Queens, NY — 168 Hk, a Chinese restaurant located at 41-42A Main Street in Flushing, received a Grade B following a health inspection conducted April 1, 2026, with a score of 27 — the highest possible score still within the Grade B range and one point below the Grade C threshold. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) released the data April 6, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented two violations during the visit, including one classified as critical.

The critical violation, recorded under Code 02H, found that time/temperature control for safety (TCS) food was not being cooled by an approved method after cooking or removal from hot holding. Under applicable standards — including NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code — cooked food must be reduced from 140°F to 70°F within two hours, and from 70°F to 41°F within an additional four hours. Failure to meet these thresholds can allow bacterial growth in prepared foods.

Inspectors also cited a non-critical violation under Code 20-06, noting that the restaurant's current letter grade card or Grade Pending card was not posted in a location visible to the public. NYC Health Code requires all restaurants to display their most recent grade in a window visible from the street.

Food Safety Context

Temperature control violations are among the most closely monitored categories under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code because improper cooling is a leading contributor to foodborne illness. Cooked food that does not cool quickly enough can allow pathogens such as Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus to reach dangerous levels before the food is served or stored.

A score of 27 places 168 Hk at the upper boundary of the Grade B range. While the restaurant retains a passing grade, the score reflects a pattern that inspectors and regulators track closely, particularly given the restaurant's recent inspection history.

Inspection History

The April 2026 inspection is the latest in a series of visits that have consistently returned elevated scores:

  • 2026-01-22: Score 29 (Grade Z — score pending adjudication)
  • 2025-12-08: Score 45 (Grade N — score pending grade assignment)

Both prior inspections resulted in scores above the Grade C threshold of 28. The January 2026 score of 29 was assigned a Grade Z designation, which DOHMH uses when a score is under administrative or legal review. The December 2025 score of 45 was recorded as Grade N, reflecting a score that had not yet been converted to a letter grade at the time of reporting.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

DOHMH assigns letter grades to restaurants based on their inspection score:

  • A: 0–13 points (lowest number of violations)
  • B: 14–27 points
  • C: 28 or more points

Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations. Scores at or near the top of the B range — such as 168 Hk's current score of 27 — are subject to additional scrutiny during subsequent inspections.

Inspection records for all New York City restaurants are publicly available through the DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results database at nyc.gov. Consumers can search by restaurant name, address, or cuisine type to review full inspection histories.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for 168 Hk including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.