El Palenque

• gradeGrade pending
• inspection score41 pts
• critical violations4
• last inspectedJune 11, 2026
• address181 West End Avenue, Brooklyn 11235
• cuisineLatin American
• phone7182553580

Is El Palenque clean?

New York currently lists El Palenque as grade pending, following an inspection on June 11, 2026 that scored 41 points. The city has not posted a letter yet, and it will not until a re-inspection settles it.

What did inspectors find at El Palenque?

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

• 🛠️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.
• 🌡️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.
• 🍴utensils stored sketchycritical
  Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
• ⚠️“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.
  “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.
• 🛠️facility / equipment issue
  Accurate thermometer not provided or properly located in refrigerated, cold storage or hot holding equipment
• 🍽️food left out / unprotectedcritical
  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.
• 🍽️dishwashing setup off
  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.
• 🧽surfaces not properly sanitizedcritical
  Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
• 🛠️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.

When was El Palenque last inspected?

El Palenque has 1 inspection on record going back to June 11, 2026, averaging 41 points.

El Palenque vs Sheepshead Bay-Gerritsen Beach-Manhattan Beach

Sheepshead Bay-Gerritsen Beach-Manhattan Beach runs 83% clean across 150 tracked restaurants — 114 clean, 8 mid, 16 cooked.

Against the 150 spots Cooked tracks in Sheepshead Bay-Gerritsen Beach-Manhattan Beach, this one comes out cleaner than 2% of them.

Other spots in Sheepshead Bay-Gerritsen Beach-Manhattan Beach

• ? French Pastry House
  cooked · November 14, 2025
• A Sweet & Favorite Cake Shop
  clean · July 2, 2026
• ? La Casa Mia
  not rated
• A Auntie Anne's / Cinnabon / Carvel
  clean · July 18, 2026
• ? Shawarma Center
  not rated
• ? Tuji Group Inc
  not rated

See every restaurant inspection in Sheepshead Bay-Gerritsen Beach-Manhattan Beach →

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.

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 June 11, 2026. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.