, with multiple facilities failing to maintain proper refrigeration temperatures for both raw and cooked foods. This violation is particularly serious as it can lead to rapid bacterial growth and foodborne illness outbreaks.

Pest control issues also appeared frequently, ranging from active infestations requiring immediate closure to evidence of past rodent activity that needs professional remediation. These problems highlight the importance of regular professional pest management in food service establishments.

The high number of hand washing violations - from blocked sinks to missing soap and improper procedures - is especially concerning given the critical role of hand hygiene in preventing foodborne illness transmission.

Restaurant operators are reminded that all violations must be corrected within specified timeframes and that facilities receiving conditional passes will face follow-up inspections to ensure compliance. Failure to address violations can result in closure orders and potential legal action.