Are you curious about the sanitary conditions of certain restaurants? Have you enjoyed a place and then heard they were closed by health inspectors?
The San Mateo County Health Department does routine checks on establishments that serve food including deli’s and fast food joints in addition to sit down restaurants. And YOU can check any facility to see how they rate and if they have been closed, when and why. After doing a random sampling it is interesting and comforting to see most of our local fast food places have pretty good rating especially when considered the turnover these places may see compared to long standing restaurants. It is also interesting to note that many of our own homes would fail miserably in similar studies. Do you use wooden cutting boards? Out, unless you use them solely for baking since they can splinter and end up in your food according to Jonathan Highfield of the Culinary Institute of Virginia. And our refrigerated food should be stored “walk, swim, fly” from top to bottom to avoid contamination. How many times has your plumbing backed up? Yep, that would earn you a closure on your record although you probably would not continue to cook until it was resolved. A restaurant though can still have this as part of their record. All in all it is a good system and we need to use the resources we have to continue to enjoy food prepared by others.
To check on a local establishment CLICK HERE and enter the name of the facility. Many of places, including some of our best and most popular, have received reports of violations. These violations can
To make a complaint CLICK HERE or call (650) 599-1112.
To report a suspected food-borne illness, call (650) 372-6200 immediately.
From the San Mateo County Health Department website:
Food Programs
The Health System’s Environmental Health works to keep your food safe to eat.
Food program staff:
- Inspect food sold in markets, restaurants, schools, mobile catering facilities and special events
- Educate the public and businesses about proper sanitation and food handling
- Follow-up on complaints and reports of food-borne illness
- Provide information on food establishment compliance via the internet
- Investigate reported violations of the Smoke Free Workplace Law
- Verify that businesses selling tobacco products have the appropriate permits
Food Inspections Results Online
San Mateo County Environmental Health regularly inspects more than 3,000 food establishments throughout the county. The Online Food Inspection tool allows you to look up the inspection history of food establishments in San Mateo County. The inspection information will indicate the major and minor violations at each establishment, the closure history, and overall health code compliance.
Food establishments also display a San Mateo County seal, which indicates the latest inspection date.
Corrective Actions
Businesses that present an imminent health risk due to major violations of the California Retail Food Code (Cal Code) are closed by Environmental Health staff. These facilities are posted under the Food facility Closures link below. For businesses that have repeated non-compliance with Cal Code, an administrative hearing is conducted with a business representative and Environmental Health staff. These facilities are posted under the administrative hearings link below.
- This information is updated each Thursday
- Business names will remain on the list until the violation is corrected
- Business names will be removed on the next update after a violation is corrected, even if the violation is corrected prior to the update
- Historical information is not maintained on the site
- Businesses who close their operations due to health and safety problems, independent of an inspection, will not be listed
- Businesses who are closed due to serious health violations, as identified by Environmental Health staff, are listed until permitted to re-open
Complaints
If you would like to report unsanitary conditions at a food establishment please contact us either through the Online Complaint Form or call (650) 599-1112. To report a suspected food-borne illness, call (650) 372-6200 immediately.
For more information on filing a complaint, see How to Register Your Complaints.
For Operators
Retail Food Program Forms, Information, Safety Training
California Retail Food Code (pdf)
Stormwater: Best Practices for Food Facilities
Polystyrene Foodware Ban (pdf) NEW!!
Food Handler Card Requirement (pdf) NEW!!
More Information
- Retail Food Program Forms and Applications
- List of Food Safety Training & Certification Providers
- Retail Food Facilities Training Requirements
- Frequently asked questions regarding Food Handler Certification
For more information about the Retail Food Program, please call Environmental Health at (650) 372-6200. Inspection information is public information.
Please call for an appointment to review the file on a food facility that you may be interested in, or to talk with the inspector for that area.
List of Major Violations
The following list of violations are considered to be major due to their potential to cause food borne illness.
| Code | Title | Description |
| 01 | Food Service Knowledge | Failure to Demonstrate Employee Knowledge of Food Safety and/or Food Safety Training Certification |
| 02 | Employee Health | Failure to Report Employee Illness(es) and/or Restrict or Exclude Ill Employees From Work |
| 03 | No Discharge from Eyes, Mouth or Nose | Employees with Discharges from Eyes, Nose or Mouth Working with Exposed Food, Clean Equipment, Utensils or Linens |
| 04 | Employee Habits | Employees Eating, Drinking or Using Tobacco Where Contamination of Food, Equipment, Utensils or Linens Can Result |
| 05 | Hands Sanitation | Employees Hands Not Properly Washed and/or Gloves Used Improperly |
| 06 | Hand Washing Facilities | Lack of Facilities or Proper Supplies to Adequately Wash Hands |
| 07 | Food Holding Temperatures | Potentially Hazardous Foods Held at a Temperature that Encourages Growthh of Harmful Bacteria |
| 08 | Time as a Public Health Control | Time as a Public Health Control Procures/Records for Potentially Hazardous Foods Not Being Maintained |
| 09 | Cooling Methods | Improper Cooling of Potentially Hazardous Foods |
| 10 | Cooking Time and Temperature | Improper Cooking Time/Temperature of Potentially Hazardous Foods |
| 11 | Food Reheating Procedures | Improper Reheating Procedures for Hot Holding of Potentially Hazardous Foods |
| 12 | Returned Food | Food Served to a Customer Returned and Re-Served |
| 13 | Food Condition | Food Not in Good Condition, Safe and Unadulterated |
| 14 | Food Contact Surfaces | Food Contact Surfaces Not Clean and Sanitized |
| 15 | Approved Food | Food Not Obtained From Approved Sources |
| 16 | Clam, Mussel and Oyster Requirements | Improper Storage and/or Records for Raw Shellfish |
| 17 | Gulf Oyster Requirements | Lack of Compliance with Gulf Oyster Regulations |
| 18 | Variance, Specialized Process or HACCP Plan | Failure to Comply with Conditions of a Variance or Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Plan |
| 19 | Service of Raw or Under Cooked Foods | Failure to Provide Raw or Under-Cooked Food Advisory to Consumers |
| 20 | Licensed Health Care Facilities/Public and Private Schools: Prohibited Foods | Prohibited Foods Served at a Licensed Health Care Facility or School |
| 21 | Hot and Cold Water | Lack of Hot and/or Cold Water |
| 22 | Sewage and Waste Water | Improper Disposal and/or Backup of Sewage or Wastewater |
| 23 | Rodents, Insects, Birds, or Animals | Presence of Vermin, Rodents, Insects, Birds or Animals |
| 49 | No Valid Health Permit (Closure Reports Only) | Operating Without a Valid Health Permit (Closure Reports Only) |