The NYC Restaurants Ordered Closed This Week

NEW YORK, NY — 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 – 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. 2, 2018, according to the Department of Health:

Manhattan:

BROADWAY COMEDY CLUB
318 WEST 53 ST

Violation points: 41

• 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.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Single service item reused, improperly stored, dispensed; not used when required.

THE AINSWORTH
64 THIRD AVE

Violation points: 86

• Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
• Food contact surface improperly constructed or located. Unacceptable material used.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Proper sanitization not provided for utensil ware washing operation.

SBARRO
159 WEST 33 ST

Violation points: 33

• 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.

FAT CAT BILLIARDS
75 CHRISTOPHER ST

Violation points: 42

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

MARINA GOURMET DELI.
246 EAST 23 ST

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Brooklyn:

LOU DE FONG SNACK

773 51ST ST

Violation points: 39

• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
• 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.

LA GRAN NAGUA BAKERY
2942 FULTON ST

Violation points: 45

• Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
• 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.4) Canned food product observed dented and not segregated from other consumable food items.

KINARA INDIAN RESTAURANT
473 FIFTH AVE

Violation points: 41

• 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.
• 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:

WHIT'S END

9702 ROCKAWAY BEACH BLVD

Violation points: 60

• Food contact surface improperly constructed or located. Unacceptable material used.
• 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.
• Proper sanitization not provided for utensil ware washing operation.

SUBWAY
7264 METROPOLITAN AVE

Violation points: 43

• Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
• 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.

APERITIF
21341 39TH AVE

Violation points: 43

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

DIY BILLIARDS
3621 PRINCE ST

Violation points: 56

• 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.

Lead image via Serghei Starus/Shutterstock