Dave Portnoy, the media mogul and founder of Barstool Sports, made his first pizza review of a Baltimore eatery this week. Known for his “One Bite” pizza reviews, Portnoy has become a prominent figure in the pizza world, earning the title of “the most influential person on the American pizza scene” from The New York Times.
In mid-December, Portnoy visited several Maryland pizzerias, including Pizza John’s in Essex, Angeli’s Pizzeria in Little Italy, Matthew’s Pizzeria near Patterson Park, and Frank’s Pizza & Pasta on Bel Air Road.
Portnoy, a Massachusetts native, started his pizza review series in 2013. His “One Bite” reviews, which include ratings on a scale from 1 to 10, have amassed millions of followers on YouTube and led to a mobile app and even a pizza festival.
On Monday, Portnoy uploaded his first review of a Baltimore pizzeria, Tiny Brick Oven, located on Light Street in Federal Hill. He rated the pizza a solid 7.9, praising its “good undercarriage” and “New York-style” thin crust. However, after learning the pizzeria was struggling with a liquor license issue and planned to close on Christmas Day, Portnoy surprised the owners by offering them $60,000 to help keep the business open.
Owner Will Fagg was visibly emotional upon hearing the news. “I’m gonna cry, man. The whole neighborhood wants us to stay open. We’ve done so much for the community, feeding the homeless and running pay-it-forward programs. But our politicians just turn their backs on us. It’s disappointing,” Fagg said in the video.
Portnoy replied, “Well, Karma. This is good timing for us to come in.”
Portnoy’s popularity, with over 4 million followers on TikTok, has made his reviews highly anticipated. However, his approval is not without controversy. Portnoy has faced backlash for past racist and misogynistic comments and was involved in a 2022 defamation lawsuit filed by Insider.com, which published articles quoting women who accused him of sexual assault and misconduct.
Despite this, Portnoy’s pizza reviews often bring attention—and sometimes support—to small businesses. His reviews can either help boost a pizzeria or, in some cases, bring unwanted drama. In 2023, he called a New England pizzeria “The Worst Pizza Place in America” and publicly clashed with its owner, leading to threats and safety concerns for the business.
As for Tiny Brick Oven, Portnoy had only praise, noting that the pizza was “very good” and that there was “no way this place should be going out of business.”
Portnoy posts new reviews daily at 6 p.m., and his Baltimore reviews will continue to be closely followed by fans and local business owners alike.
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