Dave Portnoy, president of Barstool Sports, is committing $60,000 to keep the Baltimore pizzeria open

BALTIMORE (WJZ) – Dave Portnoy, the president of Barstool Sports, stopped by a Baltimore pizzeria this week for a review and committed to giving the owner $60,000 to keep the place open for another year.

In a video posted to social media on Monday, Portnoy visited TinyBrickOven in Baltimore’s Federal Hill neighborhood for one of his signature pizza reviews.

During the video, Portnoy quickly learns that owner Will Fagg plans to close TinyBrickOven in a few days.

Fagg explains to Portnoy that the store failed to obtain a liquor license.

“We can’t get our liquor license here,” Fagg said. “Our politicians gave their liquor license to this market down here, but they won’t give us ours.”

“We just don’t make any money, man. It was crazy,” he adds.

While waiting for the pizza, Portnoy hints at his plan, turning to the camera and saying, “We have to keep this place open.”

As he eats the “very good, thin, New York-style pizza,” Portnoy points out a sticker on the package that says TinyBrickOven will close on December 25 without financial support.

Portnoy continues to ask Fagg how much money he would need to stay open for a year, eventually landing on $60,000, which Portnoy agrees to.

In the video, Portnoy said Fagg could expect to have the money before Christmas. He rates the pizza 7.9.

“The whole neighborhood is crazy and wants us to stay open… our politicians have just turned their backs on us, it’s really disappointing,” Fagg said.

According to The Baltimore Banner, Portnoy was seen in mid-December at several Maryland restaurants, including Frank’s Pizza & Pasta on Bel Air Road in Baltimore and Pizza John’s in Essex.

According to The Baltimore Banner, Portnoy has been involved in some controversies in the past, including making racist and misogynistic comments.

He also lost a defamation lawsuit in 2022 against Insider.com after it published two stories that quoted women accusing Portnoy of sexual assault and misconduct, The Washington Post reported.

He started filming pizza reviews in 2013 and now has an app and website called One Bite.

Restaurant closings in Baltimore

Several Baltimore restaurants have announced closures in recent weeks, including Mother’s Grille, which has a location in Federal Hill.

In early December, the restaurant announced it would close on January 19, 2025. Owner Dave Rather told WJZ it’s time to close this chapter and focus on the restaurant’s other locations.

“Now there are tons of places down here, 25 bars and restaurants,” he said. “The restaurant business is tough. You know, anyone who lasts that long says something.”

Nacho Mama’s recently announced that after 30 years in business, it would be closing two of its locations, one in Towson and another in Canton. The owner did not give a reason but said both locations will close on January 12, 2025.