Brooklyn, NY — Trinidad Killa Smokehouse, a Caribbean restaurant located at 345 East 98th Street in Brooklyn, received a score of 38 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on February 21, 2026. The score places the establishment in Grade C territory, the lowest letter grade issued under the city's restaurant grading system. Inspectors documented one critical violation related to personal cleanliness standards.
What Inspectors Found
During the February 21 inspection, DOHMH inspectors cited Trinidad Killa Smokehouse for a critical violation under code 06A, which addresses personal cleanliness standards for food service workers. The violation documented multiple concerns: inadequate personal cleanliness, outer garments soiled with possible contaminants, failure to wear effective hair restraints where required, jewelry worn on hands or arms, and fingernail polish worn or fingernails not kept clean and trimmed.
Under DOHMH inspection protocols, code 06A violations are classified as critical because personal hygiene failures among food handlers represent a direct pathway for contamination of food products. Contact between soiled clothing, uncovered hair, jewelry, or improperly maintained fingernails and food items can introduce harmful bacteria and foreign materials into dishes served to customers.
No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection. The action taken by DOHMH was to cite the violations found.
Food Safety Context
Personal cleanliness requirements for food service workers are established under NYC Health Code Article 81 and align with FDA Food Code standards. These regulations require food handlers to maintain clean outer garments, wear effective hair restraints in food preparation areas, remove hand and arm jewelry during food handling, and keep fingernails clean, trimmed, and free of nail polish.
The FDA Food Code specifically addresses these requirements because food workers' hands and bodies are among the most common vectors for foodborne illness transmission. Soiled garments can harbor pathogens, while jewelry and long or polished fingernails can trap bacteria and make effective handwashing difficult. Hair restraints prevent both physical contamination and the unconscious touching of hair followed by food contact.
A score of 38 indicates that the violations documented during the inspection were assessed significant point values under the DOHMH scoring system, where lower scores indicate better compliance.
Inspection History
Trinidad Killa Smokehouse's recent inspection record shows a pattern of compliance challenges:
- January 5, 2026: Score 60 (Grade N)
- February 21, 2026: Score 38 (Grade C)
The January 2026 inspection resulted in a score of 60 with a Grade N designation, which indicates the restaurant was within an initial inspection cycle and had not yet received a final letter grade. While the February score of 38 represents a numerical improvement from the January score of 60, it still falls within the Grade C range, indicating continued compliance concerns.
The inspection data referenced in this article was released by DOHMH on February 23, 2026, two days after the inspection was conducted. Conditions at any food service establishment may change between the date of inspection and the publication of results.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total number of violation points accumulated during an inspection:
- Grade A: 0–13 points
- Grade B: 14–27 points
- Grade C: 28 or more points
Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection may request a re-inspection. Grade cards must be posted in a location visible to the public near the entrance of the establishment. The grading system was implemented to provide consumers with accessible information about restaurant compliance with health and safety regulations.
Consumers can look up inspection results for any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH online database or by visiting NYCRestaurantInspections.com. The city's 311 service also accepts reports of food safety concerns at any restaurant or food service establishment.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Trinidad Killa Smokehouse including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.