Bronx, NY — 3-J Restaurant And Pizza, located at 554A Prospect Avenue in the Bronx, received a score of 22 following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene inspection conducted on March 27, 2026. The score places the restaurant in the Grade B range, which spans 14 to 27 points — with 22 falling in the upper portion, six points from the Grade C threshold. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on April 2, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation during the March visit. The cited violation, classified under Code 06C, involved food, supplies, or equipment not adequately protected from potential sources of contamination. Specifically, inspectors noted that condiments were not stored in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor — a condition that can allow for cross-contamination between customers.

No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection cycle.

Food Safety Context

Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food service establishments are required to protect food and food-contact surfaces from contamination at all stages of storage, preparation, and service. The FDA Food Code similarly establishes standards for condiment handling, requiring that items served to multiple customers be dispensed in a manner that prevents contact with previous users.

Critical violations carry greater point weight in the DOHMH scoring system because they are directly associated with conditions that could contribute to foodborne illness. A single critical violation can meaningfully affect a restaurant's final score, which is reflected in the grade posted at the entrance.

Inspection History

3-J Restaurant And Pizza has a variable inspection record over the past several years. Prior scores on file include:

  • February 13, 2026: Score 23
  • February 10, 2026: Score 23
  • November 20, 2024: Score 13 (Grade A)
  • May 23, 2024: Score 32
  • January 5, 2023: Score 21 (Grade B)
  • May 6, 2022: Score 38

The restaurant achieved a Grade A as recently as November 2024, indicating the current Grade B represents a decline from that benchmark. The back-to-back scores of 23 in February 2026 and the current score of 22 suggest a pattern of elevated scores through early 2026 that has yet to return to Grade A performance.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City requires restaurants to post their most recent inspection grade in a visible location. Grades are assigned based on the total score from an unannounced DOHMH inspection:

  • Grade A: Score of 0–13 (fewest violations)
  • Grade B: Score of 14–27
  • Grade C: Score of 28 or higher

Restaurants that score in the Grade B or Grade C range may request a re-inspection before a final grade is assigned. Scores are cumulative across all violations identified during a single visit.

Members of the public can look up current grades and full inspection histories for any NYC restaurant through the DOHMH's NYC Restaurant Inspection Results database, available via NYC Open Data or the official NYC Health website.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for 3-J Restaurant And Pizza including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.