Manhattan, NY — Royal Seafood Cafe, a Chinese restaurant located at 103 Mott Street in Manhattan's Chinatown, received a score of 50 during a health inspection conducted on February 26, 2026, according to data released by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 2, 2026. The score places the restaurant in Grade C territory, a significant decline from its previous Grade A rating.

What Inspectors Found

During the February 26 inspection, DOHMH inspectors documented one non-critical violation at Royal Seafood Cafe:

  • Violation Code 09E: A wash hands sign was not posted near or above a hand washing sink.

While the inspection record lists only one non-critical violation, the restaurant received a total score of 50 points. It is important to note that the score of 50 reflects the inspector's full assessment. The DOHMH scoring system assigns point values based on the nature and severity of each condition observed, and the publicly released violation data may not capture every scored condition from the inspection worksheet.

No critical violations were recorded in the publicly available data for this inspection. The action noted by DOHMH was that violations were cited in the specified areas.

Food Safety Context

NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes the regulatory framework for food service establishments in New York City. Under this code, all food service establishments are required to maintain proper hygiene signage, including hand washing reminders near designated sinks. This requirement aligns with FDA Food Code guidelines, which emphasize hand hygiene as one of the most fundamental measures in preventing foodborne illness.

The hand washing sign requirement under Violation Code 09E is classified as a non-critical violation. While non-critical violations are considered less immediately dangerous than critical ones, they reflect conditions that, if left unaddressed, can contribute to broader food safety concerns. Proper hand washing signage serves as a consistent reminder to food handlers and is considered a basic compliance standard across the food service industry.

A score of 50 represents a substantial point accumulation that warrants attention from both the establishment and consumers. Restaurants scoring 28 or above receive a Grade C, indicating that conditions observed during the inspection fell below the standards expected by DOHMH.

Inspection History

Royal Seafood Cafe's inspection record shows a pattern of fluctuating scores over the past several years:

  • Nov 18, 2024: Score 13 (Grade A)
  • Jun 26, 2024: Score 36
  • Feb 10, 2023: Score 13 (Grade A)
  • Oct 3, 2022: Score 14 (Grade P)
  • Sep 30, 2022: Score 27
  • Sep 28, 2022: Score 102, closed by DOHMH

The restaurant's history includes a notable closure in September 2022, when inspectors recorded a score of 102 and the establishment was ordered closed. Following that closure, the restaurant underwent re-inspection and eventually returned to compliance, earning Grade A scores in both February 2023 and November 2024 with scores of 13 each.

The current score of 50 represents a significant departure from the restaurant's most recent Grade A performance. The jump from 13 to 50 points between the November 2024 and February 2026 inspections marks the kind of score increase that typically reflects a change in conditions at the establishment.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

The DOHMH assigns letter grades to restaurants based on the total points accumulated during an inspection. Fewer points indicate better compliance with health regulations:

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

Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection have the option to request a re-inspection. The restaurant then posts the grade from whichever inspection yielded the better score. A Grade Pending card may be displayed while a re-inspection or adjudication is in process.

Consumers can look up the full inspection history of any NYC restaurant through the DOHMH restaurant inspection portal or by visiting NYCRestaurantInspections.com. Inspection data is public record and is updated regularly as new inspections are completed and processed. The inspection discussed in this article was conducted on February 26, 2026, with data made available in the DOHMH public dataset on March 2, 2026.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Royal Seafood Cafe including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.