Manhattan, NY — Del Frisco's Grille, located at 200 Vesey Street in Lower Manhattan, received a Grade B score of 21 following a New York City health inspection conducted on March 2, 2026. The score represents a significant decline from the restaurant's recent history of Grade A results and places it in the upper range of the B category, just six points from the Grade C threshold.

The inspection data was released by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 4, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation during the inspection:

  • Cold TCS food held above 41°F. Time/temperature control for safety (TCS) foods — including smoked or processed fish, intact raw eggs, and reduced oxygen packaged foods — were found held above required temperatures outside of active necessary preparation. This violation falls under DOHMH code 02G.

No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection cycle. Despite only a single violation being cited, the critical nature of the cold-holding temperature issue resulted in a score of 21 points, placing the restaurant near the top of the Grade B range.

Food Safety Context

Cold-holding temperature violations are among the most significant food safety concerns identified during restaurant inspections. Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, TCS foods must be maintained at 41°F or below to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria such as Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli.

When cold foods are held above required temperatures, they enter what food safety professionals refer to as the "danger zone" — the temperature range between 41°F and 135°F where bacterial growth accelerates rapidly. The FDA Food Code notes that pathogens can double in number every 20 minutes under these conditions, increasing the risk of foodborne illness.

The fact that this single violation accounted for the restaurant's entire 21-point score reflects the weight DOHMH assigns to critical temperature control failures during inspections.

Inspection History

Del Frisco's Grille had maintained a consistent record of Grade A scores in recent inspection cycles:

  • May 21, 2024: Score 3, Grade A
  • Feb 17, 2023: Score 12, Grade A
  • Aug 2, 2022: Score 0, Grade A (perfect score)
  • Jul 25, 2022: Score 51

The March 2026 score of 21 marks the restaurant's first Grade B result in the available inspection history and represents its highest score since July 2022, when the establishment received a score of 51.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on violation points accumulated during inspections. Fewer points indicate fewer or less severe violations:

  • Grade A: 0–13 points
  • Grade B: 14–27 points
  • Grade C: 28 or more points

Del Frisco's Grille's score of 21 falls within the B range but is notably closer to the Grade C threshold of 28 than to the Grade A cutoff of 13. Restaurants receiving a B or C grade may request a re-inspection or adjudication hearing through the DOHMH Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings.

Consumers can view full inspection results for any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database or by checking the letter grade posted at the establishment's entrance, as required by city law.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Del Frisco's Grille including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.