Manhattan, NY — Little Rascal, a Turkish restaurant located at 163 Elizabeth Street, received a grade of C with a score of 47 points following a health inspection conducted on March 10, 2026. Inspectors documented one critical violation and one non-critical violation during the routine examination.

What Inspectors Found

The critical violation centered on shellfish sourcing and documentation. Inspectors identified that shellfish at the establishment either did not originate from an approved source or lacked proper tagging and labeling as required by health regulations. Additionally, the restaurant failed to retain shellfish tags for the mandated 90-day period.

Shellfish source documentation serves as a critical food safety control. The tagging system allows health officials to trace shellfish back to harvest waters in the event of contamination or illness outbreaks. This traceability is essential because shellfish can harbor pathogens from polluted waters.

Inspectors also noted that the restaurant failed to display its current letter grade or Grade Pending card in a location visible to the public, constituting a non-critical violation of posting requirements.

Food Safety Context

NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes comprehensive requirements for shellfish handling in food service establishments. These regulations align with the FDA Food Code and National Shellfish Sanitation Program standards, which mandate that all shellfish must originate from waters certified as safe by state shellfish control authorities.

The tagging requirement exists because shellfish are filter feeders that can concentrate bacteria, viruses, and biotoxins from their environment. Each shipment must include tags identifying the harvester, harvest location, and harvest date. Establishments must retain these tags for 90 days to enable rapid traceback during foodborne illness investigations.

The FDA and state authorities maintain lists of approved shellfish dealers and certified harvest areas. Restaurants must verify that their suppliers appear on these approved lists and that all shellfish shipments include proper documentation.

Inspection History

Little Rascal has a documented inspection history showing variable compliance:

  • July 16, 2025: Score 33 (Grade C)
  • May 27, 2025: Score 20
  • November 15, 2023: Score 12 (Grade A)
  • March 23, 2023: Score 27

The restaurant previously achieved an A grade in November 2023 with 12 points, demonstrating past compliance with health standards. However, subsequent inspections in 2025 and 2026 have documented elevated violation scores.

The data for this inspection was released by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene on March 13, 2026, three days after the inspection occurred.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system assigns letter grades based on points accumulated during inspections:

  • Grade A: 0-13 points
  • Grade B: 14-27 points
  • Grade C: 28 or more points

Points are assigned based on the severity and number of violations found. Critical violations that pose significant food safety risks receive higher point values than non-critical violations involving general sanitation or maintenance issues.

Restaurants receiving initial scores of 14 points or higher may request a re-inspection to improve their grade. The grade posted must reflect the most recent inspection score.

Public Health Resources

New York City maintains a searchable database of all restaurant inspection results at nyc.gov/health. Consumers can review current grades, violation details, and inspection history for any food service establishment in the city.

The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene conducts unannounced inspections of restaurants at least once per year, with additional inspections triggered by complaints or follow-up requirements. Inspection results represent conditions observed on a specific date and may not reflect current practices.

Individuals with questions about food safety at restaurants or concerns about specific establishments can contact 311 to file a complaint or request information.

More About This Restaurant

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