New York, NY — Two Queens restaurants received Grade B scores during New York City Health Department inspections conducted on March 23, 2026. With an average score of 17 points, both establishments fell within the Grade B range, indicating violations that require correction but do not present an immediate public health hazard.

The Inspections

In Flushing, Yupdduk, a Korean restaurant located at 157-22 Northern Boulevard, received a score of 19 points. Inspectors cited violations related to non-food contact surfaces and equipment — specifically, surfaces made of unacceptable materials, not kept clean, or not properly sealed or raised. Under NYC Health Code Article 81, equipment and surfaces that come into indirect contact with food must be constructed of smooth, durable, and cleanable materials. When these surfaces are not properly maintained or sealed, they can accumulate grease, residue, and bacteria over time, creating conditions that may affect food safety if left unaddressed.

On Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills, Queens Bagel and Delicatessen, located at 115-18 Queens Boulevard, received a score of 15 points. Inspectors recorded two violations in the same category: food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential sources of contamination during storage, preparation, or transport. One of these violations was flagged as critical, meaning it has a direct or significant relationship to factors that could cause foodborne illness. The FDA Food Code identifies contamination protection as a foundational requirement in safe food handling, and inspectors are directed to prioritize these findings during scoring.

Common Patterns

Both inspections on this date involved violations tied to food safety fundamentals — equipment condition and contamination prevention. While the two restaurants represent different cuisine types, a Korean eatery and an American-style delicatessen, the violations share a common thread: maintaining physical environments and storage conditions that protect food from indirect and direct contamination risks.

Neither violation set pointed to active pest activity, employee hygiene failures, or temperature abuse on this date, which are among the more serious categories tracked by the Health Department. Instead, the findings reflect the kind of operational and maintenance lapses that are common across the restaurant industry and are generally correctable within the reinspection window the city provides.

Both locations are in high-traffic commercial corridors in Queens — Northern Boulevard in Flushing and Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills — areas with dense restaurant concentrations and regular inspection activity.

What This Means for Diners

A Grade B does not mean a restaurant is unsafe to visit. Under the NYC Health Department's system, a Grade B score falls between 14 and 27 points and signals that violations were documented but corrected or in the process of being corrected. Restaurants that receive a B or C grade on an initial inspection are given the opportunity to request a re-inspection before a final grade is posted publicly.

During the period between an initial inspection and a final grade determination, restaurants must display a "Grade Pending" card rather than a letter grade. Both Yupdduk and Queens Bagel and Delicatessen are currently listed as Grade Pending, meaning their official posted grades will reflect the outcome of any subsequent inspection activity.

Diners who want to review a restaurant's full inspection history — including violation details, scores, and grade history — can do so through the NYC Health Department's restaurant inspection lookup tool at nyc.gov. The city maintains publicly accessible records for all inspected establishments.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene under Health Code Article 81, assigns numeric scores based on violations identified during unannounced inspections. Each violation carries a point value determined by its severity:

  • Grade A: 0–13 points. The restaurant meets city standards with minimal or no violations.
  • Grade B: 14–27 points. Violations were found and must be corrected. A re-inspection may follow.
  • Grade C: 28 or more points. More significant violations were identified, requiring prompt corrective action.

Violations are categorized as critical — those directly linked to foodborne illness risk, such as improper food temperatures, contamination, or pest evidence — and general, which include equipment, facility maintenance, and record-keeping issues. Critical violations carry higher point values and receive priority attention from inspectors.

Inspections are unannounced and occur at least once per year for most establishments. Restaurants that score in the B or C range on an initial inspection are re-inspected within 30 days. The final posted grade reflects the score from the most recent completed inspection cycle.

Diners can search any NYC restaurant's inspection history at the NYC Health Department's website. Restaurant scores, violation descriptions, and grade history are updated regularly and are available to the public at no cost.