How grading works in Las Vegas.

Start with the local scale

The Southern Nevada Health District (Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, and the rest of Clark County) grades restaurants with demerits, and a LOWER number is better. Zero to 10 demerits earns an A, 11–20 a B, and 21–40 a C. 41 or more demerits, or an imminent health hazard, can close the business. The public data lists how many violations were cited but not the written description of each one.

A score is not universal

Never compare results between cities. Some departments add points for violations, others use pass/fail, and a lower score can mean a better result.

Read beyond the latest result

Check the inspection date, each recorded violation, and any follow-up inspection. Closures and re-inspections are labeled in each restaurant’s history.