New York, NY — Two Brooklyn restaurants received Grade B inspection scores from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene on April 3, 2026, with scores ranging from 16 to 19 points. Both establishments fell into the Grade B range, indicating violations that require correction but do not represent an immediate public health emergency.

The Inspections

Pizza Hut, located at 8925 Avenue D in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn, received a score of 19 during its April 3 inspection. Inspectors documented critical violations related to personal cleanliness standards, specifically noting that outer garments were soiled with possible contaminants and that effective hair restraints were not being worn by food workers. Under New York City Health Code Article 81 and FDA Food Code guidelines, food service workers are required to maintain proper personal hygiene and use hair restraints to prevent contamination of food and food-contact surfaces. A critical violation designation means the issue carries a direct or indirect risk of foodborne illness if left unaddressed. The restaurant's grade is currently listed as Pending, as is standard when an establishment is in the process of scoring or re-inspection.

At Happy Fun Hideaway, an American cuisine restaurant at 1211 Myrtle Avenue in the Bushwick neighborhood, inspectors recorded a score of 16. The violation cited involved non-food contact surfaces or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, or spaced. While this type of violation is generally classified as non-critical, it still represents a condition that must be corrected to meet sanitary standards. Like its counterpart in Canarsie, Happy Fun Hideaway's grade is currently listed as Pending.

Common Patterns

Both inspections on this date involved violations in the category of sanitation and cleanliness practices, though they differed in type. Pizza Hut's violations centered on personal hygiene, a recurring concern in food service environments where direct food handling occurs. Happy Fun Hideaway's citation addressed equipment and surface maintenance, a structural category of violation that often points to cleaning protocols or physical facility conditions needing attention.

Geographically, the two restaurants represent distinct Brooklyn neighborhoods. Avenue D in Canarsie sits in southeastern Brooklyn, while Myrtle Avenue in Bushwick is in the northwestern part of the borough, reflecting that Grade B outcomes are not concentrated in any single corridor. Cuisine-wise, both establishments serve accessible, high-volume food — pizza and American fare — categories where consistent hygiene practices across staff are especially important given the pace of service.

What This Means for Diners

A Grade B score does not mean a restaurant has been ordered to close or poses an active danger to customers. Under the NYC restaurant grading system, a score of 14 to 27 points results in a Grade B, which indicates violations were found but do not rise to the level of an immediate public health hazard. Restaurants receiving a B have the option to request a re-inspection, at which point they may earn a higher grade if violations have been corrected.

Diners can look up any restaurant's inspection history, including scores and specific violations, through the NYC Health Department's online restaurant inspection database. The public record includes every inspection conducted, the violations cited, and the resulting grade, giving consumers a detailed picture of a restaurant's compliance history over time.

It is also worth noting that both restaurants in this report carry a Pending grade designation. This status appears when a restaurant has scored in the B or C range and has not yet completed the re-inspection process. During the Pending period, the restaurant may post the letter grade from its most recent A inspection, if applicable, or display a Grade Pending card.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City uses a points-based grading system administered by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. During an unannounced inspection, inspectors evaluate conditions across multiple categories including food handling, temperature controls, pest activity, personal hygiene, and facility sanitation. Each violation found is assigned a point value based on its severity.

The grading scale breaks down as follows:

  • Grade A: 0 to 13 points — the restaurant met or nearly met all standards
  • Grade B: 14 to 27 points — violations were found and must be corrected
  • Grade C: 28 or more points — significant violations were identified

Critical violations, such as the personal hygiene issues cited at Pizza Hut, carry higher point values because they are directly linked to the potential for foodborne illness. Non-critical violations, such as the equipment condition issue at Happy Fun Hideaway, carry lower point values but must still be resolved.

Restaurants are required to post their letter grade prominently in a front window so that customers can see it before entering. Grades and full inspection reports are publicly available through NYC Open Data and the Health Department's restaurant search tool at the NYC government website.

For diners who want to stay informed, checking a restaurant's full inspection history rather than only the current grade provides the most complete picture of its compliance over time.