Queens, NY — Gt Kingston Restaurant & Bar, a Caribbean restaurant located at 114-45 Lefferts Boulevard in South Ozone Park, received a Grade C following a health inspection conducted by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 20, 2026. The inspection recorded a score of 28, placing the establishment at the threshold of the city's lowest public grade designation. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on March 26, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
Inspectors documented one critical violation during the March inspection. The citation, issued under Code 02G, identified cold temperature-controlled for safety (TCS) food items held above the required 41°F threshold. No non-critical violations were recorded during the same visit.
Proper cold holding temperatures are a fundamental food safety requirement. Bacteria associated with foodborne illness — including Salmonella, Listeria, and Staphylococcus aureus — can multiply rapidly in food held in the temperature danger zone, generally defined as between 41°F and 135°F. The failure to maintain cold TCS foods at or below 41°F is classified as a critical violation because it presents a direct potential risk of foodborne illness.
The single critical violation was sufficient to push the establishment's score to 28, the minimum threshold for a Grade C under the city's inspection scoring system.
Food Safety Context
NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes temperature requirements for food storage and holding, consistent with standards set forth in the FDA Food Code. Under these regulations, TCS foods — those that require time and temperature control to remain safe — must be kept at or below 41°F when held cold, or at or above 135°F when held hot.
Cold holding failures are among the most commonly cited critical violations in New York City restaurant inspections. They may result from equipment malfunctions, improper loading of refrigeration units, or procedural lapses in monitoring food temperatures during service periods. DOHMH inspectors are trained to measure food temperatures directly using calibrated thermometers.
Restaurants that receive a score of 28 or higher on an initial inspection are typically subject to re-inspection. The grade posted publicly reflects the score earned at either the initial or the subsequent adjudication inspection, whichever results in a lower point total.
Inspection History
Gt Kingston Restaurant & Bar has a varied inspection record over recent years. The March 2026 inspection is the second consecutive visit in which the restaurant received a score placing it in Grade C range:
- January 23, 2026: Score 29 (Grade C)
- May 19, 2025: Score 55 (Grade Z — inspection cycle, grade not yet determined)
- September 12, 2024: Score 28 (Grade C)
- February 28, 2023: Score 7 (Grade A)
- February 15, 2023: Score 70 (initial inspection in cycle)
- August 29, 2022: Score 0 (Grade A)
- August 4, 2022: Score 0
The record shows the restaurant achieved Grade A scores in 2022 and early 2023, with a score of 7 recorded in February 2023. Subsequent inspection cycles have produced higher scores, with the past three cycles each resulting in scores at or above 28. The pattern of elevated scores in 2024, 2025, and into 2026 indicates recurring compliance challenges that the restaurant has not yet resolved to the point of consistent Grade A performance.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City uses a letter grading system to communicate restaurant inspection results to the public. Grades are based on the number of points assigned during an inspection, with points reflecting the number and severity of violations found:
- Grade A: Score of 0–13 points
- Grade B: Score of 14–27 points
- Grade C: Score of 28 or more points
Restaurants are required to post their most recent grade in a window visible from the street. When a restaurant receives a score of 28 or higher, it may request a re-inspection before a grade is assigned. Grades are updated in the DOHMH public database as inspection cycles are completed.
Consumers can look up the full inspection history for any permitted food establishment in New York City through the DOHMH restaurant inspection results database, available at nyc.gov. The public record includes scores, violation codes, and inspection dates for all inspections on file.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Gt Kingston Restaurant & Bar including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.