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Holy crackling chicken—La Dinastia, a popular Chino-Latino restaurant that has been in the midst of a resurgence as its menu and atmosphere gained viral attention on social media, was shut down by the health department last week. The closure marks another beloved Upper West Side eatery with deep neighborhood roots forced to close due to poor conditions.
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Opened in 1986 at 145 West 72nd Street (between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues), La Dinastia scored 50 points in its June 3 health inspection, racking up infractions including:
- Cold TCS food items 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.
- Evidence of mice or live mice in the establishment’s food or non-food areas.
- Live roaches in the facility’s food or non-food areas.
- Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential sources of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service—or from customers’ refillable, reusable containers. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.
- Establishment not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects, or other pests.
- Non-food contact surfaces 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.
Scoring works as follows: tallies between 0 and 13 receive an “A,” scores from 14 to 27 earn a “B,” and scores of 28 or above result in a “C.” La Dinastia was also given 38 points after a June 2023 inspection.
A yellow notice with the word CLOSED in big letters—a sight becoming all too familiar around the Upper West Side—was posted in the doorway. Inside, La Dinastia was dark.
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In 2023, The New York Times referred to La Dinastia as a “New Hope,” crediting “a series of widely viewed TikTok videos posted in the last few months from the account @RighteousEats that has brought scores of new customers to the diner.” The videos ranged from highlighting dishes on the menu to explaining the restaurant’s history in Spanish. Their boneless chicken crackling dish with salad was likely the most popular.
We spoke to a clerk who works nearby. “I love their Cuban sandwich,” they told us. “It’s rough when a spot you count on goes through this. I hope they return soon.”
ILTUWS has attempted to contact La Dinastia. We’ll provide an update if and when we hear back from them. After we published this article, a reader told us the restaurant is “still taking online orders and charging customers’ credit cards” but not delivering food or responding to emails.
Last week, we reported on Jacob’s Pickles being shut down. They had hoped to reopen by the weekend, but as of Monday, June 9, they remained closed.
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Thank you to the health inspectors for keeping us safe! Hey y’all it’s your favorite girl DJ here! Let’s support more upscale dining in our area that gets A’s! Health and safety is a priority in our neighborhood
Upscale doesn’t always mean better. The Health Dept has several clinics throughout the city that have had issues with asbestos and mice running over people’s feet while waiting to be called.
Deb:
“upscale”, so only the well off can eat restaurant food.
Also, over the years, plenty of “upscale” restaurants have received C grades or been closed by the Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene.
If the City cared about health and safety in general, it would have banned e-bikes long ago, and enforced the ban.
Agree ??
My family and I have been going to La Dinastia for many years. We firmly stand by them during this time and believe this will be taken care of soon. We will continue to show our support once they reopen.