Inspection conducted Oct 22, 2025 · Data released by DOHMH Mar 4, 2026
CRITICAL VIOLATIONS
Hong Kong Garden Inc Cited for Critical Food Safety Violations in Queens Inspection
Published March 4, 2026 11:12 PM
195-11 69 AVENUE, Queens, NY 11365 · Other
59
Violation Score A: 0-13 · B: 14-27 · C: 28+
Queens, NY — Hong Kong Garden Inc, located at 195-11 69th Avenue in Fresh Meadows, received a score of 59 on a health inspection conducted on October 22, 2025, according to data released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 4, 2026. The score places the restaurant in Grade C territory, the lowest grade issued under the city's restaurant grading system, and reflects two critical violations documented during the inspection.
Illustrative image — not a photo of the actual business
No closure was ordered at the time of the inspection. The action recorded by DOHMH indicates that violations were cited in the areas identified below.
What Inspectors Found
Health inspectors documented two critical violations during the October 2025 inspection. No non-critical violations were recorded.
The first critical violation, cited under Code 06C, involved food, supplies, or equipment not being protected from potential sources of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service. This code also covers condiments not provided in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor. When food items are left exposed to environmental contaminants — whether from nearby chemicals, unclean surfaces, or improper storage conditions — the risk of foodborne illness increases.
The second critical violation, cited under Code 06D, involved food contact surfaces not being properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred. Food contact surfaces include cutting boards, prep tables, utensils, and any equipment that comes into direct contact with food during preparation or service. When these surfaces are not adequately cleaned between uses, bacteria and other pathogens can transfer between food items, a process known as cross-contamination.
Together, these two violations point to foundational food safety concerns related to how food is handled and how preparation environments are maintained.
Food Safety Context
The violations documented at Hong Kong Garden Inc relate to core principles outlined in both the NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code. Article 81 establishes the sanitary standards that all food service establishments in New York City must follow, including requirements for proper food storage, protection from contamination, and sanitation of surfaces and equipment.
The FDA Food Code, which serves as the model framework adopted by many local jurisdictions including New York City, emphasizes that food contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized at specific intervals — after each use, when switching between different food types, and any time contamination is suspected. These requirements exist because improperly sanitized surfaces are a well-documented vector for the transmission of pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria.
A score of 59 is notably high. Under the NYC grading system, lower scores indicate better compliance, with a score of 0 to 13 qualifying for a Grade A. A score of 59 suggests multiple significant departures from the established food safety standards during the time of inspection.
Inspection History
No prior inspection history is available in the DOHMH dataset for Hong Kong Garden Inc. The October 22, 2025 inspection represents the earliest record on file for this establishment. This may indicate that the restaurant is a relatively new establishment, or that prior records predate the current digital dataset maintained by DOHMH.
It should be noted that the inspection data was released on March 4, 2026, approximately four and a half months after the inspection was conducted. Conditions at the restaurant may have changed since the inspection took place.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total number of violation points accumulated during an inspection:
Grade A: 0 to 13 points — indicates strong compliance with food safety standards
Grade C: 28 or more points — indicates significant violations documented during inspection
Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection are offered a re-inspection opportunity, during which the grade may be improved. Restaurants are required to post their letter grade in a location visible to the public.
Consumers can look up any restaurant's inspection results through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database, available online at the NYC Open Data portal. This public record allows residents to review the specific violations cited, scores received, and inspection dates for any food service establishment operating in New York City.
CRITICAL Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor. (Code 06C)
CRITICAL Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred. (Code 06D)
CRITICAL Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred. (Code 06D)
Non-Critical Dishwashing and ware washing: Cleaning and sanitizing of tableware, including dishes, utensils, and equipment deficient. (Code 10G)
CRITICAL Cold TCS food item held above 41 °F; smoked or processed fish held above 38 °F; intact raw eggs held above 45 °F; or reduced oxygen packaged (ROP) TCS foods held above required temperatures except during active necessary preparation. (Code 02G)
CRITICAL Evidence of mice or live mice in establishment's food or non-food areas. (Code 04L)
CRITICAL Personal cleanliness is inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn where required. Jewelry worn on hands or arms. Fingernail polish worn or fingernails not kept clean and trimmed. (Code 06A)
CRITICAL Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor. (Code 06C)
CRITICAL Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. (Code 04H)
Non-Critical Non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit. (Code 10F)
Non-Critical Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests. (Code 08A)
Non-Critical “Choking first aid” poster not posted. “Alcohol and Pregnancy” warning sign not posted. Resuscitation equipment: exhaled air resuscitation masks (adult & pediatric), latex gloves, sign not posted. (Code 20-04)
CRITICAL Hot TCS food item not held at or above 140 °F. (Code 02B)
Non-Critical “Choking first aid” poster not posted. “Alcohol and Pregnancy” warning sign not posted. Resuscitation equipment: exhaled air resuscitation masks (adult & pediatric), latex gloves, sign not posted. (Code 20-04)
Non-Critical “Choking first aid” poster not posted. “Alcohol and Pregnancy” warning sign not posted. Resuscitation equipment: exhaled air resuscitation masks (adult & pediatric), latex gloves, sign not posted. (Code 20-04)
Non-Critical “Choking first aid” poster not posted. “Alcohol and Pregnancy” warning sign not posted. Resuscitation equipment: exhaled air resuscitation masks (adult & pediatric), latex gloves, sign not posted. (Code 20-04)
Non-Critical “Choking first aid” poster not posted. “Alcohol and Pregnancy” warning sign not posted. Resuscitation equipment: exhaled air resuscitation masks (adult & pediatric), latex gloves, sign not posted. (Code 20-04)
Non-Critical Non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit. (Code 10F)
CRITICAL Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred. (Code 06D)
Non-Critical Non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit. (Code 10F)
CRITICAL Personal cleanliness is inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn where required. Jewelry worn on hands or arms. Fingernail polish worn or fingernails not kept clean and trimmed. (Code 06A)
CRITICAL Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor. (Code 06C)
Non-Critical Dishwashing and ware washing: Cleaning and sanitizing of tableware, including dishes, utensils, and equipment deficient. (Code 10G)
CRITICAL Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor. (Code 06C)
CRITICAL Hot TCS food item not held at or above 140 °F. (Code 02B)
CRITICAL Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred. (Code 06D)
CRITICAL Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. (Code 04H)
CRITICAL Evidence of mice or live mice in establishment's food or non-food areas. (Code 04L)
Non-Critical “Choking first aid” poster not posted. “Alcohol and Pregnancy” warning sign not posted. Resuscitation equipment: exhaled air resuscitation masks (adult & pediatric), latex gloves, sign not posted. (Code 20-04)
Non-Critical Dishwashing and ware washing: Cleaning and sanitizing of tableware, including dishes, utensils, and equipment deficient. (Code 10G)
Non-Critical “Choking first aid” poster not posted. “Alcohol and Pregnancy” warning sign not posted. Resuscitation equipment: exhaled air resuscitation masks (adult & pediatric), latex gloves, sign not posted. (Code 20-04)
Non-Critical Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests. (Code 08A)
CRITICAL Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor. (Code 06C)
Data Source: This report is based on official public inspection data from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), released under the NYC Open Data program.
Editorial Process: Content generated using AI (Claude) to synthesize official inspection data into accessible reporting, then reviewed and verified for accuracy by our editorial team.
Professional Review: All content undergoes standards and compliance oversight by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal, through Twin Digital Media's regulatory data auditing protocols.
Regulatory References: NYC Health Code Article 81, FDA Food Code (2022). NYC Restaurant Inspections is an independent public data reporting service. We are not affiliated with the City of New York.
| Last verified: April 28, 2026 | Our methodology
