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Food critic's visit sparks massive boost for North Side restaurant

By
Published  July 24, 2024 3:22pm CDT
Food and Drink
FOX 32 Chicago

Food critic's visit sparks massive boost for Buena Park restaurant

A visit by a popular food critic to a small business in Buena Park has had a monumental impact following his positive review.

CHICAGO - A visit by a popular food critic to a small business in Buena Park had a monumental impact following his positive review.

Keith Lee, who has over 16 million followers on TikTok, travels across America reviewing small restaurants and is known for significantly boosting their businesses.

The small restaurant, Amici-Chicago, located at 3933 N Broadway, posted a TikTok video inviting Lee to visit and try their food. The caption read, "I love my little one-man-show, but I could use a hand or two."

The video showed the restaurant, apparently empty, with only the owner working behind the counter.

This week, Keith was traveling through Chicago and decided to stop by. He shared his review on TikTok on Tuesday.

"He wasn't lying – he is in there by his self and it is very slow at the moment…," Keith said. "My family said he was extremely nice and he was extremely patient. And he explained during the week that he's there by his self because it's really slow." 

The owner was surprised to see Keith in his store. His wife picked up the order, so the owner didn't know they were being reviewed.

Struggling Uptown restaurant now has lines out the door after a visit from famous food influencer

The power of social media has been harnessed by Uptown restaurant, Amici. Business was slow, until an influencer lit a spark.

Keith left $3,000 to pay for customers' meals that day and also gave a $1,000 tip.

By Wednesday afternoon, Amici had shared a video on its Instagram story showing a line out the door shortly after Keith's video went viral. 

His review video has garnered 2.9 million views and counting.