NEW YORK — Filth flies, roaches, mice and unwashed hands — restaurants across the city have dirty secrets they’d rather you didn’t know about. Fortunately for the diner’s well-being, New York City’s Health Department is watching.

Every year, inspectors go unannounced into more than 24,000 restaurants in the city. Of them, the majority are fine, but some fall disgustingly short of the city’s cleanliness requirements.

The most common violations, according to the city, are food stored at wrong temperatures, vermin, “plumbing” issues (the mind boggles) and basic food safety protocols not being followed.

Every week, Patch will tell you which restaurants have gotten the chop in Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn – try not to read over your lunch break.

Inspection scores above 28 earn eateries a C grade and extra close monitoring from the city’s health department – which could decide to shut it down.

These are the restaurants closed down since Feb. 7, 2020, according to the Department of Health:

Manhattan:
None listed.

Brooklyn:
18 Lounge KTV

8732 18th Ave

Violation points: 32

• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
• Facility, not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions are conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

Queens:
Drunken Chicken

2530 Broadway

Violation points: 57

• Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
• Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
• Food Protection Certificate not held by the supervisor of food operations.
• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
• Facility, not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions are conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
  STAR KABAB & CHINESE RESTAURANT

16821 HILLSIDE AVE

Violation points: 121

• Food from an unapproved or unknown source or home canned. Reduced oxygen packaged (ROP) fish not frozen before processing; or ROP foods prepared on premises transported to another site.
• Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
  
• Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.
  
• Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
  

• Tobacco use, eating, or drinking from open containers in food preparation, food storage or dishwashing area observed.
  
• Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.

• Food Protection Certificate not held by the supervisor of food operations.
  
• Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment.

• Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
  
• Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
  
• Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
  
• Duties of an officer of the Department interfered with or obstructed.
  
• Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
  
• Facility, not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions are conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
  
• Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
  
• Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.