Brooklyn, NY — Kpot Korean BBQ & Hot Pot, a Korean barbecue and hot pot restaurant located at 1217 Surf Avenue in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following an inspection conducted on December 29, 2025. The restaurant received a score of 17, and inspectors documented a critical violation related to pest activity on the premises.
Kpot Korean Bbq & Hot Pot restaurant inspection" width="400" height="225" loading="eager" decoding="async" class="article-featured-image">This closure marked the third time in six days that the establishment was ordered closed by health inspectors, following previous closures on December 23 and December 26, 2025.
What Inspectors Found
During the December 29 inspection, DOHMH inspectors cited Kpot Korean BBQ & Hot Pot for one critical violation. No non-critical violations were recorded during this visit.
The critical violation, cited under code 04N, documented the presence of filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies or other nuisance pests in the establishment's food and non-food areas. FRSA flies include house flies, blow flies, bottle flies, flesh flies, drain flies, Phorid flies, and fruit flies. The presence of such pests in a food service establishment is classified as a critical violation because of the potential for contamination of food products and food preparation surfaces.
The inspection resulted in a score of 17 points, which falls within the Grade B range under the city's restaurant grading system. However, due to the nature of the violation, the DOHMH ordered the establishment closed and required that violations be addressed before the restaurant could resume operations.
Food Safety Context
Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food service establishments are required to maintain their premises free of pests that may contaminate food or food contact surfaces. The presence of flies associated with filth, refuse, or sewage is considered a critical public health concern because these insects can carry bacteria and other pathogens from unsanitary sources to food and preparation areas.
The FDA Food Code similarly classifies pest activity in food establishments as a priority violation, requiring immediate corrective action. Flies in the FRSA category are known vectors for organisms that can cause foodborne illness, as they frequently come into contact with decaying organic matter, sewage, and refuse before landing on food or food preparation surfaces.
When the DOHMH orders an establishment closed, the restaurant must correct all cited violations and pass a reinspection before it is permitted to reopen to the public. The closure is an enforcement action designed to protect public health and ensure that conditions posing an immediate risk are remedied.
Inspection History
The December 29 closure was part of a pattern of recent inspection activity at the Surf Avenue location. The restaurant's inspection history shows repeated closures and elevated scores in late 2025:
- December 30, 2025: Score 0 (Grade Z) — Establishment reopened
- December 29, 2025: Score 17 (Grade B range) — Closed by DOHMH
- December 26, 2025: Score 13 (Grade N) — Closed by DOHMH
- December 23, 2025: Score 70 (Grade N) — Closed by DOHMH
- November 24, 2025: Score 70 (Grade N)
- March 13, 2024: Score 67 (Grade N)
Records indicate the restaurant was reopened on December 30, 2025, one day after the closure that is the subject of this report, after receiving a score of 0 on reinspection.
The history shows that the establishment received scores of 70 on both November 24, 2025, and December 23, 2025, followed by a closure on December 23. After that closure, a reinspection on December 26 resulted in a score of 13 and another closure. The December 29 inspection then produced a score of 17 and a third closure before the restaurant successfully passed reinspection on December 30.
The March 2024 inspection, which resulted in a score of 67, indicates that elevated inspection scores have been documented at this location over an extended period.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on the total number of violation points recorded during an inspection. Fewer points indicate fewer or less severe violations:
- Grade A: 0–13 points
- Grade B: 14–27 points
- Grade C: 28 or more points
A Grade N indicates the inspection was an initial inspection where the score did not qualify for an A grade, and the restaurant is awaiting a re-inspection or adjudication hearing. A Grade Z indicates a restaurant that has been re-inspected following a closure or prior failed inspection.
The scoring system assigns different point values to violations based on their severity and the condition observed. Critical violations related to food safety receive higher point values than general or non-critical violations.
Data and Resources
This report is based on public inspection data released by the DOHMH on January 2, 2026, for an inspection conducted on December 29, 2025. Inspection results are public record and are available through the city's open data portal.
Consumers can look up current restaurant grades and inspection results for any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH restaurant inspection search at [a]nyc.gov/health/restaurants[/a] or by checking the letter grade card posted at the establishment's entrance. Additional information about the city's restaurant grading system is available on the NYC Department of Health website.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Kpot Korean Bbq & Hot Pot including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.