Family-owned GA restaurant receives visit, huge tip from food critic Keith Lee

HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. — Two-hour flight. Two-hour drive.

Keith Lee returned to Georgia recently after seeing a TikTok video from restaurant, Tacos Y Mariscos Ofelia detailing its struggles with remaining in business.

“We are having such a hard time staying open. We just reopened yesterday after being closed for two weeks and hardly anyone has come. Please come by and help. We are a small Mexican restaurant that specializes in birria,” the restaurant owner wrote on TikTok.

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Lee and his wife Ronni Lee reviewed the restaurant and gave their usual critiques, but also highlighted the reasons the family-owned eatery may not be as successful as they would like.

Location, marketing and being outside of the metro Atlanta corridor were the biggest obstacles for their struggles Keith Lee noted, but their food was not the issue.

When Keith Lee’s family entered the eatery, they noticed children greeted them as they entered, ordered, and provided customer service. According to the owner, they attempted to hire, but “everybody is working” he said.

His children saw a need and met it.

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“My kids said, ‘Daddy, let me help you.’”

In true Keith Lee fashion, he left a tip and so much more.

“We met the whole family and paid for the next three months of their rent, so they don’t have to worry about staying open for now and we left $900 to pay for anybody who comes in after us,” Keith Lee wrote.

@keith_lee125

#stitch with @Tacosymariscosofelia Tacos Y Marisco Ofelia taste test 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #foodcritic

♬ original sound - Keith Lee

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