Manhattan, NY — Nari, a Korean restaurant located at 43 West 54th Street in Midtown Manhattan, received a score of 43 following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on April 3, 2026. The score places the establishment in Grade C standing, the lowest published grade category under the city's restaurant grading system. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on April 6, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors cited one critical violation during the April inspection:

Code 04L — Evidence of mice or live mice in establishment's food or non-food areas.

This single critical violation accounted for the establishment's score of 43. Under DOHMH's point-based system, individual violations are assigned point values based on severity and risk to public health. Rodent-related violations carry substantial point weights due to the contamination risks they present.

No non-critical violations were cited during this inspection cycle.

Food Safety Context

Evidence of rodent activity in a food service establishment is considered a critical violation under NYC Health Code Article 81, which governs food safety standards for all permitted food service establishments in New York City. The designation of "critical" indicates a condition that poses a direct or significant risk of foodborne illness if left uncorrected.

The FDA Food Code, which New York City's health regulations draw from, identifies pest activity as a priority concern because rodents can contaminate food, food-contact surfaces, and equipment through droppings, urine, and physical contact. Establishments are required to implement and maintain active pest management programs, seal structural entry points, and store food in pest-proof containers.

DOHMH inspectors are trained to look for signs of rodent activity including droppings, gnaw marks, burrows, grease marks along walls, and live or dead rodents. The presence of any such evidence — regardless of whether live mice are observed — constitutes a violation under Code 04L.

Inspection History

Nari's inspection record prior to the April 2026 visit showed a different pattern:

  • August 14, 2024: Score 10 (Grade A)
  • June 27, 2024: Score 38 (no grade posted for this cycle)

The June 2024 inspection, which also produced an elevated score, preceded the August 2024 re-inspection that resulted in a Grade A. That pattern — an initial score above grading threshold followed by a compliant re-inspection — is common under DOHMH's adjudication process, in which restaurants may request a re-inspection before a grade is officially posted.

The April 2026 inspection represents a return to elevated scores after the establishment had achieved Grade A standing in its most recently graded cycle.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City uses a letter grading system based on inspection scores, posted publicly at each establishment and in the DOHMH database:

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

Scores reflect the total points assigned across all violations documented during an inspection. A restaurant receiving a score above 13 on an initial inspection is typically offered an opportunity for a re-inspection before a grade is finalized and posted. The current record reflects the score as documented on April 3, 2026.

Restaurants are inspected at least once per year, with higher-risk establishments subject to more frequent visits. Inspection results, violation details, and grade history are available to the public through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database at NYC.gov.

Consumers can search any permitted food service establishment's full inspection history using the city's online lookup tool. Establishments have the right to correct cited violations and request re-inspection, and grades may change following subsequent inspections.

More About This Restaurant

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