Queens, NY — The Monster Crab, a seafood restaurant located at 40-01 Northern Boulevard in Long Island City, Queens, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following an inspection conducted July 21, 2026. Inspectors recorded a score of 20, placing the establishment in the B range under the city's grading system. The closure came after a critical pest-related violation was identified on the premises.

What Inspectors Found

During the July 21 inspection, DOHMH inspectors documented one critical violation at The Monster Crab. The cited violation — Code 04N — covers the presence of filth flies or flies associated with food, refuse, or sewage in a food service establishment.

Under this violation category, inspectors may cite the presence of house flies, blow flies, bottle flies, flesh flies, drain flies, Phorid flies, or fruit flies in areas where food is prepared, stored, or served, as well as in non-food areas of the establishment. The inspection record notes that flies were found in food and/or non-food areas of the restaurant.

The DOHMH determined that violations requiring immediate action were addressed at the time of inspection, which is standard procedure when an establishment is ordered closed. No non-critical violations were cited during this visit.

Food Safety Context

Pest activity in a food service environment represents one of the more serious public health concerns that DOHMH inspectors are trained to identify. Under NYC Health Code Article 81 — which governs food service establishments in the five boroughs — operators are required to maintain their premises free from pests and to implement effective pest control measures.

The FDA Food Code, which New York City's health regulations draw from, classifies pest infestations as a significant risk factor for foodborne illness. Flies can carry and transmit pathogens including Salmonella, E. coli, and other organisms associated with foodborne disease outbreaks. Their presence in areas where food is handled or stored creates the potential for contamination of food contact surfaces and food itself.

Code 04N violations are among the more heavily weighted citations in the DOHMH scoring system, reflecting the agency's classification of pest activity as a critical food safety concern. A single critical violation of this type can contribute substantially to a restaurant's inspection score.

The restaurant received a score of 20 during this inspection. Under the city's A-through-C grading framework, this score falls in the B range.

Inspection History

According to DOHMH records, no prior inspection history is available for The Monster Crab at this location. This July 21, 2026 inspection appears to be the first on record for this establishment.

  • July 21, 2026: Score 20 (B range), closed by DOHMH. One critical violation cited (Code 04N — filth flies in food and/or non-food areas).

The absence of prior inspection data may indicate the restaurant is newly opened or operating under a new permit. DOHMH typically inspects new establishments within the first year of operation.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system was introduced in 2010 and requires food service establishments to post their most recent letter grade in a visible location near the entrance. Grades are assigned based on the point score recorded during a DOHMH inspection:

  • Grade A: 0 to 13 points (fewest violations)
  • Grade B: 14 to 27 points
  • Grade C: 28 points or more

Lower scores reflect fewer or less severe violations. Critical violations — those most directly linked to foodborne illness risk — are weighted more heavily in the scoring system than non-critical violations.

When an establishment is closed by DOHMH, it is not eligible to receive a letter grade until it passes a reinspection and is permitted to reopen. The current public record for The Monster Crab reflects the closure action taken on July 21, 2026.

Data for this inspection was released by DOHMH on July 24, 2026, three days after the inspection was conducted. Inspection records are made available to the public through the city's open data portal as part of the Department's transparency initiative.

Consumers seeking current information on restaurant inspection grades and violation histories can access the DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results database at nyc.gov/health, which is updated regularly as new inspection data becomes available.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for The Monster Crab including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.