Queens, NY — Royal Queen Express Takeout, a Chinese restaurant located at 136-20 Roosevelt Avenue in Flushing, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on July 2, 2026, following an inspection that identified a critical pest-related violation. The closure marks the second time in under two weeks that the establishment has been ordered to stop service by city health authorities.

The inspection yielded a score of 37, placing the restaurant in Grade C territory under the city's restaurant grading system, which assigns a C to any establishment scoring 28 points or higher.

What Inspectors Found

During the July 2, 2026 inspection, health inspectors documented one critical violation under Code 04M: the presence of live roaches in the facility's food or non-food area. No non-critical violations were recorded during this visit.

The DOHMH cited the violation as requiring immediate corrective action. Per the agency's standard enforcement protocol, the establishment was closed on-site. The action notice indicates that violations requiring immediate action were addressed before the closure order was issued, though the facility remained closed pending re-inspection and clearance.

A live roach presence in a food service establishment is classified as a critical violation because it represents a direct risk of food contamination. Roaches can transfer pathogens including Salmonella, E. coli, and other bacteria to food contact surfaces and food products.

Food Safety Context

The citation falls under NYC Health Code Article 81, which governs food service establishments operating within the five boroughs. Article 81 requires that all food service premises be maintained free of pests and that effective pest management measures be in place at all times.

The FDA Food Code, which the DOHMH uses as a reference standard alongside local regulations, similarly classifies pest activity in a food facility as a priority violation — the most serious category — because it presents conditions that can directly cause foodborne illness if not corrected.

Under DOHMH enforcement procedures, a critical violation that cannot be corrected on-site during an inspection may result in an immediate closure order. Establishments must pass a re-inspection before being permitted to reopen.

Inspection History

The July 2 closure was not an isolated event. Public records show a pattern of significant scores and prior enforcement actions at this location:

  • 2026-06-25: Score 78 (Grade N), closed by DOHMH
  • 2025-12-15: Score 32 (Grade N)

The June 25, 2026 inspection produced a score of 78 — one of the highest possible scores under the DOHMH system — and also resulted in a closure. That closure appears to have been resolved before the July 2 follow-up inspection took place, as the restaurant was operational when the next visit occurred. The July 2 inspection then produced a score of 37 and a second closure within seven days.

The December 2025 inspection recorded a score of 32, also a Grade N result, indicating the restaurant had not yet completed the grading cycle at that time.

This inspection data was released by the DOHMH on July 6, 2026, four days after the inspection was conducted on July 2, 2026.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

The DOHMH assigns letter grades to restaurants following inspections based on the number of points scored. Points are assessed for each violation found, with critical violations carrying heavier point values than general violations. The grading scale is as follows:

  • A: Score of 0 to 13 points
  • B: Score of 14 to 27 points
  • C: Score of 28 points or more
  • N (Grade Pending): Assigned when a restaurant has not yet completed the grading cycle or when a score does not result in a grade at that inspection stage

A restaurant that receives a B or C grade may request a re-inspection within a set window, at which point the better of the two scores is used for the posted grade. Closure orders are separate from the grading process and can occur at any inspection regardless of the resulting score.

Residents can look up current and historical inspection records for any NYC restaurant through the DOHMH's public restaurant inspection database at nyc.gov/health. The database is updated regularly as new inspection data is processed and released.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Royal Queen Express Takeout including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.