Manhattan, NY — Five Iron Golf, the indoor golf and dining venue located at 1681 3rd Avenue on Manhattan's Upper East Side, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following an inspection conducted on April 15, 2026. Inspection data was released publicly by DOHMH on April 17, 2026.

The establishment received a score of 48, placing it in C-grade range under the city's standard grading scale. According to DOHMH records, one non-critical violation was cited during the inspection. The agency's closure notice states that violations requiring immediate action were addressed on-site.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors cited one violation during the April 15 visit:

Code 08A — The establishment was found to not be free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects, or other pests.

This violation falls under the non-critical category, meaning it does not present an immediate health hazard in the same classification as violations involving contaminated food or improper temperature control. However, the presence of pest-conducive conditions is considered a serious sanitation concern under city standards and can contribute significantly to an inspection score.

No critical violations were recorded during this inspection. The DOHMH closure action, combined with the notation that violations requiring immediate action were addressed during the visit, indicates that inspectors determined corrective steps were taken before the establishment could be cleared to reopen.

Food Safety Context

Pest harborage conditions — including gaps in walls or floors, standing debris, improperly stored food, or structural conditions that allow rodent or insect entry — are regulated under NYC Health Code Article 81, which governs all food service establishments operating in the five boroughs. The FDA Food Code similarly requires that food facilities be maintained free of pests and conditions that attract them, given the direct risk pests pose to food safety through contamination.

Under Article 81, inspectors are authorized to order an immediate closure when they determine that conditions at an establishment pose a public health hazard or when violations requiring immediate corrective action are present. The closure remains in effect until a reinspection confirms that the conditions have been resolved.

Pest harborage citations are among the more commonly issued violation codes in New York City restaurant inspections. Even in the absence of observed pests, conditions that facilitate pest activity — such as structural vulnerabilities, improperly sealed storage areas, or accumulated refuse — can result in significant point penalties under DOHMH's scoring methodology.

Inspection History

Five Iron Golf's inspection record on file with DOHMH shows the following prior inspections:

  • November 8, 2023: Score 9 (Grade A)
  • September 9, 2025: Score 24 (Grade B range)
  • April 15, 2026: Score 48 (Grade C range) — Closed by DOHMH

The November 2023 inspection resulted in a strong Grade A score of 9, indicating a generally compliant operation at that time. The September 2025 inspection produced a score of 24, placing the establishment in B-grade territory — a notable increase from the prior visit. The most recent April 2026 inspection represents a continued upward trend in point accumulation, resulting in both a C-grade score and a closure action.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City uses a letter grading system tied to numeric inspection scores. Under this system:

  • Grade A: Score of 0 to 13 points — meets or exceeds city standards
  • Grade B: Score of 14 to 27 points — some violations present, corrective action expected
  • Grade C: Score of 28 or more points — significant violations documented

Scores are calculated by assigning point values to each violation cited, with critical violations carrying higher point weights than non-critical ones. A score of 48, as recorded in this inspection, falls well within the C-grade threshold. Restaurants are required to post their most recent grade letter in a visible location at the entrance.

Following a closure, establishments must undergo a reinspection by DOHMH and demonstrate that the cited conditions have been corrected before they are permitted to resume operations. The timeline for reinspection varies based on inspector availability and the nature of the violations.

Resources

Current inspection grades and violation histories for all New York City food service establishments are available through the DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results database at the NYC Open Data portal. Consumers can search by restaurant name, address, or cuisine type. Complaints about food establishment conditions can be submitted to 311, either by phone or through the NYC 311 website.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Five Iron Golf including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.