Pier 21 Lunchroom in Honolulu has been shut down after state health inspectors found no running water during a routine inspection, triggering a red “closed” placard and an immediate halt to operations. The lunch spot will remain dark until the plumbing problem is fixed and health officials return.
The Hawaiʻi Department of Health’s Food Safety Branch said in a Thursday update that the inspector found no running water at the establishment. The department says Raymond Yan Siu operates the business and requires water to be restored at both the hand-washing sink and the three-compartment sink before Pier 21 can reopen.
Running Water Required Before Pier 21 Can Reopen
The next step is straightforward but non-negotiable: water service must be restored to the pier and the restaurant, followed by a DOH inspection. Until then, Pier 21 Lunchroom must remain closed and cannot resume food operations.
Hawaiʻi’s color-coded placard system treats a red sign as an immediate order to close when inspectors find an imminent health hazard, according to the department’s Food Safety Branch guidance. A kitchen without running water cannot reliably support required handwashing or sink sanitation, which is why this moved quickly from routine inspection to locked doors.
Recent Oʻahu cases show the same basic playbook. Ocean Dim Sum reopened after a follow-up inspection confirmed its handwashing-sink violation had been corrected, according to the Hawaiʻi Department of Health, while Charley’s Steakery returned after plumbing repairs addressed a sewage overflow, the agency reported separately. Pier 21’s reopening timeline will depend on the follow-up inspection and confirmation that both required sinks are working.
