Brooklyn, NY — Little Egg, an American restaurant at 657 Washington Avenue in Brooklyn's Prospect Heights neighborhood, received a Grade C following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted March 30, 2026. Inspectors recorded a score of 33, placing the restaurant in Grade C territory and documenting two critical food safety violations. DOHMH released the inspection data April 1, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors cited two critical violations during the March inspection, both related to food safety and contamination risk.

The first violation, Code 04H, documented that raw, cooked, or prepared food was adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan. HACCP protocols establish science-based procedures for identifying and controlling food safety hazards at critical points in the preparation and handling process. Failure to follow these procedures can leave food unsafe for consumption.

The second violation, Code 06C, identified that food, supplies, or equipment were not adequately protected from potential sources of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service. Inspectors also noted that condiments were not provided in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor, as required.

No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.

Food Safety Context

Both violations cited at Little Egg fall under critical classification, meaning inspectors determined they present a higher likelihood of contributing to foodborne illness if not corrected. Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food service establishments are required to maintain safe food handling practices at every stage of storage, preparation, and service.

The FDA Food Code, which informs New York City's food safety standards, outlines specific requirements for preventing cross-contamination and protecting food from environmental or physical contamination. Code 04H violations are particularly significant because they address the integrity of food itself — whether items have been rendered unsafe and whether a facility's HACCP controls are functioning as required.

Code 06C violations address the broader protective environment around food — ensuring that storage conditions, serving methods, and condiment handling do not introduce contamination risks to customers.

Inspection History

Little Egg has been inspected by DOHMH on multiple occasions. Its recent inspection record is as follows:

  • March 30, 2026: Score 33 (Grade C), two critical violations cited
  • February 9, 2026: Score 30
  • November 4, 2024: Score 13 (Grade A)
  • August 21, 2023: Score 9 (Grade A)

The restaurant earned Grade A scores in both its 2023 and 2024 inspections, indicating satisfactory compliance during those cycles. The February 2026 inspection recorded a score of 30, also in Grade C range, suggesting conditions identified during that visit may not have been fully resolved before the March re-inspection.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

DOHMH assigns letter grades to restaurants based on their inspection scores under a standardized point system. Each violation carries a set point value, and scores accumulate based on the number and severity of violations found. The grading scale is as follows:

  • Grade A: Score of 0 to 13 points — meets or exceeds food safety standards
  • Grade B: Score of 14 to 27 points — some violations noted; corrective action required
  • Grade C: Score of 28 or more points — multiple or serious violations documented

Restaurants are required to display their most current grade card in a window visible to the public. A Grade C does not automatically result in closure; DOHMH inspectors may order a restaurant closed if they determine that conditions pose an imminent public health hazard. No closure was recorded in connection with this inspection.

Consumers can look up current inspection results, scores, and violation details for any permitted food service establishment in New York City through the DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results database, available at the NYC Open Data portal. Inspection records are updated regularly as new inspections are completed and data is processed by the department.

More About This Restaurant

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