El Cocinerito

86-23 Roosevelt Avenue, Queens, NY 11372
Mexican / Latin
Last inspected: Mar 5, 2025
70
Score
Medium Risk NYC Grade: A

El Cocinerito appears in inspection records three times, starting in 2023. El Cocinerito was last inspected on Mar 5, 2025. The medium risk tier sits in the middle: not spotless, but not alarming either.

The picture has gotten worse over the last few visits, with the average climbing from around two violations to closer to five violations.

“Non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material” comes up most often, recorded three times in the inspection record.

The city-wide average sits at 75, which El Cocinerito's 70 doesn't quite reach. The inspection history reads as standard for a restaurant of this size.

3
Inspections
1
Critical latest
0
Major latest
4
Minor latest
Inspection History
Mar 5, 2025
Administrative Miscellaneous / Initial Inspection
1 critical violation. 4 minor violations.
View 5 violations
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.
06C
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.
10F
Failure to post or conspicuously post healthy eating information
20-08
“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.
20-04
Providing single-use, non-compostable plastic straws to customers without customer request (including providing such straws at a self-serve station)
19-06
70
May 16, 2023
Pre-permit (Non-operational) / Re-inspection
1 minor violation.
View 1 violation
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.
10F
95
May 8, 2023
Pre-permit (Non-operational) / Initial Inspection
2 critical violations. 1 minor violation.
View 3 violations
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.
05C
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.
06C
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.
10F
70

Frequently Asked Questions

When was El Cocinerito last inspected?

The most recent health inspection at El Cocinerito on file is from Mar 5, 2025. The public record contains three inspections in total.

What is the most common violation at El Cocinerito?

Across the inspection record, “non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material” has been cited three times, more than any other issue at El Cocinerito.

How does El Cocinerito compare to other restaurants in Queens?

El Cocinerito most recently scored 70 out of 100, which is lower than the Queens average of 75.

Has El Cocinerito's inspection record improved over time?

No. Recent inspections at El Cocinerito have averaged around five violations per visit, up from roughly two earlier in the record.

What does a medium risk rating mean?

A medium risk rating at El Cocinerito means the most recent inspection turned up a handful of issues that the health department wrote up but did not classify as critical.

How often is El Cocinerito inspected?

Based on the inspection history on file, El Cocinerito is inspected around two times per year on average.