The NYC Restaurants Ordered Closed Feb 21-28

NEW YORK — Filth flies, roaches, mice and unwashed hands — restaurants across the city have dirty secrets they’d rather you didn't know about. Fortunately for the diner’s well-being, New York City’s Health Department is watching.

Every year, inspectors go unannounced into more than 24,000 restaurants in the city. Of them, the majority are fine, but some fall disgustingly short of the city’s cleanliness requirements.

The most common violations, according to the city, are food stored at wrong temperatures, vermin, "plumbing" issues (the mind boggles) and basic food safety protocols not being followed.

Every week, Patch will tell you which restaurants have gotten the chop in Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn – try not to read over your lunch break.

Inspection scores above 28 earn eateries a C grade and extra close monitoring from the city’s health department – which could decide to shut it down.

These are the restaurants closed down since Feb. 21, 2020, according to the Department of Health:

Manhattan:

EL TAPATIO MEXICAN RESTAURANT

209 E. 116 ST.

Violation points: 45

• Sewage disposal system improper or unapproved.
• Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
• Live roaches present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Food contact surface not properly maintained.

Brooklyn:

PICK A BITE

8620 4TH AVE.

Violation points: 44

• Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding.
• Tobacco use, eating, or drinking from open container in food preparation, food storage or dishwashing area observed.
• Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
• Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.
• Food contact surface not properly maintained.
• Toilet facility not maintained and provided with toilet paper, waste receptacle and self-closing door.
• Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.
• Pesticide use not in accordance with label or applicable laws. Prohibited chemical used/stored. Open bait station used.
• Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.

Queens:

JAMAICA POOL & PIZZA

179-03 JAMAICA AVE.

Violation points: 74

• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.
• Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
• Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
• Live roaches present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
• Lighting Inadequate
• Mechanical or natural ventilation system not provided, improperly installed, in disrepair and/or fails to prevent excessive build-up of grease, heat, steam condensation vapors, odors, smoke, and fumes.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Accurate thermometer not provided in refrigerated or hot holding equipment.
• Hand wash sign not posted