Can one eat at a restaurant which claims to be kosher but is not registered under the beth din. It is also the only establishment that claims to be kosher yet does not have a hechsher from the beis din. Please advise with sources.
Answer:
It is permitted to eat at an establishment if you have faith in the owner and the staff that everything is done according to your Kashrut standards. Just as you can eat at you friend’s house, so too you can eat in his restaurant.
However, experience has taught that there is no substitute for external supervision, and that a Kashrus body supervising the establishment is essential. Although there can be exceptions to the rule, the rule itself is important, and it is therefore correct (though not a formal obligation) to refrain from eating in establishments that don’t have a reliable hechsher.
Best wishes.
