The NYC Restaurants Ordered Closed Last Week

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

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Every week, Patch will tell you which restaurants have gotten the chop – 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 March 15, 2019, according to the Department of Health:

Manhattan:

ARGO TEA
550 FIRST AVE

Violation points: 43

• Evidence of mice or live mice 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.
• 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.
• Proper sanitization not provided for utensil ware washing operation.
• Single service item reused, improperly stored, dispensed; not used when required.

POPEYES LOUISIANA KITCHEN
47 WEST 14 ST

Violation points: 65

• Food, food preparation area, food storage area, area used by employees or patrons, contaminated by sewage or liquid waste.
• Sewage disposal system improper or unapproved.
• Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
• 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.

O! NIGIRI! THE RICEBALL FACTORY
94 SAINT MARKS PLACE

Violation points: 52

• Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
• Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
• Evidence of mice or live mice 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.
• Toilet facility not maintained and provided with toilet paper, waste receptacle and self-closing door.

Brooklyn:

MASALA GRILL
501B ATLANTIC AVE

Violation points: 42

• Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• 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.

ATOMIC WINGS
188 PARKSIDE AVE

Violation points: 69

• Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
• Food prepared from ingredients at ambient temperature not cooled to 41º F or below within 4 hours.
• Food from unapproved or unknown source or home canned. Reduced oxygen packaged (ROP) fish not frozen before processing; or ROP foods prepared on premises transported to another site.
• 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.
• Insufficient or no refrigerated or hot holding equipment to keep potentially hazardous foods at required temperatures.
• Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.
• 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.

JADE BAKERY
6223 EIGHTH AVE

Violation points: 44

• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
• Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

QATHRA CAFE
1112 CORTELYOU RD

Violation points: 54

• Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
• Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
• Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
• Evidence of mice or live mice 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.

Queens:

EXPRESS SNACKS & MORE

9225 UNION HALL ST

Violation points: 62

• Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
• Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
• 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.
• 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.
• Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.
• 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.
• Proper sanitization not provided for utensil ware washing operation.

QUEENS BREWERY
1539 COVERT ST

Violation points: 53

• Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
• Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Evidence of mice or live mice 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.
• Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

LUCKY THAILAND KITCHEN
8605 JAMAICA AVE

Violation points: 61

• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Live roaches present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Duties of an officer of the Department interfered with or obstructed.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

HALAL BOYZ
18320 HORACE HARDING EXPY

Violation points: 56

• Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
• Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
• Evidence of mice or live mice 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.
• Pesticide use not in accordance with label or applicable laws. Prohibited chemical used/stored. Open bait station used.
• Proper sanitization not provided for utensil ware washing operation.
• Single service item reused, improperly stored, dispensed; not used when required.

GUAN DONG YI JIA
4609 KISSENA BLVD

Violation points: 67

• Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
• Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.
• Tobacco use, eating, or drinking from open container in food preparation, food storage or dishwashing area observed.
• Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• 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.

COFFEE EXPRESS
4705 METROPOLITAN AVE

Violation points: 93

• 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.
• Toilet facility not provided for employees or for patrons when required.
• No facilities available to wash, rinse and sanitize utensils and/or equipment.
• Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.
• 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.
• 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.

G'S HOMESTYLE COOKING
9508 SUTPHIN BLVD

Violation points: 73

• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Live roaches present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• 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.
• Sewage disposal system improper or unapproved.
• Toilet facility not provided for employees or for patrons when required.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• 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.