The Hawaii Department of Health issued a red placard to the Barefoot Beach Cafe, a popular eatery at Queen’s Surf Beach in Waikiki known for its spectacular ocean views and live music. This led to its immediate closure last week. A follow-up inspection revealed critical violations related to improper hot and cold holding temperatures.
Updated 8/13/24 6:00 pm. The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) Food Safety Branch has issued a green placard to Barefoot Café, approving its reopening after a follow-up inspection earlier today. The café had been closed on August 9, 2024, due to critical food safety violations, but all issues have now been fully resolved, allowing the establishment to resume operations.
Details of the violation at Barefoot Beach Cafe.
During a routine inspection on August 7, 2024, and a subsequent follow-up inspection two days later, DOH inspectors observed the following issues:
- Improper Hot Holding Temperatures: The cafe could not maintain the required hot holding temperature of 135°F for cooked hot foods.
- Inadequate Cold Holding: Multiple refrigeration units, including the walk-in refrigerator, failed to maintain proper cold holding temperatures of 41°F or below.
Beat of Hawaii editors previously got food poisoning because cold temperatures were not held correctly at another Hawaii eatery. As a result of these violations, the cafe has remained closed until they are corrected, with a follow-up inspection scheduled for later today to assess compliance.
Customer reviews reflect mixed experiences.
The Barefoot Café has long been a favored spot for locals and tourists, offering a laid-back atmosphere with beachfront dining. However, recent patron reviews have highlighted a mix of positive and negative experiences, which align with the issues uncovered during the health inspections.
Despite these concerns, many patrons still found the café’s overall experience—especially the setting and ambiance—compelling enough to warrant a visit. However, some suggested it might be better suited for simpler meals or drinks rather than a full dining experience. It struggles with food quality and service consistency; issues that may have contributed to the recent health code violations.
Positive Reviews: “Our favorite spot in Waikiki for views and delicious food that won’t break the bank! The açai bowls were the best ones we tried on the island, with lots of fruit. The view is the best, and they have live music every evening.”
“The ambiance is unbeatable with the ocean view and live music. The pineapple smoothie was refreshing, and the kalua pork was tender and flavorful. It’s a great spot for a relaxed meal with friends.”
Negative Reviews: “While the location is fantastic, the food quality can be hit or miss. The garlic shrimp was overcooked, and the service was slow, especially during peak hours.”
“Unfortunately, the service was disappointing. We waited over 30 minutes for our food, which arrived lukewarm. The fish and chips were greasy, and the portion sizes seemed smaller than advertised.”
Broader context of food safety in Hawaii.
The closure of Barefoot Café is part of a broader pattern of food safety enforcement by the Hawai‘i Department of Health. Several other well-known establishments in Hawai‘i have faced similar shutdowns in recent months, reflecting ongoing challenges in maintaining health standards across the islands.
This situation is compounded by the DOH’s food safety inspection report system being offline since January 2024, leaving consumers without easy access to vital health inspection information. The lack of transparency has raised public safety concerns and underscored the need for more effective communication and governance from state authorities.
As the DOH works to restore its online system and address these issues, the public is encouraged to remain vigilant and informed when choosing dining establishments.
The entire area on the Diamond Head side of Waiks needs attention and rehabilitation badly. The facility that restaurant is in is also the restrooms for that area and they’re in bad shape. The whole building is. I’m sure it’s city owned. The ocean front walkway in front had crumbled into the sea and was closed when I was there in May and don’t even get me started on the dire condition of the Natatorium… It’s a disgrace – especially since it’s a war memorial. Yet we always have endless coffers to spend on $300.000 studies…
Best Regards
Food Safety is critical to a good company. Don’t want someone to develop a type of food poisoning at your place, it’s investigated and you end up paying their hospital bill and it was truly something that could have been and should have been refrigerated properly. I got very ill on vacation and this is what happened to the restaurant, although I felt sorry for them I was ill within 30 min got back to hotel, had to get help, on and on. Took me almost 2. weeks to fully recover. Ruined my Hawaiian vacation. Yes I’ve been back and never another problem but I don’t order the same thing….ever.
I know exactly what you mean. I attended a pricey dinner buffet on Kona a number of years back. They had fried breaded calamari. Well, all of us who ate it got violently ill. It was a serious bout of food poisoning, and we absolutely knew it was this dinner restaurant near the water and their calamari, as we hadn’t eaten all day. That calamari plainly was spoiled, likely was malodorous — and yet they still served it to our group and everyone else at the restaurant.
Since that evening, have never touched any squid dish again, nor will I ever. It’s instinctual and primordial, to reject a food that has made you seriously ill in the past. This instinct kept our ancestors alive. If I get sick at an establishment, it’s off the visit list forever.
Generally speaking, I avoid buffets at all costs. Having had a food service safety license years ago, I know what is expected of them, and the minute I saw a prep person dump old food onto new, you’re into a violation. I’d go right to a manager and flash my license (I should have been paid). The minute you are done with prepping the food, a 4 hour countdown begins. It’s Never okay to combine old and new, as you lose the time.
Really,owning a food business for over 40 years, that’s what we do is train our employees to keep things clean and share that with our customers,I don’t feel sorry for the owners, they are greedy people who don’t want to invest in their business and employees, shut them down………
Strange, the Department of Health, would seem to be responsibility that Governor Green would seem compatible with. These reports seem to be more prevalent, one has to wonder if under Governor Ige, those who were taken from their jobs for being non-vaccinated has impacted the workforce?
These enforcement actions are long overdue. The majority of eateries appear to run code-compliant operations. There are, however, a number of food establishments throughout the Islands that merit repeated inspections. Some of these places look like they haven’t been properly cleaned in years, with very suspect cleanliness standards.
Another thing that needs tightening: expiration dates in local marts (not big box) stores. You need to watch like a hawk the expiration dates on milk, cheese, breads, and packaged meats.