Manhattan, NY — Planet Taco, a Mexican restaurant located at 705 9th Avenue in Hell's Kitchen, received a Grade B following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on March 26, 2026. The restaurant recorded a score of 22, placing it toward the upper end of the Grade B range and within five points of the Grade C threshold. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on March 30, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
Inspectors documented one critical violation during the March visit. The citation, classified under Code 02G, identified improper temperature control for cold time/temperature control for safety (TCS) food items. Specifically, cold TCS foods were found held above 41°F, the maximum temperature permitted under applicable food safety standards.
Temperature control violations in this category are considered critical because harmful bacteria multiply rapidly in food held outside of safe temperature ranges. No non-critical violations were recorded during the same inspection.
Food Safety Context
NYC Health Code Article 81 requires that food service establishments maintain cold TCS foods at or below 41°F at all times outside of active preparation. These standards align with the FDA Food Code, which establishes temperature thresholds designed to limit pathogen growth in potentially hazardous foods.
Critical violations are weighted more heavily in New York City's scoring system. A single critical violation can add 7 or more points to an establishment's score depending on the specific condition documented. The single critical citation at Planet Taco contributed meaningfully to the restaurant's overall score of 22.
Inspection History
Planet Taco's inspection record over the past two years reflects variability in performance:
- Feb 17, 2026: Score 31
- Sep 15, 2025: Score 26 (Grade B)
- May 17, 2025: Score 0
- Apr 15, 2025: Score 19
- Oct 29, 2024: Score 30 (Grade C)
- Feb 8, 2024: Score 23
The February 2026 inspection produced a score of 31, which would fall in the Grade C range. The most recent inspection at 22 represents an improvement from that result, though the restaurant has recorded scores above 27 on two occasions in the past 18 months.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system converts inspection scores into letter grades posted publicly at each establishment:
- Grade A: Score of 0–13 (fewest violations)
- Grade B: Score of 14–27
- Grade C: Score of 28 or higher
Grades are based on the most recent scored inspection. Restaurants that do not receive an A on an initial inspection are re-inspected, and the grade from that follow-up inspection is the one posted publicly.
Consumers can review the full inspection history for any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results portal at nyc.gov/health, which provides violation details, scores, and grade history for all permitted food service establishments.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Planet Taco including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.