Queens, NY — Flaming Grill, an American restaurant located at 35-07 Ditmars Boulevard in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, received a score of 35 during a health inspection conducted on February 17, 2026. The score places the restaurant in Grade C territory, representing a notable decline from its most recent Grade A rating in October 2024.
The inspection data was released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on February 20, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
During the February 2026 inspection, inspectors identified one critical violation at the establishment:
Hot TCS food not held at or above 140 °F (Violation Code 02B) — Inspectors documented that hot Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) food items were not being maintained at the required minimum temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. TCS foods include items such as cooked meats, poultry, seafood, dairy products, cooked vegetables, and other foods that are prone to bacterial growth when held in the temperature danger zone between 41°F and 140°F.
No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.
Food Safety Context
Temperature control is one of the most fundamental components of food safety management. Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, food service establishments are required to maintain hot TCS foods at 140°F or above at all times during holding. When hot foods fall below this threshold, they enter what food safety professionals refer to as the "temperature danger zone" — the range between 41°F and 140°F — where harmful bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Clostridium perfringens can multiply rapidly.
According to the FDA Food Code, bacteria can double in number every 20 minutes when food is held in this temperature range. The 140°F minimum for hot holding is established specifically to prevent the growth of these pathogens to levels that could cause foodborne illness.
The critical nature of this violation reflects the direct risk it poses to consumer health. Hot holding failures can result from equipment malfunction, improper use of holding equipment, food being prepared too far in advance of service, or insufficient monitoring by kitchen staff.
Inspection History
The February 2026 result represents a significant change from Flaming Grill's recent inspection record:
- October 15, 2024: Score 12 (Grade A)
- April 3, 2023: Score 26 (No grade recorded)
The restaurant's previous inspection in October 2024 resulted in a score of 12, well within the Grade A range. The April 2023 inspection produced a score of 26, which fell just below the Grade C threshold of 28 points. The current score of 35 is the highest recorded for the establishment in the available inspection history.
It should be noted that inspection scores reflect conditions observed on the specific date of the inspection and may not represent the restaurant's day-to-day operations. Restaurants have the opportunity to request a re-inspection or adjudicate violations through the DOHMH administrative tribunal process.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total violation points recorded during an inspection. Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations:
- Grade A: 0–13 points
- Grade B: 14–27 points
- Grade C: 28 or more points
A Grade C score indicates that inspectors found violations totaling 28 or more points during the inspection cycle. Restaurants receiving initial scores in the B or C range are typically scheduled for a re-inspection, during which the establishment has the opportunity to demonstrate corrected conditions and potentially earn a lower score.
Restaurants may also contest violations through the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH), where an administrative law judge reviews the cited violations.
Consumers can look up the full inspection history for any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database, available online. The database provides detailed records of violations, scores, and grades for all inspected food service establishments across the five boroughs.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Flaming Grill including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.