Diners looking to grab a bite at Jade Palace 2 in Kailua-Kona on Thursday were met with a red “closed” placard instead. State health inspectors shut down the restaurant at 75-5595 Palani Road, operated by Minh Tuan Tran, after finding an active cockroach infestation and multiple critical food-safety violations. Officials said contaminated food and poor cleaning and maintenance practices created an imminent risk to public health, and the business must stay closed until regulators confirm the problems are fixed.
Violations the DOH listed
According to a news release from the Hawaiʻi Department of Health, inspectors reported an abundant amount of live and dead cockroaches throughout the facility, including in food and on food-contact surfaces. They also found food stored in ways that did not prevent contamination, ready-to-eat items that were not properly date marked, a mechanical dishwasher that was not dispensing the required sanitizer concentration, and hand-washing sinks either lacking soap or being used for other purposes.
The release states that after Thursday’s inspection, the red “closed” placard was issued and the restaurant was ordered to discard contaminated products, increase professional pest-control services and submit the service report to DOH, thoroughly clean and disinfect all food- and non-food-contact surfaces, remove unnecessary equipment and supplies to reduce pest harborage sites, retrain employees on proper food organization and date marking, and repair the mechanical dishwasher. The establishment must remain closed until a follow-up inspection verifies that all critical violations have been corrected.
A repeat problem at the same address
The Palani Road location was previously shut down in May 2025 after inspectors documented a similar cockroach problem and other violations, then later allowed to reopen once corrective work was completed. Local outlet Big Island Video News reported on the latest enforcement action and noted the restaurant was again issued a red placard following the recent inspection. The repeat closure highlights ongoing challenges with pest control and sanitation at some island food-service operations.
What customers should know
The DOH says Jade Palace 2 cannot reopen until the Food Safety Branch conducts a follow-up inspection and confirms that all critical violations have been addressed. Customers who recently ate at the restaurant and have health concerns are advised to contact a medical provider and report any symptoms to public-health officials if needed.
The department has posted the closure notice on its website and shared the announcement on its social channels, including a summary on X. For full details and future updates, DOH directs the public to its news release and the Food Safety Branch’s online inspection resources.
