Keith Lee’s Baltimore Trip Boosts Rooted Rotisserie, Rated 10/10 for Service

A mention from TikTok food critic Keith Lee can work wonders for restaurants. When Lee announced a visit to Baltimore, several local businesses were eager for his attention, and the Rooted Rotisserie recently received his esteemed endorsement.

According to The Baltimore Sun, the restaurant owned by Amanda and Joseph Burton got a surprise visit on August 24. However, what many people don’t realize is that Lee typically doesn’t enter the establishments to taste the food. Instead, he sends someone else to place the order, which is then brought to him to review in the comfort of his car.

The Burtons were unaware that their restaurant was chosen for Lee’s review. Lee had high praise for the Rooted Rotisserie, particularly for the duck confit gumbo. He described it as “fantastic,” noting that the duck meat was “cooked to perfection” and the potatoes were “crispy and seasoned.” He rated the dish a 9.6 out of 10, adding that “this whole thing has flavor throughout, from the beginning to the end.”

After evaluating several other menu items, mostly rating them in the lower eights, Lee also gave the venue a perfect score of 10 out of 10 for customer service.

Amanda Burton recounted that Lee returned to the restaurant after his meal. She was shocked by his presence as he introduced himself to the couple and took photos with the staff. Before leaving, Lee left a generous $4,000 tip and also paid for the customers dining there, adding another $2,000.

The impact of Lee’s review was immediate. Amanda Burton noted that as of August 26, the Rooted Rotisserie was nearly fully booked through the end of the week.

“It’s all hands on deck as far as staffing,” Joseph Burton said. “Our prep schedule has increased tremendously to make sure we’re fresh, and we’re ordering much more food—much more.”