Inspection conducted Nov 17, 2025 · Data released by DOHMH Feb 27, 2026
CRITICAL VIOLATIONS
Don't Call Me Shirley Cited for Critical Violations - Brooklyn
Published March 2, 2026 3:43 AM
346 FRANKLIN AVENUE, Brooklyn, NY 11238 · American
81
Violation Score A: 0-13 · B: 14-27 · C: 28+
Brooklyn, NY — Don't Call Me Shirley, an American restaurant located at 346 Franklin Avenue in Brooklyn, received a score of 81 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection, placing it well above the 28-point threshold for a Grade C rating. The inspection, conducted on November 17, 2025, identified one critical violation related to food contamination protection and one non-critical violation concerning required posted signage.
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The inspection data was released by DOHMH on February 27, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
The most significant finding was a critical violation cited under DOHMH code 06C. Inspectors documented that food, supplies, or equipment were not adequately protected from potential sources of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service. The citation also noted that condiments were not provided in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor. Under FDA Food Code guidelines, food must be protected from contamination at all stages of handling, and condiment service methods must prevent cross-contamination between customers.
Additionally, inspectors identified a non-critical violation under code 20-04. The establishment was cited for not posting required signage, including the "Choking first aid" poster and the "Alcohol and Pregnancy" warning sign. The restaurant was also noted as lacking the required resuscitation equipment posting, which should indicate the availability of exhaled air resuscitation masks for both adults and pediatric patients, along with latex gloves.
While the non-critical violation pertains to signage and safety equipment requirements rather than direct food handling, the critical violation raises food safety concerns that DOHMH considers a potential risk to public health.
Food Safety Context
NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes the regulatory framework for food service establishments in New York City. Under these regulations, all food service operators are required to protect food items from contamination throughout every stage of handling — from receiving and storage through preparation and service to customers.
The FDA Food Code, which serves as the model for many local health codes nationwide, specifies that food contact surfaces, utensils, and food items themselves must be shielded from environmental contaminants, improper handling, and cross-contamination. Condiment handling is specifically addressed because shared, unprotected condiment containers can serve as vectors for bacterial transmission between patrons.
A score of 81 points represents a significant accumulation of violation points. For context, a Grade A requires a score between 0 and 13 points, meaning the restaurant's score exceeded the top grade threshold by 68 points.
Inspection History
No prior inspection history is available in the DOHMH public database for this establishment. This may indicate that the November 2025 inspection was the restaurant's initial inspection cycle, or that previous records are not yet reflected in the publicly available dataset.
The action recorded for this inspection was that violations were cited in the noted areas. No closure order was documented in the available data for this inspection cycle.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on the total violation points recorded during health inspections. The grading scale is as follows:
Grade A: 0 to 13 points — indicates minimal or no violations
Grade C: 28 or more points — indicates significant violations documented
Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection are entitled to a re-inspection, during which the establishment has the opportunity to correct cited violations and potentially improve its score. Restaurants may also request an adjudicatory hearing to contest inspection findings through the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings.
All New York City restaurant inspection results are public record and are available through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database. Consumers can verify current grades and review detailed inspection histories for any food service establishment in the city by visiting the NYC Open Data portal or the DOHMH website.
Don't Call Me Shirley is located at 346 Franklin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238. The establishment's current inspection status and any subsequent re-inspection results can be reviewed through official DOHMH channels.
CRITICAL Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor. (Code 06C)
CRITICAL Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor. (Code 06C)
Non-Critical “Choking first aid” poster not posted. “Alcohol and Pregnancy” warning sign not posted. Resuscitation equipment: exhaled air resuscitation masks (adult & pediatric), latex gloves, sign not posted. (Code 20-04)
CRITICAL Food contact surface, refillable, reusable containers, or equipment improperly constructed, placed or maintained. Unacceptable material used. Culinary sink or other acceptable method not provided for washing food. (Code 05C)
Non-Critical Non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit. (Code 10F)
Non-Critical Food allergy information poster not conspicuously posted where food is being prepared or processed by food workers. (Code 20-01)
Non-Critical Food allergy information poster not conspicuously posted where food is being prepared or processed by food workers. (Code 20-01)
Non-Critical “Choking first aid” poster not posted. “Alcohol and Pregnancy” warning sign not posted. Resuscitation equipment: exhaled air resuscitation masks (adult & pediatric), latex gloves, sign not posted. (Code 20-04)
Non-Critical Failure to post or conspicuously post healthy eating information (Code 20-08)
Non-Critical Non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit. (Code 10F)
Non-Critical “Choking first aid” poster not posted. “Alcohol and Pregnancy” warning sign not posted. Resuscitation equipment: exhaled air resuscitation masks (adult & pediatric), latex gloves, sign not posted. (Code 20-04)
CRITICAL Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor. (Code 06C)
Non-Critical Dishwashing and ware washing: Cleaning and sanitizing of tableware, including dishes, utensils, and equipment deficient. (Code 10G)
CRITICAL No hand washing facility in or adjacent to toilet room or within 25 feet of a food preparation, food service or ware washing area. Hand washing facility not accessible, obstructed or used for non-hand washing purposes. No hot and cold running water or water at inadequate pressure. No soap or acceptable hand-drying device. (Code 05D)
Non-Critical Anti-siphonage or back-flow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly. Condensation or liquid waste improperly disposed of. (Code 10B)
Non-Critical Failure to post or conspicuously post healthy eating information (Code 20-08)
Non-Critical “Choking first aid” poster not posted. “Alcohol and Pregnancy” warning sign not posted. Resuscitation equipment: exhaled air resuscitation masks (adult & pediatric), latex gloves, sign not posted. (Code 20-04)
Non-Critical “Choking first aid” poster not posted. “Alcohol and Pregnancy” warning sign not posted. Resuscitation equipment: exhaled air resuscitation masks (adult & pediatric), latex gloves, sign not posted. (Code 20-04)
Non-Critical Anti-siphonage or back-flow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly. Condensation or liquid waste improperly disposed of. (Code 10B)
Non-Critical Dishwashing and ware washing: Cleaning and sanitizing of tableware, including dishes, utensils, and equipment deficient. (Code 10G)
Non-Critical Anti-siphonage or back-flow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly. Condensation or liquid waste improperly disposed of. (Code 10B)
CRITICAL Food contact surface, refillable, reusable containers, or equipment improperly constructed, placed or maintained. Unacceptable material used. Culinary sink or other acceptable method not provided for washing food. (Code 05C)
Non-Critical Failure to post or conspicuously post healthy eating information (Code 20-08)
CRITICAL Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor. (Code 06C)
Non-Critical Food allergy information poster not conspicuously posted where food is being prepared or processed by food workers. (Code 20-01)
CRITICAL No hand washing facility in or adjacent to toilet room or within 25 feet of a food preparation, food service or ware washing area. Hand washing facility not accessible, obstructed or used for non-hand washing purposes. No hot and cold running water or water at inadequate pressure. No soap or acceptable hand-drying device. (Code 05D)
CRITICAL Properly scaled and calibrated thermometer or thermocouple not provided or not readily accessible in food preparation and hot/cold holding areas to measure temperatures of TCS foods during cooking, cooling, reheating, and holding. (Code 04J)
Non-Critical Non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit. (Code 10F)
Non-Critical “Choking first aid” poster not posted. “Alcohol and Pregnancy” warning sign not posted. Resuscitation equipment: exhaled air resuscitation masks (adult & pediatric), latex gloves, sign not posted. (Code 20-04)
Data Source: This report is based on official public inspection data from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), released under the NYC Open Data program.
Editorial Process: Content generated using AI (Claude) to synthesize official inspection data into accessible reporting, then reviewed and verified for accuracy by our editorial team.
Professional Review: All content undergoes standards and compliance oversight by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal, through Twin Digital Media's regulatory data auditing protocols.
Regulatory References: NYC Health Code Article 81, FDA Food Code (2022). NYC Restaurant Inspections is an independent public data reporting service. We are not affiliated with the City of New York.
| Last verified: March 13, 2026 | Our methodology
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