Balkan Express

• gradeGrade pending
• inspection score20 pts
• critical violations1
• last inspectedSeptember 11, 2026 →
• address711 2 Avenue, Manhattan 10016
• cuisineEastern European
• phone3474328113

Is Balkan Express clean?

New York currently lists Balkan Express as grade pending, following an inspection on September 11, 2026 that scored 20 points. The city has not posted a letter yet, and it will not until a re-inspection settles it.

What did inspectors find at Balkan Express?

These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on September 11, 2026, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.

• ⚠️“Choking first aid” poster not posted. “Alcohol and Pregnancy” warning sign not posted. Resuscitation equipment: exhaled air resuscitation masks (adult & pediatric), latex gloves, sign not posted.
• ⚠️Providing single-use, non-compostable plastic straws to customers without customer request (including providing such straws at a self-serve station)
• ⚠️Failure to display required signage about plastic straw availability
• 🛠️facility / equipment issue
  Dishwashing and ware washing: Cleaning and sanitizing of tableware, including dishes, utensils, and equipment deficient.
• 🚿plumbing acting up
  Anti-siphonage or back-flow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly. Condensation or liquid waste improperly disposed of.
• 🛠️surfaces / setup not up to code
  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.
• 🌡️fridge is giving… room tempcritical
  Cold TCS food item held above 41 °F; smoked or processed fish held above 38 °F; intact raw eggs held above 45 °F; or reduced oxygen packaged (ROP) TCS foods held above required temperatures except during active necessary preparation.

When was Balkan Express last inspected?

Balkan Express has 1 inspection on record going back to September 11, 2026, averaging 20 points.

Balkan Express vs Murray Hill-Kips Bay

Murray Hill-Kips Bay runs 78% clean across 383 tracked restaurants — 272 clean, 21 mid, 55 cooked.

Against the 383 spots Cooked tracks in Murray Hill-Kips Bay, this one comes out cleaner than 6% of them.

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How New York grades restaurants

New York City health inspectors score violations in points, and lower is better: 0–13 points earns an A, 14–27 a B, and 28 or more a C. Every restaurant is inspected at least once a year, and the letter has to be posted in the window. A restaurant that scores 14 or more on the first inspection of a cycle does not get a letter right away — it stays “Grade Pending” until a re-inspection settles it, which is why some spots here show an hourglass instead of a letter. Cooked only ever shows a letter the city actually posted; we never infer one from a score.

Read the New York ratings guide →

Inspection findings and available history come from the authority’s published records. Cooked checks daily; publication can lag behind an inspection. Read the date on each result and check the official source for newer information.

Source: NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) via NYC Open Data. Cooked refreshes this data daily — this listing's most recent inspection is dated September 11, 2026. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.

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