Manhattan, NY — Uptaco, a Mexican restaurant at 300 West 135th Street in Harlem, received a score of 31 during a health inspection conducted on February 27, 2026, placing it in Grade C territory under New York City's restaurant grading system.
The inspection, carried out by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), identified one critical violation related to improper cold food storage temperatures. No non-critical violations were documented during the visit.
Data from this inspection was released by DOHMH on March 4, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
The single violation cited during the inspection involved cold temperature control for safety (TCS) food items being held above the required temperature thresholds. Specifically, inspectors documented that cold TCS food was held above 41°F, the maximum safe holding temperature established by food safety regulations.
This violation falls under DOHMH code 02G, which covers improper cold holding temperatures for several categories of perishable items, including smoked or processed fish (which must be held below 38°F), intact raw eggs (below 45°F), and reduced oxygen packaged TCS foods.
When cold perishable foods are stored above their required temperatures, bacteria such as Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli can multiply rapidly. The FDA Food Code identifies the range between 41°F and 135°F as the "danger zone" where bacterial growth accelerates, with food safety guidelines recommending that perishable items spend no more than four cumulative hours in this range.
The violation carried enough point weight to push Uptaco's total inspection score to 31, which exceeds the 28-point threshold for a Grade C designation.
Food Safety Context
NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes the regulatory framework for food service establishments in New York City, including requirements for proper food storage temperatures. These regulations align with the FDA Food Code, which sets science-based standards for safe food handling practices across the United States.
Temperature control is one of the most fundamental aspects of food safety in restaurant operations. Cold holding requirements exist because refrigeration slows the growth of harmful microorganisms that can cause foodborne illness. Restaurants are expected to maintain cold TCS foods at or below 41°F at all times, except during brief periods of active preparation.
DOHMH inspectors use calibrated thermometers to verify food temperatures during inspections. When items are found above the required threshold, the establishment is cited and the violation is scored based on the severity and conditions observed.
The action recorded for this inspection indicates that violations were cited, and the restaurant was permitted to continue operating. DOHMH did not order a closure as a result of this inspection.
Inspection History
This is the first inspection record available for Uptaco in the DOHMH public database. No prior inspection history was found, which may indicate the restaurant is a relatively new establishment or recently began operating under this name at this location.
Future inspections will build on this baseline, and the restaurant will have the opportunity to address the cited violation and improve its score on subsequent visits. Restaurants that receive initial grades of B or C are typically offered a re-inspection, during which they can demonstrate corrective actions and potentially receive a higher grade.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total violation points accumulated during an inspection:
- Grade A: 0 to 13 points — indicates minimal violations
- Grade B: 14 to 27 points — indicates moderate violations
- Grade C: 28 or more points — indicates more significant violations
With a score of 31, Uptaco falls into the Grade C range. It is important to note that a Grade C does not necessarily mean a restaurant is unsafe to eat at — it indicates that inspectors found conditions that need correction. Restaurants receiving a B or C grade may request an adjudicatory hearing or await a re-inspection.
All NYC restaurant inspection results are public record and can be reviewed through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database. Consumers can look up any restaurant's current grade, inspection history, and specific violations cited at each visit.
For more information about NYC restaurant inspections and food safety standards, residents can visit the DOHMH website or call 311.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Uptaco including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.