Manhattan, NY — Oyishi Sushi, a Japanese restaurant located at 230 East 80th Street on the Upper East Side, received a score of 34 during a health inspection conducted on December 8, 2025, placing it in the Grade C category under New York City's restaurant grading system. The inspection data was released by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on February 27, 2026.
The score of 34 points exceeds the 28-point threshold for a Grade C designation, the lowest letter grade assigned under the city's public grading program.
What Inspectors Found
During the December 2025 inspection, one non-critical violation was documented at the establishment:
- Violation Code 09E: A wash hands sign was not posted near or above a hand washing sink.
While the inspection resulted in a score of 34 — well into Grade C range — the record indicates only a single non-critical violation was cited. The action taken by DOHMH was noted as "violations were cited in the following area(s)," meaning the restaurant was not ordered closed at the time of inspection.
It should be noted that a score of 34 with only one documented non-critical violation is unusual. Inspection scores are calculated based on the number and severity of all conditions observed during the visit. The publicly available data may not capture every detail of the inspector's scoring worksheet, and the total point value reflects the inspector's full on-site assessment.
Food Safety Context
Handwashing signage requirements are established under NYC Health Code Article 81 and align with the FDA Food Code, which mandates that food service establishments post clear reminders for employees to wash hands in designated areas. Proper hand hygiene is considered one of the most fundamental measures in preventing foodborne illness transmission in restaurant settings.
Under NYC Health Code Article 81, all food service establishments are required to maintain conditions that protect public health. The city's inspection program evaluates restaurants on a range of criteria including food temperature control, pest activity, personal hygiene practices, facility maintenance, and proper food handling procedures. Each violation observed during an inspection is assigned a point value, with critical violations carrying higher point values than non-critical ones.
The DOHMH conducts unannounced inspections of the city's approximately 27,000 restaurants on a regular cycle. Restaurants that score 28 or more points on an initial inspection are typically scheduled for a re-inspection, during which they have the opportunity to correct cited violations and potentially achieve a lower score.
Inspection History
No prior inspection history is available in the DOHMH public database for Oyishi Sushi at this location. This may indicate that the December 2025 inspection was the establishment's first recorded cycle inspection, or that previous records are not reflected in the current dataset.
Without historical data, it is not possible to identify trends in the restaurant's compliance record. Future inspections will provide additional context about the establishment's ongoing adherence to health code requirements.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant letter grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns grades based on inspection scores as follows:
- Grade A: 0 to 13 points — establishment is in substantial compliance with health code requirements
- Grade B: 14 to 27 points — establishment has moderate violations requiring correction
- Grade C: 28 or more points — establishment has significant violations that need to be addressed
Oyishi Sushi's score of 34 places it in the Grade C range. Restaurants receiving a Grade C on an initial inspection are entitled to a re-inspection. If the score does not improve sufficiently on re-inspection, the restaurant may request an adjudicatory hearing before the city's administrative tribunal.
Restaurants are required to post their current letter grade in a conspicuous location near the entrance. Consumers can verify any restaurant's inspection history and current grade through the DOHMH public database or by searching the establishment on the NYC Restaurant Inspection Results portal.
All inspection data referenced in this article is sourced from public records maintained by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Readers are encouraged to review the full inspection record for the most current information about this and any other food service establishment in New York City.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Oyishi Sushi including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.