Manhattan, NY — Earthbar, a juice, smoothie, and fruit salad bar at 344 Amsterdam Avenue on the Upper West Side, received a Grade C following a health inspection conducted on March 31, 2026. Inspectors documented a total of two violations — one critical and one non-critical — resulting in a score of 55, well above the 28-point threshold for a C grade. Inspection data was released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on April 13, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

The most serious violation recorded during the March inspection was Code 04L: evidence of mice or live mice in the establishment's food or non-food areas. This is classified as a critical violation under NYC health regulations, meaning it has the potential to directly contribute to foodborne illness or otherwise pose a significant public health risk.

Inspectors also cited a non-critical violation, Code 15-37, for failure to prominently post a required Smoke-Free Air Act (SFAA) workplace policy notice. While not a food safety concern, this is a regulatory requirement under New York State law and is subject to citation during routine inspections.

No order to close the establishment was issued as a result of this inspection. The violations were cited, and the restaurant continued operating under a Grade C designation.

Food Safety Context

Evidence of rodent activity in a food service establishment is among the violations inspectors treat with the most urgency. Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food service operators are required to maintain their premises free of pests and to take active measures to prevent pest entry, harborage, and infestation. The FDA Food Code similarly identifies rodent contamination as a significant hazard, as mice can carry pathogens including Salmonella and Listeria, and can contaminate food contact surfaces, equipment, and stored ingredients.

A single critical violation of this type carries a substantial point value in the DOHMH scoring system, which contributed significantly to Earthbar's score of 55 on this inspection cycle. Establishments are typically required to correct critical violations promptly and may be subject to re-inspection to verify compliance.

Inspection History

Earthbar's inspection record reflects ongoing challenges meeting the city's food safety standards. The March 31, 2026 inspection was not the establishment's first with a poor outcome:

  • January 7, 2026: Score 44 (Grade N)
  • March 31, 2026: Score 55 (Grade C)

The January 2026 inspection resulted in a Grade N designation. In the NYC grading system, a Grade N is assigned when an establishment is inspected for the first time in a new inspection cycle and scores above 13 points. The restaurant is then given an opportunity for a re-inspection before a letter grade is finalized. The March inspection represents the scored result that determined the current posted grade of C.

The January score of 44 was itself consistent with a C-range result, and the March score of 55 indicates the violations noted in the earlier inspection were not fully resolved by the time of the follow-up visit.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City requires all inspected restaurants to post their most recent letter grade in a visible location near the entrance. Grades are assigned based on the total score from a DOHMH inspection, where a lower score reflects fewer or less serious violations:

  • A: 0 to 13 points (passing; no grade card required beyond the A itself)
  • B: 14 to 27 points
  • C: 28 or more points

A Grade C is the lowest letter grade issued under this system. Establishments with a C grade may request an administrative hearing to contest violations, and are subject to continued oversight and re-inspection by DOHMH.

Consumers can look up current inspection scores, violation details, and grade history for any NYC restaurant through the DOHMH's public inspection database at nyc.gov/health. Inspection records are public and updated regularly as new data is released.

More About This Restaurant

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