Manhattan, NY — Ellington In The Park, an American restaurant located at W105 Hudson Beach, received a score of 75 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene inspection conducted on October 5, 2023, placing it in Grade C territory. The inspection identified 13 critical violations and 11 non-critical violations across multiple food safety categories.

What Inspectors Found

The most significant findings centered on pest activity and sanitation failures throughout the establishment.

Inspectors documented evidence of mice in both food and non-food areas of the restaurant, a critical violation cited three times under Code 04L. Mouse activity in areas where food is stored, prepared, or served poses a direct risk of contamination and is among the most serious findings in any food service inspection.

Filth flies — including house flies, blow flies, fruit flies, drain flies, and Phorid flies — were also cited as present in the establishment's food and non-food areas. This violation, recorded under Code 04N, was documented three times during the same inspection.

Food contact surface sanitation was cited as deficient on multiple counts. Inspectors recorded violations under Code 06D — indicating that food contact surfaces were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized after use or following activities where contamination may have occurred — twice during the inspection. Code 06E, covering the improper use or storage of sanitized equipment and utensils, was cited three times.

Additionally, inspectors noted that the establishment lacked an approved written standard operating procedure for avoiding contamination by refillable returnable containers, a critical requirement under Code 05H, which was cited twice.

Non-critical violations included conditions described as a nuisance under Code 28-01 — cited six times — as well as inadequate drainage or anti-siphonage devices (Code 10B), harborage conditions conducive to pests (Code 08A, cited twice), and non-food contact surfaces made of unacceptable materials or not kept clean (Code 10F, cited twice).

Food Safety Context

Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, food service establishments are required to maintain active pest management programs and to eliminate conditions that allow pests to enter or harbor within a facility. The simultaneous presence of rodents and multiple fly species indicates deficiencies in both structural maintenance and sanitation practices.

FDA Food Code standards require that food contact surfaces be cleaned and sanitized after each use and whenever contamination may have occurred. Failure to meet this standard creates conditions that can allow pathogens to transfer to food served to customers.

The Code 05H violations — related to refillable and returnable containers — reflect a regulatory requirement that establishments document procedures to prevent cross-contamination from containers that re-enter the food service environment. Written standard operating procedures are mandated to ensure consistent staff compliance.

The data from this inspection was released by the DOHMH on January 1, 2026, more than two years after the inspection was conducted on October 5, 2023. Readers should consult the DOHMH's current inspection database for the most up-to-date compliance status of this establishment.

Inspection History

No prior inspection history is available in the DOHMH public dataset for this establishment.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's letter grading system translates inspection scores into posted grades as follows:

  • A: Score of 0–13 points (fewest violations)
  • B: Score of 14–27 points
  • C: Score of 28 or more points (most violations)

A lower score reflects fewer or less severe violations. A score of 75 places Ellington In The Park well above the threshold for a Grade C, which is the lowest letter grade issued under the current system.

Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection may request a re-inspection, at which point they will be graded on the follow-up results. Grade cards are required to be posted in a visible location at the entrance of every NYC food service establishment.

For current inspection records, visit the NYC DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results database at the NYC Open Data portal. Consumers can also search inspection history through the city's Environmental Health restaurant lookup tool.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Ellington In The Park including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.