Keith Lee Criticizes Washington D.C.’s Food Scene And Says It Is ‘Geared Directly Towards Alcohol,’ Gets Pushback From Locals

It appears Keith Lee has some mixed thoughts about D.C. ‘s food scene. In a recent video he posted to social media, Lee said too many restaurants he tried are focused more on the alcohol they serve.

“In my opinion, all the restaurants are geared directly towards alcohol,” Lee said on TikTok. “If you don’t drink, it seems like it’s slim pickings. I’m talking about everything. Alcohol, bottomless, topless…I don’t drink, so I’m hungry.”

Unsurprisingly, Lee is receiving pushback from locals for his thoughts.

“You can’t say a whole city sucks because you have to drink to eat. That’s an idiotic statement,” rum distiller Todd Thrasher said in an interview with The Washington Post .

Thrasher added that D.C. provides plenty of places where people can eat without getting a drink, saying, “You can make a choice. You don’t have to drink to eat.”

Brent Kroll, who owns Maxwell Park wine bar, also took issue with Lee’s video, pointing out how there are laws that invalidate Lee’s statement.

“If you don’t have a tavern license, you’re required to have a minimum percentage of food sales,” Kroll told The Post. “So the city actually legally forces more food. But they don’t do anything to force alcohol. Ever.”

Fabian Malone, who has worked in the D.C. food industry for years, said Lee didn’t do his homework.

“More and more places are offering mocktails on their menus. All he has to do is just open his mouth and ask,” Malone told The Post.

Lee is no stranger to receiving criticism for his honest food reviews. During Lee’s trip to Atlanta, for instance, he faced backlash after calling out the local restaurants for their inconsistent hours, party size limits and no-take-out rules. Lee later stated in one of his videos that he tries to be fair in his reviews.

“I do not support, condone, or agree with tearing down these businesses,” Lee said, Complex reported. “While we personally may not have the best personal service experience, it does not mean you will have the same experience. It also don’t mean go on Twitter and tear these businesses down. At the end of the day, business owners are people and you never know what people are going through.”