New York, NY — Two New York City restaurants received clearance to reopen on March 25, 2026, after passing re-inspections conducted by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Both establishments — one in Brooklyn and one in Midtown Manhattan — had previously been ordered closed and were required to correct documented violations before resuming service. Both returned with a score of 2, reflecting corrected conditions at the time of re-inspection.
The Inspections
In Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood, Gemini's Ii Restaurant, located at 109 Graham Avenue, was cleared to reopen after addressing violations related to pesticide use and storage. Inspectors had previously cited the Latin American restaurant for pesticide not properly labeled or used by an unlicensed individual, as well as pesticide and other toxic chemicals being improperly used or stored on the premises. Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and applicable provisions of the FDA Food Code, pesticide application in food service establishments must be carried out exclusively by licensed pest control operators using properly labeled products. The presence of unlicensed pesticide use raises concerns about both food safety and regulatory compliance. Upon re-inspection, those conditions had been corrected, and Gemini's Ii Restaurant received a score of 2, allowing it to resume operations.
In Manhattan, Sushi Damo / Damo Ramen, located at 330 West 58th Street near Columbus Circle, also earned re-inspection approval on March 25. The Japanese restaurant, which serves both sushi and ramen, had been cited for non-food contact surfaces or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, or spaced. This category of violation typically refers to structural or equipment maintenance issues — such as damaged shelving, improperly sealed surfaces, or equipment positioned in ways that impede cleaning. While such violations do not involve direct food contamination, they create conditions that can harbor pests or bacteria over time if left unaddressed. Following corrective action, Sushi Damo / Damo Ramen received a score of 2, among the lowest possible, indicating an essentially clean re-inspection.
Common Patterns
The two restaurants that reopened on March 25 reflect a cross-section of violation categories that inspectors commonly encounter during closure follow-ups. Gemini's Ii Restaurant's pesticide-related violations fall into the category of chemical safety — a area where the Health Department applies strict standards, given the potential for toxic substances to contaminate food or food contact surfaces. Pesticide misuse violations can stem from establishments attempting to manage pest problems without engaging a licensed exterminator, which is not permitted under city regulations.
Sushi Damo / Damo Ramen's equipment maintenance citation represents a different but frequently documented violation class: physical facility conditions. These violations often indicate deferred maintenance rather than active food handling failures, but they remain subject to enforcement because deteriorating surfaces can become vectors for contamination if not corrected. Both Brooklyn and Manhattan locations demonstrated the ability to identify, correct, and pass re-inspection within the timeframe required by the Health Department.
The two restaurants also represent distinct culinary and geographic contexts — a neighborhood Latin American spot in Williamsburg and a Japanese restaurant near the Midtown commercial corridor — illustrating that closure and re-inspection activity spans cuisine types and borough boundaries.
What This Means for Diners
A restaurant that has been ordered closed and subsequently passed re-inspection has undergone a higher level of scrutiny than a typical cycle inspection. To reopen, an establishment must demonstrate to the Health Department that the specific conditions that led to closure have been corrected. The re-inspection is targeted, but it results in a current score that reflects the establishment's condition at that moment.
Diners interested in checking the current grade or inspection history of any NYC restaurant can do so through the city's public database. The NYC Health Department's restaurant inspection results are publicly available and searchable by name or address. Grades must be posted prominently at the entrance of every licensed food service establishment in the city. A posted grade represents the most recent completed inspection cycle.
It is worth noting that the "Z" grade designation associated with these re-inspections is a temporary administrative placeholder used in certain inspection contexts and does not correspond to a standard consumer grade in the same way that A, B, or C grades do.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City uses a letter grading system tied directly to inspection scores. A score of 0 to 13 results in an A grade, indicating that few or minor violations were found. A score of 14 to 27 results in a B grade, and a score of 28 or higher results in a C grade. Lower numerical scores reflect fewer or less severe violations — meaning a score of 2 represents a near-clean inspection.
Restaurants that receive a B or C on their initial inspection cycle may request an administrative tribunal hearing before the grade is finalized, and they are re-inspected within a set timeframe. Establishments ordered closed must pass a re-inspection before they can reopen regardless of the score that prompted the closure.
The Health Department inspects roughly 27,000 restaurants across New York City each year. Inspections are unannounced and cover food handling practices, food temperature controls, personal hygiene of staff, facility maintenance, and pest activity, among other criteria. Each violation type carries a point value based on its potential public health risk.
Diners can look up inspection records at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's online restaurant search tool, or review individual facility pages at NYCRestaurantInspections.com for detailed violation histories and scoring trends.