Keith Lee’s Viral Sushi Review Leads to Restaurant Shutdown Over Worm Controversy
Gone are the days when word of mouth was the primary driver of a restaurant’s success. Yelp isn’t the reigning king of influence anymore, either. These days, restaurants are turning to food and beverage influencers to boost their visibility, reputation, and, hopefully, their revenue through positive online content. Even if you’re not active on TikTok, chances are you’ve heard of Keith Lee—the viral food critic with an astounding 16.8 million followers. So, if I were the owner of FOB Sushi Bar in Seattle, I’d be equally nervous and thrilled at the prospect of him walking through my doors.
Keith Lee has built his reputation on honesty, refusing free food or perks and delivering straightforward, unbiased reviews to his massive following. Take Easy Street Burgers, for example—after his glowing review, it shot to fame and became a California hotspot for burger enthusiasts. But on the flip side, his critiques can carry serious consequences, as FOB Sushi is now discovering under the weight of scrutiny—both online and, quite literally, under the microscope.
FOB Sushi has been a go-to recommendation in Seattle, known for its unique “buffet-style” setup. Guests could grab a box and tongs, select their favorite raw fish dishes, and pay by weight—all at an affordable price of $14.99 per pound.
Keith Lee visited FOB Sushi earlier this month, intending to film a simple taste test video. However, what began as a casual review quickly turned into a digital wrecking ball for the restaurant. His video, which has garnered over 1.1 million likes and views as of this writing, was heavily scrutinized by viewers who continue to insist they saw a worm moving on a piece of fish Lee was eating.
@goojiepooj No thanks to literally any of this #sushi #keithlee #nematode #worm #parasite ♬ original sound – gooj
After Keith Lee’s review, other viral food influencers weighed in, with creator @goojiepooj posting a video that slowed down the clip of Lee eating the nigiri to highlight what appeared to be something moving at the edge of the fish. As more users took to the internet, the situation only worsened for FOB Sushi. In response to the growing allegations, the restaurant posted on Instagram, denying the claims and stating that any visible movement in the fish was likely due to its “natural elasticity or the pressure from chopsticks when applied to its structure.”
At this point, you’re probably cringing either from the videos or from FOB Sushi’s response. While the restaurant addressed the issue quickly and firmly, their comment section was flooded with users who refused to believe their statement. And just when it seemed like things couldn’t get worse, another TikTok influencer, @joshuam_rivera, posted a video claiming that FOB Sushi was allegedly responsible for his girlfriend’s hospitalization. According to Rivera, her test results revealed she had contracted a “form of E. coli” after allegedly dining at the restaurant.
@joshuam_rivera Keith Lee how ur stomach feeling? #keithlee #food #fyp ♬ One more light – 🥷
Joshua’s video, combined with the restaurant’s statements, prompted Lee to post a response to the controversy just one day later. To summarize, after watching the slowed-down video, Lee agreed with the viral allegations, acknowledging that “it did appear that something moved.” However, he also admitted, “I didn’t see anything until somebody pointed it out.”
@keith_lee125 💕 Keith Speaks 💕 God Is Amazing 🙏🏽 #foodcritic ♬ original sound – Keith Lee
One day after that video was shared and secured close to 30 million views, FOB Sushi posted a follow up statement to Instagram, announcing they were closing their Seattle and Bellevue restaurant locations “until further notice” after they finished “conducting a thorough investigation to address the situation.”
Lee’s ability to boost food establishments across the country has been dubbed the “Keith Lee Effect”—a real-world phenomenon that describes the impact of his reviews on restaurants. Beyond his standalone videos, restaurants need to fully grasp the pros and cons of what that effect truly means. His reviews often spark ripple effects, inspiring other viral food and beverage influencers to join the digital buzz.
Today, influencers have the power to help businesses reach new audiences, boost brand visibility, and influence consumer decisions. However, this can also lead to severe consequences if something goes wrong during their dining experiences. Unfortunately for FOB Sushi, the latter occurred, and only time will tell whether the business can survive the intense scrutiny.
