Queens, NY — Shimen Restaurant, located at 42-79A Main Street in Flushing, Queens, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following an inspection conducted on June 29, 2026. Inspectors recorded a score of 63 points, placing the establishment in the C range under the city's restaurant grading system. Two critical violations were cited, and the DOHMH determined that immediate action was required.

The inspection data was released publicly on July 2, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented two critical violations during the June 29 visit.

The first, Code 06D, cited that food contact surfaces were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized after each use and following activities during which contamination may have occurred. Proper sanitation of surfaces that come into direct contact with food is a foundational requirement under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, as failures in this area can facilitate cross-contamination and the spread of foodborne illness.

The second critical violation, Code 04N, noted the presence of filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated flies in the establishment's food and non-food areas. Under the city's classification, FRSA flies include house flies, blow flies, bottle flies, flesh flies, drain flies, Phorid flies, and fruit flies. The presence of these pests in areas where food is stored, prepared, or served represents a direct risk of contamination and is among the violations that can trigger immediate closure.

The DOHMH noted that violations requiring immediate action were addressed at the time of the inspection, a standard condition of the closure process. The establishment may not reopen until it has passed a reinspection.

Food Safety Context

Under NYC Health Code Article 81, all food service establishments operating in New York City are subject to unannounced inspections carried out by DOHMH sanitarians. Inspectors evaluate conditions across multiple categories, including food handling, worker hygiene, pest control, facility maintenance, and temperature compliance.

The FDA Food Code, which informs the standards applied during inspections, identifies unsanitized food contact surfaces and pest activity as conditions capable of contributing to foodborne illness outbreaks. Critical violations are those that pose the most direct risk to public health and are weighted more heavily in scoring.

A score of 63 points is substantially above the threshold for a C grade, which begins at 28 points. The higher the score, the greater the number or severity of conditions identified during the inspection.

When the DOHMH closes an establishment, the operator is required to correct all cited conditions and pass a follow-up inspection before resuming operations. The closure notice is posted visibly at the premises.

Inspection History

The June 2026 closure is not the first time Shimen Restaurant has received a high score from DOHMH inspectors. The establishment's recent inspection record shows a consistent pattern of elevated point totals:

  • April 24, 2025: Score 52
  • November 10, 2025: Score 43 (Grade Z)
  • December 13, 2025: Score 22
  • June 29, 2026: Score 63, closed by DOHMH

A Grade Z is assigned when an establishment requests an adjudication hearing rather than accepting the grade issued at inspection. The December 2025 score of 22 would have placed the restaurant within the B grade range, representing an improvement from the prior visit. However, the most recent inspection reflects a significant increase in the score and resulted in closure.

Inspection history is part of the public record maintained by the DOHMH and is accessible through the city's online restaurant inspection database.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's letter grading system is designed to give the public a quick, visible indicator of a restaurant's inspection performance. Grades are posted in the window of every inspected establishment. The scoring thresholds are:

  • A: 0 to 13 points (lowest number of violations)
  • B: 14 to 27 points
  • C: 28 or more points (highest number of violations)

A lower score reflects fewer or less severe violations. Establishments that score in the B or C range during an initial inspection are typically reinspected within a month, at which point the resulting grade is posted. Closures occur when inspectors determine that conditions on-site pose an immediate public health risk and require corrective action before the business can continue operating.

Consumers can look up inspection results for any city restaurant through the DOHMH's NYC Restaurant Inspection Results database, available at the NYC Open Data portal. Inspection records include scores, violation descriptions, and grade history for all inspected establishments.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Shimen Restaurant including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.