Atlanta’s food scene took another hit from TikTok food critic Keith Lee.
In a year-end video posted to social media last week, Lee described the eight cities he visited in 2023 on his food tour with his family and led off with Atlanta as his least favorite.
“My biggest issue with Atlanta is, it was hard to get food,” Lee said on TikTok.
At multiple stops on his visit to Atlanta in October, Lee criticized the customer service experience and the hurdles his family jumped through trying to order to-go meals.
“When we did eat, it was delicious,” he added in his year-end ranking video.
When the popular food critic visited Atlanta, Lee and his family visited at least eight local places, ranging from mom-and-pop shops to more well-known restaurants, reviewing both the food and the service provided.
His critique of the city’s restaurants set off a bit of a social media sensation and came the same week as Atlanta celebrated its restaurant scene receiving its first-ever Michelin Guide star ratings.
With over 15 million followers on TikTok, Lee’s reviews can help bring attention to lesser-known local restaurants, including Atlanta’s Juci Jerk, which experienced longer lines after Lee’s visit.
In another case, he sparked a flurry of social media criticism when his family was denied service at The Real Milk and Honey in College Park. When Lee walked up and was recognized, they offered to serve him, but he declined.
Other cities on Lee’s year-end list, ranking ahead of Atlanta from worst to best, included New York, Detroit, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, and Houston. Lee placed New Orleans in his top spot — notably, he said it was the customer service that made the city the best.
“Everywhere we went, we felt like family,” Lee said. “And the food … I left 15 pounds heavier.”
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