Manhattan, NY — Ways & Means, a Greenwich Village American restaurant at 167 Bleecker Street, received a Grade B following a health inspection conducted March 25, 2026, after inspectors documented evidence of mice on the premises. The restaurant was assigned a score of 22, placing it near the upper boundary of the Grade B range and six points from a Grade C designation.

What Inspectors Found

The inspection, conducted by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), identified one critical violation at the establishment:

  • Code 04L: Evidence of mice or live mice in the establishment's food or non-food areas.

Inspectors recorded no non-critical violations during this visit. The single cited violation was classified as critical under DOHMH guidelines, reflecting the potential for direct impact on food safety. No closure order was issued following this inspection.

The data was released publicly by DOHMH on March 27, 2026, two days after the inspection took place.

Food Safety Context

Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food service establishments are required to prevent pest entry and maintain conditions that do not attract or harbor rodents or insects. Evidence of mice — whether through droppings, gnaw marks, or live animals — constitutes a critical violation because rodents can contaminate food and food-contact surfaces with pathogens including Salmonella and Leptospira.

The FDA Food Code similarly classifies rodent activity as a significant hazard in food preparation environments, requiring immediate corrective action. Establishments found with this type of violation are expected to remediate conditions and may face re-inspection.

A score of 22, while technically within Grade B range, falls at the higher end of that tier. The closer a score is to the Grade C threshold, the more inspectors have identified issues that collectively indicate systemic food safety concerns rather than isolated oversights.

Inspection History

Ways & Means has been subject to multiple inspections in recent years. Its record shows meaningful variation in scores over time:

  • April 12, 2023: Score 35
  • March 6, 2024: Score 13 (Grade A)
  • July 9, 2025: Score 22
  • March 25, 2026: Score 22 (Grade B)

The restaurant achieved a Grade A in March 2024 with a score of 13, indicating compliance with health standards at that time. However, the two most recent inspections — in July 2025 and March 2026 — each returned a score of 22. The 2023 inspection produced a score of 35, which falls in Grade C territory.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

DOHMH assigns letter grades based on inspection scores following an initial and, if needed, re-inspection cycle:

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

Grades must be displayed in a visible location at the restaurant entrance. Consumers can look up full inspection records — including violation details and historical scores — through the DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results database at nyc.gov/health.

More About This Restaurant

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