Tapas On Lex

• gradeGrade pending
• inspection score214 pts
• critical violations9
• last inspectedApril 1, 2026 →
• address1643 Lexington Avenue, Manhattan 10029
• cuisineLatin American
• phone9144332205

Is Tapas On Lex clean?

New York currently lists Tapas On Lex as grade pending, following an inspection on April 1, 2026 that scored 214 points. The city has not posted a letter yet, and it will not until a re-inspection settles it.

What did inspectors find at Tapas On Lex?

These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on April 1, 2026, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.

• 🚿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.
• 🛠️facility / equipment issue
  Toilet facility not maintained or provided with toilet paper, waste receptacle or self-closing door.
• 🐛pest / contamination issuecritical
  Properly 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 issuecritical
  Insufficient or no hot holding, cold storage or cold holding equipment provided to maintain Time/Temperature Control for Safety Foods (TCS) at required temperatures
• 🚰facility hygiene issuecritical
  No approved written standard operating procedure for avoiding contamination by refillable returnable containers.
• 🛠️facility / equipment issue
  Lighting inadequate; permanent lighting not provided in food preparation areas, ware washing areas, and storage rooms. Shatterproof bulb or shield to prevent broken glass from falling into food or onto surfaces, not installed.
• ⚠️Contract with a pest management professional not in place. Record of extermination activities not kept on premises.
• 🛠️facility / equipment issue
  Dishwashing and ware washing: Cleaning and sanitizing of tableware, including dishes, utensils, and equipment deficient.
• 🕳️basically rolling out the welcome mat for pests
  Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
• 🧫equipment / surface issue
  Wash hands sign not posted near or above hand washing sink.
• 🚰facility hygiene issuecritical
  Food contact surface, refillable, reusable containers, or equipment improperly constructed, placed or maintained. Unacceptable material used. Culinary sink or other acceptable method not provided for washing food.
• 🚰handwashing sink issuescritical
  No 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.
• 🛠️facility / equipment issue
  Accurate thermometer not provided or properly located in refrigerated, cold storage or hot holding equipment
• 🛠️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.
• 🍽️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.
• 🐛pest / contamination issuecritical
  Food preparation area, food storage area, or other area used by employees or patrons, contaminated by sewage or liquid waste.
• 🐀rats have moved incritical
  Evidence of rats or live rats in establishment's food or non-food areas.
• 🧽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.

When was Tapas On Lex last inspected?

Tapas On Lex has 1 inspection on record going back to April 1, 2026, averaging 214 points.

Tapas On Lex vs East Harlem South

East Harlem South runs 72% clean across 155 tracked restaurants — 100 clean, 16 mid, 23 cooked.

Against the 155 spots Cooked tracks in East Harlem South, this one comes out cleaner than 0% of them.

Other spots in East Harlem South

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• ? Leblanc
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• ⏳ Ej Kitchen
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• ? 1509 Lex Ave Corp
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See every restaurant inspection in East Harlem 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.

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 April 1, 2026. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.

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