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East Village bar 5s gets pre-permit inspection ahead of NYC food permit

East Village bar 5s gets pre-permit inspection ahead of NYC food permit

Built World New York, NY local

The number-five-themed bar and lunch counter at 179 Avenue B drew a Grade A on its pre-permit inspection in October 2026.

October 11th, 2026: Pre-permit inspection ends with Grade A

Overview

Updated Oct 31

New York City health inspectors visited 5s at 179 Avenue B on October 11, 2026, and recorded a Grade A with a score of 10 points. The visit is listed as a pre-permit and operational inspection, and it cited one violation: food contact surfaces not washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use.

City records do not say whether the bar has opened. Owner Michael Dunne described 5s in early 2025 as a lunch counter with five food items, five wines, five beers and a menu that changes several times a week.

Why it matters

The Grade A moves a number-five-themed lunch counter closer to opening a storefront that sat empty for six years.

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Key Indicators

10
Inspection score
Points on the October 11, 2026 inspection. Grade A covers 0 to 13 points.
5
Menu items per category
The concept centers on the number five: five food items, five cocktails, five draft beers, five canned beers, five wines.
6
Years the storefront sat vacant
The space at 179 Avenue B was empty for six years after Guac closed.

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People Involved

MD
Michael Dunne
Owner of 5s
Owner of 5s, which drew a Grade A on its October 2026 pre-permit inspection

Organizations Involved

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
City Health Agency
Conducts pre-permit inspections and issues food service permits

The city agency that inspects food businesses and issues food service permits in New York City.
FI
5s (Fives)
Bar and lunch counter
Pre-permit inspection recorded a Grade A in October 2026; opening not confirmed

A number-five-themed bar and lunch counter planned for 179 Avenue B in the East Village.

Timeline

February 2025 October 2026

3 events Latest: October 11th, 2026 · 1 month ago

  1. Pre-permit inspection ends with Grade A

    Latest Regulatory

    NYC Department of Health files a pre-permit inspection for 5s. The record shows Grade A, a score of 10, and one violation for food contact surfaces not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized.

  2. Signage up at 179 Avenue B

    Development

    Signage appears for 5s; the owner expects to open later that summer.

  3. 5s concept reported

    Announcement

    New York Business Journal reports the bar will have five food items, five cocktails, five draft beers, five canned beers, and five wines.

Scenarios

1

5s gets its food service permit and opens

Likely Resolves by Jun 1, 2027

Discussed by: The record itself; the pre-permit inspection is the standard step before a permit is issued.

DOHMH completes the pre-permit inspection and issues a food service permit to 5s at 179 Avenue B. The bar then opens to customers, ending a development process that began in early 2025.

2

Inspection flags issues, permit delayed

Possible Resolves by Jun 1, 2027

Discussed by: Routine possibility in any pre-permit inspection; the record does not state the outcome.

The pre-permit inspection finds violations that require corrections, pushing the permit decision and any opening further out. The bar remains unopened or operates under the 22-day rule while fixes are made.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2019

Guac closes at 179 Avenue B (2019)

Guac, the previous restaurant at 179 Avenue B, closed and left the storefront empty.

Then

The space sat vacant for years.

Now

The storefront remained empty for six years until 5s took over.

Why this matters now

5s is filling a storefront that has been empty since Guac closed, part of a slow turnover on that stretch of Avenue B.

Ongoing

Lincolns, the $5-everything bar in Portland, Maine

A bar in Portland, Maine called Lincolns sells everything, beer, wine, and mixed drinks, for $5.

Then

The bar operates on a flat $5 price for all drinks.

Now

It shows the one-price bar concept can work in a smaller market.

Why this matters now

5s uses the number five as its theme, five of each menu item, rather than a flat price, but the gimmick is similar.

Sources

(5)
NYC Open Data EV Grieve What Now New York NYC Restaurant Inspections Ribbon Leads