Brooklyn, NY — Empire Express Chinese Restaurant, located at 319 9th Street in Brooklyn, received a score of 29 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on February 12, 2026. The score places the restaurant in Grade C territory, the lowest passing grade in New York City's restaurant grading system.
The inspection identified two non-critical violations related to plumbing and drainage systems as well as single-service article handling. The inspection data was released by DOHMH on February 16, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
During the February 12 inspection, DOHMH inspectors documented two non-critical violations at the Park Slope-area restaurant.
The first violation, cited under code 10B, involved anti-siphonage or back-flow prevention devices not being provided where required. Inspectors also noted that equipment or floors were not properly drained, and that condensation or liquid waste was being improperly disposed of. Back-flow prevention devices are essential components of a restaurant's plumbing infrastructure, designed to prevent contaminated water from flowing backward into the clean water supply. Improper drainage can lead to standing water, which creates conditions conducive to pest activity and bacterial growth.
The second violation, cited under code 10H, related to single-service articles — items such as disposable cups, plates, utensils, and drinking straws that are intended for one-time use. Inspectors found that single-service articles were either not provided, were being reused, or were not adequately protected from contamination during transportation, storage, or dispensing. Additionally, drinking straws were not completely enclosed in wrappers or dispensed from a sanitary device. Single-service items that are improperly stored or reused can become vectors for cross-contamination between customers.
No critical violations were documented during this inspection. Under DOHMH guidelines, critical violations are those that are most likely to contribute to foodborne illness, such as improper food temperatures, evidence of mice or roaches, or inadequate handwashing facilities.
Food Safety Context
New York City's restaurant inspection program operates under NYC Health Code Article 81, which establishes sanitation standards for all food service establishments in the five boroughs. The inspection scoring system assigns point values to each violation based on severity, with higher scores indicating more violations or more serious conditions.
The plumbing and drainage requirements cited in this inspection align with standards established in the FDA Food Code, which serves as a model for state and local food safety regulations nationwide. Proper plumbing infrastructure is considered a foundational element of food safety, as compromised water systems can introduce contaminants into food preparation areas.
Single-service article requirements are similarly rooted in contamination prevention principles. The FDA Food Code specifies that single-service items must be stored in their original protective packaging until dispensed and must not be reused, as they are not designed to withstand the cleaning and sanitization processes required for multi-use items.
DOHMH noted that violations were cited and documented during this inspection. The restaurant was not closed as a result of the inspection findings.
Inspection History
No prior inspection history is available for Empire Express Chinese Restaurant in the DOHMH public database. This may indicate that the February 2026 inspection was the establishment's first recorded cycle inspection, or that prior records are not currently reflected in the publicly available dataset.
Without historical data, it is not possible to identify trends in the restaurant's compliance record. Future inspections will provide additional context for evaluating the establishment's ongoing adherence to health code standards.
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:
- Grade A: 0 to 13 points — indicates minimal or no violations
- Grade B: 14 to 27 points — indicates moderate violations
- Grade C: 28 or more points — indicates more significant violations documented
Empire Express Chinese Restaurant's score of 29 falls just above the Grade C threshold. Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection are entitled to a re-inspection, during which they have the opportunity to correct cited violations and potentially receive a lower score.
All restaurant inspection results, including scores, grades, and specific violations, are public record and available through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database. Consumers can search inspection histories by restaurant name, address, or borough at the NYC Open Data portal or through the DOHMH website.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Empire Express Chinese Restaurant including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.