A popular Washington sushi restaurant has closed two of its locations after a viral TikTok video posted by influencer Keith Lee sparked food safety concerns.
FOB Sushi Bar announced on Instagram Monday it is closing its Bellevue and Seattle locations. The closure announcements come a little over a week after the internet-famous food critic, Lee, reviewed the restaurant in a Nov. 10 post.
In Lee’s post, you can see him showing his food from the Seattle buffet-style restaurant, where you could get several types of sushi at $14.99 per pound.
“Overall, this absolutely is a place that I will come back to,” he said at the end of the video. “And I can see if you love sushi, and you don’t have a shellfish allergy, this is heaven.”
As he wrapped up the end of his video, he noticed how many people came into the restaurant.
“It seems like it’s a very popular spot because as we speak, the line is out the door,” he said. “As always, I pray and hope after this, they continue to reach their target audience.”
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TikTok users flood Lee’s post with worm warning; FOB Sushi Bar responds
After reviewing the FOB Sushi Bar, Lee’s followers commented on the post alerting him that there might be something wiggling in his sushi.
“At 1:50, the end of your sushi was moving,” one TikToker wrote.
Lee gave the Sashimi an 8.5 out of 10 rating, but his followers were concerned.
“Keith please tell us you’re okay this is my biggest fear,” another user wrote.
In response to the video, FOB Sushi Bar thanked Lee for visiting but wanted to address the situation.
“Recently, a video has been circulating online that claims worms were found in our sashimi. We want to address this claim directly and assure you that it is entirely false,” the company wrote on Instagram. “At FOB Sushi, we are committed to upholding the highest health and safety standards to provide clean, fresh, and safe food for every customer.”
In addition, the restaurant commented on the movement seen in the sushi.
“Regarding the video, the movement observed in the fish may result from natural elasticity or the pressure of chopsticks when applied to its structure,” the post read. “We want to assure our customers that this is not indicative of worms or any health concerns.”
In a follow-up video, Lee assured his followers he is okay.
On Monday, FOB Sushi Bar announced that it will close its Seattle and Bellevue locations until further notice.
“Your health and safety are our highest priorities,” the company said in a post. “We are conducting a thorough investigation to address the situation and will take all necessary measures to prevent it from happening again.”
USA TODAY reached out to the Public Health Department of Seattle and King County and FOB Sushi Bar for comment.
