Queens, NY — La Cabana, a Latin American restaurant located at 39-17 103rd Street in Queens, received a score of 44 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) health inspection conducted on April 4, 2026. A score of 44 places the establishment in the Grade C category, the lowest letter grade issued under the city's restaurant grading system. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on April 6, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation during the April inspection, recorded under Code 06C: food, supplies, or equipment not adequately protected from potential sources of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service. Specifically, condiments were not provided in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.

This type of violation targets the risk of cross-contamination at the point where food or condiments are accessible to customers or staff. Shared, open condiment containers can allow contact with multiple hands, utensils, or surfaces over the course of a service period, creating conditions that may compromise food safety.

No non-critical violations were cited during this inspection.

Food Safety Context

Under NYC Health Code Article 81, all food service establishments operating in New York City are required to store, prepare, and serve food in a manner that prevents contamination. The standards governing condiment handling are designed to minimize vectors through which pathogens can be introduced to food that is served to customers without further cooking.

The FDA Food Code, which informs many of the city's inspection standards, similarly requires that ready-to-eat foods and condiments be protected from environmental and human contact contamination. Single-service condiment packaging or direct-dispense systems — such as individual packets or pump dispensers — are among the accepted methods for meeting this requirement.

Critical violations, by definition, are those most directly linked to the potential for foodborne illness. A single critical violation of sufficient severity can produce a high point score even without the presence of additional violations, as was the case in this inspection.

Inspection History

La Cabana's inspection record shows variability in performance over recent years:

  • March 13, 2025: Score 13 (Grade A)
  • August 21, 2024: Score 45 (Grade C)
  • May 1, 2024: Score 29
  • December 12, 2022: Score 8 (Grade A)
  • May 23, 2022: Score 38

The April 2026 result marks the restaurant's second Grade C score since August 2024. Between those two lower-scoring inspections, La Cabana achieved a Grade A with a score of 13 in March 2025, indicating the establishment is capable of meeting compliance standards. The pattern of alternating high and low scores across the inspection history suggests inconsistent adherence to food safety protocols over time.

The May 2024 score of 29 and the May 2022 score of 38 did not result in letter grades being listed in the available records, which may reflect inspections conducted during a grade-pending period or initial cycle inspections under DOHMH's grading methodology.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system assigns letter grades based on the point score earned during an unannounced sanitary inspection:

  • A: Score of 0 to 13 points
  • B: Score of 14 to 27 points
  • C: Score of 28 points or higher

Points are assigned based on the number, type, and severity of violations identified. Critical violations carry higher point values than non-critical violations. Establishments that receive a grade below A may request a re-inspection before a grade is publicly posted, or they may choose to post the grade immediately.

Grades are required to be posted at the entrance of every restaurant in New York City, allowing diners to review a restaurant's most recent inspection result before entering.

Consumers can look up the full inspection history for any city restaurant through the DOHMH's online search tool at nyc.gov/health, which provides access to all recorded violations, scores, and grades for permitted food service establishments.

More About This Restaurant

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