BALTIMORE — Dave Portnoy, the president of Barstool Sports, stopped by a Baltimore pizzeria this week for a review and pledged to give the owner $60,000 to keep the place open 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.

“People say it’s a Christmas miracle,” said Will Fagg, owner of TinyBrickOven. It kind of feels like a Christmas miracle!”

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 this market down here their liquor license, but they won’t give us ours…that’s really disappointing.”

“We just don’t make any money, man. It was crazy,” he adds. “The market opened and anyone inside was allowed to sell alcohol, and we were never allowed to sell alcohol…”

While waiting for the pizza, Portnoy gives a hint about his plan, turns to the camera and says, “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 box 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, and he ends up at $60,000, to which Portnoy agrees, “Done.”

“Oh my God, this is incredible,” Will said.

Portnoy said Fagg could expect to have the money before Christmas. He rated the pizza 7.9.

“We’ve never had such a crowd before…”

The video went viral, and on Christmas Eve, TinyBrickOven was at the door and the phones were ringing off the hook.

“We’ve never had such a crowd,” Will said.

Cynthia Streater, a TinyBrickOven employee, says if anyone deserves this, it’s Will, “my guardian angel.”

Streater told WJZ reporter Caroline Foreback that Will found her stranded in the cold last weekend after she missed her bus and offered her a ride home and a part-time job.

“He says, ‘You look like you’re freezing…why don’t you come in and warm up?'”

After the video went viral, donations continued to pour in. TinyBrickOven’s fundraiser topped $50,000 as of Tuesday afternoon.

“It’s an incredible feeling, I’ve always had a lot of support from the community… it’s overwhelming and I thank everyone so much,” Will 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 grid based 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 Mamas recently announced it would close two of its locations, one in Towson and one in Canton, after 30 years in business. The owner did not give a reason but said both locations will close on January 12, 2025.