Popular TikTok food critic Keith Lee stops by State Fair of Texas
DALLAS – Keith Lee and his family had some business to handle in Dallas on Thursday, and before leaving, they stopped at the State Fair of Texas. Fortunately, the food critic didn't leave disappointed.
Kicking off his culinary adventure, Lee tried a "nicely seasoned" steak kabob, rating it a 5 out of 10. Next up was corn on the cob, which he chose not to rate, pointing out its lack of salt and butter and calling it "just corn." To his surprise, he enjoyed cotton candy-wrapped bacon, or "cotton candy on a stick," giving it a 5.5 out of 10. He also tried turkey leg tacos, which earned a 5 out of 10.
One of the highlights — and the only dish he finished in its entirety — was a delicious and messy brisket sandwich, which both Lee and his wife rated an 8 out of 10. The cherry limeade fell flat for him, described as "just pop" and receiving a 2 out of 10, partly because of its lack of refreshment. The family wrapped up their night with nachos and water.
@keith_lee125 Texas State Fair taste test 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #foodcritic ♬ original sound - Keith Lee
"This was amazing. The Texas people, people in Texas, people of Texas, people visiting Texas, are absolutely insane, and I appreciate the love more than I can express," Lee said at the end of his visit. However, he added, "The screaming and yelling is a lot for me," likely due to his ongoing battle with social anxiety, which he has opened up about in the past.
Several people flocked to Lee's comments to let him know that while they're glad he chose to revisit Dallas, he missed out on a lot of good eating — and he would've had to season his own corn.
One user wrote, "You missed Fletchers corn dogs and the actual Mexican food! there was an entire BUILDING dedicated to local foods!!" Another added, "There is so much more!! Deep fried pb&j, deep fried Thanksgiving dinner, deep fried chicken alfredo...."
"oh no no drizzle cheesecake ? fletchers corndog ? chans chicken teriyaki? fried pb&j?" another commentor questioned with disappointment, adding, "but Good to seee ya back in TX God bless."
Lee has become a social media sensation, with over 16 million followers and 773 million likes on TikTok. His process consists of anonymously ordering takeout, returning to his car to reveal the order to his followers, and then sharing his real-time reactions as he taste-tests the food. He typically begins by saying, "I got it, let's try it," before sampling the food.
The food critic has visited Dallas multiple times this year, exploring a range of popular eateries. During his January tour, his stops included Thunderbird Pies, Terry Black's Barbecue, Halal Fusionz, Sweetly Seasoned, and Absolutely Edible Cakes & Catering.
Hutchins, which has locations in McKinney and Frisco, is one of the most popular barbecue spots in North Texas and was Lee's personal favorite during his January visit. In July, he returned and visited The Original Roy Hutchins Barbeque in Trophy Club.
During a recent interview for CBS News' Eye on America segment, Lee discussed the "Keith Lee effect" and shared his tasting experience, explaining what sets him apart from creators making similar content.
"I'm a normal person, and I think that's the biggest thing," he said. "I do it for my mom. How would my mom go into a new city specifically for food and go get food?"
"And for me," Lee added, "it's more or less of expanding the horizons of the locals and businesses that have great food [and] great customer service, but could use marketing. That's my biggest objective in this."
