NYC Restaurant
Health Scores
Explained
New York City inspects every restaurant at least once a year. The scores are public — but buried. Here's everything a diner needs to know about what those grades actually mean, what violations to look out for, and how to check any restaurant before you book.
27,000+
NYC restaurants inspected annually
A, B, C
The three grade letters diners see posted
0–13
Points = Grade A (lower is better)
1 tap
DineIQ surfaces it before you book
How NYC's Restaurant Grading System Works
The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspects restaurants using a points-based system. Each violation found during an inspection carries a point value — and at the end of the inspection, a total score is calculated. Lower scores are better.
After an initial inspection, restaurants scoring 14 or higher are given a chance to correct violations before a follow-up "score" inspection, at which point a letter grade is officially assigned.
A
0 – 13 points
The cleanest tier. Minor or no violations. Book with confidence.
B
14 – 27 points
Some violations corrected. Inspect the details before dining.
C
28+ points
Significant violations found. Worth knowing the specifics.
Critical vs. General Violations — What's the Difference?
NYC inspectors classify violations into two categories. Understanding the difference changes how you read a score.
Critical Violations
These directly relate to foodborne illness risk — improper food temperatures, pest evidence, contaminated surfaces, or improper personal hygiene. Each critical violation carries 5–28 points. These are the violations that actually make people sick.
Examples: raw chicken stored above produce, mice droppings found in kitchen, food held at improper temperatures, evidence of roaches.
General Violations
These are operational or structural issues that don't directly cause illness but still indicate standards. They carry lower point values (typically 2–5 points each) and include things like facility maintenance, labeling issues, and improper signage.
Examples: no handwashing sign posted, light fixtures not shielded, improper food storage labeling, broken equipment.
How Often Are NYC Restaurants Inspected?
The DOHMH uses a risk-based inspection cycle. After a restaurant receives its first official grade, the frequency of future inspections is determined by that score:
-
Grade A (0–13 points): Re-inspected roughly every 11–13 months. High-performing restaurants get more time between visits.
-
Grade B (14–27 points): Re-inspected approximately every 5–7 months.
-
Grade C or pending (28+ points): Re-inspected approximately every 2–3 months until standards improve.
This matters because a Grade A you see posted today might be based on an inspection from 12 months ago. DineIQ shows you the inspection date alongside the score so you know how fresh the data actually is.
What Most Diners Get Wrong About Health Grades
❌ "A Grade A means a perfect inspection"
A Grade A means 0–13 points. A restaurant can receive a Grade A and still have one or two violations — just minor ones. What matters is whether any of those violations were critical.
❌ "The grade in the window is current"
A Grade A posted today could be from an inspection over a year ago. Standards can slip between inspections. Always check the inspection date — not just the letter.
❌ "Grade Pending means something went wrong"
"Grade Pending" just means the restaurant is between its initial inspection and its follow-up scoring inspection. It's a normal part of the process — not automatically a red flag, but worth checking the initial violation list.
❌ "High Yelp rating = safe kitchen"
Yelp ratings reflect diner experience — food taste, ambiance, service speed. They have no correlation with inspection scores or kitchen safety practices. A restaurant can be wildly popular and have a Grade C.
How to Look Up Any NYC Restaurant's Health Score
The NYC Department of Health makes all inspection data publicly available. You have two options:
Option 1: NYC Health Department's Restaurant Grades page
Search by restaurant name or address at the DOHMH website. Returns the current grade, score, inspection date, and violation descriptions. It works but requires navigating a government portal — not exactly designed for quick pre-dining checks.
Option 2: DineIQ (Recommended)
DineIQ pulls from the same public database but surfaces health score, violation details, inspection date, and trend data — alongside staffing levels and allergen prep info — all in a single pre-dining check. No government portal navigation required.
Health Score Is Only Part of the Picture
A clean health inspection doesn't tell you whether a kitchen is understaffed tonight, or whether they have dedicated prep surfaces for nut-free dishes. For allergy-aware diners especially, the health score is necessary context — but not sufficient on its own.
That's why DineIQ combines three signals into one pre-dining check: the health inspection score with full violation details, real-time staffing levels by hour so you know when the kitchen is at full capacity, and allergen preparation transparency so allergy-sensitive diners can book with genuine confidence.
See any NYC restaurant's full intel
before you book
Health score, staffing level, and allergen prep — all in one tap. DineIQ is free for diners.
Get early access — freeFrequently Asked Questions
Are NYC restaurant health inspection records public?
Yes. The NYC DOHMH publishes all inspection records including scores, violation descriptions, and inspection dates. The data is available through their public portal and through NYC Open Data.
What happens if a restaurant gets a "Grade Pending" card?
Grade Pending means the restaurant scored 14 or higher on its initial inspection and is awaiting a follow-up scoring inspection. During this window, the restaurant can make corrections. The follow-up inspection determines the official grade.
Can a restaurant appeal its grade?
Yes. Restaurants can request an administrative hearing to dispute a score. During the appeal process, a "Grade Pending" card may be displayed. If an appeal is successful, the grade is adjusted.
Does a high health score mean a restaurant is good for people with allergies?
Not necessarily. Health inspections focus on foodborne illness prevention — temperature control, pest control, hygiene. They do not evaluate whether a restaurant has dedicated allergen-free prep areas or follows allergen separation protocols. For allergy-aware dining, you need allergen-specific transparency in addition to the health score.
How does DineIQ get its health score data?
DineIQ pulls directly from the NYC DOHMH public health inspection database (the same source as the official portal) and normalizes the data for easy reading — surfacing critical vs. general violation breakdowns, inspection dates, and 12-month trend data alongside our staffing and allergen signals.