Manhattan, NY — Bar Revival, an American restaurant at 161 Ludlow Street on the Lower East Side, received a score of 50 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene inspection conducted on February 6, 2026. The score places the establishment well above the 28-point threshold for a Grade C rating, with inspectors documenting two critical violations related to food temperature control and contamination prevention.
The inspection data was released by DOHMH on February 27, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
The inspection identified two critical violations at the establishment. No non-critical violations were recorded.
The first critical violation cited hot time/temperature control for safety (TCS) food items not being held at or above 140 °F. TCS foods — which include cooked meats, dairy products, cooked vegetables, and other items prone to bacterial growth — require consistent temperature maintenance to prevent the proliferation of harmful pathogens. When these foods fall below the 140 °F threshold, they enter what food safety professionals refer to as the "danger zone" between 41 °F and 140 °F, where bacteria can double in number in as little as 20 minutes.
The second critical violation documented that food, supplies, or equipment were not adequately protected from potential sources of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service. This violation also noted that condiments were not provided in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor, creating additional risk of cross-contamination.
Food Safety Context
The violations documented at Bar Revival relate directly to provisions outlined in NYC Health Code Article 81, which governs food safety requirements for all food service establishments operating within the five boroughs. Article 81 establishes specific standards for temperature control and contamination prevention that all permitted restaurants must follow.
The hot-holding temperature requirement of 140 °F aligns with the FDA Food Code, which serves as the model framework for state and local food safety regulations nationwide. The FDA Food Code identifies temperature abuse as one of the leading contributing factors to foodborne illness outbreaks in restaurant settings. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 48 million Americans experience foodborne illness each year.
Proper protection of food from contamination sources is a foundational principle of food safety management. This includes maintaining adequate separation between ready-to-eat foods and potential contaminants, ensuring proper storage practices, and providing condiments in a manner that minimizes the risk of cross-contamination between customers.
A score of 50 represents a significant accumulation of violation points, with each critical violation contributing substantially to the overall total. The DOHMH assigns point values based on the severity and nature of each violation identified during an inspection.
Inspection History
No prior inspection history is available in the DOHMH public database for this establishment. This may indicate that the February 6, 2026 inspection was the restaurant's first recorded inspection, or that the establishment is relatively new to the DOHMH inspection cycle.
Restaurants that receive initial scores in the Grade C range are typically scheduled for a re-inspection, during which they have the opportunity to correct cited violations and potentially achieve a lower score.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total violation points accumulated during an inspection:
- A: 0–13 points — The highest rating, indicating minimal or no violations
- B: 14–27 points — A moderate score indicating some violations were identified
- C: 28 or more points — The lowest passing grade, indicating significant violations were documented
Bar Revival's score of 50 places it 22 points above the Grade C threshold. Restaurants receiving a Grade C may contest the grade through an administrative tribunal process and are typically scheduled for a re-inspection.
All New York City restaurant inspection results are public record and available through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database. Consumers can access current grades and detailed inspection reports for any permitted food service establishment in the city by visiting the NYC Department of Health website or checking the letter grade posted at the restaurant's entrance.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Bar Revival including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.