Queens, NY — San Soo Kap San, the long-running Korean restaurant at 171-04 Northern Boulevard in Flushing, received a score of 24 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on March 21, 2026. The score places the restaurant in the Grade B range but sits near the upper boundary, four points below the threshold at which establishments receive a Grade C.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation during the visit, classified under Code 06C: food, supplies, or equipment not adequately protected from potential sources of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service. Specifically, condiments were not stored in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.

Critical violations are those the DOHMH has determined pose a direct risk to public health. A single critical violation of this nature can carry significant point weight in the city's scoring system, contributing substantially to a restaurant's overall score.

No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.

Food Safety Context

Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food service establishments are required to protect all food and food-contact surfaces from contamination at every stage of handling. The FDA Food Code, which informs local regulations, similarly mandates that condiments provided for customer use be dispensed in a manner that prevents contamination — whether through individual single-use packets, pump dispensers, or direct vendor service.

Open or improperly stored condiment containers can expose food to environmental contaminants, cross-contamination from other surfaces, or customer contact that compromises sanitation. These standards exist to reduce the risk of foodborne illness transmission.

Inspection History

San Soo Kap San's inspection record shows variability over the past several years:

  • June 12, 2025: Score 33 (Grade C range)
  • October 23, 2023: Score 11 (Grade A)
  • October 6, 2022: Score 26 (Grade B)

The restaurant's most recent prior inspection, in June 2025, resulted in a score of 33 — above the Grade C threshold. The current score of 24 represents an improvement from that cycle, though it remains in the upper portion of the Grade B band. The 2023 inspection produced a Grade A, indicating the establishment has demonstrated the capacity for strong compliance.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City uses a letter grading system based on inspection scores. Lower scores reflect fewer violations:

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

A score of 24 falls within the Grade B range but is four points from the Grade C cutoff, placing it among the higher-scoring inspections still eligible for a B grade.

Inspection data for this visit was conducted on March 21, 2026 and released by the DOHMH on March 23, 2026. Inspection records are publicly available through the NYC Open Data portal and the DOHMH restaurant inspection lookup tool at nyc.gov/health.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for San Soo Kap San including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.