To over 16 million followers, Keith Lee is a very familiar face. Known for reviewing food from mom and pop or family-owned restaurants while sitting in his car and providing pinpoint ratings like 8.6/10 for French fries, or 7.1/10 for chocolate cake, the MMA fighter has become one of the most influential social media personalities in the country when it comes to food and restaurants. His reviews have changed the fortune of many restaurants—some that were barely surviving went to to long lines out the door for several weeks or months after his visit. Now, he’s coming to the DMV, according to his latest social media post on Sunday night (seen below).
Lee was included on the 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 list under the category Food & Drink because of his TikTok food reviews. He initially gained prominence as a Las Vegas-based food critic on TikTok back in November 2020 and began posting restaurant reviews in 2021. Has has since branched out to various cities across the country following a consistent formula, where he gets food from a local restaurant and describes his experience before, during, and after the meal. His family will usually place the order or get it via a delivery app so that the restaurant is not aware of the review beforehand.
“We gon’ be in the DMV.” Lee says. “That means D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and all surrounding cities. Here we come. I can’t wait. If you or anyone you know has a mom and pop shop or a family-owned spot that has great food and great customer service but could use some marketing for absolutely free to them…let me know.” In order to nominate a restaurant you think would benefit from one of his reviews, you can tag him in the restaurant’s videos or in his videos (@Keith_Lee125) or send him a direct message with your recommendation.
While Keith Lee can and has significantly boosted business for restaurants, his reviews are often the catalyst for debate amongst locals in the area. As with any opinion, there are many who agree and many who don’t, but any issue that may arise is usually limited to online banter that ultimately shines an additional light on the restaurant he reviews. His TikTok video announcing his visit to the DMV can be seen below:
@keith_lee125 💕 Keith Speaks 💕 God Is Amazing 🙏🏽 #foodcritic ♬ original sound – Keith Lee