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# Rodent infestation hits Promenade restaurants
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/rodent-infestation-hits-promenade-restaurants/
- Published: 2002-04-30T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T00:15:43.000Z
- Author: Andrew Fixmer
- Tags: Business, Promenade, #archive-import

*Nearby city construction projects may have disturbed mouse habitat, owners say*

Five downtown restaurants have been closed by the health department in the last two weeks because they were infested with mice.

Restaurant owners, however, blamed the problem on nearby city construction projects, which they said have disturbed the rodents’ habitat.

Los Angeles County Department of Health inspectors first found mice in Bravo Cucina, 1319 3rd St. Promenade, on April 17 during an unannounced visit.

They then checked next door at George’s Bistro, 1321 3rd St. Promenade, on April 18 and Johnny Rockets, 1322 3rd St. Promenade, on April 19, and again found mice present.

“Because there are so many in a close proximity, we began conducting inspections at the surrounding restaurants,” said Terrance Powell, a health department official. “That’s when we began to find the rodent problems.”

Mice were also found at the Carousel Cafe, 1601 Ocean Front Walk, on April 17\. The restaurants were closed for a mandatory 48 hours while the owners addressed the problem. They were allowed to re-open only after they had been re-inspected.

On April 25, Johnny Rockets was closed again for mice infestation after a surprise visit from another health inspector. The restaurant remained closed Monday with a sign in the window saying the store was having its plumbing fixed.

On April 26, inspectors found mice in Yankee Doodles, 1410 3rd St. Promenade, and closed that restaurant as well.

Until the recent problems with mice, all Promenade restaurants had received “A” ratings by the health department during inspections of their facilities over the past four years.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” said George Rifold, owner of George’s Bistro. “And I’ve been on the Promenade for 12 years.

“But it’s only in the past few months that I’ve The Los Angeles County Department of Health posts the results of every restaurant inspection on their Web Site, www.lapublichealth.org/eh. Vistors can browse all 350,000 restuarants, bakeries and grocery stores in the county, and search by the establishment’s name or address. Enter a zip code, and the Web Site will list the ratings of every restuarant with in that postal region.

Here are the results of the recent closings of Santa Monica’s downtown restaurants: CAROUSEL CAFE, 1601 OCEAN FRONT WALK, SANTA MONICA Date Closed: April 17, 2002 Date Reopened: April 21, 2002 Reason for Closure: Prevention of entrance and harborage of vermin infestation Vermin infestation Before Closing: 84, B GEORGE’S BISTRO, 1321 3RD ST PROMENADE, SANTA MONICA Date Closed: April 18, 2002 Date Reopened: April 20, 2002 Reason for Closure: Prevention of entrance and harborage of vermin Vermin infestation Before Closing: 99, A BRAVO CUCINA, 1319 3RD ST PROMENADE, SANTA MONICA Date Closed: April 17, 2002 Date Reopened: April 19, 2002 Reason for Closure: Prevention of entrance and harborage of vermin Vermin infestation Before Closing: 92, A JOHNNY ROCKETS, 1322 3RD ST PROMENADE A, SANTA MONICA Date Closed: April 19, 2002 Date Reopened: April 21, 2002 Closed again: April 25 Re-opened: Still Closed Reason for Closure: Prevention of entrance and harborage of vermin Vermin infestation Before Closing: 99, A YANKEE DOODLES, 1410 3RD ST PROMENADE Date Closed: April 26 Date Reopened: April 28 Reason for closing: Prevention of entrance and harborage of vermin Vermin infestation Before Closing: 93, A noticed this problem.”

Rifold said the city’s construction projects on the transit mall and the installation of new water mains downtown brought the mice. He said the city should take responsibility for the restaurants’ problems.

“Once \[mouse\] habitat is disturbed they head to the dumpsters or anywhere they can find food,” he said. “We have done everything we possibly can and we will continue to do everything we possibly can, but the city has to do its part here.”

Other owners, who requested anonymity, agreed with Rifold, saying the construction is to blame.

The health department has dispatched an extra inspector to the area for additional inspections and to assist in the department’s investigation into where the mice problem is coming from.

Investigators are looking at sanitation in the alleys, the effectiveness of trash pickup and whether garbage bins and trash cans are being maintained.

“Ultimately, the responsibility for vermin remains with the operator” of the restaurant, said Powell. “However, the city in this case, whether it’s a common pest problem or a trend, would want to be involved.”

The health department has notified Santa Monica of its investigation, Powell said. City administrators did not return phone calls seeking comment Monday.

“Basically, the problem with a mice infestation is that they defecate and urinate where they eat,” Powell said. “And, of course, they don’t wash their hands.”

> “Basically, the problem with a mice infestation is that they defecate and urinate where they eat. And, of course, they don’t wash their hands.” — — TERRANCE POWELL L.A. County Health Department

One complaint has been that garbage bin lids maintained by the city are either left open or have been removed by vandals, allowing rodents easy access.

Joe Delaney, operations manager of the Santa Monica’s Solid Waste Department, said all the dumpsters have lids, but people leave them open or dump their garbage next to the bin.

The department has received recent reports of rodent problems in one of the downtown parking structures, but the city’s exterminators had been called in to deal with the problem. Delaney said there were no other reported rodent problems.

“When we dump our bins, there are never any rodents at the bottom of them,” he said.

The city empties its dumpsters, which are mostly located in the parking structures, seven days a week at 6 a.m. and twice on Fridays and Saturdays, he said. If there is a problem, the health department hasn’t told him of it, Delaney said.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 30, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/043002.pdf?ref=smdp.com)