Cooked?
El Rincon
- inspection score101 pts
- critical violations6
- last inspectedFebruary 12, 2025
- address176-01 Jamaica Avenue, Queens 11432
- cuisineLatin American
- phone7184801013
Is El Rincon clean?
El Rincon is currently listed as closed by NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), as of its inspection on February 12, 2025. A closure means inspectors found conditions serious enough to stop service — it is not the same as a restaurant choosing to shut down, and the listing can change once the problems are fixed and re-inspected.
What did inspectors find at El Rincon?
These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on February 12, 2025, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.
- 📋no certified food supervisor on dutycriticalFood Protection Certificate (FPC) not held by manager or supervisor of food operations.
- 🚰facility hygiene issuecriticalNo approved written standard operating procedure for avoiding contamination by refillable returnable containers.
- 🐛pest / contamination issuecriticalProperly scaled and calibrated thermometer or thermocouple not provided or not readily accessible in food preparation and hot/cold holding areas to measure temperatures of TCS foods during cooking, cooling, reheating, and holding.
- 🚰facility hygiene issuecriticalInsufficient or no hot holding, cold storage or cold holding equipment provided to maintain Time/Temperature Control for Safety Foods (TCS) at required temperatures
- 🛠️surfaces / setup not up to codeNon-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.
- 🚿plumbing acting upAnti-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.
- 🛠️facility / equipment issueDishwashing and ware washing: Cleaning and sanitizing of tableware, including dishes, utensils, and equipment deficient.
- 🌡️fridge is giving… room tempcriticalCold 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.
- 🚰handwashing sink issuescriticalNo hand washing facility in or adjacent to toilet room or within 25 feet of a food preparation, food service or ware washing area. Hand washing facility not accessible, obstructed or used for non-hand washing purposes. No hot and cold running water or water at inadequate pressure. No soap or acceptable hand-drying device.
When was El Rincon last inspected?
El Rincon has 5 inspections on record going back to January 21, 2025, averaging 63 points.
| date | result | score |
|---|---|---|
| October 21, 2025 | closed by the city | 82 pts |
| July 31, 2025 | no grade issued ⏳ | 48 pts |
| March 7, 2025 | no grade issued ⏳ | 22 pts |
| February 12, 2025 | no grade issued ⏳ | 101 pts |
| January 21, 2025 | no grade issued ⏳ | 63 pts |
El Rincon vs Jamaica
Jamaica runs 76% clean across 229 tracked restaurants — 154 clean, 17 mid, 32 cooked.
Against the 229 spots Cooked tracks in Jamaica, this one comes out cleaner than 0% of them.
Other spots in Jamaica
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 February 12, 2025. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.