Carbone is not alone.
Fans of the West Village hotspot were shocked to discover that the buzzy, celeb-fave eatery was branded an eyebrow-raising B rating after being dinged by the NYC Health Department in July.
Worse, instead of properly displaying its bold, green letter-grade sign for all to see, the upmarket Thompson Street spot kept the cleanliness censure — a rating it actually held since 2023 — hidden from view, in violation of city mandate, until The Post revealed its dining demerit last month.
But hold onto your wallets, New Yorkers: It’s far from the only high-profile Manhattan establishment to receive an unsavory grade perhaps better suited for a back-alley taco truck.
Below are 10 other notable food purveyors — including one famed fitness club — among the many others that failed to make the grade on random inspections in 2025.
(Restaurants are rated A, scoring between 0 and 13 violation points, B, 14 to 27 points; C, 28 or more points; and “Grade Pending” — which means a score of 14 or more was issued but was appealed, possibly with a hearing, and a re-inspection is scheduled.)
The Post has reached out to each restaurant for comment.
The Pierre Hotel, 2 E. 61st Street | Grade: C
The 95-year-old Upper East Side mainstay has been a modern-day Mount Olympus, housing well-heeled icons from Elizabeth Taylor to former Disney CEO Michael Eisner.
But now, much like the latter-stage Roman Empire, the opulent hotel overlooking Central Park has fallen from grace with fraying carpets, elevator breakdowns, and an oft-empty front desk, according to a recent New York Times report.
Another symptom of its descent into the abyss? The main kitchen at the home of the A-listers — where rooms start at around $790 per night — nabbed a C, making it one of roughly 200 Manhattan places with this culinary dunce cap.
A Feb. 11 inspection revealed that the main kitchen’s “personal cleanliness” was “inadequate,” with employees’ outer garments “soiled” with possible contaminants, “effective hair restraint not worn where required,” and “fingernail polish worn or fingernails not kept clean and trimmed.”
That was on top of an alarming January examination that found “evidence of mice or live mice,” as well as improper cleaning and sanitizing of potentially contaminated surfaces and improper use or storage of utensils.
STK Steakhouse, 1114 Avenue of the Americas | Grade: C
Also making the C-list was Midtown’s STK Steakhouse, an international beef chain owned by the One Group, whose portfolio also includes Benihana.
Billed as a blend of a “modern steakhouse and a chic lounge,” the restaurant was docked in May for violations, including storage or preparation of food not adhering to temperature requirements.
Specifically, a hot dish was not held at or above the mandatory 140 degrees Fahrenheit, while other dishes were above requisite temps: 41 degrees for cold food, 38 degrees for smoked or processed fish, and 45 degrees for intact eggs.
Meanwhile, inspectors found that a “food contact surface” was “not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.”
To top it all off, evidence was found of “food/refuse/sewage-associated” (FRSA) flies, a catch-all term covering house flies, blow flies, bottle flies, flesh flies and drain flies.
Barry’s, 135 W. 20th St. | Grade: C
Proving that smoothies, fruit salads and juice aren’t always synonymous with “clean” eating, the café at this high-intensity fitness outpost found itself firmly in the C-section following inspections in February, March and August.
Violations reached a peak at 45 on Feb. 6.
Infractions at the Barry’s bootcamp purveyor ranged from evidence of mice or live mice to the manager failing to possess a city-issued Food Protection Certificate (FPC) that designates completion of a mandatory health training for supervisors.
In addition, the venue was flagged for having food with an unspecified — but clearly worrisome — “prohibited substance” on March 19.
Barbuto, 113 Horatio St. | Grade: B
Barbuto has been at the tip of the chef’s knife for some time, combining chef Jonathan Waxman’s revolutionary California cuisine with Italian country-style cooking — their somewhat milquetoast-sounding roast chicken remains one of the hottest dishes in the West Village.
One not-so-great designation? A dreaded B cleanliness grade.
A July 9 inspection found that proper temperature protocols were not followed for food, including fish and eggs, while also noting inadequate employee cleanliness, improper cleaning of utensils, and potentially contaminated surfaces.
Serafina, 22 E. 38th St. | Grade: B
This trendy Italian chain location was one of several restaurants — including Citizens of Soho, Flippers and others — that were flagged for hiding sub-A ratings by posting outdated “Grade Pending” notices or foregoing the mandatory signs altogether.
Serafina’s January inspection found that shellfish was not from an “approved source” or had improper labeling, and a manager failed to hold a food protection certificate.
Bobby Van’s Grill, 135 W. 50th St. | Grade: B
Bobby Van’s Grill at 135 W. 50th St. — where a 14-ounce sirloin runs $75 — was one of several high-profile restaurants to receive a B grade.
Inspectors flagged the branch in February for food prep and storage not adhering to temperature protocols, improper thawing procedures, and issues pertaining to drainage and sewage disposal.
Blue Ribbon Sushi Izakaya, 187 Orchard St. | Grade: B
This eatery — billed as a “fine dining experience” meets “traditional Sushi Bar,” with other locations in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami and Nashville — holds a less than sparklingly fresh B rating.
An inspection in April found that a hot food item was not held at or above 140 degrees; a prep surface was not washed and/or sanitized following potential contamination; and a sanitized equipment utensil was improperly used or stored.
Rosa Mexicano, 61 Columbus Ave. | Grade: B
The Upper West Side location of Rosa Mexicano, which had an A grade as recently as March 2023, has seen a significant drop since then.
NYC’s upmarket Mexican standby has been downgraded to a B after being found guilty of four violations during a May inspection: evidence of filth flies; food, supplies or equipment not protected from a potential source of contamination; conditions conducive to rodents or other pests; and failure to locate or properly store a thermometer.
It isn’t the chain’s only outlet to receive a B, either: the East 18th Street outlet landed one after a May 2024 inspection that found filth flies and improper disposal of condensation or liquid waste.
Jacob’s Pickles, 509 Amsterdam Ave. | Grade Pending
They sure found themselves in an unexpected pickle.
Known for its buttermilk fried chicken, mac and cheese and other Southern comfort staples, Jacob’s Pickles served up a smorgasbord of violations this year.
It was briefly shuttered in June after evidence surfaced of rats and roaches, with an additional citation for an “improper, inadequate or unapproved” sewage disposal system.
A June 4 inspection — the first of three that month — tallied a whopping 76 points.
“The safety of our guests and staff is always our top priority, and we will not reopen until every concern is resolved in full compliance with NYC Health Code standards,” the restaurant said, in part, in a statement at the time.
Jacob’s Pickles held a C rating since December, although the outlet is currently listed as “Grade Pending.”
Citizens of Soho, 201 Lafayette St. | Grade: C
Citizens of Soho, a viral Aussie-style brunch joint, sports a “Grade Pending” sign outside its Nolita outpost and on the health department site after being slapped with a C rating in April — and 48 points in violations over rats, flies and food contamination concerns, The Post previously found.
A closing manager at the restaurant told The Post the facility is contesting the letter grade.
A follow-up inspection in July still discovered evidence of rats, an unwashed food surface and food held at improper temperatures, but failed to note its absent letter rating.
