Elsa Restaurant la Reina del Chicharron
1249 St Nicholas Avenue, Manhattan, NY 10032
Latin American Washington Heights South (212) 795-3667
Grade A · as of Dec 9, 2024
Elsa Restaurant la Reina del Chicharron was last inspected on May 4, 2026 and scored 18 points (B range). Inspectors found 3 violations, 2 of them critical.
Latest inspection
May 4, 2026 · Cycle Inspection · Initial Inspection
Score: 18 points (B range)
2 critical1 generalScored in the B range on an initial inspection, so no grade is given yet. A re-inspection follows.
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CriticalFood temperature
Cooked food wasn’t cooled down quickly enough.
Official wording (code 02H)
After cooking or removal from hot holding, TCS food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal temperature is reduced from 140 °F to 70 °F or less within 2 hours, and from 70 °F to 41 °F or less within 4 additional hours.
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CriticalFood temperature
Hot food was being held below 140°F, where bacteria can grow.
Official wording (code 02B)
Hot TCS food item not held at or above 140 °F.
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GeneralFood handling
Food-contact surfaces were in poor repair.
Official wording (code 09C)
Design, construction, materials used or maintenance of food contact surface improper. Surface not easily cleanable, sanitized and maintained.
Inspection history
5 inspections on record
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A 13 points (A range)
Cycle Inspection · Re-inspection
2 critical Show violations
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CriticalHygiene & sanitation
Workers’ personal hygiene was inadequate (dirty clothing, no hair restraint, jewelry).
Official wording (code 06A)
Personal cleanliness is inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn where required. Jewelry worn on hands or arms. Fingernail polish worn or fingernails not kept clean and trimmed.
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CriticalFood temperature
Hot food was being held below 140°F, where bacteria can grow.
Official wording (code 02B)
Hot TCS food item not held at or above 140 °F.
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50 50 points (C range)
Cycle Inspection · Initial Inspection
Scored in the C range on an initial inspection, so no grade is given yet. A re-inspection follows.
3 critical4 general Show violations
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CriticalFood temperature
Hot food was being held below 140°F, where bacteria can grow.
Official wording (code 02B)
Hot TCS food item not held at or above 140 °F.
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CriticalPests
Mice, or signs of mice, were found.
Official wording (code 04L)
Evidence of mice or live mice in establishment's food or non-food areas.
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CriticalHygiene & sanitation
Food or supplies weren’t protected from contamination during storage, prep, or service.
Official wording (code 06C)
Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.
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GeneralOther
No contract with a licensed exterminator, or pest-control records missing.
Official wording (code 28-06)
Contract with a pest management professional not in place. Record of extermination activities not kept on premises.
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Single-use items (cups, utensils, containers) were missing, reused, or left unprotected.
Official wording (code 10H)
Single service article not provided. Single service article reused or not protected from contamination when transported, stored, dispensed. Drinking straws not completely enclosed in wrapper or dispensed from a sanitary device.
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GeneralFood handling
Food-contact surfaces were in poor repair.
Official wording (code 09C)
Design, construction, materials used or maintenance of food contact surface improper. Surface not easily cleanable, sanitized and maintained.
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GeneralPests
The building wasn’t pest-proofed: gaps, holes, or clutter that let rodents or insects in or give them shelter.
Official wording (code 08A)
Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
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Administrative Miscellaneous · Initial Inspection · Violations were cited in the following area(s)
1 paperwork Show violations
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PaperworkSigns & paperwork
Required healthy-eating information wasn’t posted.
Official wording (code 20-08)
Failure to post or conspicuously post healthy eating information
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A 8 points (A range)
Cycle Inspection · Initial Inspection
1 critical1 general Show violations
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CriticalHygiene & sanitation
Food or supplies weren’t protected from contamination during storage, prep, or service.
Official wording (code 06C)
Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.
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GeneralFacility upkeep
Non-food surfaces or equipment were dirty, damaged, or made of unsuitable material.
Official wording (code 10F)
Non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
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More in Washington Heights South
Source: NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) open data, refreshed hourly. Last inspection 6 months ago. Always confirm with the official record.