Cooked?
La Esquina
- gradeGrade A
- inspection score13 pts
- critical violations1
- last inspectedJuly 15, 2026
- address200 West 55 Street, Manhattan 10019
- cuisineMexican
- phone6466137100
Is La Esquina clean?
La Esquina is currently Grade A from NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), from an inspection on July 15, 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 La Esquina?
These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on July 15, 2026, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.
- 🛠️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.
- 🧫food contact surfaces dirtyDesign, construction, materials used or maintenance of food contact surface improper. Surface not easily cleanable, sanitized and maintained.
- 🚿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.
- 🌡️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.
When was La Esquina last inspected?
La Esquina has 6 inspections on record going back to January 20, 2022, averaging 12 points.
| date | result | score |
|---|---|---|
| July 15, 2026 | Grade A | 13 pts |
| November 27, 2024 | Grade A | 2 pts |
| June 13, 2024 | no grade issued ⏳ | 23 pts |
| February 16, 2023 | Grade A | 10 pts |
| September 14, 2022 | Grade A | 0 pts |
| January 20, 2022 | no grade issued ⏳ | 21 pts |
La Esquina vs Midtown-Midtown South
Midtown-Midtown South runs 84% clean across 2,257 tracked restaurants — 1,596 clean, 96 mid, 216 cooked.
Against the 2,257 spots Cooked tracks in Midtown-Midtown South, this one comes out cleaner than 22% of them.
Other spots in Midtown-Midtown South
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 July 15, 2026. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.