A popular Korean restaurant in New York City that allegedly served a couple a rat in their beef soup has been forced to close after failing a health and safety inspection. Gammeeok, a Koreatown restaurant in Midtown Manhattan, failed to pass a health and safety inspection by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene after it found rat droppings and improperly stored food.
A lawsuit filed by Eunice Lucero-Lee and her husband Jason Lee alleged that the pair became “violently sick, causing them to vomit and seek medical attention” when they allegedly found the rodent in their meal.
The couple also posted horrifying video and photos of their meal to Instagram on Monday showing the rat floating in their beef soup.
Yet the restaurant appeared popular with some customers. It has a 4-star Google rating after reviews from over 700 customers.
A spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams said: “The Department of Health closed Gammeeok on March 15, following an inspection.
“No New York City restaurant is authorized to have mice or rats on the menu and we are investigating further.
“Our top priority is protecting the health of New Yorkers and if a restaurant has conditions that threaten our city’s diners, they will be shut down.”
But despite the evidence, Gammeeok’s owners pushed back against these claims and argued that the couple’s allegations were “nonsense”.
The restaurant even released footage earlier this week showing servers supposedly preparing the couple’s food.
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But sources who spoke with TMZ said health department inspectors did in fact find rat droppings inside the restaurant earlier this week.
Now, Gammeeok’s staff will need to address the violations and fork out cash for any potential fines.
On the doors of the establishment, signs show that it has been shut down by the Health Department. Another sign indicates that the restaurant is also closed for ‘maintenance.’
Gammeeok had a ‘C’ grade from the Health Department before it was shut down. Records from the New York City Health Department have also revealed that the restaurant received 15 violations in a January 18 inspection.
