Manhattan, NY — Shrine, Yatenga, an African restaurant at 2269 7th Avenue in Harlem, received a Grade B score of 21 points following a health inspection conducted on March 4, 2026. The score places the establishment near the upper boundary of the Grade B range, just six points below the Grade C threshold of 28.

Inspectors documented one critical violation and two non-critical violations during the visit. The data was released by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 6, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

The critical violation involved the presence of filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies in the establishment's food and non-food areas. FRSA flies — which include house flies, blow flies, bottle flies, flesh flies, drain flies, Phorid flies, and fruit flies — are classified as a critical violation because they can carry and transmit pathogens to food and food preparation surfaces.

Inspectors also documented two non-critical violations:

The first involved improper pesticide use or storage. Inspectors cited the restaurant for pesticide not properly labeled or used by an unlicensed individual, improper use or storage of pesticides or other toxic chemicals, or the use of an unprotected or unlocked bait station.

The second non-critical violation concerned non-food contact surfaces or equipment that were not kept clean, not properly sealed, or not adequately raised, spaced, or movable to allow cleaning accessibility on all sides, above, and underneath the unit.

Food Safety Context

Under NYC Health Code Article 81, restaurants are required to maintain pest-free environments and ensure that all food contact and non-food contact surfaces meet sanitary standards. The presence of FRSA flies is classified as a critical violation because these insects are known vectors for foodborne illness, capable of transferring bacteria from contaminated surfaces to food.

The FDA Food Code requires that pest management be conducted by licensed professionals using properly labeled products stored in approved locations. The pesticide-related citation suggests the restaurant may need to review its integrated pest management protocols.

A score of 21 points, while still within the Grade B range, represents a notable decline from the restaurant's most recent Grade A performance and indicates multiple areas requiring corrective action.

Inspection History

Shrine, Yatenga's prior inspection record shows fluctuation in compliance over recent years:

  • February 9, 2023: Score 2, Grade A
  • July 27, 2022: Score 24
  • June 24, 2022: Score 38
  • March 12, 2020: Score 12, Grade A

The restaurant earned a near-perfect score of 2 during its most recent previous graded inspection in February 2023. However, earlier inspections in 2022 showed scores of 24 and 38, the latter of which would have fallen in the Grade C range. The current score of 21 represents a significant increase from the 2023 score of 2.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system assigns letter grades based on inspection scores:

  • A: 0–13 points (lowest number of violation points)
  • B: 14–27 points
  • C: 28 or more points

Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations. Shrine, Yatenga's current score of 21 places it in the upper portion of the Grade B range.

New Yorkers can look up restaurant inspection results through the DOHMH website or the NYC Open Data portal. All inspection data referenced in this report is drawn from publicly available DOHMH records.

More About This Restaurant

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