Cafe Lark

452 Madison Avenue, Albany, NY 12208

Passed · May 21, 2026 Directions
92
Excellent BiteKarma score 92 out of 100
How the BiteKarma score works

Each routine inspection starts at 100 and loses 7 points for every critical violation and 2 for every other one, half again as much when the same problem was cited at one of the two inspections before. A failed inspection counts as 69 at most. The score averages the five newest routine inspections, with the most recent counting most, and stays below 70 for 90 days after a fail unless the restaurant passes again. 90 and up is excellent, 80s good, 70s fair, and below 70 poor.

At a glance

  • Passed 4 of 4 graded inspections since 2024.
  • Last inspected May 21, 2026: passed with 2 violations.
  • No critical violations in the last two years.
  • Keeps coming up: Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked), cited 3 times, plus 5 other repeat issues.

Inspection history 4 visits

  1. 2026
  2. Passed May 21

    Inspection

    2 violations
    • Minor Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
    • Minor Handwashing facilities inaccessible, improperly located, dirty, in disrepair, improper fixtures, soap, and single service towels or hand drying devices missing
  3. 2025
  4. Passed Apr 30

    Inspection

    2 violations
    • Minor Lighting and ventilation inadequate, fixtures not shielded, dirty ventilation hoods, ductwork, filters, exhaust fans
    • Minor Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
  5. 2024
  6. Passed Jul 12

    Re-Inspection

    5 violations
    • Minor Insects, rodents present
    • Minor Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
    • Minor Manual facilities inadequate, technique incorrect; mechanical facilities not operated in accordance with manufacturer's instructions
    • Minor Lighting and ventilation inadequate, fixtures not shielded, dirty ventilation hoods, ductwork, filters, exhaust fans
    • Minor Toilet facilities inadequate, inconvenient, dirty, in disrepair, toilet paper missing, not self-closing doors, missing hand wash signs
  7. Passed Jun 17

    Inspection

    10 violations, 1 critical
    • Critical Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or below 45°F during cold holding, except smoked fish not kept at or below 38°F during cold holding.
    • Minor Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
    • Minor Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
    • Minor Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
    • Minor Effective measures not used to control entrance (rodent-, insect-proof contruction). Harborage areas available for rodents, insects and other vermin
    • Minor Toilet facilities inadequate, inconvenient, dirty, in disrepair, toilet paper missing, not self-closing doors, missing hand wash signs
    • Minor Lighting and ventilation inadequate, fixtures not shielded, dirty ventilation hoods, ductwork, filters, exhaust fans
    • Minor Pesticide application not supervised by a certified applicator
    • Minor Manual facilities inadequate, technique incorrect; mechanical facilities not operated in accordance with manufacturer's instructions
    • Minor Handwashing facilities inaccessible, improperly located, dirty, in disrepair, improper fixtures, soap, and single service towels or hand drying devices missing

Nearby

BiteKarma scores around Cafe Lark, which is the dark pin. Zoom in to see the dots' scores, and tap a pin marked + to see everything at that address.

  1. 92 Encebollados El Idolo Same address
  2. 93 Fusion Same address
  3. 100 Ben & Jerry's 50 ft
  4. 97 Fresh N' Pressed 50 ft
  5. 98 Lionheart Pub and Brewery 50 ft