Manhattan, NY — Loulou, a French restaurant located at 176 8th Avenue in Chelsea, received a score of 88 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on March 26, 2026. The score places the restaurant in Grade C territory, the lowest passing grade tier under the city's restaurant grading system. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on April 1, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented eight violations during the March visit, two of which were classified as critical.

The most significant finding involved cold food temperature control. Under violation Code 02G, inspectors noted that temperature-controlled for safety (TCS) food items were held above 41°F, the maximum permitted holding temperature under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code. Proper cold holding is a foundational food safety requirement, as bacterial growth in perishable foods accelerates rapidly above that threshold.

The second critical violation, Code 06E, cited sanitized equipment or utensils — including in-use food dispensing utensils — as improperly used or stored. Correct handling of sanitized items is required to prevent recontamination before food service.

Six non-critical violations were also recorded:

  • Code 10H: Single-service articles not protected from contamination; drinking straws not fully enclosed in wrappers or dispensed from a sanitary device.
  • Code 09E: Hand washing sign not posted near or above the hand washing sink.
  • Code 20-06 (cited twice): Current letter grade or Grade Pending card not posted, as required by law.
  • Code 10G: Deficiencies in the cleaning and sanitizing of tableware, dishes, utensils, and equipment.
  • Code 10F: Non-food contact surfaces or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed or spaced to allow cleaning.

Food Safety Context

NYC Health Code Article 81 governs food safety requirements for all city restaurants, including standards for temperature control, sanitation, handwashing station signage, and equipment maintenance. The FDA Food Code, which informs Article 81, establishes 41°F as the critical cold holding limit for most TCS foods because temperatures above that range support the growth of pathogens including Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli.

Critical violations are those that pose a direct risk to public health and are weighted more heavily in scoring. A score of 88 reflects a substantial accumulation of violations across both critical and non-critical categories.

The requirement to post a current letter grade (Code 20-06) is a consumer transparency measure. Restaurants are legally required to display their most recent grade card in a window visible from the street.

Inspection History

The March 2026 inspection is not Loulou's first time in Grade C territory. The restaurant's recent inspection record shows a recurring pattern of elevated scores:

  • July 16, 2025: Score 38 (Grade C)
  • June 26, 2025: Score 17
  • November 8, 2023: Score 29 (Grade C)
  • March 20, 2023: Score 28

The restaurant has received a Grade C score in three of its four most recent scored inspections. The June 2025 visit, which produced a score of 17, represented the only recent inspection resulting in a passing grade below the C threshold.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on their inspection scores:

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

Points are assigned based on the number, type, and severity of violations documented. Critical violations carry higher point values than non-critical ones. Restaurants that score above 13 on an initial inspection are re-inspected, and the grade from the second visit is typically what gets posted publicly.

More About This Restaurant

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