A San Francisco restaurant inspection lookup should match the facility name and address, then read the latest inspection date, facility status, and violations together. San Francisco uses green, yellow, and red placards for the latest health inspection status, but a placard or database result describes an inspection event rather than guaranteeing current food safety.
Match the restaurant before reading the status
Use the current DataSF Health Inspection Scores dataset or the linked city inspection lookup. Restaurants can share names, move, change ownership, or operate more than one location. Compare the street address and facility details before attaching an inspection to the place you plan to visit.
| Placard or field | What the city says | Reader action |
|---|---|---|
| Green – Pass | Zero or one major violation observed, with any major violation corrected at inspection | Read the date and violation details |
| Yellow – Conditional Pass | Two or more major violations observed and corrected at the routine inspection | Look for the reinspection and newer status |
| Red – Closed | Health hazards or major violations could not be corrected immediately | Check whether a later record shows reopening |
| Violation list | Observed conditions tied to an inspection | Read risk, correction, and follow-up context |
Read the latest record, then look backward
The city explanation of restaurant health inspection placards defines green as Pass, yellow as Conditional Pass, and red as Closed. Start with the newest routine or follow-up record, then review the prior inspection when the newest entry is a reinspection or when a repeated violation matters. Do not average unrelated facilities or old owners.
A diner checking a restaurant tonight should focus on the correct location, the most recent dated record, and whether a conditional pass or closure has a later follow-up. Someone researching a repeated problem should instead compare the same violation category across multiple inspections and note whether it was corrected during the visit or returned later. Those are different questions, and the same dataset can support both only when dates and facility identity remain attached to every observation. Keep the official record open while reading the result.
Follow a repeatable lookup sequence
- Search the exact restaurant name and narrow the result by street address.
- Sort or identify the most recent inspection and note its type and date.
- Read the facility status or placard color together with every listed violation.
- Check for a later reinspection, reopening, or closure record before relying on an older result.
- Use the city complaint or contact path for a current condition rather than treating an old inspection as a live report.
Do not compare San Francisco with another city’s grade
Inspection systems are local. A San Francisco placard is not interchangeable with an NYC letter grade, a Los Angeles County grade card, a Chicago result, or a UK food hygiene rating. The labels, scoring rules, inspection types, follow-up process, and data update schedules differ. Interpret the field using the issuing health department’s own definition.
The restaurant inspection by city guide helps locate the responsible department. The Chicago inspection lookup guide shows why a Pass, Pass with Conditions, or Fail result from Chicago should not be read as a San Francisco placard.
What the inspection record cannot promise
A Pass reflects the recorded inspection and conditions observed then. It does not guarantee that no violation occurred before or after the visit, that every food item is safe, or that a diner will not become ill. A violation also needs its inspection date, risk category, correction status, and follow-up context; it should not be detached from the official record to make a broader accusation.
San Francisco inspection questions
What does a yellow placard mean?
SF.gov describes it as Conditional Pass after two or more major violations were observed during the routine inspection and corrected at that time, with reinspection to follow.
Can a closed restaurant reopen?
Yes, after unsafe conditions are corrected and the health department allows reopening. Look for the later official record rather than relying on the closure entry alone.
Is the latest inspection always a routine inspection?
No. It may be a reinspection or another inspection type. Read the type, date, and preceding record together.
SF.gov and DataSF sources were checked July 21, 2026.