Hawaiiano Restaurant received a score of 39 during a May 20 complaint inspection, placing the Houston restaurant far below the citywide average score of 87.
The restaurant, located at 1521 Gessner, was cited for 12 violations during the inspection, including two critical violations, three major violations and seven minor violations. Three items were corrected on site.
Online listings identify the restaurant, also listed as Hawallano Restaurant, as a Salvadoran and Latin American restaurant in Houston’s Spring Branch area. Listings describe the restaurant as serving Salvadoran dishes, seafood, ceviche and other Latin American staples.
A score of 39 is 48 points below the Houston average and well below what is commonly considered passing in restaurant inspection systems. The May inspection was also a steep decline from the restaurant’s March 29 routine inspection, when inspectors reported no violations and issued a score of 100.
The critical violations listed May 20 involved raw and ready-to-eat foods not being properly separated and food held at improper temperatures. Both were corrected during the inspection.
Raw and ready-to-eat food separation is one of the more serious food safety issues because bacteria from uncooked meat, poultry or seafood can spread to food that may not be cooked again before being served.
The report also cited improper hot or cold holding temperatures. Temperature control violations can increase risk because bacteria can grow when certain foods are held too warm or too cold. Foods requiring time and temperature control for safety can include meat, rice, beans, dairy products, sauces and cooked vegetables.
Major violations included unlabeled toxic material containers, lack of a sanitizer test kit and a blocked, inaccessible or improperly used hand-washing sink.
Sanitizer test kits are used to measure the strength of sanitizing solutions used on food-contact surfaces. Without testing, sanitizer may be too weak to work properly or too strong for safe use.
The hand-washing sink violation can also be significant because employees need accessible sinks during food preparation and service. Inspection records show hand-washing sink maintenance was also cited in January and November 2024.
Additional violations included improperly stored food, unlabeled food containers, insufficient refuse receptacles, improperly stored utensils, lighting issues, physical facilities not kept in good repair and nonfood-contact surfaces not made of corrosion-resistant or easily cleanable materials.
Hawaiiano Restaurant has been inspected five times since 2024. Previous scores were 100 on March 29, 2026; 82 on June 18, 2025; and 78 on Nov. 5, 2024. A Jan. 11, 2024, reinspection listed four minor violations but did not include a score in the information provided.
The inspection report does not state that the restaurant was closed. Restaurant inspections reflect conditions observed at the time of inspection and may not represent current conditions.
