Brooklyn, NY — Palace Fried Chicken & Pizza, located at 523 Brighton Beach Avenue in Brooklyn's Brighton Beach neighborhood, received a Grade C score following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene inspection conducted on April 1, 2026. Inspectors recorded a score of 40, placing the restaurant firmly in the Grade C range. The inspection data was released by DOHMH on April 6, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors identified one critical violation during the April inspection. The cited violation, classified under Code 05H, pertains to the absence of an approved written standard operating procedure (SOP) for preventing contamination from refillable, returnable containers.

Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, food service establishments that use refillable or returnable containers — such as bulk condiment dispensers, reusable beverage vessels, or similar equipment — are required to maintain documented procedures governing how those containers are cleaned, sanitized, and handled to prevent cross-contamination. The absence of a written SOP is considered a critical violation because it represents a systemic gap in food safety management rather than an isolated incident.

A critical violation is defined by DOHMH as one that poses a direct risk to public health if left unaddressed. The single critical violation at this inspection contributed significantly to the restaurant's overall score of 40.

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

Food Safety Context

The requirement for written SOPs governing refillable containers is rooted in both city and federal food safety frameworks. NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes the standards food service operators must meet to protect public health, including requirements around contamination prevention and sanitation documentation. The FDA Food Code, which New York City's regulations are modeled on, similarly mandates that operators have documented protocols for high-risk practices.

Written SOPs serve a practical function: they ensure that food handling procedures are consistent across staff members and shifts, reducing the likelihood that a single employee's lapse in judgment leads to a contamination event. When an establishment cannot produce an approved written procedure, inspectors have no basis to verify that safe practices are being consistently followed.

Restaurants are expected to correct critical violations promptly. DOHMH may schedule a reinspection to confirm that cited issues have been resolved.

Inspection History

Palace Fried Chicken & Pizza's recent inspection record reflects ongoing compliance challenges:

  • June 2, 2026: Score 20 (Grade Z)
  • April 1, 2026: Score 40 (Grade C) — 1 critical violation cited

The June 2026 inspection, which post-dates the April inspection in the public record, resulted in a score of 20 under a Grade Z designation. Grade Z is assigned during reinspection cycles when a restaurant is being re-evaluated following a prior substandard score; the letter grade displayed to the public during that period reflects the most recent completed grading cycle. A score of 20 falls within the Grade B range (14–27 points) on a standalone basis, suggesting some improvement from the April result.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system assigns letter grades based on the number of points accumulated during a sanitary inspection. Points are added for each violation found, with more serious violations carrying higher point values. The grading scale is as follows:

  • Grade A: 0–13 points (satisfactory)
  • Grade B: 14–27 points (needs improvement)
  • Grade C: 28 or more points (poor)

A Grade C does not automatically result in closure. Restaurants receiving a Grade C are typically subject to reinspection. If a restaurant scores below a certain threshold on reinspection, it may be permitted to post a Grade B or A. Establishments that pose an imminent public health hazard may be closed by DOHMH regardless of their numeric score.

Current inspection records for Palace Fried Chicken & Pizza and all New York City restaurants are publicly available through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database at nyc.gov/health. Residents can search by restaurant name, address, or neighborhood to review the full inspection history for any permitted food service establishment.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Palace Fried Chicken & Pizza including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.