Manhattan, NY — Turtle Bay Tavern, an American restaurant located at 975 2nd Avenue in Manhattan, received a Grade B following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene inspection conducted on March 25, 2026. The restaurant received a score of 26, placing it at the upper boundary of the Grade B range and two points from the Grade C threshold.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation during the inspection, which accounted for the full point total.

The cited violation — Code 05D — concerns handwashing access. Inspectors recorded that the restaurant lacked a properly accessible handwashing facility in or adjacent to required areas, including food preparation, food service, or ware washing zones. The violation can cover a range of conditions: no hot and cold running water, inadequate water pressure, missing soap, or no acceptable hand-drying device, as well as facilities that are obstructed or being used for non-handwashing purposes.

Handwashing violations are classified as critical because they directly affect a food handler's ability to prevent contamination. Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, accessible and functional handwashing stations are a baseline requirement for any establishment preparing or serving food to the public.

No non-critical violations were cited during this inspection.

Food Safety Context

The FDA Food Code designates handwashing facility violations as critical because proper hand hygiene is one of the primary barriers against foodborne illness transmission. NYC Health Code Article 81 requires that handwashing sinks be readily accessible, stocked with soap, and equipped with a means of hand drying at all times during operation.

A score of 26 sits near the top of the Grade B range. While a Grade B indicates that violations were identified and corrected or are in the process of being corrected, a score this close to 28 — the Grade C threshold — reflects a greater number or severity of violations than lower B scores. Restaurants scoring in the upper B range are typically re-inspected within 30 to 45 days.

Inspection History

Turtle Bay Tavern's recent inspection record shows this result as a departure from its prior performance:

  • April 20, 2026: Score 11 (Grade A)
  • March 25, 2026: Score 26 (Grade B)
  • May 16, 2024: Score 7 (Grade A)

The restaurant previously held Grade A ratings across two inspections, including a score of 7 in May 2024 — among the lower scores in the grading range. The March 2026 result marks a significant increase from that baseline.

Note: Inspection data was conducted March 25, 2026 and released by DOHMH on March 27, 2026.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system is based on the total points assigned during an inspection:

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

Inspection records for all NYC restaurants are publicly available through the DOHMH's online restaurant inspection database at nyc.gov. Consumers can search any establishment by name or address to review full violation histories and current grade status.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Turtle Bay Tavern including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.