Manhattan, NY — HK Boxers NYC, a bar and American cuisine establishment located at 735 9th Avenue in Hell's Kitchen, received a score of 45 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on April 1, 2026, placing it in the Grade C category. The inspection data was released by DOHMH on April 6, 2026.
The inspection documented two critical violations, covering food safety and sewage system concerns.
What Inspectors Found
Inspectors recorded two critical violations during the April 1 inspection.
The first, cited under Code 04H, noted that raw, cooked, or prepared food was found to be adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with the establishment's Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan. HACCP plans are required protocols that food service establishments must follow to identify and control potential hazards throughout food handling and preparation.
The second critical violation, cited under Code 05A, found that the sewage disposal system was not provided, improper, inadequate, or unapproved. Proper sewage infrastructure is a foundational requirement for any food service operation, as inadequate systems can introduce contamination risks to food preparation environments and the surrounding space.
No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.
Food Safety Context
Under NYC Health Code Article 81, all food service establishments operating in New York City are subject to unannounced inspections carried out by DOHMH. Violations are classified as either critical or non-critical based on their potential to contribute to foodborne illness or otherwise compromise public health.
Critical violations — such as those identified at HK Boxers NYC — are considered more likely to pose a direct risk to public health. The FDA Food Code, which informs New York City's standards, identifies improper food handling and inadequate sewage systems as significant risk factors for contamination.
A score of 45 falls well within Grade C territory, indicating multiple areas requiring correction. Establishments that receive a Grade C are required to post that grade card prominently and are subject to a follow-up inspection.
Inspection History
The April 1, 2026 result represents an outlier in HK Boxers NYC's recent inspection record. A follow-up inspection conducted on April 20, 2026 — approximately three weeks after the cited inspection — resulted in a score of 5, which corresponds to a Grade A. Prior inspections show:
- April 20, 2026: Score 5 (Grade A)
- April 1, 2026: Score 45 (Grade C) — 2 critical violations
- October 8, 2025: Score 73
- August 28, 2023: Score 5 (Grade A)
The October 2025 score of 73 and the April 2026 score of 45 both indicate elevated violation counts during those cycles, though the subsequent April 20 result suggests corrective action was taken in the interim.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
DOHMH assigns letter grades to food service establishments based on their inspection scores. The grading scale is as follows:
- A: Score of 0 to 13 points
- B: Score of 14 to 27 points
- C: Score of 28 points or higher
Lower scores reflect fewer or less severe violations. Establishments have the opportunity to correct violations and be re-inspected, with the most recent grade required to be posted at the entrance.
Inspection records for all New York City food service establishments are publicly available through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database at nyc.gov. Diners can look up any restaurant's full inspection history, including violation details, scores, and grade history, before visiting.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Hk Boxers Nyc including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.