Riko Peruvian Cuisine
Aug. 16, 2019 By Shane O’Brien
A popular Peruvian restaurant in Sunnyside was shut down by the Department of Health for nearly a week after flies and mice droppings were observed by an inspector in the kitchen and eating areas.
Riko Peruvian Cuisine, located at 45-23 Greenpoint Ave., was closed by the Health Department on Thursday, Aug. 8 after it amassed 89 violation points during a routine inspection.
The restaurant reopened on Wednesday, Aug. 14 after it was reinspected.
The Aug. 8 inspection found three critical violations, including food being stored at an incorrect temperature. In this case, chicken, beef, cheese and eggs were held above the 41 degree threshold.
Other critical violations included the restaurant not having a thermometer to check the temperature of food, and flies and mice droppings being present.
The Health Department gives out violation points based on the size and scale of each violation. Letter grades are then assigned to restaurants based on how many points it has received.
Any restaurant that receives between zero and 13 points receives an A grade, any receiving between 14 and 27 points gets a B grade, and any with 28 or more points gets a C grade.
The Department of Health orders a closure of a restaurant when there is a public health hazard that cannot be rectified at the time of inspection.
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39 Comments
This Restaurant still has the Grade Pending since the Summer?? And has been Hiding the G.P with Posters & Now with Christmas Decorations? How Disgusting.
The Owner has Closed Down the Columbian Restaurant he also owns, to Restart the Peruvian Riko Chicken Place.
Eat at your own Risk!!
grade pending only means they got their grade on the spot and it was not an A. they are disputing it.
How disgusting!! It’s not their first .. I sat a table waiting for my food and a roach just walked by. Never ever again will I go there.
Trying to understand this “popular “chicken house & how it continue to stay open despite unsanitary environment . Doesn’t the native local people care if flies & mosquitoes are around food area. Inspections are needed so that restaurant owners are careful & keep place clean . Glad I never ate at that POPULAR Place..
This place sucks.
Customer: “Waiter, there are mouse droppings over here.”
Waiter: “No problem, the flies will eat it.”
C: “There’s also a fly in my soup.”
W: “You know what? I like your style. No charge for the fly!”
89 violations! That’s incredible and they were allowed to reopen. With that many violations the place should have been condemned.
89 violation points, its 3 times over reason for closure. Its like getting pulled over and dwi is .08, and you blow a 24, your bombed. Well 89points is bad. Obvious that you never worked in a restaurant
Just for clarity (I had to look this up myself because I thought the same thing at first), 89 points doesn’t mean 89 violations.
Each violation has a certain number of points depending how bad it is. So, for example food that isn’t stored at the right temperature can earn up to 10 points. Of course it’s still a hell of a lot, which is why they were shut down, but not 89 separate items.
What does this have to do with Central America? That’s not where Peru is located.
It’s understandable for ANY restaurant to have issues like this, especially during a hot summer. Repeated violations are another thing entirely. It should be noted that this place has delicious food and is popular for many reasons. I’m sure they’re embarrassed over this and dismayed about this negative publicity. Let’s hope all of this will cause them to be extra diligent about sanitation.
super Switty – the place has issues all along – not this one time. I ate there like 11yrs ago and the lady owner or whatever was very rude and didn’t take credit cards . The glass of water had still some food on it ! I never went back – chicken was not all . I guess you dont mind flies & mouse dropping – you could not tell difference so you are ok with it .
It isnt understandable for this to happen in a restaurant in any weather. Are you some part owner or some kind of nut. I own a restaurant and there are prevention measures its takes plus all the violations this place has received ,that should be closed for good. Unacceptable,! You go eat there and get mice turd in your food or a dead fly. I cant believe someone would think this is acceptable or understandable. Very bad .
Damn I ate there like a month or 2 ago and it was dirty and hot. The tables were wet like they wiped it down, but didn’t dry it. Also there were flies everywhere. We asked to be seated outside which was more cooler than inside.
Went there with my family because my grandma recommended it… She couldn’t stop apologizing after. This place was nasty and the manager was there and seemed like she didn’t even care. There were so many flies of every kind buzzing around the table and the food. We complained and they moved us over to a table outside. This place was so hot, no fan, nothing. Outside was better than inside. I’m not surprised it got 89 violations to be honest. Should be closed for good!
I like the place.
Ahahaha!!!
HMMMM THEIR CHICKEN IS ALWAYS OLD AND DRY…..
Thry sell so many there is no reason its dry and old
I ate there once when I moved to Sunnyside 10 years ago… and never went back.. I never recommended to anybody. It’s pricey and dirty.
Delivery for that place was a nightmare (wrong stuff, ordered 2 sides of french fries and they just sent one, another time ordered rice and they sent salad…).
Bad delivery + mice feces…
NO WAY IM EATING AT RIKO AGAIN.
They can clean as much as they say (one week to be pest free, sure)
Did they charge extra for the rico & mas sabor sides = mouse poop ?
That is gross . I will never go eat there. Its owners responsibility to ensure clean & healthy environment.
Thankfully for inspections or this would of continue and the mouse dropping part of your food . Ugh .
That was about a time! Got really sick food poisoning, and that restroom so smelly,…hope this time owners really care about food control with the cooks…
I would never go in there again. Disgusting.
Who are these “peruvians” exactly
Why do you care?
Back to stealing my name again Carbie? So original……
Trying to make a go of it in the area means you can’t afford to hire extra hands, so an “I’ll get to it
later” attitude creeps up on you. They got behind and the inspection happened. Now it’s got a clean slate. Congrats to them for sticking it out here.
How do you know? They are negligent and sloppy. Thank goodness they were caught.
You can’t be negligent and sloppy when providing the public with comestibles!
I’m bummed. I really liked the place, but reading this made me nauseous and I will prob never ever eat there again.
These people made a mistake and should be given a second chance. They really care about their customers.
I’m sorry but A mistake doesn’t consist of 89 violation points. Especially with the violations of food being in unsafe temperatures and rodent droppings. That is just plain sloppy and not caring for the customers health. I really loved this place, I did. My wife and I ate there minimum once a week. But I just don’t think I can do it anymore.
Anonymous = owner
When you have rodents you get rid of the problem , is that so hard to do. They didnt care enough to do that and certainly when there flies in a restaurant it means its UNCLEAN , DIRTY & UNHEALTHY .
What kind of places do you go to eat that its ok for you have mouse droppings on food area.
I’m sorry but 89 violation points is not a mistake. Especially with unsafe food temperatures and rodent droppings. That is just plain sloppy and being negligent for your customers well being.
Being a restaurant manager myself it’s up to the operator how clean a restaurant will be. Bad habits are bad habits and no amount of rules will stop them from doing so again. Especial if it’s an owner operator restaurant. If they didn’t care enough to keep it clean the first time they never will.
They made a mistake?! Keeping the place clean and knowing the health rules is there business. Get a life. I’ve been in there many times and the tables are always dirty. El loco will never go in there again!
89 points is a mistake? Its the highest ive ever saw