Queens, NY — El Encebollado De Victor 5, a Spanish restaurant located at 79-09 Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights, received a score of 31 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on February 21, 2026. The score places the establishment in Grade C territory, the lowest grade issued under the city's restaurant grading system.
The inspection identified one critical violation related to tobacco or electronic cigarette use in food handling areas. The inspection data was released by DOHMH on February 23, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
During the February 21 inspection, DOHMH inspectors documented a single critical violation at the Roosevelt Avenue establishment. The violation, cited under code 06B, involved tobacco or electronic cigarette use, eating, or drinking from an open container in food preparation, food storage, or dishwashing areas.
While this was the only violation recorded during the inspection, the critical nature of the finding contributed to a score of 31 points — enough to place the restaurant in Grade C range. Under DOHMH scoring, critical violations carry higher point values than general violations, reflecting the increased risk they pose to public health.
No non-critical violations were documented during the inspection. The action recorded by DOHMH noted that violations were cited in the listed area.
Food Safety Context
The prohibition against tobacco use, e-cigarette use, eating, and drinking in food preparation and storage areas is a foundational food safety requirement under both NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code. These regulations exist to prevent contamination of food and food-contact surfaces.
Tobacco and e-cigarette use in food handling areas introduces multiple contamination risks. Ash, saliva, and particulate matter from smoking or vaping can come into contact with food, utensils, or preparation surfaces. Additionally, the act of handling tobacco products or e-cigarettes and then touching food without proper handwashing creates a cross-contamination pathway.
The FDA Food Code specifically prohibits food employees from using any form of tobacco in food preparation, food service, and warewashing areas. New York City's Health Code mirrors these standards, and violations of this nature are classified as critical because of the direct risk to consumer health.
Inspection History
No prior inspection history is available for El Encebollado De Victor 5 in the DOHMH public database. This may indicate that the February 21, 2026 inspection was the establishment's initial inspection, or that historical records are not yet reflected in the publicly available dataset.
Without prior inspection data, it is not possible to compare the current score against previous performance or identify trends in compliance.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total number of violation points recorded during an inspection. Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations:
- A: 0–13 points — The highest grade, indicating strong compliance with health regulations
- B: 14–27 points — A moderate score indicating some violations were found
- C: 28 or more points — The lowest grade, indicating significant violations were documented
El Encebollado De Victor 5's score of 31 falls into the Grade C category. Restaurants that receive a B or C grade on an initial inspection have the option to request a re-inspection, during which only the re-inspection grade is posted. Establishments may also contest their grades through an adjudication process at the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH).
Grade cards are required to be posted at the restaurant entrance where they are visible to the public. Consumers can verify any restaurant's current grade and inspection history through the DOHMH website or the NYC Open Data portal.
All inspection data referenced in this article is sourced from publicly available DOHMH records. Residents and visitors can search inspection results for any New York City restaurant at the DOHMH Restaurant Grades website. For questions about food safety or to report a concern, contact 311 or visit nyc.gov/health.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for El Encebollado De Victor 5 including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.