Cooked?
Wakamba
- gradeGrade B
- inspection score17 pts
- critical violations1
- last inspectedFebruary 11, 2025
- address543 8 Avenue, Manhattan 10018
- cuisineAmerican
- phone2125642042
Is Wakamba clean?
Wakamba is currently Grade B from NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), from an inspection on February 11, 2025. Inspectors wrote up 1 critical violation — the kind most directly linked to foodborne illness. On Cooked's ladder that reads mid 😬.
What did inspectors find at Wakamba?
These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on February 11, 2025, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.
- ⚠️“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.
- 🧫equipment / surface issueWash hands sign not posted near or above hand washing sink.
- 🧽surfaces not properly sanitizedcriticalFood contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
- 🛠️facility / equipment issueDishwashing and ware washing: Cleaning and sanitizing of tableware, including dishes, utensils, and equipment deficient.
- 🛠️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 issueToilet facility not maintained or provided with toilet paper, waste receptacle or self-closing door.
When was Wakamba last inspected?
Wakamba has 4 inspections on record going back to April 30, 2024, averaging 20 points.
| date | result | score |
|---|---|---|
| June 17, 2026 | — | |
| March 24, 2026 | — | |
| February 11, 2025 | Grade B | 17 pts |
| April 30, 2024 | no grade issued ⏳ | 23 pts |
Wakamba vs Hudson Yards-Chelsea-Flat Iron-Union Square
Hudson Yards-Chelsea-Flat Iron-Union Square runs 84% clean across 1,096 tracked restaurants — 773 clean, 50 mid, 100 cooked.
Against the 1,096 spots Cooked tracks in Hudson Yards-Chelsea-Flat Iron-Union Square, this one comes out cleaner than 16% of them.
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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 11, 2025. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.