Manhattan, NY — Tal Bagels, located at 2446 Broadway on the Upper West Side, was re-closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on July 22, 2026, after inspectors returned to the establishment and continued to find evidence of mice. The restaurant received a score of 17 during the follow-up inspection, which would correspond to a B grade under normal grading conditions, but the active closure order supersedes any grade assignment.
The re-closure comes just days after the restaurant was first shut down on July 17, 2026, when it received a score of 157 — an extraordinarily high point total indicating numerous and serious violations at that time.
What Inspectors Found
The July 22 inspection recorded one critical violation:
- Code 04L: Evidence of mice or live mice present in the establishment's food or non-food areas.
Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, the presence of rodents in a food service establishment is classified as a critical violation because it poses a direct risk of food contamination. Rodents can transmit pathogens including Salmonella and Leptospira through contact with food surfaces, packaging, and preparation equipment.
The single violation recorded on July 22 resulted in a score of 17 points. While that score is substantially lower than the 157 recorded five days earlier, DOHMH inspectors determined the conditions still warranted maintaining the closure order. When an establishment has been closed and a re-inspection identifies any critical active condition, the agency has authority to keep the establishment closed until the condition is fully remediated.
No non-critical violations were recorded during the July 22 inspection.
Food Safety Context
Rodent activity is among the most serious categories of violations tracked under NYC Health Code Article 81, which governs food service establishments across the five boroughs. The health code requires that all food establishments be maintained free of pests and that physical conditions — including gaps in walls, floors, and around utility lines — be sealed to prevent entry.
The FDA Food Code, which the city's health code incorporates by reference, identifies active pest infestations as an imminent health hazard requiring immediate corrective action and, where necessary, cessation of operations.
DOHMH uses a points-based system to assess violations. Critical violations, which have a direct connection to foodborne illness risk, carry higher point values than non-critical violations. A finding of live mice or evidence of mice in food areas typically carries a significant point penalty on its own.
When a restaurant is closed under DOHMH authority, it cannot reopen until inspectors return and confirm that the conditions that led to the closure have been resolved. The establishment must request a re-inspection, and DOHMH will conduct an unannounced or scheduled follow-up visit to verify compliance.
Inspection History
Tal Bagels has a mixed inspection record over the past several years. The two closures in July 2026 represent a significant departure from the restaurant's recent compliance history:
- July 17, 2026: Score 157 — closed by DOHMH
- July 22, 2026: Score 17 — re-closed by DOHMH
- June 23, 2025: Score 12 — Grade A
- May 9, 2025: Score 40
- March 11, 2024: Score 21 — Grade B
- May 31, 2023: Score 25
Prior to the July 2026 closures, the restaurant had received a Grade A on its most recent scored inspection in June 2025. The May 2025 inspection, which resulted in a score of 40, did not result in a closure, suggesting conditions at that time did not meet the threshold for an imminent health hazard determination.
The July 17 score of 157 is an outlier in the restaurant's recorded history and indicates a large number of violations were cited at that initial inspection. The subsequent re-inspection on July 22, which produced a score of only 17, suggests that many of those violations were corrected — but the continued presence of mice was sufficient grounds for DOHMH to maintain the closure order.
Note on data freshness: The July 22, 2026 inspection was conducted by DOHMH on that date. This data was released publicly by DOHMH on July 24, 2026. Inspection results are typically posted to the city's public database within one to two business days of the inspection.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City requires that restaurants post their most recent inspection grade in a window visible to the public. Grades are assigned based on the point score received during a full inspection cycle:
- Grade A: Score of 0 to 13 points — meets or exceeds food safety standards
- Grade B: Score of 14 to 27 points — some violations identified
- Grade C: Score of 28 or more points — significant violations identified
When a restaurant is closed by DOHMH, no letter grade is posted. The establishment displays a closure notice instead. A grade is only assigned after the restaurant has successfully passed a re-inspection or completed its adjudication process.
Consumers can look up the current inspection status of any NYC restaurant through the DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results database at nyc.gov, which is updated regularly as new inspection data becomes available. The database includes current grade status, violation details, and full inspection history.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Tal Bagels including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.