Queens, NY — Mlb &Q Burger, located at 43-07 Main Street in Flushing, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following an inspection conducted on July 13, 2026. Inspectors recorded a score of 63 points, placing the establishment in C-grade territory and triggering a closure order after a critical violation was identified and required immediate action. The inspection data was released by DOHMH on July 15, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation during the July inspection, which was sufficient to prompt the closure action.

The violation, cited under Code 05D, involved the absence of an adequate hand-washing facility. Specifically, inspectors found that no hand-washing sink was present in or adjacent to the toilet room, or within 25 feet of a food preparation, food service, or ware-washing area. Additionally, the facility either lacked hot and cold running water, had water at inadequate pressure, or did not have soap or an acceptable hand-drying device available.

According to the DOHMH inspection report, violations requiring immediate action were addressed at the time of the inspection. The restaurant's overall score of 63 points reflects the cumulative weight of the violations identified during the visit.

Food Safety Context

Hand-washing requirements are among the most fundamental standards in food service operations. Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food service establishments are required to maintain accessible hand-washing facilities stocked with soap and an approved hand-drying method in all areas where food is handled, prepared, or served. These requirements are also reflected in the FDA Food Code, which forms the basis for many state and local food safety regulations nationwide.

The rationale for these standards is straightforward: handwashing is one of the most effective measures for preventing the transfer of pathogens from food handlers to consumers. The absence of a properly functioning and accessible hand-washing station is categorized as a critical violation because it presents a direct risk of foodborne illness.

When DOHMH inspectors identify conditions that pose an immediate public health risk, they are authorized under the Health Code to order an establishment closed until those conditions are corrected. In this case, the closure order was issued in connection with the critical violation noted above.

Inspection History

The July 2026 closure is not the first time Mlb &Q Burger has been the subject of a significant DOHMH enforcement action. A review of the restaurant's inspection record shows a variable compliance history over recent years:

  • August 18, 2022: Score 51 — establishment closed by DOHMH
  • August 24, 2022: Score 8 (Grade A) — follow-up inspection following 2022 closure
  • February 28, 2023: Score 12 (Grade A)
  • October 18, 2024: Score 13 (Grade A)
  • December 8, 2025: Score 36
  • July 13, 2026: Score 63 — establishment closed by DOHMH

The record shows the restaurant earned Grade A scores on three consecutive inspections between 2022 and 2024, following a prior closure in August 2022. The December 2025 inspection recorded a score of 36, indicating a decline in compliance before the most recent inspection pushed the score to 63 and triggered another closure order.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, converts inspection scores into letter grades that are posted publicly at each establishment. The grade reflects the number of points accumulated based on violations found during an unannounced inspection. Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations.

The grading scale is as follows:

  • A: 0 to 13 points — indicates a high level of compliance with food safety standards
  • B: 14 to 27 points — indicates some violations were found
  • C: 28 points or more — indicates a greater number or severity of violations

A score of 63 points falls well into C-grade range. When an establishment is closed by DOHMH, it must correct all conditions that led to the closure before it can reopen and resume service to the public.

Inspection records for all New York City restaurants are available to the public through the DOHMH online restaurant inspection database at NYC.gov. Consumers can search by restaurant name, address, or cuisine type to review recent inspection history, violation details, and posted grades before dining. The DOHMH conducts routine unannounced inspections of the city's approximately 27,000 food service establishments on a cycle determined in part by each restaurant's prior compliance record.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Mlb &Q Burger including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.