Brooklyn, NY — Prem Thai Restaurant & Noodle Bar, located at 295 5th Avenue in Brooklyn, received a score of 53 during a health inspection conducted on March 12, 2026, according to data released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 16, 2026. The score places the establishment well above the 28-point threshold for a Grade C rating, with inspectors documenting one critical violation and one non-critical violation.

What Inspectors Found

The critical violation cited during the inspection involved food contact surfaces that were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred (violation code 06D). Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food contact surfaces — including cutting boards, prep tables, utensils, and equipment — must be cleaned and sanitized between uses to prevent cross-contamination and the potential spread of foodborne pathogens.

Inspectors also documented a non-critical violation noting that the establishment was not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects, or other pests (violation code 08A). This type of citation indicates that structural or environmental conditions within the premises could attract or shelter pests, even if active pest activity was not necessarily observed at the time of inspection.

The combination of these two violations resulted in the restaurant's score of 53, which is significantly above the Grade C threshold of 28 points. The DOHMH noted that violations were cited but did not indicate that the establishment was ordered closed at the time of inspection.

Food Safety Context

Proper sanitization of food contact surfaces is a foundational requirement in food safety regulation. The FDA Food Code specifies that food contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized between uses, particularly when switching between different food types such as raw proteins and ready-to-eat items. Failure to maintain sanitized surfaces creates potential pathways for bacterial cross-contamination, which can lead to foodborne illness.

NYC Health Code Article 81 requires all food service establishments to maintain sanitary conditions throughout their operations. Pest-conducive conditions, while classified as a non-critical violation, can compound food safety risks when combined with sanitation deficiencies. The DOHMH assigns point values to each violation based on its severity and potential public health impact, and those points are totaled to determine the establishment's inspection score.

Inspection History

Prem Thai Restaurant & Noodle Bar has one prior inspection on record with the DOHMH:

  • October 5, 2024: Score 25 (Grade N)

A Grade N designation indicates that the restaurant received an initial inspection score between 14 and 27, which would place it in the Grade B range, but the letter grade had not yet been formally assigned pending the outcome of a re-inspection or adjudication process. The restaurant's score has increased substantially from 25 to 53 between that inspection and the most recent one, representing a notable decline in inspection performance.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by the DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total number of violation points recorded during an inspection. Lower scores indicate fewer and less severe violations:

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

Prem Thai Restaurant & Noodle Bar's score of 53 falls into the Grade C range. Restaurants that receive a Grade C on an initial inspection are typically offered an opportunity to request a re-inspection or attend a hearing before the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) to contest the findings.

Consumers can look up the full inspection history of any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH's publicly accessible restaurant inspection database. Inspection results, including specific violations and scores, are public record and are updated as new data becomes available.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Prem Thai Restaurant & Noodle Bar including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.