New York, NY — Three restaurants across Queens received Grade B inspection scores on March 5, 2026, according to New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene records. The inspected establishments span fast food, Mexican cuisine, and a bakery, with scores ranging from 17 to 19 points and an average of 18.3. All three received grades in the middle tier of the city's letter grading system, indicating violations that require correction but do not represent an immediate threat to public health.
The Inspections
Inspectors visited Burger King at 131-10 Hillside Avenue in Queens, where the fast food restaurant received a score of 19 points. The location was cited for two critical violations. The first involved hot time/temperature control for safety (TCS) food items not being held at or above 140°F, the minimum temperature required under the FDA Food Code to prevent bacterial growth in cooked foods. When hot foods fall below this threshold, they enter what food safety experts call the "danger zone" — temperatures between 41°F and 140°F where harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli can multiply rapidly.
The second violation at the Hillside Avenue Burger King addressed personal cleanliness standards. Inspectors documented that outer garments were soiled with a possible contaminant and that effective hair restraints were not being worn by staff during food preparation. Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food handlers are required to maintain clean outer garments and wear proper hair coverings to prevent physical contamination of food products. This violation was cited twice during the inspection, appearing as both a critical and general category finding.
At 15-24 College Point Boulevard, Blue Tijuana received a score of 19 points as well. The Mexican restaurant was cited for a violation related to non-food contact surfaces and equipment. Inspectors noted that surfaces were made of unacceptable material, were not kept clean, or were not properly sealed, raised, or spaced to allow for adequate cleaning. While this type of violation does not involve direct food contact, the condition of non-food contact surfaces can contribute to pest harborage and overall sanitation concerns within a kitchen environment. Properly maintained equipment and surfaces are essential to preventing cross-contamination and maintaining a hygienic food preparation area.
Sweet Occasions, a bakery and desserts shop at 103-15 Northern Boulevard, recorded the lowest score among the three at 17 points. The establishment was cited for a violation involving single-service articles — items such as disposable cups, plates, utensils, and napkins that are intended for one-time use. Inspectors found that single-service articles were either not provided, were being reused, or were not adequately protected from contamination during transport and storage. The FDA Food Code requires that single-use items remain in their original protective packaging until dispensed and must never be reused, as they are not designed to withstand the washing and sanitization process required for multi-use items.
Common Patterns
The three restaurants cited on March 5 represent distinct cuisine types — fast food hamburgers, Mexican dining, and bakery products — yet all fell within a narrow scoring range of just two points. This clustering around 17 to 19 points places each establishment in the lower half of the Grade B range, closer to a Grade A threshold of 13 points than to Grade C territory at 28 points.
A notable pattern across the inspections is the emphasis on cleanliness and maintenance standards. Two of the three violations — the personal cleanliness citation at Burger King and the equipment condition finding at Blue Tijuana — relate to the overall sanitary condition of the establishment rather than direct food contamination. The single-service article violation at Sweet Occasions similarly addresses operational hygiene practices. These types of findings often reflect day-to-day operational habits rather than systemic food safety failures.
All three restaurants received grades listed as pending, which means the establishments may choose to contest their scores through the city's administrative tribunal process before the grade becomes final and must be posted.
What This Means for Diners
A Grade B score indicates that a restaurant had violations documented during its inspection but that conditions did not rise to the level of an imminent public health hazard. Restaurants receiving a B grade are required to post the letter grade card in their front window, giving diners transparent information about the establishment's most recent inspection outcome.
Diners can look up detailed inspection results for any restaurant in New York City through the Department of Health's online restaurant inspection portal. Each establishment's full violation history, including past grades and re-inspection results, is available as public record. Consumers can also check individual facility pages on NYCRestaurantInspections.com for organized inspection histories.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system, established in 2010, assigns letter grades based on the total violation points accumulated during a health inspection. A Grade A corresponds to a score of 0 to 13 points, indicating minimal violations. A Grade B falls in the range of 14 to 27 points, reflecting moderate violations that need to be addressed. A Grade C is assigned when a restaurant accumulates 28 or more points, indicating more serious or numerous violations.
Restaurants that receive a B or C on an initial inspection can request a re-inspection. If the score improves to the A range on re-inspection, the restaurant receives an A grade. If it does not, the original grade stands, and the restaurant must display it. The system is designed to incentivize compliance and give the public clear, accessible information about restaurant food safety conditions.
For the most current inspection data on any New York City restaurant, diners can visit the NYC Department of Health website or search by restaurant name and location on NYCRestaurantInspections.com.