Brooklyn, NY — Sushi Yu, a Japanese restaurant located at 214 Prospect Park West in Brooklyn, received a score of 39 during a health inspection conducted on February 19, 2026, according to data released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on February 23, 2026. The score places the restaurant in Grade C territory, a significant departure from its previously consistent record of Grade A scores.
Inspectors documented two critical violations and one non-critical violation during the inspection.
What Inspectors Found
The most serious violation involved hot time and temperature control for safety (TCS) food items not being held at or above 140 °F. The FDA Food Code requires that hot TCS foods — items such as cooked rice, soups, and proteins that support bacterial growth — be maintained at 140 °F or higher to prevent the rapid multiplication of harmful pathogens. When these foods fall into the temperature danger zone between 41 °F and 140 °F, bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Clostridium perfringens can multiply to levels that cause foodborne illness.
Inspectors also cited the restaurant for a second critical violation: food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential sources of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service. This violation also noted that condiments were not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor, creating additional contamination risks for customers.
A non-critical violation was recorded for issues with single-service articles. Inspectors found that single-service items were either not provided, were being reused, or were not properly protected from contamination during transport, storage, or dispensing. Drinking straws were noted as not being completely enclosed in wrappers or dispensed from a sanitary device.
Food Safety Context
Restaurant health inspections in New York City are governed by NYC Health Code Article 81, which establishes requirements for food service establishments to protect public health. The inspection process evaluates food handling, temperature control, personal hygiene, facility maintenance, and pest control, among other areas.
Temperature control violations are among the most closely monitored by DOHMH inspectors because of the direct connection between improper food temperatures and foodborne illness. The FDA Food Code specifies that hot foods must be held at 140 °F or above, while cold foods must be maintained at 41 °F or below. The temperature range between these two thresholds is commonly referred to as the "danger zone," where bacteria can double in number every 20 minutes under favorable conditions.
Food protection violations address the requirement that all food items be shielded from cross-contamination, environmental hazards, and unsanitary contact throughout the preparation and service process. This includes proper storage of condiments and protection of ready-to-eat items from potential contamination sources.
Inspection History
The score of 39 represents a notable change from Sushi Yu's prior inspection record, which had been consistently within Grade A range:
- 2024-05-21: Score 7 (Grade A)
- 2022-12-14: Score 10 (Grade A)
- 2022-01-20: Score 12 (Grade A)
The restaurant's previous three inspections all resulted in Grade A scores, with point totals ranging from 7 to 12. The current score of 39 is more than five times higher than the restaurant's most recent prior inspection result.
Under DOHMH procedures, restaurants that receive a score of 28 or higher on an initial inspection are typically scheduled for a re-inspection, at which point the restaurant has an opportunity to correct the cited violations and potentially receive a lower score and higher letter grade.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on inspection scores, with lower scores indicating fewer violations:
- Grade A: 0–13 points
- Grade B: 14–27 points
- Grade C: 28 or more points
A score of 39 falls within the Grade C range. Restaurants that do not achieve a Grade A on their initial inspection may request an adjudicatory hearing through the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) to contest the grade.
Consumers can look up the full inspection history of any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database, which is publicly available online. Inspection results, including individual violation details and historical scores, are part of the public record and are updated as new data is released by the agency.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Sushi Yu including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.