Viral TikTok food critic Keith Lee to stop in DC, Maryland and Virginia

WASHINGTON ( DC News Now ) — Food critic and viral TikTok sensation Keith Lee is heading to the DMV.

“Very soon, we gonna be in the DMV,” he announced to his 16.5 million followers on TikTok Sunday night .

Lee is well known for his ability to boost businesses at struggling restaurants nationwide – an impact his followers call the “Keith Lee Effect.” Struggling mom-and-pop shops that have empty tables on one day will have lines out the door the next, following a review posted by Lee.

Now, he’s asking his followers in D.C., Maryland and Virginia – and its surrounding cities – to recommend their go-to family-owned spots.

“If you or anybody 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 [that’s] absolutely free to them, let me know,” he said in the video.

Lee said locals can tag him in videos, DM him or send him an email with recommendations. Soon, he said, he will have a poll on his Instagram page.

In the hours since he posted the announcement, Lee’s video has gained over 120,000 likes and nearly 10,000 comments.

Among recommended spots gaining traction in his comment section are D.C.’s Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant and Koite Grill in Silver Spring, Md.

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