Brooklyn, NY — Fritz Cocktail Bar, a tapas establishment at 737 Fulton Street in Brooklyn, received a score of 24 points on its most recent health inspection conducted on March 11, 2026, placing it in the Grade B range. The score represents a significant decline from the restaurant's prior Grade A ratings and falls just three points below the Grade C threshold of 28.

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) identified two critical violations during the inspection. No non-critical violations were recorded.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented two critical food safety violations at the establishment:

The first citation, under violation code 05D, noted the absence of an accessible hand washing facility in or adjacent to the toilet room or within 25 feet of food preparation, food service, or ware washing areas. The violation also referenced issues with hand washing facilities being obstructed, lacking hot and cold running water at adequate pressure, or missing soap and acceptable hand-drying devices.

The second critical violation, under code 04C, cited food workers for not using utensils or other barriers to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment. This violation is significant because direct hand-to-food contact increases the risk of transmitting foodborne pathogens when the food is not subsequently cooked to temperatures sufficient to eliminate bacteria.

Food Safety Context

Both violations relate to fundamental food safety principles outlined in NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code. Hand hygiene is considered one of the most effective measures for preventing the transmission of foodborne illness. The FDA Food Code specifically prohibits bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods and requires that hand washing facilities be conveniently accessible to food workers at all times during operations.

A score of 24 places Fritz Cocktail Bar in the upper range of Grade B, which spans 14 to 27 points. At just three points from a Grade C designation, the score indicates conditions that DOHMH considers to require notable improvement.

Inspection History

Fritz Cocktail Bar's prior inspection record shows consistently lower scores before this most recent visit:

  • Sep 25, 2024: Score 11 (Grade A)
  • Feb 2, 2023: Score 11 (Grade A)
  • Dec 1, 2022: Score 20

The March 2026 score of 24 represents the highest point total recorded for the establishment in the available inspection history. The previous inspections in 2023 and 2024 both resulted in scores of 11, well within the Grade A range.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on inspection scores under the following system:

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

Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations. Restaurants receiving a Grade B or C may request a re-inspection or adjudication hearing through the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings.

This inspection was conducted on March 11, 2026, with data released by DOHMH on March 13, 2026. Inspection results reflect conditions observed at the time of the visit. Consumers can verify current restaurant grades and inspection details through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database at NYC.gov or by checking the grade card posted at the establishment.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Fritz Cocktail Bar including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.