Nippon Curry, the award-winning Japanese curry spot on Fillmore Street that has become a Marina District staple since opening in 2021, was cited for three violations during a routine health inspection on March 11, 2026 — including a repeat finding of mouse droppings in multiple areas of the restaurant, and a large hole under the back door that inspectors identified as a likely entry point for rodents. No closure was ordered, but the repeat designation on the pest violation signals that this is not the first time the restaurant has been flagged for the issue, according to the SF Department of Public Health inspection report.
Mice Droppings, a Hole in the Wall, and No Sanitizer
Inspector Amelia Castelli documented mouse droppings on the floor of the side storage room, in the front bar area, and in the back trash area. The "repeat" designation on this violation — officially classified as "No Insects, Rodents, Birds or Nonservice Animals" — means Nippon Curry had previously been cited for the same issue and has not fully resolved it, per the inspection report. A separate violation cited a large gap under the back door in the trash room area — exactly the kind of structural opening that allows rodents to enter and shelter. Inspectors also found no sanitizer buckets on site, a basic food-safety requirement for keeping food-contact surfaces free of harmful bacteria.
In San Francisco, a "repeat" violation carries added weight. According to SF.gov, the city's Environmental Health inspectors track whether violations recur across inspections, and repeat findings can accelerate enforcement action. While the restaurant was not ordered to close following this inspection, a follow-up visit is typical when repeat violations are logged.
A Tokyo Award-Winner on Fillmore
The violations are a notable stumble for a restaurant that has built its reputation on a precision pedigree. Nippon Curry — originally launched as Hinoya Curry before a rebrand — serves a pork katsu curry that won the Kanda Curry Grand Prix in Tokyo in 2013, according to the restaurant's own account. The Marina location on Fillmore was the first Bay Area outpost, opened in February 2021 at the height of the pandemic by Thomas Uehara, a San Francisco native and UC Berkeley graduate who spent decades in international business before bringing the Hinoya Curry concept stateside, as What Now SF reported. The brand has since expanded to Berkeley and San Jose.
The timing of the inspection makes the violations all the more striking. Just three weeks earlier, on February 20, The Infatuation included Nippon Curry in its roundup of the best Japanese curry spots in San Francisco, praising its rich, peanut butter-based curry and its relaxed, airy counter-service vibe as ideal for the Marina crowd. The restaurant also holds a 7.9 rating in The Infatuation's individual review, putting it squarely in "beloved local spot" territory by the publication's own rubric. On Yelp, fans similarly single out the chicken katsu curry and karaage as standouts. It's the kind of place that draws regulars from across the city — and across the Bay.
What Comes Next
Nippon Curry was not closed as a result of the March 11 inspection and may continue operating while the violations are addressed. The restaurant is expected to receive a follow-up inspection to verify that the rodent issue, the structural gap under the back door, and the sanitization deficiency have been corrected. Hoodline reached out to Nippon Curry for comment and has not received a response. The full inspection report is available through the SF Department of Public Health's inspection portal.
