Manhattan, NY — Margaritaville, located at 560 7th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, received a Grade B following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on March 23, 2026. The restaurant scored 25 points, placing it near the upper boundary of the Grade B range and two points below the threshold for a Grade C. Inspection data was released publicly by DOHMH on March 25, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation during the March visit. The cited violation, classified under Code 02G, involves temperature control for safety (TCS) foods held above required cold storage thresholds. Specifically, the violation covers cold TCS food items held above 41°F, smoked or processed fish held above 38°F, intact raw eggs held above 45°F, or reduced oxygen packaged (ROP) TCS foods stored above required temperatures outside of active preparation.

No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.

Temperature control violations are among the more commonly cited food safety concerns in New York City restaurants. Maintaining proper cold-holding temperatures is a core requirement under both NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, as improper temperatures can allow the growth of pathogens such as Salmonella, Listeria, and Staphylococcus aureus.

Food Safety Context

Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food service establishments are required to maintain cold TCS foods at or below 41°F to limit microbial growth. The FDA Food Code establishes similar standards nationally. A score of 25 — earned here with a single critical violation — reflects meaningful deviation from these standards, placing the restaurant close to the Grade C threshold of 28 or more points. Each critical violation carries a higher point value than a non-critical one, reflecting the elevated risk to public health.

Inspection History

Margaritaville's recent inspection record shows variability in scores over the past several years:

  • Feb 5, 2026: Score 36
  • Aug 6, 2025: Score 13 (Grade A)
  • Jun 3, 2025: Score 19
  • Dec 28, 2023: Score 5 (Grade A)
  • Aug 17, 2022: Score 12 (Grade A)

The February 2026 inspection, which resulted in a score of 36, would have placed the restaurant in Grade C territory. The most recent March 2026 inspection shows improvement from that result, though the score of 25 still falls within the Grade B range.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's letter grading system for restaurants is based on the total number of points assessed during an unannounced DOHMH inspection. Grades are assigned as follows:

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

Restaurants that do not initially receive an A grade may request a re-inspection before a grade is posted publicly.

Consumers can view current and historical inspection data for any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH's public database at nyc.gov/health. Inspection reports are public record and are updated following each completed inspection cycle.

More About This Restaurant

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