Manhattan, NY — O'hara's, located at 120 Cedar Street in lower Manhattan, received a Grade B following a health inspection conducted March 26, 2026, with a score of 27 — the highest possible score within the Grade B range and one point from the Grade C threshold. Inspection data was released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on April 1, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
Inspectors documented one non-critical violation during the visit. The citation, recorded under Code 10F, identified non-food contact surfaces or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, spaced, or positioned to allow adequate cleaning on all sides, above, and underneath the unit.
No critical violations were cited. Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, non-critical violations generally involve facility maintenance and equipment standards rather than direct food handling risks. However, a score of 27 places the restaurant at the upper boundary of the Grade B range, indicating the cumulative weight of the violation was significant within the scoring system.
Food Safety Context
NYC Health Code Article 81 governs food service establishment standards in New York City. Inspections are scored on a points-based system, with lower scores reflecting fewer or less severe violations. Under this framework, a score of 27 technically qualifies for a Grade B posting, but it represents conditions that DOHMH has determined require correction.
The FDA Food Code, which informs NYC's standards, identifies equipment maintenance and accessibility for cleaning as important factors in preventing the buildup of food residue, grease, and potential pest harborage. Non-food contact surface violations, while classified as non-critical, are required to be corrected to maintain compliance.
Inspection History
O'hara's has a mixed inspection record over the past several years:
- July 1, 2025: Score 19 (Grade B)
- November 20, 2023: Score 13 (Grade A)
- July 21, 2022: Score 2 (Grade P — re-inspection following closure)
- July 20, 2022: Score 32
- July 19, 2022: Score 42
- July 14, 2022: Score 72, closed by DOHMH
The restaurant's history shows considerable improvement since a DOHMH closure in July 2022, when it recorded a score of 72. Subsequent reinspections in July 2022 brought the score down progressively before the restaurant was cleared to reopen. The 2023 inspection resulted in a Grade A. The current score of 27 represents a step back from that high point, returning the restaurant to Grade B territory for the second consecutive inspection cycle.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
DOHMH assigns letter grades based on inspection scores under the following scale:
- Grade A: Score of 0–13 points
- Grade B: Score of 14–27 points
- Grade C: Score of 28 or more points
Restaurants that do not receive an A on their initial inspection are re-inspected. The grade posted in the window reflects the most recent completed inspection cycle.
Inspection records for all NYC restaurants are publicly available through the DOHMH online database at nyc.gov/health. Diners can search any establishment by name or address to review full inspection histories.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for O'hara's including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.