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San Diego Restaurants Closures & Downgrades This Week (March 20 - 26) Due To County Health Department Inspections

This is the weekly list of San Diego County restaurants and food facilities that have faced temporary closures and downgraded status due to health inspections from March 20 - 26, 2026.



The San Diego County Department of Environmental Health and Quality performs thousands of inspections annually to ensure that food establishments adhere to necessary safety standards. When inspectors identify critical violations, they issue closure notices, mandating that businesses resolve the issues before they can reopen, as well as reduce the health grade of some establishments.

Below, we outline the recent week's closures and downgrades as detailed on the SDFoodInfo.org website and the specific violation list for each as reported by the health inspectors.

CLOSURES:

Sorrento Ristorante E Pizzeria (1646 India St, San Diego, CA 92101) - Ordered closed on March 20 for Food Safety Certification - Minor; Food Handler Training - Minor; Food Contact Surfaces - Minor; Vermin - Major; Nonfood Contact Surfaces Clean - Out of Compliance; Equipment, Utensils, Linens Storage and Use - Out of Compliance; Ventilation and Lighting - Out of Compliance; and Floors, Walls, and Ceilings - Out of Compliance.

Playa Azul Restaurant (1281 N Santa Fe Ave, Suite X-Y, Vista, CA 92083) - Ordered closed on March 20 for Handwashing - Major; Proper Handwashing Facilities - Minor; and Sewage disposal - Major.

Black Bear Diner (1025 Fletcher Pkwy, El Cajon, CA 92020) - Ordered closed on March 23 for Holding Temperatures - Major; Vermin - Major; Thawing Methods - Out of Compliance; and Floors, Walls, and Ceilings - Out of Compliance.

Al Baghdadi (123 Jamacha Rd, El Cajon, CA 92019) - Ordered closed on March 23 for Food Handler Training - Minor; Holding Temperatures - Minor; Hot and Cold Water - Minor; Vermin - Major; Storage of Toxic Substances - Out of Compliance; Nonfood Contact Surfaces Clean - Out of Compliance; and Floors, Walls, and Ceilings - Out of Compliance.

Blue Poke (1325 E Plaza Blvd, Suite 103, National City, CA 91950) - Ordered closed upon reinspection on March 23 (originally closed on March 20) for "No Violations found."

Barbarella Restaurant (2171 Avenida De La Playa, La Jolla, CA 92037) - Ordered closed on March 24 for Vermin - Major.

Civic Center Cafe (1200 3rd Ave, Suite 408, San Diego, CA 92101) - Ordered closed on March 24 for Food Handler Training - Minor; Holding Temperatures - Major; Sewage disposal - Major; Food Properly Labeled & Honestly Presented - Out of Compliance; and Equipment and Utensil Storage, Use - Out of Compliance.

Major Market (845 S Main Ave, Fallbrook, CA 92028) - Ordered closed upon reinspection on March 24 (originaly closed on March 16) for "No Violations found".

The Waterfront (2044 Kettner Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101) - Ordered closed on March 25 for Food Contact Surfaces - Minor; Vermin - Major; Toilet Facilities - Out of Compliance; Premises, Personal/Cleaning Items, Exclusion Measures - Out of Compliance; and Floors, Walls, and Ceilings - Out of Compliance.

Savers 99 Cent Store II (2901 National Ave, San Diego, CA 92113) - Ordered closed on March 25 for Food Handler Training - Minor; Proper Handwashing Facilities - Minor; Food Contact Surfaces - Major; Vermin - Major Equipment and Utensil Storage, Use - Out of Compliance; and Floors, Walls, and Ceilings - Out of Compliance.

Savers 99 Cent Store II (2901 National Ave, San Diego, CA 92113) - Ordered closed on March 25 for Food Handler Training - Minor; Handwashing - Major; Holding Temperatures - Major; and Hot and Cold Water - Major.

Break Point (939 Garnet Ave, San Diego, CA 92109) - Ordered closed on March 26 for Food Safety Certification - Minor; Food Handler Training - Minor; Food Contact Surfaces - Minor; Hot and Cold Water - Minor; Sewage disposal - Minor; Vermin - Major; Plumbing - Out of Compliance; and Floors, Walls, and Ceilings - Out of Compliance. 

Wesly United Methodist Church (5380 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA 92115) - Ordered closed on March 26 for Food Safety Certification - Minor; Vermin - Major; and Floors, Walls, and Ceilings - Out of Compliance.

DOWNGRADES:

No downgrades this week.

If you're curious about more inspection results, including the current status of the above restaurants, you can find more details on the county's website at  sdfoodinfo.org  or request the full health report and any additional records by filing a  County of San Diego Public Records Request.

Additional San Diego County closure reports:
Originally published on March 27, 2026.