Queens, NY — Chuanyue Bar, a Chinese restaurant located at 138-12 Northern Boulevard in Flushing, received a score of 32 during a health inspection conducted on January 15, 2026, according to data released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 4, 2026. The score places the establishment in the Grade C range, indicating significant compliance issues were identified during the inspection.
The inspection documented one critical violation and no non-critical violations.
What Inspectors Found
During the inspection, DOHMH inspectors cited Chuanyue Bar for a single critical violation related to contamination prevention protocols. Specifically, the establishment was found to have no approved written standard operating procedure for avoiding contamination by refillable returnable containers (violation code 05H).
This violation addresses a food safety requirement that establishments using refillable or returnable containers must maintain documented procedures to prevent cross-contamination. Without a written standard operating procedure in place, there is no verified system to ensure that containers are properly cleaned, sanitized, and handled before being reused in food or beverage service.
While the inspection resulted in only one violation being cited, the critical nature of the finding — combined with the scoring methodology used by DOHMH — produced a score of 32, placing the restaurant above the 28-point threshold for a Grade C designation.
The action taken by DOHMH was to cite the violations found during the inspection. No closure order was issued at the time of the inspection.
Food Safety Context
NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes the regulatory framework for food service establishments operating in New York City. Under these regulations, all restaurants are required to maintain proper food safety protocols, including written procedures for processes that carry contamination risks.
The FDA Food Code, which serves as the basis for many local health regulations, emphasizes the importance of documented standard operating procedures as a critical component of food safety management. Written procedures provide a verifiable record that an establishment has identified potential contamination hazards and implemented specific steps to mitigate those risks.
Refillable and returnable container procedures are particularly important in bar and restaurant settings where containers may be reused across multiple customers or service periods. Without documented protocols, there is no standardized process for staff to follow, which increases the potential for contamination.
Inspection History
This inspection represents the first recorded inspection for Chuanyue Bar in the DOHMH database. No prior inspection history is available for this establishment, which may indicate that the restaurant is a relatively new operation or has recently changed ownership.
- January 15, 2026: Score 32 (Grade C), one critical violation cited
It is worth noting that there is a gap of approximately seven weeks between the inspection date of January 15, 2026, and the data release date of March 4, 2026. This delay is typical of the DOHMH data publication cycle and does not necessarily reflect the current status of the establishment. The restaurant may have already taken corrective action or undergone a re-inspection since the original visit.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system assigns letter grades based on the total number of violation points accumulated during an inspection:
- A: 0–13 points — the establishment is in substantial compliance with food safety regulations
- B: 14–27 points — some violations were identified that require correction
- C: 28 or more points — significant violations were found, and the establishment may be subject to additional inspections or administrative action
Chuanyue Bar's score of 32 places it in the Grade C category. Restaurants that receive a Grade C are typically scheduled for a re-inspection, during which they have the opportunity to improve their score. Establishments may also request an adjudicatory hearing to contest their grade through the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings.
Consumers can look up the latest inspection results for any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database, available online at the NYC Open Data portal. Inspection grades are also required to be posted at the entrance of each food service establishment.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Chuanyue Bar including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.