10 Great NYC Restaurants with "B" Sanitation Grades

The flimsy piece of paper affixed necessarily in the corner of the restaurant's window—you have noticed this. Anyone with munching teeth and hungry guts has seen the stark sanitation report card. If you're interested in an insider's exposé of the restaurant inspection process in NYC, check out this piece from a service-industry vet. This feature, on the other hand, isn't designed to trouble your sleep. These are just great restaurants. Sure, they don't have "A" grades, but the food sure is good. And what the hell else matters?

Here are 10 great NYC restaurants with "B" sanitation grades.

Neighborhood: Park Slope, Brooklyn
Address: 474 Bergen St.
Website: barkhotdogs.com
Why It Received a "B":

1) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
2) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
3) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

Why It Doesn't Matter: Because you've eaten the hot dog your dad dropped in the grass grilling over Memorial Day weekend. And it got ants on it that your brushed off. What's really good, though? Bark, the Park Slope hot dog shop that takes great care to explain where all the ingredients are coming from, that cooks a dog till the skin is just tough enough to crack between your teeth, that spreads delicious sweet pepper relish on their signature dish-this must be the place for hot dogs. "B" is still a passing grade, folks.

Neighborhood: East Village
Address: 19-23 St. Mark's Place
Website: thegrandsichuan.com/stmarks
Why It Received a "B":

1) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
2) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
3) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
4) 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.

Why It Doesn't Matter: For many New Yorkers, eating directly on St. Mark's might seem "too touristy." Well, screw you. Don't let the Grand Sichuan's location, or rating, fool you. It's got the whole gamut of Chinese food, everything your heart could desire. We love any kind of soup dumpling, and Sichuan's don't disappoint.

Neighborhood: Flatiron
Address: 4 West 22nd St.
Website: sagaponacknyc.com
Why It Received a "B":

1) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
2) Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
3) Canned food product observed dented and not segregated from other consumable food items.

Why It Doesn't Matter: James Kang is a fisherman who just so happens to own and operate a restaurant. He's the chef there. This is that restaurant, a place with the atmosphere of a sand-blown cottage (without the grit between your toes). The freshness of the seafood in, say, the Spicy Bouillabaisse Miso, is what you'd expect from a man with Kang's background. They serve lobster rolls for brunch, in case you needed greater incentive to visit.

Neighborhood: Park Slope, Brooklyn
Address: 248 5th Ave.
Website: aldilatrattoria.com
Why It Received a "B":

1) Eggs found dirty/cracked; liquid, frozen or powdered eggs not pasteurized.
2) Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment.
3) Tobacco use, eating, or drinking from open container in food preparation, food storage or dishwashing area observed.

Why It Doesn't Matter: Still believe that the "B" grade is a damning scarlet letter pinned to the chest of a scandalous restaurant? Try and get a table at Al Di Là on a Friday night. We'll check in with you Saturday morning, after you'll have waited over an hour for a table with the other slobbering Slopers, only to be rushed to a tiny spot in the corner, right when you thought you couldn't wait any longer. Then the staff brought you hanger steak, braised rabbit, and ravioli plump with winter squash. You ascended.

Neighborhood: East Village
Address: 200 East 3rd St.
Website: mamasfoodshop.com
Why It Received a "B":

1) Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.
2) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
3) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.

Why It Doesn't Matter: Because Mama's kicks ass-you won't find Southern comfort food for a better price in downtown Manhattan. A heaping plate of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and collard greens for $15 bucks? C'mon! All the sides are seasonal, everything is homemade, the cornbread is dope, and it's B.Y.O.B. We can even forgive the Guy Fieri endorsement, not an easy thing to do.

Neighborhood: Kips Bay
Address: 81 Lexington Ave.
Website: saravanabhavan.com
Why It Received a "B":

1) Pesticide use not in accordance with label or applicable laws. Prohibited chemical used/stored. Open bait station used.
2) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
3) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
4) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Why It Doesn't Matter: SB is a global chain specializing in vegetarian South Indian cuisine. Most Americans typically encounter North Indian food, which is a shame. It would be a greater shame to let a scrap of paper prevent you from trying a cheese dosa or the vegetable butter masala. Expand your horizons behind chicken tikka masala.

Neighborhood: Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn
Address: 129 Atlantic Ave.
Website: chipshopnyc.com
Why It Received a "B":

1) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
2) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
3) Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
4) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

Why It Doesn't Matter: If you're hungover and in dire need of some greasy, deep-fried goodness to get your mind off your headache, the ChipShop is your filthy medicine. "Better fried" is probably a motto somewhere. The standard battered cod and chips can't be beat, but you can also get shrimp, scallops, sausage, and pizza-all deep-fried too. They've got a lengthy English menu, with the pies and bangers you'd expect. Be sure to save room in your guts for deep-fried Twinkies. Good for a hangover, also good for eating while on the way to a hangover.

Neighborhood: Flatiron
Address: 53 West 19th St.
Website: boquerianyc.com
Why It Received a "B":

1) Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
2) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
3) 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.

Why It Doesn't Matter: There are Boqueria franchises all around this city; they've even have made it to D.C., so they must be doing something right. Love or hate the whole tapas concept, Boqueria isn't offering a limited menu. Authentic-ish Spanish food is great, especially if they are offering Manchego cheese and Serrano ham, objectively speaking, one of the best meat/cheese combinations in existence. Plus, paella and patatas bravas. It's a wrap.

Neighborhood: Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Address: 552 Vanderbilt Ave.
Website: barchuko.com
Why It Received a "B":

1) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
2) Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment.
3) Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.
4) Proper sanitization not provided for utensil ware washing operation.

Why It Doesn't Matter: This is Prospect Heights' around-they-way ramen spot, and it serves up Brussels sprouts better than you do. The plate of fried kale, topped with a light vinaigrette and golden raisins, is better than what you're cooking. Chuko has its beer license now, so crack open a Six Point while you select a ramen bowl from the simple menu. Chuko only does a few things so that they'll do them well. Learn this.

Neighborhood: Midtown West
Address: 1188 Broadway
Website: no7sub.com
Why It Received a "B":

1) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
2) Pesticide use not in accordance with label or applicable laws. Prohibited chemical used/stored. Open bait station used.
3) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
4) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Why It Doesn't Matter: No. 7 Sub may have a "B" rating, but that solitary letter definitely doesn't stand for "boring." The subs are interesting, tasty, and way different than the standard offerings. The Tilapia Melt comes with fried garlic, the Broccoli sub kind of speaks for itself, and Zucchini Parm is topped with a crunchy layer of BBQ potato chips. There's more—so see for yourself.

(Also, veg-heads take note—this sub shop caters to vegetarians better than most. They're doing things with vegetables that are dirty-good.)