How to spot good and bad restaurants in New York?

Since 2010, New York City has implemented a restaurant classification system based on hygiene standards. Here's how it works.

New York’s Restaurant Grading System

Since 2010, New York City has graded its approximately 24,000 restaurants based on their compliance with health and safety regulations. The system is run by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH). It’s straightforward and practical: you can quickly tell whether a restaurant meets hygiene standards before you eat there.
Look for the grading placard posted on the restaurant’s entrance or window. It displays a letter: A, B, or C.
A blue A means the restaurant follows New York City’s hygiene rules properly—you can eat there with confidence. In 2016, 93% of New York restaurants earned an A grade, the highest score.
A green B indicates the restaurant failed to meet all of the city’s requirements. This could mean inadequate kitchen cleaning, improperly stored utensils, or other hygiene violations.
An orange C marks restaurants with serious hygiene problems. If you see a C on a restaurant’s window, skip it entirely. 🙂

Restaurant grades are not permanent. City inspections can move a restaurant up or down between categories.
Fierce competition among New York restaurants works in your favor: poorly graded restaurants have strong incentive to improve quickly, or risk losing customers. You’ll notice that restaurants in the Financial District, Greenwich Village, and Midtown typically earn A grades. In Brooklyn and Queens, you may encounter lower grades more often.
Looking for restaurant recommendations? Check out our New York restaurant guide.