Brooklyn, NY — Lucky Chix, a Korean restaurant at 1533 Myrtle Avenue in Bushwick, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following an inspection conducted on February 19, 2026. The restaurant received a score of 41 points, placing it in the C grade range and reflecting multiple food safety violations that required immediate corrective action.
The inspection identified two critical violations and one non-critical violation. The closure was ordered after inspectors determined that violations in the areas cited required immediate action to protect public health.
What Inspectors Found
The most significant violation documented during the inspection involved insufficient or absent equipment for maintaining Time/Temperature Control for Safety Foods (TCS) at required temperatures. This critical violation, recorded under code 05F, indicates that the restaurant lacked adequate hot holding, cold storage, or cold holding equipment necessary to keep perishable foods within safe temperature ranges. TCS foods — which include items such as cooked rice, meat, poultry, seafood, and dairy products — must be held at or above 140°F for hot holding or at or below 41°F for cold holding to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
Inspectors also cited a second critical violation under code 06C, documenting that food, supplies, or equipment were not adequately protected from potential sources of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service. This violation also noted that condiments were not provided in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor, creating additional contamination risks.
A non-critical violation was recorded under code 28-01 for a nuisance condition, indicating the facility was not free from unsafe, hazardous, offensive, or annoying conditions. While classified as non-critical, this violation contributed to the restaurant's overall score.
Food Safety Context
Temperature control is one of the most fundamental requirements in food safety regulation. Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, restaurants are required to maintain TCS foods at proper temperatures at all times. When foods are held in the temperature danger zone — between 41°F and 140°F — bacteria can multiply rapidly, potentially doubling in number every 20 minutes. This can lead to foodborne illness caused by pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria.
The requirement to protect food from contamination during all stages of handling is similarly foundational. Cross-contamination between raw and ready-to-eat foods, exposure to environmental contaminants, and improper condiment handling are all recognized risk factors for foodborne illness outbreaks.
When DOHMH inspectors determine that conditions at a food establishment pose an immediate public health risk, they have the authority to order the establishment closed until the violations are corrected. The restaurant may reopen once it passes a subsequent inspection demonstrating that the cited conditions have been addressed.
Inspection History
The February 19, 2026 closure was not the first time Lucky Chix has received a poor inspection score. The restaurant's recent inspection record shows a pattern of food safety concerns:
- December 4, 2025: Score of 40 points, Grade N (grade pending adjudication)
- February 19, 2026: Score of 41 points, closed by DOHMH
A Grade N designation indicates that the restaurant's grade was pending — typically meaning the establishment had requested an adjudicatory hearing to contest its inspection results or was awaiting a re-inspection. The February inspection score of 41 represents a slight increase from the December score of 40, suggesting that food safety conditions at the establishment had not improved in the intervening period.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades 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
Lucky Chix's score of 41 points falls well into the C grade range. Restaurants that receive a grade of B or C may request a re-inspection or an adjudicatory hearing through the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH).
Data and Public Records
The inspection data referenced in this report was collected by DOHMH on February 19, 2026, and released publicly on February 25, 2026. NYC restaurant inspection results are public record and are available through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database and the NYC Open Data portal.
Consumers can look up any restaurant's inspection history, violation details, and current grade status through the city's official inspection lookup tool. Understanding inspection scores and the types of violations cited can help diners make informed decisions about where they choose to eat.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Lucky Chix including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.