Queens, NY — Cheburechnaya, a Jewish/Kosher restaurant located at 92-09 63 Drive in Forest Hills, Queens, received a score of 33 following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on March 18, 2026. The score places the establishment in Grade C standing under the city's restaurant grading system. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on March 25, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
Inspectors documented one critical violation during the March visit. The violation, classified under Code 06D, noted that food contact surfaces were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized after each use and following activities during which contamination may have occurred.
Food contact surfaces — including cutting boards, slicing equipment, prep tables, and utensils — are required to undergo a three-step cleaning process: washing with detergent, rinsing with clean water, and sanitizing with an approved chemical solution or through heat. Failure to complete this process creates conditions under which pathogens can transfer to food during preparation.
No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.
Food Safety Context
The violation cited at Cheburechnaya falls under NYC Health Code Article 81, which governs food preparation, handling, and sanitation standards for food service establishments operating in New York City. The code's provisions are aligned with the FDA Food Code, a model framework used by jurisdictions nationwide to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
Improper sanitization of food contact surfaces is classified as a critical violation because of its direct link to foodborne illness transmission. Pathogens including Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria can persist on inadequately sanitized surfaces and transfer to ready-to-eat food items. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that roughly 48 million Americans experience foodborne illness each year, with contaminated food preparation surfaces identified as a contributing factor in numerous outbreak investigations.
Critical violations are weighted more heavily in NYC's scoring system than non-critical violations, reflecting the higher public health risk associated with them.
Inspection History
According to DOHMH records, no prior inspection history is available for this establishment. This may indicate the restaurant is operating under a new permit, has recently changed ownership, or that earlier records are not reflected in the current public dataset.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's letter grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns grades based on the numerical score a restaurant receives during inspection. Lower scores reflect fewer or less severe violations. Grades are displayed publicly at each establishment's entrance.
- A: Score of 0–13 points
- B: Score of 14–27 points
- C: Score of 28 points or higher
A score of 33 places Cheburechnaya in the Grade C range. Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection may request a re-inspection, at which point a grade is issued based on the second visit's results. During the period between an initial inspection and a re-inspection or grade posting, establishments may display a "Grade Pending" card.
Restaurants are not closed solely on the basis of a grade; closure orders are issued when inspectors determine that conditions pose an imminent public health hazard. No closure action was associated with this inspection.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Cheburechnaya including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.