New York, NY — Two Brooklyn restaurants received Grade B inspection scores on March 23, 2026, according to New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene records. With an average score of 19.5 points, both establishments fell within the Grade B range, indicating documented violations requiring correction but not posing an immediate public health hazard.

The Inspections

The Last Call, a Japanese restaurant located at 588 Grand Street in Williamsburg, received a score of 20 points during its March 23 inspection. Inspectors cited two categories of violations at the establishment. The first involved pesticide handling: the restaurant was found to have pesticide that was either not properly labeled or applied by an unlicensed individual, along with improper use or storage of pesticides or other toxic chemicals. Under NYC Health Code Article 81, pesticide application in food service establishments must be performed by a licensed pest control operator using approved products stored and labeled in compliance with state and federal guidelines. The second violation involved non-food contact surfaces — specifically, equipment or surfaces made of unacceptable materials, not kept sufficiently clean, or not properly sealed or raised. Such surfaces can harbor bacteria and complicate effective sanitation practices if left unaddressed.

Lao Jie Hotpot, an Asian/Asian Fusion restaurant at 2314 86th Street in the Bensonhurst neighborhood, received a score of 19 points. Inspectors recorded a single violation: the establishment was found to not be free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects, or other pests. This type of citation — among the most commonly recorded in NYC restaurant inspections — refers to structural or environmental conditions that may attract or shelter pests, such as gaps in walls or flooring, improperly stored materials, or drainage issues. The violation does not necessarily indicate an active infestation, but rather conditions that inspectors identified as requiring remediation under NYC Health Code Section 81.22.

Common Patterns

The two inspections on this date reflect two of the most frequently cited violation categories in New York City restaurant health inspections. Pest-related conditions, including both harborage conditions and improper pesticide use, consistently rank among the top violation types citywide. Both restaurants operate in the Asian cuisine category — one Japanese, one Asian/Asian Fusion — though the violations documented are not specific to any cuisine type and are commonly recorded across all restaurant categories throughout the five boroughs.

Geographically, the two establishments are located in distinct Brooklyn neighborhoods: Williamsburg, a densely populated area in northwestern Brooklyn with a high concentration of food service establishments, and Bensonhurst, a residential neighborhood in southwestern Brooklyn with a significant number of family-operated Asian restaurants. Neither neighborhood showed a concentrated cluster of violations on this date, as the two cited restaurants represent isolated inspection results rather than a broader pattern within a specific area.

What This Means for Diners

A Grade B does not mean a restaurant is unsafe to visit. Under the NYC restaurant grading system, a Grade B reflects violations that have been identified and must be corrected, but that do not constitute an imminent threat to public health. Restaurants that receive a score in the B range are given the opportunity to correct violations and may request a re-inspection, at which point a new grade is issued.

Both The Last Call and Lao Jie Hotpot would have received a Grade Pending card at the time of inspection, which is displayed while the restaurant either corrects violations and is re-inspected or decides to post the Grade B. Diners can check the current posted grade at any NYC restaurant entrance, where a letter grade card is required to be displayed in a window visible from the street.

Current inspection records for any NYC restaurant are publicly available through the NYC Department of Health's online restaurant inspection results tool, as well as through sites like NYCRestaurantInspections.com, which aggregates and presents the data in a searchable format.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system, in place since 2010, assigns letter grades based on the total point value of violations recorded during an unannounced inspection:

  • Grade A: 0–13 points — the establishment met or nearly met all standards
  • Grade B: 14–27 points — violations were found and must be corrected
  • Grade C: 28 or more points — more serious or numerous violations were recorded

Each violation is assigned a point value based on its severity and the risk it poses to public health. Critical violations — those with a direct connection to foodborne illness risk, such as improper food temperatures or the presence of pests — carry higher point values than general violations related to record-keeping, facility maintenance, or equipment condition.

Inspections are unannounced and conducted by trained Health Department inspectors. Restaurants that score in the B or C range during an initial inspection are typically re-inspected within 30 to 45 days. The grade displayed at a restaurant reflects the most recent scored inspection.

For more information or to look up inspection records for a specific restaurant, visit the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's restaurant inspection results database or browse borough-specific results at NYCRestaurantInspections.com.