Manhattan, NY — Wok Up, a Chinese restaurant located at 22 West 38th Street in Midtown Manhattan, received a score of 31 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on February 3, 2026. The score places the establishment in Grade C territory, the lowest letter grade assigned under the city's restaurant grading system.
The inspection data was released by DOHMH on February 27, 2026, approximately three and a half weeks after the inspection took place.
What Inspectors Found
During the February 3 inspection, DOHMH inspectors documented one non-critical violation at the establishment.
Inspectors cited Wok Up under violation code 10F for non-food contact surfaces or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, spaced, or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above, and underneath the unit. This violation relates to the condition and maintenance of surfaces and equipment that do not come into direct contact with food but are still required to meet sanitary standards under the city's health code.
While the inspection record lists one non-critical violation and no critical violations, the overall score of 31 reflects the cumulative point values assigned by inspectors during the evaluation. Under the DOHMH scoring system, each violation carries a specific point value based on its nature and severity, and the total determines the restaurant's letter grade.
Food Safety Context
New York City's restaurant inspection program operates under NYC Health Code Article 81, which establishes sanitary requirements for all food service establishments in the five boroughs. The program aligns with principles outlined in the FDA Food Code, which serves as a model for food safety regulations nationwide.
Non-food contact surface violations, while not classified as critical, are an important component of overall food safety. Equipment and surfaces that are not properly maintained can harbor bacteria, attract pests, and create conditions that may eventually affect food preparation areas. The Health Code requires that all surfaces within a food establishment be constructed of approved materials, maintained in good repair, and accessible for routine cleaning.
The DOHMH scoring system assigns point values to each violation identified during an inspection. Non-critical violations typically carry lower point values than critical violations, though multiple non-critical findings can accumulate to produce a higher overall score. A score of 31 indicates that the total points assessed during the inspection exceeded the 28-point threshold for a Grade C designation.
Inspection History
No prior inspection history is available for Wok Up in the DOHMH public database. This may indicate that the February 3, 2026 inspection was the establishment's initial inspection, or that earlier records are not reflected in the current dataset.
Restaurants receiving a Grade C on an initial inspection are typically scheduled for a re-inspection, during which the establishment has the opportunity to address cited violations and potentially achieve a lower score and higher letter grade.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on inspection scores under the following scale:
- Grade A: 0 to 13 points — The restaurant is in substantial compliance with health code requirements.
- Grade B: 14 to 27 points — The restaurant has some violations that need to be addressed.
- Grade C: 28 or more points — The restaurant has significant violations requiring correction.
Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection may request an adjudicatory hearing and are scheduled for a re-inspection. The grade posted at the establishment reflects the most recent grading outcome.
Consumers can look up inspection results for any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH online database, which provides current and historical inspection scores, violation details, and grading outcomes. The data is updated regularly as new inspections are conducted and processed.
Wok Up is located at 22 West 38th Street, New York, NY 10018, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of the borough.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Wok Up including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.