How to Check a Restaurant's Safety Record Before You Eat

Why Checking Before You Go Makes Sense

New York City runs one of the most transparent restaurant inspection programs in the world. Every food service establishment in the five boroughs is inspected unannounced at least once per year, and the results — every finding, every score, every follow-up visit — are posted publicly within days of the inspection. Knowing how to read that data gives you an honest picture of how a kitchen operates day to day, not just on a good week.

This guide walks you through the exact steps, using tools that are free, always current, and require no account to access.

Step 1: Find the NYC Open Data Portal

The primary public dataset for NYC restaurant inspections is maintained by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on NYC Open Data. The dataset ID is 43nn-pn8j. You can reach it at data.cityofnewyork.us or by searching "NYC restaurant inspection results" on the Open Data portal homepage.

This dataset is updated daily on business days. Each row represents one inspection finding, not one restaurant — so a single visit may produce multiple rows, one per item observed. This is important to keep in mind when reading raw results.

Step 2: Search for a Specific Restaurant

On the dataset page, click the Filter button and add a filter for the DBA column (Doing Business As — the restaurant's public name). You can also filter by:

• BORO — enter "Brooklyn" to narrow results to your borough
• ZIPCODE — useful for a specific neighborhood like 11201 (Brooklyn Heights) or 11215 (Park Slope)
• CUISINE_DESCRIPTION — filter by food type if you are browsing options
• GRADE — filter for "A", "B", or "C" to see only establishments at a certain level

Once you find the right establishment, look at the INSPECTION_DATE column to identify the most recent visit, then read the VIOLATION_DESCRIPTION for each row tied to that date.

Step 3: Understand the Grade and the Score

DOHMH assigns a numerical score based on the findings from each inspection cycle:

• 0–13 points: Grade A — the highest standard. The vast majority of inspections in Brooklyn result in Grade A.
• 14–27 points: Grade B — above the threshold for A, requiring a re-inspection (called an Initial Inspection followed by a Compliance Inspection). The letter grade posted in the window reflects the score from the compliance visit.
• 28 or more points: Grade C — or a Grade Pending card, meaning results are still being processed or contested.

Points are not equal — critical findings (related to temperature control, hand washing, pest evidence, and food contact surfaces) carry more weight per item than general findings (like a minor labeling issue or lighting deficiency).

Step 4: Read the Violation Descriptions

Each finding is described in plain language in the VIOLATION_DESCRIPTION column. A few things to look for:

• Temperature findings: Cold food stored above 41°F or hot food held below 140°F — these are critical because bacteria multiply fastest in the 41°F to 140°F range.
• Handwashing findings: A missing or inaccessible handwashing station is a critical finding under the NYC Health Code.
• Pest evidence: Any live or dead mice, live roaches, or evidence of infestation is a critical finding that inspectors take seriously.
• Food contact surfaces: Improperly cleaned cutting boards, slicers, or prep surfaces that touch food directly.

A single critical finding does not mean a restaurant is unsafe overall, but repeated critical findings in the same category across multiple inspection dates are worth noting.

Step 5: Look at the Inspection History, Not Just the Latest Grade

A restaurant that consistently scores in the low single digits over several years shows a sustained culture of food safety. A restaurant with an A grade today but a string of B and C scores in previous cycles may simply have had a good day. Look at two or three most recent inspection dates to get a more complete picture.

You can also check whether the establishment has ever had an Order to Close issued — these are rare, but they appear in the dataset as a specific ACTION value.

Step 6: Check the Window When You Arrive

NYC law requires every food service establishment to display its current letter grade card in a place visible from the street or entrance. The card must be the most recently issued grade. If a grade card is not posted, the establishment is required to display a "Grade Pending" card during the time between inspections.

If no card is visible at all, that is worth mentioning to the host or manager. You can also report the absence of a grade card to 311.

What to Do If You Have a Concern After Visiting

If you observe something during your visit that you believe warrants attention — visible pests, a sink without soap, food left at room temperature for an extended period — you can file a complaint with DOHMH through 311 online or by phone. Complaints are investigated by field inspectors and kept on record. Your information is used for scheduling purposes and is not shared publicly in a way that identifies the complainant.

Frequently Asked Questions

How current is the NYC Open Data restaurant inspection data?

The dataset is updated on business days, typically reflecting inspections from the prior day. There is usually a short lag between when an inspection occurs and when results appear publicly.

Does a Grade A always mean the restaurant is perfectly safe?

A Grade A means the establishment scored between 0 and 13 points at its most recent scored inspection. No single grade guarantees a risk-free experience, but Grade A establishments have met the standard that DOHMH considers acceptable for public dining.

Can a restaurant display an A grade even after a recent B-level inspection?

Yes. When a restaurant scores 14 or more points on an initial inspection, DOHMH schedules a compliance inspection. If the establishment corrects the findings and scores below 14 on the compliance visit, it posts a Grade A card. The grade reflects the compliance inspection result, not the initial visit.

Is there a simpler interface than the raw dataset?

Yes. The NYC Health Department maintains a consumer-facing lookup at a816-restaurantinspection.nyc.gov where you can search by name and neighborhood without filtering a raw dataset. The Open Data version gives more historical depth and filtering options.