Meli Taqueria

184 East 116 Street, Manhattan, NY 10029

Mexican / Latin

Last inspected: Mar 18, 2025

Score

Low Risk NYC Grade: A

The health department has logged four inspections at Meli Taqueria, the earliest from 2023. The latest inspection on file is from Mar 18, 2025. Low risk indicates the latest report didn't flag anything that would worry the average customer.

Recent inspections have found fewer violations than earlier ones, averaging around two violations lately and about eight violations before that.

“Non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material” accounts for the largest share of issues, appearing three times across the record.

Meli Taqueria's latest score of 82 sits above the Manhattan average of 77. The full picture is one of consistent compliance.

Inspections

Critical latest

Major latest

Minor latest

Inspection History

Mar 18, 2025

Cycle Inspection / Initial Inspection

1 critical violation. 1 minor violation.

View 2 violations

After cooking or removal from hot holding, tcs food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal temperature is reduced from 140 °f to 70 °f or less within 2 hours, and from 70 °f to 41 °f or less within 4 additional hours.

02H

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

Nov 21, 2024

Cycle Inspection / Re-inspection

7 critical violations. 4 minor violations.

View 11 violations

02H

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

Food protection certificate (fpc) not held by manager or supervisor of food operations.

04A

Hot tcs food item not held at or above 140 °f.

02B

Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

06D

Cold 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.

02G

Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.

06E

Failure to post or conspicuously post healthy eating information

20-08

Providing single-use, non-compostable plastic straws to customers without customer request (including providing such straws at a self-serve station)

19-06

10F

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.

10B

Jun 6, 2024

Cycle Inspection / Initial Inspection

3 critical violations. 3 minor violations.

View 6 violations

Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage associated with (frsa) flies or other nuisance pests in establishment’s food and/or non-food areas. frsa flies include house flies, blow flies, bottle flies, flesh flies, drain flies, phorid flies and fruit flies.

04N

02G

Food, prohibited, from unapproved or unknown source, home canned or home prepared. animal slaughtered, butchered or dressed (eviscerated, skinned) in establishment. reduced oxygen packaged (rop) fish not frozen before processing. rop food prepared on premises transported to another site.

03A

Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.

08A

10F

Design, construction, materials used or maintenance of food contact surface improper. surface not easily cleanable, sanitized and maintained.

09C

Jan 11, 2023

Pre-permit (Operational) / Initial Inspection

3 critical violations. 1 minor violation.

View 4 violations

Food worker/food vendor does not use utensil or other barrier to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment.

04C

Tobacco or electronic cigarette use, eating, or drinking from open container in food preparation, food storage or dishwashing area.

06B

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.

05D

“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

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Meli Taqueria last inspected?

The most recent health inspection at Meli Taqueria on file is from Mar 18, 2025. The public record contains four inspections in total.

What is the most common violation at Meli Taqueria?

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 Meli Taqueria.

How does Meli Taqueria compare to other restaurants in Manhattan?

Meli Taqueria most recently scored 82 out of 100, which is higher than the Manhattan average of 77.

Has Meli Taqueria's inspection record improved over time?

Yes. Recent inspections at Meli Taqueria have averaged around two violations per visit, down from roughly eight earlier in the record.

What does a low risk rating mean?

A low risk rating at Meli Taqueria means inspectors found minimal or no significant issues at the most recent visit. Most facilities at this tier have a clean recent inspection report.

How often is Meli Taqueria inspected?

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

Nearby Restaurants

Score: 100 — Low Risk

Chipotle Mexican Grill

165 East 116 Street

Score: 74 — Medium Risk

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→ All locations in Manhattan → Mexican / Latin restaurants in NYC → Mexican / Latin restaurants in Manhattan