San Francisco Restaurant Health Inspection Scores Explained

Understanding SF's A-B-C Grading System

San Francisco uses a letter-grade system where A represents excellent compliance, B indicates satisfactory conditions with minor violations, and C denotes significant violations requiring corrective action. Inspectors evaluate food handling practices, temperature control, sanitation, pest management, and employee hygiene during unannounced visits. Violations are assigned point values based on severity—critical violations that pose immediate health risks carry higher point deductions than minor infractions. A score of 0-30 points results in an A grade, 31-60 points yields a B grade, and 61+ points produces a C grade. Establishments receiving C grades are typically reinspected within 30 days to verify corrections.

How to Look Up San Francisco Restaurant Scores

You can access San Francisco health inspection scores through the Department of Public Health's online database at sfdph.org, which allows searches by restaurant name, address, or ZIP code. The system displays the most recent inspection date, assigned grade, violation details, and compliance history. Scores are updated regularly as new inspections are completed and violations are corrected. Common violations tracked include improper food storage temperature, inadequate handwashing facilities, pest activity evidence, and cross-contamination risks. The database also shows whether establishments have appealed their grades or completed corrective action plans.

Most Common Health Violations in San Francisco

San Francisco inspectors frequently cite inadequate hot and cold food holding temperatures, representing the single most common critical violation across food service operations. Improper personal hygiene practices, insufficient handwashing station accessibility, and failure to maintain current food handler certifications also appear regularly in inspection reports. Pest control deficiencies, including evidence of rodents or insects and lack of proper pest management documentation, consistently trigger violations across multiple establishment types. Cross-contamination risks from storing raw proteins above ready-to-eat foods and failure to properly label and date prepared foods round out the top recurring issues that inspectors document.

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