Imperial Beach Favorite IB Thai Restaurant Receives Health Grade Downgrade
IB Thai Restaurant, the popular Thai eatery at 1299 Imperial Beach Blvd in Imperial Beach, has been downgraded following a recent San Diego County health inspection, according to the county’s grading system. The action is a downgrade, not a closure, meaning the restaurant remains open while it addresses the cited issues and awaits reinspection.
Beloved for its comforting curries, stir-fries, and noodle dishes—and buoyed by consistently positive reviews on Google and Yelp—IB Thai has long been a dependable neighborhood standby. That reputation is precisely why the county’s grade change is noteworthy: when a high-traffic spot takes a step down, it signals that problems rose above minor housekeeping to a level that triggered a formal reduction in the posted grade.
Per county standards, a downgrade typically reflects multiple violations that impact food safety, such as problems with temperature control, cross-contamination risks, and sanitation of food-contact surfaces, along with potential facility upkeep concerns. While the exact point-by-point findings are detailed in the county’s inspection report (and posted on-site with the current grade), a downgrade indicates that corrective actions were required during or after the inspection and that follow-up will be scheduled to verify sustained compliance.
Why this matters to local diners: San Diego County uses a visible letter-grade system to help the public quickly gauge recent food-safety performance. An A grade (90–100) represents strong compliance; a B (80–89) or C (79 or below) signals more serious issues that the operator must fix and that inspectors will revisit. A downgrade does not automatically mean conditions are unsafe today, but it does mean that inspectors identified enough problems to lower the score, and it puts the establishment on a shorter leash for reinspection. For regulars, that’s a cue to pay attention to the posted placard, check the latest report online, and watch for an updated grade after the follow-up visit.
The county typically reinspects downgraded facilities to confirm that corrective measures are in place and maintained. In many cases, restaurants remedy violations quickly and return to an A on reinspection. For IB Thai—a community favorite that benefits from steady local support—the coming weeks are important. If management addresses the findings thoroughly and invests in lasting fixes, the downgrade may end up as a brief footnote rather than a lasting knock on its reputation.
We’ll continue to monitor the county’s database for the updated inspection report and any grade changes. In the meantime, diners can look for the current letter grade posted near the entrance and consult the Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ) website for the most recent inspection details.
