Brooklyn, NY — H & H Reserve, a hotdog restaurant located at 519 Metropolitan Avenue in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following an inspection conducted on May 5, 2026. The establishment received a score of 39 points, placing it in the C-grade range under the city's restaurant grading system.

The closure follows a critical violation identified during the inspection, which inspectors determined required immediate action.

What Inspectors Found

During the May 5 inspection, DOHMH inspectors documented one critical violation under Code 06C: food, supplies, or equipment not adequately protected from potential sources of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service. Specifically, inspectors noted that condiments were not being provided in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.

Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, condiments made available to customers must be protected from contamination at all points of service. Open or shared condiment containers that allow repeated customer contact can create pathways for cross-contamination, including exposure to pathogens that cause foodborne illness. Single-service containers or direct-dispense methods are among the accepted approaches for meeting this requirement at food service establishments.

Inspectors noted that violations requiring immediate action were addressed at the time of inspection, which is standard practice during a DOHMH closure. A follow-up inspection is typically required before a closed establishment is permitted to reopen.

No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.

Food Safety Context

NYC Health Code Article 81 governs food protection requirements for all permitted food service establishments in the five boroughs. Condiment handling is addressed under provisions requiring that all food and food-contact items be protected from contamination throughout the entire service process.

The FDA Food Code, which New York City's health code substantially incorporates, classifies contamination risk controls as foundational to safe food handling. Violations in this category are designated critical because they represent conditions with a direct or indirect potential to cause foodborne illness if not corrected.

When DOHMH inspectors determine that a critical violation poses an immediate public health risk, they are authorized to order the immediate closure of the establishment. Closures remain in effect until a re-inspection confirms that conditions have been corrected and the facility meets applicable standards.

The inspection data covered in this report was conducted on May 5, 2026, and released by DOHMH on May 8, 2026.

Inspection History

H & H Reserve's recent inspection record prior to this closure had been notably clean. The restaurant's documented history includes:

  • May 5, 2026: Score 39 (Grade C), closed by DOHMH — one critical violation cited
  • September 30, 2024: Score 10 (Grade A) — no closure action
  • April 14, 2023: Score 9 — no closure action

The 2024 and 2023 inspections both resulted in low scores consistent with strong compliance. The May 2026 inspection marks a significant departure from that record, with the score increasing substantially and triggering a closure order.

It is not uncommon for an establishment with a prior clean record to receive a higher score on a subsequent inspection. Inspection outcomes reflect conditions found on a specific date and are not necessarily indicative of long-term compliance trends.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's letter grading system for restaurants was introduced in 2010 and is designed to give the public a straightforward indicator of a restaurant's most recent inspection performance. Grades are calculated based on the point total assigned during an inspection:

  • A: 0–13 points — fewest violations, highest level of compliance
  • B: 14–27 points — some violations identified, retraining or corrective action typically needed
  • C: 28 or more points — multiple or significant violations documented

A score of 39 points places H & H Reserve firmly in the C range. Establishments that receive a B or C on an initial inspection are typically offered a re-inspection before a final grade is assigned and posted. However, when a closure order is issued, that process is preceded by the required corrective actions and a satisfactory re-inspection.

DOHMH inspection records are publicly available and searchable through the NYC Open Data portal and the city's restaurant inspection lookup tool. Consumers can review current grades, inspection scores, and violation details for any permitted food service establishment in the five boroughs.

For more information on NYC restaurant inspections, visit the DOHMH restaurant inspections page or search the NYC Open Data restaurant inspection results dataset.

More About This Restaurant

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