LOS ANGELES, CA – Los Angeles County health inspectors cited and closed nearly six dozen restaurants and markets in October because of health code violations, with vermin infestation the most common reason, according to county public health records.
The closures, posted by the Environmental Health division of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, covered upscale restaurants, national chains and small independent shops. The chains named among the October closures include Denny’s, Five Guys, Subway and Starbucks locations.
The county publishes a Food Facility Closures page that lists closures of active restaurants, food markets and swimming pool facilities from the past 100 days. That listing is the official record behind the October tally.
Most of the establishments were allowed to reopen within days, once their managers corrected the problems inspectors found. Some had not reopened as of the latest records available Monday, Nov. 2.
Vermin infestation leads the reasons for closure
Vermin infestation means the presence of insects, rodents, birds or other animals in a food facility. It was the most common reason cited for the October closures.
Other reasons included sewage problems, unsanitary food preparation areas and unsafe food temperatures. Some facilities were cited for more than one problem at the same time.
The county’s Retail Food Inspection Guide for Permanent Food Facilities lists vermin infestation and a lack of operable toilets among the imminent health hazards. The guide says a food facility “may be closed, and their public health permit suspended immediately when an imminent health hazard is identified.”
ABC Seafood closed for 12 days
ABC Seafood Restaurant in Los Angeles was closed Oct. 7 and reopened Oct. 19. That is among the longer closures of the month for a business that did reopen.
Golden Panda Buffet in Baldwin Park was closed after an inspection on Oct. 16. It reopened Oct. 19.
According to initial reports, the Golden Panda inspection followed an allegation of cockroach activity. Those reports said inspectors found about 50 live German cockroaches in the warewashing area and food stored on the floor of the walk-in cooler. They also said the restaurant’s permit was suspended with a minimum 48-hour closure and was reinstated after the county confirmed the violations had been corrected.
Short closures at national chains and local restaurants
Several closures lasted only a few days. Five Guys Burgers & Fries in Northridge was closed Oct. 12 for a sewage discharge and reopened Oct. 13.
Denny’s in Burbank was closed Oct. 6 for vermin infestation and reopened Oct. 10. Black Angus Steakhouse in Northridge was closed Oct. 13 for vermin infestation and reopened Oct. 15.
Doheny Room in West Hollywood was closed Oct. 8 for vermin infestation and reopened Oct. 20. Kings Road Bar/Cafe and a related warehouse on Beverly Boulevard were closed Oct. 6 for vermin infestation and reopened Oct. 21.
Louis’s Hawaiian BBQ and Full House Seafood remain closed
Louis’s Hawaiian BBQ in Azusa was closed Oct. 16. It was still closed at last report.
Full House Seafood Restaurant in Los Angeles was closed Oct. 28 and remained closed. Its closure was for vermin infestation.
According to initial reports, the Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel was closed Oct. 22 for a sewage discharge. Christy’s Donuts in San Pedro, Epic Lounge in Downey and Ruiji Sichuan Cuisine in Lomita were closed Oct. 29 for vermin infestation. None of the four had reopened in the latest records.
How a closure works
The county’s grading and posting requirements say Public Health closes food facilities under the California Health and Safety Code when an immediate danger to public health and safety is present. A facility with a critical violation may be subject to closure regardless of its score.
When a facility is closed, the inspector posts a notice of closure on the entrance door that states the reasons. The notice stays up until the inspector reopens the facility.
The retail food inspection guide says a closed facility remains shut until the department determines that the violations that led to the suspension have been corrected. That is why some October closures lasted a day and others were still in effect at the end of the month.
How often restaurants are inspected
Environmental Health says it inspects more than 26,000 restaurants in Los Angeles County, according to its page on restaurants and retail food stores. The page says a restaurant “can be inspected from 1 to 3 times a year,” and that the frequency is based on the public health risk of the food served, the methods of food preparation and the facility’s operational history.
The county describes its restaurant and retail food inspection program in the same terms. A facility can be inspected one to three times a year depending on those factors.
Inspection scores are based on point deductions. According to the retail food inspection guide, major violations carry a 4-point deduction and minor violations a 2-point deduction.
The grading requirements also set a threshold for repeat problems. Facilities that score below 70% twice in 12 months are subject to closure and further legal action.
Public inspection records are online
Residents can look up the results and scores for individual restaurants and markets in the county’s online health inspection results database. The database is the public record of each facility’s inspection history.
The county’s open data portal also publishes a dataset of Environmental Health restaurant and market inspections covering Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2026. The dataset allows the inspection records to be reviewed for the period it covers.
Closures stay posted until inspectors approve reopening
The county had not issued a separate news release summarizing the October closures. The closure listing is updated as facilities are closed and reopened, so the status of businesses such as Louis’s Hawaiian BBQ and Full House Seafood Restaurant can change as inspectors complete follow-up visits.
Each closed facility remains closed until Environmental Health determines that the violations were corrected, and the closure notice stays on the door until then.
