Kevin’s Noodle House, a go-to pho spot in San Francisco’s Inner Sunset, was ordered closed today after city inspectors found what they say was an active cockroach problem that posed an immediate health threat. The San Francisco Department of Public Health suspended the restaurant’s permit when inspectors spotted live roaches on food-service equipment during a routine visit. The shutdown hits the busy Irving Street location, where neighbors are used to seeing a line out the door at peak hours.
What inspectors found
According to KRON4, health officials documented a live roach on top of a dish machine where a box of recently delivered lettuce had been stored. A second adult-sized roach later turned up on the same machine. Inspectors cited a major violation for unclean and unsanitized food-contact surfaces and warned staff not to place anything on top of the dish machine because they are potential sources of roach harborage.
A neighborhood mainstay with solid ratings
Kevin’s Noodle House, also known as Pho Huynh Hiep, operates several Bay Area locations, per local listings, and has long been a Sunset District staple. The Irving Street spot has held its own online, with roughly four stars on Yelp and about 3.9 on TripAdvisor. It was previously highlighted as a crowded, affordable pho favorite.
Pest-control report and on-site corrections
Inspection documents reviewed by KRON4 reference a pest-control service report dated March 7 that recommended a heavy roach treatment. Inspectors also noted several other violations, including shell stock tagging and HACCP compliance items, which were corrected on-site. The health department said the roach infestation must be eliminated and all food-contact surfaces thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before the restaurant’s permit can be reinstated.
Reopening steps and oversight
Under city rules, restaurants have to remove any imminent hazards and pass a follow-up inspection before a suspended public-health permit can be restored, according to local inspection trackers. For official status updates and documents tied to this closure, diners can check the records maintained by SF Restaurant Inspections.
Legal and regulatory note…