14 Notable NYC Restaurants That Were Closed By Health Inspections In 2025

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When it comes time to choose a restaurant, there are plenty of things to consider. There's the obvious — cuisine and menu choices — but there are other factors at play here, too. Do you need reservations? Do you feel like something casual or upscale? America has a ton of great hole-in-the-wall restaurants that are perfect for a come-as-you-are sort of evening, but some nights call for something a little fancier. But do you ever consider the results of health inspections?

Any time you go to a restaurant, the hope is that everyone is following health and safety guidelines that are put in place to keep customers safe. There are a number of red flags that health inspectors look for, from overworked employees that could mean shortcuts are being taken, to unmarked bottles, and even the state of the bathrooms. Ever wonder how health inspectors keep restaurants from doing emergency clean-ups? Sometimes, they resort to speed runs through restaurants to find clues that things aren't up to standard. 

No restaurant is exempt from being caught cutting corners, and in 2025, a number of notable New York City institutions were shuttered after failing health inspections. The process that's supposed to be annual hasn't been; in 2024, the Mayor's Management Report revealed that restaurant inspections were down a whopping 17% from the previous year. With that in mind, let's talk about some notable NYC restaurants that were forced to close their doors in 2025. Why, what happened, and who reopened?

Jacob's Pickles opened in 2011, and the idea of bringing Southern-style comfort food to the city in a casual, comfortable atmosphere was met with wide acclaim. As of 2025, there were four locations; however, on June 4, the Amsterdam Avenue location was closed by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene after an inspection left the facility with a score of 76. (The higher the score, the more violations are found. To get an "A" grade, restaurants must score 13 points or less.)  

Violations included food being kept at improper temperatures, evidence of both rats and live roaches, improper sewage, and improper storage of food, condiments, and supplies. Other, non-critical violations included no records of pest control services, the presence of conditions conducive to attracting pests, and improper drainage.

Further inspections on June 6 and 9 reported issues with rats, roaches, and flies, but the restaurant was reopened on June 10 when a re-inspection awarded it a grade of 2. During that inspection, the only violation found was one deemed non-critical, and — although unspecified in the report — it had to do with a non-food contact surface that was not up to code.

New York City is home to three L&L Hawaiian Barbecue locations belonging to the same franchise owners: Manhattan's Lower East Side and East Harlem, and Bushwick in Brooklyn. They opened in 2024 and were applauded for bringing Hawaiian-style comfort food to the city. Three inspections of the Brooklyn location all resulted in high grades, culminating in a September 16 closure.

The first inspection took place on April 22 and included two critical violations. In addition to improperly stored and/or used sanitation equipment, there was no easily-accessible hand-washing station near the bathrooms or food prep area. Other critical violations — including food stores at improper temperatures and sanitation equipment not up to code — were found during an inspection on June 17, but the restaurant wasn't closed until September 16.

That's when more critical violations were added to the list, including evidence of rats, improperly stored food, supplies, or equipment, management that didn't have the correct safety certifications, and employees in violation of food safety practices (officially described by the phrase "Personal cleanliness is inadequate"), as well as the previous problems with sanitization equipment. Additional non-critical issues included improper dishwashing procedures and unclean surfaces, leading to the closure. The other locations remained open, with scores of 11 (Allen Street) and 18 (2nd Avenue).

There are two locations of Chef Kim Paradis' Paradis To Go: Hudson Yards and Union Square. Lauded for bringing coffee, baked goods, and farm-inspired comfort foods to the city, the 4th Avenue Union Square location ran afoul of health inspectors in 2025.

While an inspection on April 2 left the restaurant with a score of 19 (and just a few points above an "A" grade), it was closed following a September 10 inspection that resulted in a score of 101. That included eight violations deemed critical, including food that was held and stored at improper temperatures, food that was improperly cooled, food and supplies that were improperly stored, and prep surfaces that were not adequately washed and sanitized. 

In addition, inspectors found juices were being prepped but not appropriately labeled, indications that mice were present in the restaurant, and inadequate hand-washing facilities. At the time of this writing, there are no recent inspections on record for the Hudson Yards location.

In 2017, Astoria's Boishakhi was lauded by The New York Times for doing something out of the ordinary. It was shining a light on Bangladeshi cuisine in a way that made it clear it stood proud on its own, without being overshadowed by cuisines from neighboring countries. 

However, after an inspection on September 5, 2025, the restaurant was ordered to close. In addition to non-critical violations (such as non-food contact surfaces that were not up to code and the current letter grade (B) not displayed), five critical violations were also logged. Those included food that was not at the right temperature and not cooled properly, as well as equipment that could not adequately maintain food at the proper temperature. Cleanliness of employees was also noted as an issue, and there was a final violation linked to the origin of food being served. According to the official document, the violation was for "Food, prohibited, from unapproved or unknown source."

The restaurant was inspected again just four days later and allowed to reopen. This time, there was a single non-critical violation regarding a surface not used for food prep, and the score went from a 74 to a 3.

Hungry Bird is in the Bronx, and there are a ton of outstanding reviews for the restaurant's take on traditional Indian cuisine, coupled with American and Dominican influences. However, health inspection records dating back to 2022 show the presence of live roaches (January 2022), rats, roaches, and food kept at improper temperatures (June 2024), rats and mice (November 2024), and a closure on September 4, 2025.

The official inspection score for that day was 95, and included eight critical violations related to food temperatures, raw foods being handled in a way that left the potential for cross-contamination, mice, roaches, and flies, as well as inadequately cleaned food prep surfaces and inadequate facilities for storing foods at the correct temperatures. Hungry Bird was inspected again on September 8 and 12 and remained closed. On September 18, it was allowed to reopen with no recorded violations.

Ayat is a Palestinian restaurant that has a number of locations in several states, and it's also gotten a shout-out in the Michelin Guide for its atmosphere and classic, home-cooking vibes. However, the location on 3rd Avenue in Brooklyn (which is the same one mentioned in the Michelin Guide) has several pages of inspections, violations, and closures that happened in 2025.

First closed on May 16 after receiving a score of 74, Ayat inspectors recorded things like the presence of mice, roaches, and flies, as well as a lack of hand washing stations, food at improper temperatures, and food that was not stored in a manner that would prevent contamination. (Non-critical violations included a lack of drainage, safety signage, and the presence of conditions that increased the risk of pest infestations.)

It was reopened on May 21 (with no score listed), then closed again on July 24 after the same list of critical violations was recorded — with the addition of lesser violations related to a lack of pest-resistant garbage containers, toilet facilities not maintained to code, improper washing and sanitizing of dishes, and a letter grade not displayed. (Celebrity chef Robert Irvine says that dirty restaurant bathrooms are a warning sign that other things may be getting neglected.) It reopened again on July 29 after improving its score to a 2.

Bagels have a history that's tied to New York City, just like New York-style pizza, and Catskill Bagel has gotten some buzzy press and outstanding reviews for its store on Cortelyou Road in Brooklyn. However, health inspection findings going back to 2021 also show multiple violations that include the presence of roaches and flies, and improperly handled raw foods.

The restaurant was ordered shuttered after an inspection on August 26, 2025. It resulted in a score of 50, due to evidence of mice and roaches, food stored at improper temperatures, and pesticides not labeled and/or stored in accordance with regulations. Catskill Bagel reopened on August 29 with a score of 2, but that wasn't the first time it had been closed by the health department. News reports from 2013 note that it was closed in March after health inspectors logged several violations, and previously, it had been closed in both 2012 and 2011.

Ruta Oaxaca gets a mention in a lot of conversations about some of the best Mexican cuisine in the city, earning lots of praise for the mole and ceviche. There are four New York locations (Astoria, Brooklyn, Patchogue, and Woodbury), but the Astoria location was closed by the health department in 2025.

Despite scoring grades of 28 and 9 in the previous two years, an inspection on August 22, 2025, resulted in a score of 78 and a week-long closure. Critical violations included the presence of roaches, flies, and other animals (unidentified by the report), as well as improper handling of raw food, food kept at improper temperatures, concerns about personal cleanliness, improper washing of food surfaces, and improper storage of cleaning cloths. The location reopened on August 29, when it was given a score of 5 and only one violation was noted, regarding a surface that was not used in contact with food.

Making the perfect steamed buns is a tricky endeavor, and Golden Steamer has gotten pretty consistent praise for putting out buns that are as delicious as they are affordable. The original location on Mott Street in Manhattan was closed by the Department of Health in 2025, beginning with a January 15 inspection that resulted in a score of 40. Critical violations included evidence of pests and bugs, violations of hand-washing and storage regulations, and surfaces and equipment that were not completely up to regulation standards.

It was closed after a May 20 inspection, which noted many of the previous violations, along with the presence of prohibited foodstuffs, damaged merchandise inadequately removed from regular stock, food kept at improper temperatures, and food surfaces that hadn't been properly cleaned. The restaurant was reinspected on August 5 and was still closed, but reopened after an August 27 inspection resulted in a score of 2 and only one single, non-critical violation involving a surface not used for food.

David's Brisket House has made a lot of headlines. As a Muslim-owned deli in Brooklyn, it serves all the classics of a staple Jewish deli, while making everything halal. This place has gotten fairly constant praise for everything from the pastrami to the brisket, and frequently makes it onto best-of lists for both Jewish delis and halal restaurants. It's been around since the 1960s, but it was briefly closed by health inspectors in 2025.

After an April inspection resulted in a score of 31 with only three critical violations noted (pertaining to food temperature, storage procedures, and washing facilities), it was closed after a May 12 inspection. Health inspectors cited the establishment for critical violations that included improper food temperatures, indications of the presence of rats, a lack of an accessible hand-washing station, a lack of a Food Protection Certificate, and improper sanitation procedures, in addition to lesser violations that included issues such as conditions that would encourage an infestation of pests. The restaurant was reopened on May 15, after a reinspection lowered the score to 4.

Old Tbilisi is a Greenwich Village restaurant that offers legit Georgian food, and it's also the kind of place that gets high praise for its deliciously authentic dishes. It's perfect for out-of-towners looking for a night out that's not your typical big-city dining experience, and it's made it to best-of lists for the Village, too. Unfortunately, it was closed for part of May 2025, following a health inspection that left it with a score of 81.

This inspection came after one on February 13, which recorded problems with food temperatures. In May, violations included improper washing and sanitizing of food prep surfaces, improper storage procedures, a lack of a Food Protection Certificate and an up-to-code hand-washing station, food kept at improper temperatures, and evidence of mice. The May 23 reinspection and reopening came when that score was lowered to a 4, with only two minor violations related to drainage and surfaces unrelated to food prep.

The original locations of Breakfast by Salt's Cure opened on the West Coast, and were lauded for a commitment to locally-sourced ingredients and putting out some seriously tasty oatmeal griddle cakes. That was back in 2017, and since then, several New York locations have opened as well. That includes the one on Morton Street in Manhattan, which was closed by several health inspections in 2025 — after earning an "A" grade in May 2024.

The first inspection came on June 26, 2025, and led to a grade of 47 due to three critical violations (involving the presence of mice, improper storage procedures, and handling food with bare hands). Other inspections on June 27 and June 30 also led to the doors remaining closed, due to violations including mice and the presence of potentially unsafe eggs. When the restaurant was inspected again on July 2, it reopened with a score of 2 and only one minor violation involving a surface not related to food prep.

Lloyd's Carrot Cake has locations in Riverdale and East Harlem, and it's the kind of carrot cake that has been such a hit that it's led to customers forming lines down the block. Some drive for hours to pick up their special-occasion cakes from this mainstay, and some have been doing it for decades. Service at the East Harlem location was interrupted in 2025, as it was closed after a March 13 health inspection resulted in a score of 78 and violations for mice, lack of thermometers and improper food temperatures, improper storage, and issues with accessible hand-washing stations.

It was opened a week later on March 19 with a score of 5, while subsequent inspections on June 26 and September 3 also found problems with food temperatures and washing facilities. This Lloyd's location was also closed by health officials in years prior, including from October 19 to 26, 2023 (for violations including food from unapproved or unknown sources, and practices that allowed the potential for cross-contamination), as well as from February 8 to 14, 2024 (for food temperature issues, washing facilities, and mice).

Justino's Pizzeria got its start on Staten Island and has since expanded to several locations. Until recently, that included a location on Manhattan's 9th Avenue. On March 26, 2025, this particular location was likely to remain closed, and company founder Justino Alioni was quoted by the Fordham Observer as saying that a pipe had burst on the same morning health inspectors from the city arrived. Alioni blamed the "100-year-old pipes — something is going to go wrong sometime," but a look at the official report from health inspectors tells another story.

The restaurant was closed after a March 12 inspection noted multiple critical violations, including problems relating to food temperature, a lack of a Food Protection Certificate, improper handling of raw foods, signs of both rats and roaches, improper food storage, and minor violations, including restaurant surfaces and conditions that could encourage pest problems. Reevaluations on March 17 and 19 still noted roach problems, and it was officially given the all-clear on the 26.