Brooklyn, NY — Dragon King, a Chinese restaurant at 677 5th Avenue in Brooklyn, received a Grade B score of 23 following a health inspection conducted on February 26, 2026. The score places the restaurant in the upper range of the Grade B bracket, just four points below the Grade C threshold of 28.
The inspection identified one critical violation and no non-critical violations. The data was released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 3, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
Inspectors documented a single critical violation related to improper cold food storage temperatures. Specifically, cold time/temperature control for safety (TCS) food items were found held above 41°F, the maximum temperature permitted under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code.
This violation category (Code 02G) covers a range of cold-holding requirements, including smoked or processed fish held above 38°F, intact raw eggs held above 45°F, and reduced oxygen packaged TCS foods held above their required temperatures. The citation indicates that one or more of these temperature thresholds was exceeded outside of active food preparation.
Cold-holding violations are classified as critical because temperatures above established safety limits allow harmful bacteria to multiply rapidly, increasing the risk of foodborne illness. The FDA Food Code identifies the range between 41°F and 135°F as the "danger zone" for bacterial growth.
Food Safety Context
Under NYC Health Code Article 81, all food service establishments are required to maintain TCS foods at or below 41°F during cold storage. The FDA Food Code reinforces these standards at the federal level, emphasizing that proper temperature control is one of the most important factors in preventing foodborne illness.
A single critical violation can carry significant point weight in New York City's inspection scoring system. That Dragon King's score reached 23 from this one violation indicates the severity assigned to temperature control failures in the DOHMH scoring framework.
Inspection History
Dragon King's prior inspection record shows a previous score within the Grade A range:
- 2024-08-20: Score 13 (Grade A)
The current Grade B score of 23 represents a 10-point increase from the restaurant's previous inspection. The shift from Grade A to Grade B reflects a notable change in compliance status, particularly given that the prior inspection placed the restaurant just one point below the Grade A maximum of 13.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on inspection scores under the DOHMH grading system:
- A: 0–13 points (fewest violations)
- B: 14–27 points
- C: 28 or more points
Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations. Dragon King's score of 23 falls in the upper portion of the Grade B range. Restaurants receiving a Grade B or C on an initial inspection may request a re-inspection for the opportunity to improve their score.
Consumers can look up any restaurant's inspection history, including specific violations and scores, through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database available online. Grade cards are required to be posted at the entrance of each establishment.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Dragon King including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.