Hawaii DOH Shuts U-Choice In Over Kitchen Sewage; Reopens After Cleanup

Inspectors found raw sewage backing up from a floor drain in the kitchen and the Hawai‘i Department of Health issued a red "closed" placard and immediately shut down U‑Choice In, 801 Kaheka St., after observing employees walk through standing sewage and track it into the front service area, the agency said. The closure followed a routine inspection during operations on Feb. 26, 2026, at the takeout restaurant operated by Sino Mart Enterprise, Inc.

The Governor’s office press release described the condition as a critical food safety violation and spelled out DOH’s remediation requirements. "DOH is requiring the food establishment to properly repair its plumbing system and clean and sanitize the entire floor of the food establishment before it can reopen," the release said. A follow-up inspection was scheduled for Friday, Feb. 27 to confirm corrective actions.

DOH conducted the follow-up inspection on Feb. 27 and authorized the restaurant to reopen after finding the problems fixed. "A DOH inspector conducted a follow-up inspection on Feb. 27 and observed that the water backup issues were resolved," the agency said, and the inspector "confirmed with the person in charge that the entire floor of the establishment had been cleaned and sanitized." The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported the reopening was authorized with a green placard after the inspection.

U‑Choice In sits inside the Don Quijote building a few blocks from Ala Moana Center and within a short walk of Waikiki hotels, placing the closure in a high-traffic tourist and convenience-shopping area, Beatofhawaii noted. That outlet also reported that the red placard "remained posted within five feet of the main entrance and can only be removed by the Department of Health after a follow-up inspection confirms that all violations have been corrected," underscoring the DOH placarding rule that triggers immediate shutdowns.

DOH’s Food Safety Branch reiterated its role in routine inspections and consumer protection in the releases and advised the operator to keep monitoring drainage. The reopening notice said the establishment "was advised to continue to monitor and maintain proper drainage of all floor drains."

State officials provided DOH contact information in the release materials for further inquiries, listing the Non-Discrimination Coordinator phone number as (808) 586-4400 and including the obfuscated email strings that appeared in the DOH text: "(/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e2868d8acc8c8d8c868b9181908b8f8b8c83968b8d8ca2868d8acc8a8395838b8bcc858d94)" and "(/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#43272c2b6d2d2c2d272a3020312a2e2a2d22372a2c2d03272c2b6d2b2234222a2a6d242c35)". The DOH Food Safety Branch continues to publish inspection results and placarding information for food establishments statewide.