Manhattan, NY — Chubby Cattle Bbq, a Japanese restaurant located at 206 Spring Street in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood, received a score of 21 following a health inspection conducted on March 19, 2026, placing it near the upper boundary of the Grade B range. The inspection data was released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 23, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation during the March inspection. The cited violation, Code 06D, noted that food contact surfaces were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized after each use and following activities when contamination may have occurred.

Food contact surfaces — including cutting boards, prep counters, utensils, and equipment that directly contacts food — require regular and thorough sanitation under food safety standards. A failure to maintain this process creates conditions where cross-contamination between raw and ready-to-eat foods can occur.

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 maintain rigorous sanitation protocols for all surfaces and equipment that come into contact with food. These requirements align with the FDA Food Code, which identifies improper sanitation of food contact surfaces as a significant contributing factor to foodborne illness.

A score of 21 falls within the Grade B band but sits at the higher end of that range. With the Grade C threshold beginning at 28 points, the restaurant's current score leaves limited margin before additional violations in future inspections could result in a lower grade designation. Establishments have the opportunity to correct cited conditions and request re-inspection, which can affect their posted grade.

Inspection History

The March 2026 inspection was not the restaurant's first with elevated scores. The prior inspection record shows a pattern of scores in the Grade B range:

  • November 6, 2025: Score 22 (Grade Z — grade pending re-inspection)
  • October 23, 2025: Score 96

The October 2025 score of 96 is notably high, indicating a substantial number of violations were identified at that time. The Grade Z designation recorded in November 2025 reflects a score that fell in a range requiring a re-inspection before a final letter grade could be posted.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system converts inspection scores into letter grades posted publicly at each establishment. The scoring system works as follows:

  • A: 0–13 points (lowest violation severity)
  • B: 14–27 points
  • C: 28 or more points

Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations. Grades are required to be displayed prominently at restaurant entrances so that diners can review them before entering.

Inspection records for all New York City restaurants are publicly available through the DOHMH restaurant inspection search tool at nyc.gov. Consumers can review full violation details, scores, and grade history for any permitted food service establishment in the five boroughs.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Chubby Cattle Bbq including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.