Bronx, NY — Dragon King Restaurant, a Chinese restaurant located at 1270 Morrison Avenue in the Bronx, received a Grade C score of 38 points following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on March 4, 2026. Inspectors documented one critical violation related to food and supplies not being protected from potential sources of contamination.

What Inspectors Found

During the March 4 inspection, DOHMH inspectors cited Dragon King Restaurant for a critical violation under code 06C. Specifically, inspectors found 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.

This type of violation addresses a fundamental requirement of food safety operations. When food items, cooking supplies, or equipment are left exposed to environmental contaminants — whether from improper storage, cross-contact with raw materials, or unsanitary handling conditions — the risk of foodborne illness increases. The condiment-related portion of the citation indicates that shared or unprotected condiment containers were in use, which can facilitate the transfer of bacteria between customers.

No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection. The 38-point score resulted entirely from the weight assigned to the critical violation documented.

Food Safety Context

NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes the regulatory framework governing food service establishments in New York City. Under these regulations, all food service operators are required to protect food items from contamination at 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 regulations, similarly requires that food be protected from cross-contamination by separating raw and ready-to-eat items, storing food in covered containers, and ensuring that condiments are dispensed in a manner that prevents contamination between uses. Single-service condiment packets or pump-style dispensers are standard methods for meeting this requirement.

Food contamination violations are classified as critical because they represent conditions that can directly contribute to foodborne illness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, improper food handling and storage are among the leading contributing factors in foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States.

Inspection History

Dragon King Restaurant's inspection record shows a pattern of fluctuating scores over the past several years:

  • October 28, 2024: Score 12, Grade A
  • August 25, 2023: Score 23, Grade B
  • July 27, 2023: Score 35, No grade assigned

The March 2026 score of 38 represents the restaurant's highest point total in the available inspection history. The establishment had achieved its best recorded score of 12 points in October 2024, earning a Grade A designation. The current result marks a significant decline from that performance, moving the restaurant from the top grading tier to the lowest.

The July 2023 inspection, which produced a score of 35, did not have a grade assigned in the available data. The subsequent August 2023 re-inspection brought the score down to 23, earning a Grade B. This pattern of initial high scores followed by improvement on re-inspection has occurred previously for this establishment.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total points accumulated during an inspection. Points are assigned for each violation found, with critical violations carrying higher point values:

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

Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations and correspond to better grades. A Grade C designation indicates that an establishment accumulated 28 or more violation points during inspection. Restaurants receiving a Grade C may request a re-inspection or adjudication hearing through the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings.

This inspection was conducted on March 4, 2026, with data released by DOHMH on March 6, 2026. Inspection results reflect conditions observed at the time of the inspection and may not represent current conditions at the establishment.

Consumers can access the latest inspection results for any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database, available online at the NYC Open Data portal or by searching the establishment's name on the city's health department website.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Dragon King Restaurant including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.