Keith Lee has been shaking the table since touching down in Atlanta on Thursday (Oct. 26). In less than a week’s time, the popular food critic and his family paid visits to spots like Juci Jerk and The Bodega, and his experience at some of the locations proved to be less than extraordinary. Including being unable to enjoy the food at Lil Baby’s The Seafood Menu due to his shellfish allergy, Lee ended up having to walk out of the Kandi Burress-owned Old Lady Gang due to non-equitable treatment of their guests.
“As always, I don’t want any special treatment. I want to be treated like everybody else. I pay for my food like everybody else. I’m a normal person, I’m a normal customer,” he explained after the southern eatery changed his group’s expected hour-plus wait time to five minutes upon realizing who he was. “Things like this is exactly why I do reviews the way I do. Just because I have a certain amount of followers on social media don’t make me different from nobody. My mom, my mom-in-law, [and] my sister are all paying customers just like me.”
@keith_lee125 Old Lady Gang taste test 💕 would you try it 💕 #foodcritic ♬ original sound – Keith Lee
Since publishing his reviews, jokes and comments have been flying on Twitter, especially from Atlanta residents who feel that their hometown’s food culture needs improvement. “Keith Lee went to Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, and New Orleans with no problem finding places to eat and review most being Black-owned,” said user Sauvamemte. “Some he liked, others not so much, but no issues. He had no issue until he got to Atlanta. Atlanta is the problem.” One of the restaurants visited, The Real Milk & Honey, responded in a now-deleted video claiming that they don’t know who Lee is.
Keith Lee went to Chicago Detroit, Los Angeles and New Orleans with no problem finding places to eat and review most being Black owned. Some he liked others not so much but no issues. He had no issue until he got to Atlanta. Atlanta is the problem.
— ⚜️Sovereign⚜️ (@sauvamemte) October 29, 2023
Another user, BryceHTX, hilariously shared a video clip of the Michael K. Williams’ “The Wire” character Omar Litter, who was notoriously known for putting fear in the hearts of other criminals in Baltimore. “Grass wall and lamb chop restaurants when Keith Lee comes to town,” read the post’s description.
Check out Lee’s other recent TikTok reviews and some of the aforementioned responses below.
@keith_lee125 Atlanta Breakfast Club taste test 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #foodcritic ♬ original sound – Keith Lee
@keith_lee125 The Seafood Menu Atlanta taste test 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #foodcritic ♬ original sound – Keith Lee
@keith_lee125 Juci Jerk taste test 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #foodcritic ♬ original sound – Keith Lee
@keith_lee125 The Real Milk & Honey taste test 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #foodcritic ♬ original sound – Keith Lee
@keith_lee125 Jamaican Jerk Biz taste test 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #foodcritic ♬ original sound – Keith Lee
Milk & Honey gone fuck around and be out of business with a response like that. If you have no allegiance to your customers they won’t have it for you. Keith Lee is very beloved and was kind in his response, the people love him way more than y’all restaurant.
— Step In the Name of Love Combs (@Kyla_Lacey) October 29, 2023
All this Keith Lee discourse is weird cause he trying to make sure customers get good service no matter who they are and yall got an attitude about it lol
— Niggaless Cage (@afriasian) October 30, 2023
Keith Lee goes to restaurants, eats food, and says whether or not he likes it. Asking where he went to culinary school is absurd. Please be serious.
— Kimberly Nicole Foster (@KimberlyNFoster) October 29, 2023
Remarking about Keith Lee and saying that he is autistic to diminish his work because you run a raggedy ass restaurant is ableist as fuck. If he was on the spectrum it still wouldn’t deter me or anyone from loving his work, I hope that Milk and Honey business fails.
— 𝐇𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐲𝐚𝐰 (@justxhenry) October 29, 2023
Keith Lee be like “I went to eat in Atlanta. As you can see, I have no food in my hands.” 😭😭😭
— Big Juice (@JuliusBryant) October 30, 2023
Somebody said sending Keith Lee to Old Lady Gang is a scheme that Todd set up 😂😂😂
— Solyrical (@TonyMatrimony) October 30, 2023
Keith Lee is for the people in real life. We aren’t use to that. That’s why ppl are confused about why he isn’t accepting special treatment. When you’re for the people and do things to bless others you don’t just go with whatever. That man is going to be blessed like crazy.
— Love of your life 🫶🏼 (@JordynAnese) October 30, 2023
The thing is, Keith Lee never speaks poorly on the business/restaurant. He makes sure to say it was just HIS experience. If it negatively impacts your business, it must mean a lot of people have not had a good experience there. https://t.co/wpebfqFNUN
— kevikev (@KevCoke6) October 29, 2023
Keith Lee wants restaurants to service customers equitably, and y’all don’t understand that because yall are clout chasers and not community builders. https://t.co/s4E884qiue
— T.H.U.G. Truly Humbled Under God (@KiaSpeaks) October 30, 2023
Mama Joyce when she sees Keith Lee. pic.twitter.com/pYfrUwomuT
— kario. (@itsKARY_) October 30, 2023