Manhattan, NY — Zama Omakase, a Japanese restaurant located at 346 West 52nd Street, received a score of 45 during a New York City health inspection conducted on February 13, 2026. The score places the restaurant in Grade C territory, the lowest grade issued under the city's restaurant grading system. Inspectors documented one critical violation related to improper hot food holding temperatures.
The inspection data was released by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on February 16, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
During the inspection, DOHMH inspectors identified a single critical violation:
- Hot TCS food not held at or above 140°F (Violation Code 02B): Time/temperature control for safety (TCS) foods that are served hot must be maintained at 140°F or higher. Inspectors documented that hot TCS food items at the establishment were not being held at the required minimum temperature.
TCS foods include items such as cooked rice, fish, meat, and other protein-rich foods commonly found in Japanese cuisine. When these foods fall below 140°F, they enter what food safety experts refer to as the "danger zone" — the temperature range between 41°F and 140°F — where harmful bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Clostridium perfringens can multiply rapidly.
Despite only one critical violation and zero non-critical violations being recorded, the restaurant's score of 45 points reflects the severity weight assigned to this particular violation under the DOHMH scoring system.
Food Safety Context
NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes the requirements for food service establishments operating in New York City. Under these regulations, all TCS foods held for service must be maintained at proper temperatures — at or above 140°F for hot foods, and at or below 41°F for cold foods.
These local requirements align with the FDA Food Code, which similarly mandates that hot TCS foods be kept at 140°F or above to prevent bacterial growth. The FDA Food Code notes that foodborne pathogens can double in number every 20 minutes when food is held in the danger zone, making temperature control one of the most fundamental aspects of food safety in restaurant operations.
For omakase-style restaurants, where dishes are prepared and served in sequence by the chef, proper holding temperatures are particularly important for any items prepared in advance or held between preparation and service.
Inspection History
No prior inspection history is available for Zama Omakase in the DOHMH database. This may indicate that the February 13, 2026, inspection was the establishment's first recorded inspection, or that the restaurant operates under a recently issued permit.
The action recorded for this inspection was "Violations were cited in the following area(s)," indicating that the establishment was not closed as a result of the inspection but was cited for the documented violations.
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. Each violation carries a specific point value based on its severity and the condition observed:
- A: 0–13 points — The restaurant meets or closely meets food safety standards
- B: 14–27 points — The restaurant has moderate violations requiring correction
- C: 28 or more points — The restaurant has significant violations that need to be addressed
With a score of 45, Zama Omakase falls into the Grade C range. Restaurants that receive a Grade C on an initial inspection are entitled to a re-inspection, during which they have the opportunity to correct cited violations and potentially achieve a lower score and higher grade.
Restaurants that disagree with their inspection results may also request a hearing before the DOHMH's Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH).
Public Access to Inspection Data
New York City restaurant inspection results are public record and are available through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database. Consumers can search for any restaurant's inspection history, violation details, and current grade at the city's official inspection results page.
The full inspection record for Zama Omakase, including violation details and any subsequent re-inspection results, can be reviewed at NYCRestaurantInspections.com or through the official DOHMH portal.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Zama Omakase including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.