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Hellbender
- gradeGrade A
- inspection score13 pts
- critical violations1
- last inspectedJune 24, 2026
- address68-22 Forest Avenue, Queens 11385
- cuisineMexican
- phone8189155392
Is Hellbender clean?
Hellbender is currently Grade A from NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), from an inspection on June 24, 2026. Inspectors wrote up 1 critical violation — the kind most directly linked to foodborne illness. On Cooked's ladder that reads clean 😇.
What did inspectors find at Hellbender?
These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on June 24, 2026, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.
- 🌡️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.
- 🛠️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.
- 🛠️facility / equipment issueAccurate thermometer not provided or properly located in refrigerated, cold storage or hot holding equipment
When was Hellbender last inspected?
Hellbender has 2 inspections on record going back to November 7, 2025, averaging 21 points.
| date | result | score |
|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2026 | Grade A | 13 pts |
| November 7, 2025 | no grade issued ⏳ | 29 pts |
Hellbender vs Ridgewood
Ridgewood runs 78% clean across 286 tracked restaurants — 201 clean, 30 mid, 27 cooked.
Against the 286 spots Cooked tracks in Ridgewood, this one comes out cleaner than 28% of them.
Other spots in Ridgewood
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 24, 2026. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.