Queens, NY — El Rey, a Mexican restaurant located at 25-21 Astoria Boulevard in Astoria, received a score of 32 during a New York City health inspection conducted on February 6, 2026, placing it in Grade C territory. Inspectors documented two critical violations, including concerns about shellfish sourcing and the absence of a valid Food Protection Certificate among management staff.

The inspection data was released by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on February 9, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

The February 6 inspection identified two critical violations at the establishment:

Shellfish sourcing and documentation issues. Inspectors cited El Rey under violation code 03B for shellfish that was not from an approved source, was not properly tagged or labeled, or for failure to retain shellfish tags for the required 90-day period. NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code require that all shellfish served in restaurants be traceable to approved and certified sources. Shellfish tags must be retained for 90 days to allow health authorities to trace products back to their harvest location in the event of a foodborne illness outbreak. This traceability requirement exists because shellfish are considered a high-risk food item particularly susceptible to contamination from the waters in which they are harvested.

Missing Food Protection Certificate. The restaurant was also cited under violation code 04A for not having a manager or supervisor of food operations who holds a valid Food Protection Certificate (FPC). New York City requires that at least one supervisory staff member at every food service establishment hold a current FPC, which demonstrates knowledge of safe food handling practices, proper temperatures, cross-contamination prevention, and allergen awareness. This certificate is obtained by passing a DOHMH-approved food safety course and examination.

No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.

Food Safety Context

The shellfish traceability requirement is one of the more stringent provisions in food safety regulation, reflecting the elevated risk associated with these products. The FDA Food Code classifies shellfish as a potentially hazardous food that requires strict temperature control and sourcing verification. Shellfish harvested from contaminated waters can carry pathogens including Vibrio, norovirus, and hepatitis A.

Under NYC Health Code Article 81, the Food Protection Certificate requirement ensures that at least one person in a supervisory role at each establishment has demonstrated competency in food safety principles. The absence of a certified supervisor can indicate gaps in food safety oversight, including temperature monitoring, sanitation procedures, and proper food storage practices.

A score of 32 places El Rey in the Grade C range. Each violation carries a specific point value, and the accumulation of points from the two critical violations resulted in the total score exceeding the 28-point threshold for Grade C.

Inspection History

El Rey's prior inspection record shows the restaurant had previously maintained scores within the Grade A range:

  • September 19, 2024: Score 13 (Grade A)
  • April 27, 2023: Score 11 (Grade A)
  • March 25, 2022: Score 17

The February 2026 score of 32 represents a notable departure from the restaurant's recent inspection performance. Restaurants that receive initial scores in the Grade B or C range are typically scheduled for a re-inspection, during which they have the opportunity to correct cited violations and potentially achieve a lower score.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system assigns letter grades based on the total number of violation points documented during an inspection:

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

Restaurants that score a B or C on an initial inspection receive a "Grade Pending" card and are scheduled for a re-inspection. The final posted grade is based on the better score between the initial inspection and the re-inspection.

Consumers can look up any restaurant's inspection history through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database, available online at the NYC Open Data portal. All inspection results are public record and are updated as new data becomes available.

More About This Restaurant

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