Brooklyn, NY — El Comedor Restaurante, a Latin American restaurant located at 5621 5th Avenue in the Sunset Park neighborhood, was ordered closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following an inspection conducted April 28, 2026. The closure came after inspectors documented a critical food temperature control failure, resulting in a score of 59 — well within the C range under New York City's restaurant grading system.

Inspection data was released by DOHMH on April 30, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors cited two violations during the April 28 visit: one critical and one non-critical.

The critical violation, classified under Code 02H, cited improper cooling of temperature-controlled-for-safety (TCS) food. According to the violation, food that had been cooked or removed from hot holding was not being cooled using an approved method. NYC and federal food safety standards require that TCS foods be reduced from 140°F to 70°F within two hours, and then from 70°F to 41°F or below within an additional four hours. Failure to meet these thresholds creates conditions in which harmful bacteria, including Salmonella, Listeria, and Clostridium perfringens, can multiply to dangerous levels.

The non-critical violation, cited under Code 20-06, noted that the restaurant's current letter grade or Grade Pending card was not posted in a location visible to the public. NYC Health Code requires that grade cards be displayed prominently so that diners can make informed decisions before entering an establishment.

DOHMH noted that violations requiring immediate action were addressed on-site prior to or as a condition of reopening.

Food Safety Context

The cooling violation identified at El Comedor Restaurante is among the most commonly cited — and consequential — food safety failures in restaurant inspections. NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code both establish specific time-temperature parameters for cooling cooked food, recognizing that the period between 70°F and 41°F represents the range of greatest bacterial risk.

Improper cooling is a leading contributing factor in foodborne illness outbreaks linked to restaurant settings. When large batches of food — such as rice, beans, soups, or cooked meats common in Latin American cuisine — are not cooled rapidly and correctly, pathogens can proliferate even if the food is later reheated, because some bacterial toxins are heat-stable.

Approved cooling methods under the FDA Food Code include using shallow containers, ice baths, blast chillers, or ice paddles to accelerate the reduction of internal temperature. Inspectors are trained to verify that establishments have appropriate equipment and procedures in place to meet the required cooling curve.

Inspection History

El Comedor Restaurante has a mixed inspection record over the past several years, with the April 2026 closure representing a significant deterioration from earlier performance:

  • April 28, 2026: Score 59 (C), closed by DOHMH
  • 2025-08-22: Score 26 (Grade Z)
  • 2025-08-07: Score 51
  • 2024-03-13: Score 12 (Grade A)
  • 2023-05-31: Score 37

The restaurant earned a Grade A in March 2024 with a score of 12, indicating strong compliance at that time. However, scores climbed significantly through 2025, with an August 2025 inspection recording a score of 51, followed by a re-inspection just weeks later on August 22 that yielded a score of 26. The April 2026 inspection pushed the score to 59 and triggered the closure action.

Note: Grade Z designations are typically assigned when a restaurant does not receive a letter grade following an inspection cycle and the process remains pending.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's letter grade system, administered by DOHMH, assigns grades based on the point total accumulated during an unannounced inspection. Points are assigned for each violation, with more serious violations carrying higher point values:

  • Grade A: Score of 0–13 points — meets city food safety standards
  • Grade B: Score of 14–27 points — some violations identified
  • Grade C: Score of 28 or more points — multiple or serious violations found

A score of 59 places El Comedor Restaurante significantly above the C threshold. Restaurants that score in the C range are subject to re-inspection, and those with violations requiring immediate corrective action — such as the cooling failure documented here — may be ordered closed until conditions are addressed.

When a restaurant is closed by DOHMH, it may reopen only after a reinspection confirms that the conditions that triggered the closure have been corrected. The timeline for reinspection varies, but the restaurant is expected to remedy all cited violations before resuming operations.

Additional Resources

Consumers can look up inspection records for any NYC restaurant through the DOHMH's online database at the NYC Open Data portal or through the city's restaurant inspection search tool. Records include scores, violation codes, and the full inspection history for each establishment.

Anyone who believes they have experienced a foodborne illness linked to a restaurant in New York City can file a complaint with DOHMH at 311 or through the city's online reporting system.

More About This Restaurant

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