Queens, NY — Rico Pollo #1, a Latin American restaurant located at 55-37 Myrtle Avenue in Queens, received a Grade B following a health inspection conducted March 25, 2026. The restaurant's score of 22 places it in the upper portion of the B range and within six points of the Grade C threshold. Inspection data was released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 27, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation during the March visit:

  • Code 06F: Wiping cloths not stored clean and dry, or in a sanitizing solution, between uses.

Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, wiping cloths used in food preparation and service areas must be stored properly between uses to prevent cross-contamination. Cloths left at room temperature without sanitizing solution can harbor and transfer pathogens to food contact surfaces. Because the violation directly relates to sanitation practices that affect food safety, it was classified as critical.

No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.

Food Safety Context

NYC Health Code Article 81 governs food service establishment sanitation standards across all five boroughs. Violations are categorized as critical or general based on their potential to contribute to foodborne illness. Critical violations carry higher point values and weigh more heavily on a restaurant's overall score.

A score of 22 — while still within Grade B range — reflects a meaningful gap from the Grade A standards the restaurant had maintained in prior inspections. The FDA Food Code, which New York City's regulations are modeled on, identifies improper sanitization of food contact surfaces and equipment as a significant risk factor for contamination.

Inspection History

Rico Pollo #1 has a strong prior inspection record, having received Grade A scores across all previous documented inspections:

  • April 17, 2026: Score 11 (Grade A)
  • November 4, 2024: Score 12 (Grade A)
  • June 27, 2023: Score 10 (Grade A)
  • June 22, 2022: Score 6 (Grade A)

The March 2026 result represents a notable departure from that record. The restaurant's subsequent April 2026 inspection — conducted roughly three weeks later — returned a score of 11, consistent with its historical performance.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

DOHMH assigns letter grades based on inspection scores:

  • Grade A: Score of 0 to 13 points
  • Grade B: Score of 14 to 27 points
  • Grade C: Score of 28 points or more

Lower scores indicate fewer and less severe violations. Restaurants scoring in the B or C range may request a re-inspection, at which point the better of the two scores is used to determine the posted grade.

Inspection records for all New York City restaurants are publicly available through the DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results database at nyc.gov. Consumers can search by restaurant name, address, or cuisine type to review full inspection histories.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Rico Pollo #1 including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.