Brooklyn, NY — Abba Bar & Grill, a tapas restaurant located at 492 Grand Street in Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood, received a Grade C during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on March 20, 2026. The restaurant recorded a score of 32, placing it in the Grade C range. Inspection data was publicly released by the DOHMH on March 25, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
During the March 20 inspection, a DOHMH inspector documented one non-critical violation related to ware washing practices at the restaurant.
The cited violation — Code 10G — pertains to the cleaning and sanitizing of tableware, including dishes, utensils, and food contact equipment. Inspectors noted that the restaurant's dishwashing and ware washing procedures were found to be deficient.
Proper ware washing is a foundational element of food safety operations. When tableware or utensils are not adequately cleaned and sanitized between uses, residual food particles or microbial contamination can remain on surfaces that come into direct contact with food and diners.
Food Safety Context
Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food service establishments in New York City are required to maintain proper sanitation procedures for all food contact surfaces, including dishware, utensils, and equipment. These requirements align with the FDA Food Code, which sets national standards for food safety practices in retail and food service settings.
Ware washing systems must meet specific temperature, chemical concentration, or other sanitization thresholds to be considered effective. Deficiencies in this area can indicate issues with equipment function, staff training, or operational protocols.
It is worth noting that the single violation documented during this inspection was classified as non-critical. In the DOHMH scoring system, critical violations — those with the most direct potential to cause foodborne illness — carry higher point values. The score of 32 resulting from a single non-critical violation suggests it was assigned a significant point weight under the current scoring guidelines.
Inspection History
Abba Bar & Grill has been inspected multiple times in recent years. The prior record shows a pattern that includes both strong and borderline results:
- November 20, 2024: Score 12, Grade A
- June 27, 2024: Score 28 (Grade pending / no grade issued)
- September 2, 2022: Score 5, Grade A
The restaurant's most recent prior inspection in November 2024 resulted in a Grade A with a score of 12, well within the top scoring range. The June 2024 inspection produced a score of 28 — the threshold at which the Grade C range begins — though no grade was recorded for that cycle. The 2022 result was among the stronger scores in the restaurant's history.
The March 2026 inspection represents a notable shift from the November 2024 Grade A result.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City requires most food service establishments to post their letter grade prominently at the entrance. Grades are assigned based on the total point score recorded during a DOHMH inspection:
- Grade A: Score of 0–13 points
- Grade B: Score of 14–27 points
- Grade C: Score of 28 or more points
Lower scores reflect fewer or less severe violations. A Grade C does not automatically result in a restaurant closure — the DOHMH may issue a Grade Pending card while a restaurant requests an administrative hearing or schedules a re-inspection, depending on the circumstances.
Restaurants that receive a score in the Grade C range are typically subject to a follow-up inspection within a set timeframe, during which they have the opportunity to address cited violations.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Abba Bar & Grill including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.