Popular BK Thai Spot Temporarily Closed After City Finds Filth

BROOKLYN, NY — The longest-standing outpost of a Brooklyn Thai chain was temporarily shuttered this week after inspectors discovered that the eatery was overrun with pests and sewage issues.

In addition to evidence of mice and flies, the sewage disposal system at Joya Thai was in a state of "disrepair" when the Department of Health stopped by on March 7 and found that the eatery's plumbing lacked necessary drainage equipment.

The restaurant, located near the corner of Court and Warren streets in Cobble Hill, also wasn't following certain food safety protocols, like keeping cold food refrigerated at certain temperatures and sanitizing serving utensils, records show.

These "critical" violations prompted the eatery's immediate closure, a move that the health department makes at least several times per-week with eateries that can't fix "public health hazards" (pest and sewage issues in the case of Joya) at the time of inspection.

Restaurants that resolve violations are permitted to reopen. Reached for comment on Friday afternoon, an employee at the Thai restaurant's Fort Greene outpost told Patch that Joya is still closed but should reopen this evening.

The team behind Joya, which has consistently topped best-of-Brooklyn Thai food lists since it opened, also runs National in Fort Greene and Song in Park Slope (neither of which are facing Department of Health violations).

Joya isn't the only neighborhood restaurant to get shut down by the city as of late: Last month Smith Street Bagels, another popular eatery around the corner, was temporarily closed after the health department found similar sewage and pest issues at the bagelry (which has since reopened).

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