A Five Guys restaurant in Southern California briefly closed following a health inspection that identified a serious sewage and wastewater disposal problem. The incident is similar to a previous restaurant closure from a different chain linked to sewage trouble, although the Northridge Five Guys has since been cleared to reopen.
Five Guys Burgers & Fries #1326, at 8850 Tampa Avenue in Los Angeles’ Northridge neighborhood, was closed on October 12, 2026. The county’s closure listing records its reopening on October 13, making this a temporary interruption rather than a permanent shutdown.
Inspectors cited a major wastewater violation
The October 12 closure record lists a major violation for sewage and wastewater not being properly disposed of. It carries an 11-point deduction under the county’s inspection system. The other listed item reflects the suspension or modification of the establishment’s permit.
Los Angeles County treats certain sewage problems as immediate public-health hazards because contaminated wastewater must be kept away from food, preparation equipment and areas where meals are served. County guidance describes situations such as sewage backups at drains, an overflowing grease trap or an improperly discharging sewer line as potential reasons for a permit suspension.
The closure listing identifies the wastewater-disposal category but does not specify which plumbing condition inspectors encountered at this particular restaurant. The reported problem concerned wastewater handling; the listing does not cite an infestation of rodents or cockroaches.
Under the county’s retail food inspection rules, a food business closed over an immediate hazard must remain shut until health officials determine that the conditions warranting the suspension have been corrected. Such closures are a precaution against contamination, not necessarily a sign that customers were sickened.
Five Guys reopened October 13
The county-derived closure listing shows an October 13 reopening for the Tampa Avenue restaurant, just one day after the shutdown. Five Guys also continues to list that location on its official website, including dine-in, takeout and delivery services.
The address matters because Northridge has another Five Guys on Balboa Boulevard. The October 12 shutdown involved the restaurant at 8850 Tampa Avenue, not the separate Balboa Boulevard location.
The reopening means customers should not mistake the earlier closure notice for an announcement that the burger chain has left the neighborhood. The problem affected a particular restaurant on a particular day, and its reopening was recorded the following day.
What customers should know
Temporary restaurant closures can happen when inspectors encounter conditions that need immediate attention, even if only one major category is cited. Wastewater disposal is especially important in a kitchen, where drains, cleaning areas and equipment must work properly to protect food from contamination.
At the Northridge Five Guys, the significant dates are October 12, when the business was shut down, and October 13, when its reopening was recorded. The business’s own active location listing offers another indication that customers can again visit the Tampa Avenue restaurant.
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