San Francisco inspection radar — real-time alerts for your block

SF inspection density by neighborhood

The Mission and SoMa lead SF inspection volume — both driven by high restaurant density and high complaint volume. The Marina, North Beach, Chinatown, and Castro all see steady inspection traffic. Outer Sunset, Outer Richmond, and Bayview are inspected less frequently but with more cluster-style sweeps when DPH does come through. If you operate in the Mission or SoMa, a 400-500m radius pulls in a strong inspection signal; in quieter neighborhoods you may want 800m+.

How SF differs from NYC and Chicago

SF has fewer total inspections per year than NYC (~5K vs ~25K) but more relative weight per inspection — SF DPH's grading system is stricter than NYC's letter-grade system in some categories, and a closure order can hit faster. The inspector-batching pattern shows up the same way in the data: when one place gets inspected, neighbors often follow within days. The radar's value is the same; the inspection cadence is just less dense.

What to do when the radar fires in SF

SF restaurant operations have unique risk surfaces: shellfish (especially raw oysters, common in Marina and Embarcadero), housing-instability-driven pest pressure in older buildings, and California's stricter cottage food laws creating cross-jurisdictional complexity. When the radar fires in your area, focus prep on the SF-specific watch items: shellfish tag tracking, cold-holding temps (SF runs hot summer-evening kitchens despite cool ambient temps), and any cross-utilized fryer oil documentation. Walk the line, verify documentation, brief staff.

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