Close, Reopen, Repeat. Restaurants Don’t Know What Covid-19 Will Dish Out Next.

In the days before the reopening of St. Felix Hollywood, employees scrambled to yank plywood boards from windows, pry congealed syrup from clogged soda machines, scour dusty cooking equipment and scrub the kitchen floor.

“The last 24 hours have been insane,” co-owner John Arakaki said as he sifted through dozens of new safety rules and negotiated with his linen company, produce supplier and other vendors.

St. Felix welcomed customers back Feb. 5. It marked the fourth time in the last year that the restaurateur and a dozen or so of...