Manhattan, NY — Kabab Town, a Mediterranean restaurant at 77D Baxter Street in Manhattan, received a Grade C following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene inspection conducted March 30, 2026. The restaurant scored 30 points, placing it in the C range under the city's grading system. The inspection data was released by DOHMH on April 2, 2026.

Inspectors documented one critical violation and one non-critical violation during the visit.

What Inspectors Found

The most significant finding was a critical violation under Code 06C, which addresses the protection of food, supplies, and equipment from potential sources of contamination. Specifically, inspectors identified that condiments were not being stored in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor — a condition that creates exposure risk during storage, preparation, display, or service.

This type of violation falls under the FDA Food Code's core requirements for preventing cross-contamination and protecting ready-to-eat items from exposure to uncontrolled sources. Shared or refillable condiment containers can allow repeated handling by customers or staff without appropriate hygiene controls between uses.

The second violation cited was non-critical, recorded under Code 10F. Inspectors noted that non-food contact surfaces or equipment were made of unacceptable material, were not kept clean, or were not properly sealed, raised, spaced, or movable to allow cleaning on all sides and underneath. While classified as non-critical, this type of finding can contribute to the buildup of debris or pests over time if left unaddressed.

Food Safety Context

New York City requires all restaurants to undergo unannounced inspections conducted by DOHMH under NYC Health Code Article 81. Violations are assigned point values based on their severity, and those points accumulate into a final score that determines the restaurant's letter grade.

Critical violations, such as the Code 06C finding at Kabab Town, are weighted more heavily because they represent a direct or indirect risk of foodborne illness. The FDA Food Code, which New York's rules are modeled on, identifies inadequate food protection as one of the most significant contributing factors in foodborne illness outbreaks traced to food service establishments.

Non-critical violations, like the Code 10F finding, do not carry the same immediate risk but are still factored into the overall score and reflect conditions that fall below the city's minimum standards for sanitary operation.

Inspection History

Kabab Town's recent inspection record reflects a notable prior closure. According to DOHMH records:

  • February 3, 2026: Score 53 (Grade N), restaurant closed by DOHMH
  • February 6, 2026: Score 2 (Grade Z), restaurant reopened following reinspection

The February closure followed a score of 53, well above the threshold for immediate action. The subsequent reinspection three days later resulted in a score of 2 and a Grade Z designation — a temporary grade issued when a restaurant is reinspected after closure and passes at a level that allows it to reopen, pending a full grading cycle.

The March 30 inspection, resulting in the current Grade C score of 30, represents the restaurant's first full graded inspection following that reopening.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City uses a letter grade system to summarize restaurant inspection results. Grades are posted publicly at the restaurant entrance. The scoring works as follows:

  • A: Score of 0–13 points (fewest violations)
  • B: Score of 14–27 points
  • C: Score of 28 or more points (most violations or most severe)

A restaurant that scores in the B or C range on an initial inspection has the option to request a reinspection before a grade is officially assigned and posted. DOHMH publishes all inspection data in its public database regardless of whether a grade has been formally posted at the establishment.

Inspection records for all New York City restaurants are available through the DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results search tool at the NYC Open Data portal. Diners can search by restaurant name, address, or cuisine type to view current and historical inspection data.

More About This Restaurant

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