Brooklyn, NY — Guacado, a Mexican restaurant located at 2006 Cropsey Avenue in the Bath Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn, received a Grade C following a health inspection conducted January 13, 2026. Inspectors from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) recorded a score of 41, with 11 critical violations and 9 non-critical violations documented during the visit. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on February 11, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

The most significant violations identified during the inspection involved the improper temperature control of hot time/temperature control for safety (TCS) foods. Inspectors cited the restaurant multiple times under Code 02B, documenting that hot TCS food items were not held at or above the required 140°F threshold. Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, maintaining hot foods at or above 140°F is a fundamental requirement for preventing bacterial growth that can cause foodborne illness.

In addition to hot holding failures, inspectors cited Guacado multiple times under Code 02H for improper cooling procedures. The violations noted that after cooking or removal from hot holding, TCS foods were not cooled using an approved method — specifically, that internal temperatures were not reduced from 140°F to 70°F within 2 hours, and from 70°F to 41°F within the following 4 hours. This two-stage cooling requirement is a core provision of the FDA Food Code, designed to limit the time food spends in temperature ranges where bacterial growth accelerates.

Inspectors also recorded three citations under Code 06C, noting that food, supplies, or equipment were not adequately protected from potential sources of contamination. The violations specifically identified condiments that were not provided in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor, a requirement intended to prevent cross-contamination between customers.

Among the non-critical violations, inspectors cited the restaurant multiple times under Code 20-04 for missing required postings, including the "Choking First Aid" poster, the "Alcohol and Pregnancy" warning sign, and signage indicating the availability of resuscitation equipment such as exhaled air resuscitation masks and latex gloves. Three additional non-critical violations were recorded under Code 10E for the absence of accurate thermometers in refrigerated, cold storage, or hot holding equipment — equipment that would be necessary to monitor the temperature conditions cited in the critical violations.

Food Safety Context

Temperature control violations are among the most heavily weighted categories in New York City restaurant inspections. The FDA Food Code identifies improper holding temperatures and inadequate cooling as leading contributors to foodborne illness outbreaks. NYC Health Code Article 81 incorporates these standards and requires that all food service establishments maintain TCS foods at safe temperatures throughout the preparation and service process.

The absence of functioning thermometers in holding equipment, as noted in the non-critical violations, is relevant context for the temperature-related critical violations: without calibrated thermometers, staff cannot reliably verify whether food is being held or cooled within required parameters.

Condiment protection requirements under Code 06C reflect standards designed to prevent the transfer of pathogens between customers through shared or improperly handled food contact surfaces.

Inspection History

No prior inspection history for Guacado is available in DOHMH records at the time of this report. This inspection represents the first available record for this establishment.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City issues letter grades based on the point score a restaurant receives during inspection:

  • A: Score of 0–13 points (lowest number of violations)
  • B: Score of 14–27 points
  • C: Score of 28 or more points

A score of 41 places Guacado in the Grade C range. Restaurants receiving a grade other than A may request a re-inspection, at which point they can receive either a letter grade or a Grade Pending card while awaiting adjudication.

Consumers can look up inspection records for any NYC restaurant through the DOHMH restaurant inspection search tool at the NYC Open Data portal. Inspection data is updated regularly as new inspections are completed and released.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Guacado including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.