Dan Tana’s, the storied West Hollywood Italian restaurant that has anchored the neighborhood since 1964, was briefly sidelined this month when Los Angeles County health inspectors ordered it closed on April 15 after finding signs of a vermin infestation and dirty food‑contact surfaces. The old‑school spot fixed the issues and was cleared to reopen just three days later, on April 18.
What inspectors found
County inspection records mirrored on RestaurantClosures show that Dan Tana’s was cited for six violations totaling 18 points. That included an 11‑point major violation for the presence of insects, rodents, or birds, along with a 4‑point major violation for unclean food‑contact surfaces. Violations at that level are the kind that trigger immediate enforcement under Los Angeles County’s inspection rules.
How reopenings work
Under Los Angeles County Department of Public Health guidelines, any restaurant hit with major vermin or sanitation violations has to bring in licensed pest control, correct the specific problems cited, and then pass a reinspection before its permit is restored. Inspectors typically document the fixes on site, and facilities can face penalties if they rack up repeat or especially serious failures, according to the department’s inspection guidance.
Old‑school institution
Dan Tana’s, the little yellow house on Santa Monica Boulevard, notes on its website that it has been serving locals and visitors for decades and promises, “We treat everybody like family.” The restaurant’s history and parade of celebrity regulars have been chronicled in longform features by outlets such as Eater LA. Inspection trackers mirrored on RestaurantClosures indicate that after addressing the cited issues, the restaurant was approved to reopen on April 18.
A local pattern
The brief shutdown at Dan Tana’s is part of a bigger pattern of vermin‑related closures around Los Angeles County this month that local trackers have been watching closely. Recent coverage, including a report on the third WeHo restaurant closed in eight days, points to several West Hollywood spots cited in rapid succession. Some observers have tied the uptick in rodent trouble to shifting pest‑control practices and tighter state limits on certain rodenticides. California legislation such as AB 2552 has in recent years restricted some anticoagulant rodenticides, a policy change experts say can complicate pest‑management strategies for property owners and operators, according to the bill text on the state Legislature’s site.
What to know before you go
For diners wondering what a closure like this really means, most vermin‑related shutdowns are short when operators move fast. The typical playbook is licensed pest treatment, intensive cleaning of food‑contact surfaces and repairs to any problem areas, followed by a county reinspection that can restore the permit. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health keeps a hotline and online guidance available for anyone who wants to check a restaurant’s inspection history or report a food‑safety concern. Local outlet KTLA, which first flagged this particular closure, reported that it reached out to Dan Tana’s management for comment.
