Gammeeok restaurant closed by NYC Department of Health over safety concerns ... trends now
The Korean restaurant accused of putting a rat in a couple's takeout order has been shut down by the New York City Department of Mental Hygiene over safety concerns.
Gammeeok failed to pass a health and safety inspection which included inspectors reportedly finding rat droppings inside the establishment in Midtown Manhattan.
In a statement to several outlets, a spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams said health officials are continuing to investigate the restaurant and the claims.
'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,' Fabien Levy said.
Gammeeok's owners had pushed back on the claims made against their restaurant, even releasing footage earlier this week of servers preparing the couple's food and saying the pair is lying about their accusations.
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Gammeeok, a popular Korean restaurant in Midtown Manhattan, has closed after failing a safety inspection with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
A series of viral photos showed the rodent floating at the top of the container while entangled in what appeared to be vegetables and beef from Gammeeok restaurant
Eunice Lucero-Lee and her husband, Jason Lee, who posted the shocking video and photos of the meal on Monday, have filed a lawsuit against the restaurant
According to sources who spoke with TMZ, health department inspectors found rat droppings inside the restaurant earlier this week.
Additionally, the individuals said the restaurant did not have a trained supervisor on site or have food stored at the proper temperature.
The restaurant also reportedly did not have the correct permits, which they had been warned about by Health Department officials in the past.
In a statement, Levy told the outlet they were looked into the situation immediately after hearing the disturbing allegations against the establishment.
'No New York City restaurant is authorized to have mice or rats on the menu and we are investigating further,' Levy said.
If they want to reopen anytime soon, Gammeeok's staff will need to correct the violations and pay any potential fines they were issued.
Signage posted on the restaurant's doors show they have been shut down by the Health Department. Another sign says they are also closed for 'maintenance.'
It's been hit after hit for the once esteemed restaurant which vehemently denies the claims made by the couple who filed the lawsuit against their business.
The saga began after Eunice Lucero-Lee and husband Jason Lee posted shocking video and photos of their meal to Instagram on Monday.
In a stream of posts Wednesday, the restaurant hit back at the couple's claims, saying they don't 'make sense.'
The restaurant claims the couple wrote a review for another Korean restaurant six years ago alleging they found 'a large bug' in their takeout soup, but deleted it after their post went viral.
The New York City Department of Health lists the restaurant as 'closed' currently
Records from the New York City Health Department showed that Gammeeok received 15 violations in the latest January 18 inspection
