Brooklyn, NY — Ozakaya, a Japanese restaurant at 635 Vanderbilt Avenue in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, received a Grade C score of 35 following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on March 12, 2026. The inspection identified one critical violation related to improper cold food storage temperatures.

The inspection data was released by DOHMH on March 16, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

During the March 12 inspection, DOHMH inspectors cited Ozakaya for a single critical violation under code 02G: cold time/temperature control for safety (TCS) food items were held above 41°F. This violation category also covers smoked or processed fish held above 38°F, intact raw eggs held above 45°F, and reduced oxygen packaged TCS foods held above their required temperatures, except during active necessary preparation.

No non-critical violations were documented during the inspection. The restaurant's score of 35 resulted entirely from the severity weighting assigned to this critical food temperature violation under the DOHMH scoring system.

The action recorded on the inspection report noted that violations were cited in the relevant area. No closure was ordered at the time of inspection.

Food Safety Context

Cold food temperature control is a foundational element of food safety regulation. Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, TCS foods — those requiring time and temperature control for safety — must be maintained at or below 41°F to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. For certain items such as smoked and processed fish, the threshold is even lower at 38°F.

When cold TCS foods are held above these temperatures, conditions become favorable for the growth of pathogens including Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and E. coli. The FDA Food Code identifies the range between 41°F and 135°F as the temperature "danger zone" where bacterial growth can double approximately every 20 minutes.

For a Japanese restaurant that may handle raw fish, seafood, and other perishable items, maintaining proper cold holding temperatures is particularly important. The violation documented at Ozakaya indicates that at least one category of cold TCS food was found above its required holding temperature at the time of the inspection.

Inspection History

The March 2026 inspection represents a notable departure from Ozakaya's prior inspection record. The restaurant had previously maintained Grade A scores across its inspection history:

  • March 6, 2023: Score 12 (Grade A)
  • October 13, 2024: Score 13 (Grade A)
  • March 12, 2026: Score 35 (Grade C)

The jump from a score of 13 to 35 moved the restaurant from the top tier of the grading system to the lowest passing grade category. Under DOHMH procedures, restaurants receiving an initial score of 28 or higher are typically scheduled for a re-inspection, during which they have the opportunity to correct violations and potentially earn a lower score and higher grade.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total number of violation points recorded during an inspection:

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

Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations. Critical violations carry higher point values than general (non-critical) violations, which is why a single critical violation can significantly affect a restaurant's total score.

Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection are entitled to a re-inspection. The restaurant posts a "Grade Pending" sign until the re-inspection is completed and a final grade is assigned. Many restaurants improve their scores significantly between initial and re-inspection visits.

Consumers can look up the full inspection history for any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database, available online at the NYC Open Data portal. Inspection reports, including specific violation codes and descriptions, are public record and are updated regularly as new inspection data becomes available.

More About This Restaurant

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