Manhattan, NY — Wagamama, the Japanese restaurant located at 210 5th Avenue in Manhattan, received a score of 26 following a health inspection conducted March 26, 2026, placing it at the upper edge of the Grade B range. Data from the inspection was released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on April 1, 2026.

A score of 26 earns a Grade B under the city's grading system, but it sits just one point below the Grade C threshold of 28. The inspection identified one critical violation and no non-critical violations.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation during the March visit:

Code 06D: Food contact surfaces were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized after each use, and following any activity during which contamination may have occurred.

This violation is classified as critical because improperly sanitized food contact surfaces — including cutting boards, prep tables, and utensils — can serve as a pathway for cross-contamination and foodborne illness. Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, food contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized at a frequency sufficient to prevent contamination of food.

A single critical violation of this type carries significant point weight under the city's scoring methodology, which contributed to the elevated score despite no accompanying non-critical violations.

Food Safety Context

NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes sanitation standards for all food service establishments in the city. The FDA Food Code, on which many of those standards are based, identifies improper sanitization of food contact surfaces as a contributing factor in foodborne illness outbreaks.

Under DOHMH's scoring system, critical violations — those with a direct connection to foodborne illness risk — carry higher point values than non-critical violations. A single critical violation can meaningfully affect a restaurant's final score and grade.

Inspection History

Wagamama's inspection record over recent years shows variability in scores:

  • 2026-01-21: Score not yet assigned (inspection on record, grade pending)
  • 2025-09-03: Score 22 (Grade B)
  • 2025-04-29: Score 36 (above Grade C threshold)
  • 2024-08-27: Score 36 (Grade C)
  • 2024-04-13: Score 21
  • 2022-10-21: Score 9 (Grade A)

The most recent inspection represents a return to the upper end of the Grade B range following a period in which the restaurant recorded scores in Grade C territory in 2024. The restaurant had previously scored a 22 in September 2025, making the March 2026 score of 26 a four-point increase.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City requires letter grades to be posted in the window of all food service establishments. Grades are assigned based on inspection scores as follows:

  • Grade A: 0–13 points
  • Grade B: 14–27 points
  • Grade C: 28 or more points

Lower scores reflect fewer or less severe violations. Restaurants that score in the Grade B or C range may request a second inspection before a grade is officially assigned and posted.

Inspection records for all NYC restaurants are publicly available through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database at nyc.gov/health.

More About This Restaurant

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