Ocean Dim Sum & Food Company at 1150 Bishop St. in Honolulu is back in business this week after a brief but very visible shutdown by the Hawaiʻi Department of Health. State inspectors slapped a red “closed” placard on the restaurant on July 14 after finding the kitchen did not have an accessible handwashing sink and several ready-to-eat items were missing the required discard times. A follow-up inspection on July 15 found the critical issues corrected, including installation of a properly functioning handwashing sink, and the department cleared the eatery to reopen.
How the placarding program works
The state uses a color-coded placard system that requires immediate closure when inspectors find an imminent public health hazard. That red card forces operators to fix serious problems before anyone can serve another plate. According to the Hawaiʻi Department of Health Food Safety Branch, businesses must throw out any adulterated food, repair or replace key equipment, and pass a follow-up inspection before a red placard comes down. Inspection reports and current placard statuses are posted by the state so customers can check on a restaurant before they walk in.
What inspectors found at Ocean Dim Sum
According to the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health on X, inspectors issued the red placard on July 14 after finding the kitchen’s handwashing sink had been removed and was not maintained accessible at all times. They also noted that pork hash, shrimp dumplings and pork buns were not labeled with the required four-hour discard times. A follow-up visit on July 15 confirmed that a handwashing sink had been installed and the other critical violations corrected, which allowed the department to authorize reopening.
What the restaurant fixed and what customers should do
Under department guidance, operators must discard any food that could be adulterated and ensure handwashing sinks are accessible and working. Once those fixes are in place, a follow-up inspection can clear a restaurant to resume service. Customers with questions about recent purchases can check the state’s inspection portal or contact the Food Safety Branch for advice. The Governor’s Office has also posted a roundup of recent closures and reopenings that shows how the placard system is being enforced across the islands.
Local context
This latest temporary closure fits a familiar pattern on Oʻahu, where the department’s placarding process often leads to quick repair work and re-inspection at neighborhood eateries. From small stands to sit-down restaurants, operators frequently shut down to address violations, then reopen soon after once they show inspectors that the problems are fixed and the risk to public health is under control.
Legal and public health note
Only authorized inspectors are allowed to post or remove placards, and tampering with them or resuming food service before a restaurant is cleared can trigger enforcement action. Anyone who believes they have a food-related illness after eating at this location should contact a medical provider and report their symptoms to the Food Safety Branch.
