Manhattan, NY — Halal Munchies, a sandwich restaurant located at 1810 3rd Avenue in East Harlem, 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 78, placing it firmly in the C range under the city's restaurant grading system. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on May 7, 2026.

Inspectors cited two critical violations during the visit, each of which relates to fundamental food handling and storage practices. Establishments receiving critical violations are generally required to address those issues before reopening.

What Inspectors Found

The two violations recorded during the May 5 inspection were both classified as critical, meaning they represent conditions with the potential to directly contribute to foodborne illness.

The first violation, cited under Code 04H, documented that raw, cooked, or prepared food was adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with the restaurant's Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan. HACCP plans are required frameworks that food service establishments use to identify and control biological, chemical, and physical hazards throughout food handling processes. A finding under this code indicates that food was not maintained or managed in a manner consistent with those safety controls.

The second violation, cited under Code 06C, identified that food, supplies, or equipment were not adequately protected from potential sources of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service. Additionally, inspectors noted that condiments were not provided in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor — a specific requirement intended to prevent cross-contamination at the point of customer contact.

No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.

Food Safety Context

The violations documented at Halal Munchies fall under standards established by NYC Health Code Article 81, which governs food safety requirements for all retail food establishments operating in New York City. Article 81 incorporates guidance aligned with the FDA Food Code, a nationally recognized framework that forms the basis for food safety regulation across many jurisdictions.

Code 04H violations are considered among the more serious findings inspectors can record. Food that has been adulterated or cross-contaminated — particularly if not identified and discarded promptly — poses a direct risk of transmitting pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, or Listeria to consumers. HACCP plans exist specifically to prevent these scenarios through proactive monitoring and corrective action protocols.

Code 06C violations address the physical environment and practices surrounding food storage and service. Improperly protected food or supplies can become contaminated from environmental sources, pests, or incidental contact. The condiment-specific provision of this code reflects the risk that shared or refillable condiment containers can serve as vectors for contamination between multiple customers.

When critical violations are identified during an inspection, DOHMH requires that they be corrected immediately or that the establishment be closed until conditions are brought into compliance. In this case, the agency determined that closure was warranted.

Inspection History

No prior inspection history is available for Halal Munchies in the DOHMH public database at this time. This may indicate the restaurant is a newer establishment or that prior records have not yet been publicly indexed.

  • May 5, 2026: Score 78 (Grade C), closed by DOHMH — 2 critical violations cited

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City uses a letter grading system for restaurants based on inspection scores. Scores reflect the number of penalty points assessed during an unannounced inspection, with more points indicating more serious or numerous violations:

  • A: Score of 0–13 points — meets food safety standards
  • B: Score of 14–27 points — some violations identified
  • C: Score of 28 or more points — significant violations present

A score of 78 is well above the C threshold. Restaurants that do not receive an A grade on an initial inspection are re-inspected within a set period. The grade displayed at a restaurant's entrance reflects its most recent graded inspection result.

Consumers can look up inspection records for any NYC restaurant through the DOHMH's public restaurant inspection database, available at the NYC Open Data portal. Inspection records include dates, scores, violation codes, and actions taken, and are updated regularly as new inspections are completed.

More About This Restaurant

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