Dave Portnoy, the controversial media mogul labeled “the most influential person on the American pizza scene” by The New York Times, officially wrapped up his ratings of Baltimore’s pies with a video posted Friday.

The Massachusetts native and founder of Barstool Sports began filming his pizza reviews in 2013. His “One Bite” channel has more than a million subscribers on YouTube and has since grown to include an app and a festival of the same name.

While Portnoy is popular — he has 4 million followers on TikTok — his approval comes with an asterisk. He has doubled down on racist and misogynistic comments he made in the past, and lost a 2022 defamation lawsuit against Insider.com, which published two stories quoting women who accused Portnoy of sexual assault and misconduct, according to The Washington Post.

Still, even a middling review from him can be a boost for small businesses, such as TinyBrickOven, which saw an immediate surge in customers. Or it can make owners wish he’d never come in at all. In 2023, he blasted one New England shop as “The Worst Pizza Place in America,” and posted a video in which he traded expletives and insults with the business’s owner, who later said he received threats and feared for his children’s safety.

While none of that drama popped up in his tour of Baltimore, the area seems to have left an impression. With each review, leading up to the Barstool Sports owner’s final upload from Johnny Rad’s on Jan. 10, Portnoy ran into increasingly charismatic personalities.

There was the anxious Gennaro Buontempo of Frank’s Pizza & Pasta, who regaled viewers with the story of his uncle’s murder, or the magnetic Marianne Campanelli of Angeli’s Pizzeria, who repeatedly interrupted Portnoy to ask if he was Italian and insisted he “send me to Hollywood, hon” — a slogan the shop is working on printing on merchandise.

Does this mean Baltimore could be recognized as a hub for quality pizza? Maybe. But more likely, its the people behind the food that both Portnoy and his viewers will remember.

TinyBrickOven, 7.9

Portnoy uploaded his first review of Charm City’s offerings on Dec. 23. He rated TinyBrickOven on Light Street in Federal Hill a 7.9 and, after learning the business was planning to close on Christmas due to struggles with getting a liquor license, Portnoy committed to gifting them $60,000.

“Good undercarriage,” he noted. “Very good. Thin, New York-kind of style. I really like it. … There’s no way this place should be going out of business. None.”

Frank’s Pizza & Pasta, 8.3

Another “good undercarriage” note from Portnoy. While the Barstool Sports founder ate his slice, the owner’s son, a visibly nervous Gennaro Buontempo, told a long background story about how his uncle Frank, who originally co-owned the shop with Buontempo’s father, was killed more than 35 years ago after a bullet fired next door ricocheted off one of the ovens. Portnoy said the “spectacular” pizza had already garnered an 8.1. But “with the story … I’m going 8.3.” He also referred to the slice as “light” and “crispy.”

Buontempo, who runs Frank’s with his brother, Daniel, also asked if Portnoy would review the restaurant’s cheesesteak, to which he obliged. “Truthfully, I have no cheesesteak scale. They all are so good that I eat that I think it’s easier to get a higher score,” said Portnoy, who rated the sandwich a 9. “But this is spectacular cheesesteak.”

Pizza John’s, 7.4

Portnoy introduced Essex landmark Pizza John’s by baring his soul and reminding viewers how much he loved Frank’s, an earlier stop on Belair Road. “I get tired of doing these reviews, if I’m being honest,” he said. “I’ve done so many.” But finding a gem like Frank’s, he said, “makes it worth it.”

Well, back at Frank’s, the owner’s son had warned Portnoy that Pizza John’s, a massive eatery founded in 1966 that he called “the Taj Mahal of pizzerias,” might not serve his style of pie.

Biting in, Portnoy agreed. While he noted its freshness, it was too thick and “too much cheese for me,” he said, pulling a slice from the box. But even too-cheesy pizza is still good pizza. “I could hammer the whole thing.” And, like the previous two pies, it had a “great undercarriage.”

Afterward, Portnoy toured the kitchen and stopped for photos like a visiting dignitary. On his way out, he murmured: “I may be the king of Baltimore, too.”

Matthew’s Pizzeria, 7.9

Matthews Pizzeria’s on Eastern Avenue could have rated higher than a 7.9 if Portnoy was in a “bar pie” state of mind, he said after his third or fourth time shouting “no disrespect” at the camera before saying something disrespectful about Jimmy’s Seafood and the Ravens.

His critique of the famous, 80-plus-years-old pizza shop was brief. Previously lauded by Thrillist and Zagat, the latter of which referred to it as a Baltimore-specific style of pizza, the pie from Matthew’s appeared to rank higher on Portnoy’s vaguely unscientific scale when it was compared to pizzas in the South Shore of Massachusetts, known for their thicker crust.

“All respect to Baltimore … but this is South Shore, Massachusetts bar pie,” he said, trying not to burn his fingers on the fresh slice. “It’s a good one.”

It seemed like no one was there to witness Portnoy’s decree. But someone — or as they referred to themselves in the video, “Nobody” — called out to the Barstool owner from a space under the shop, apparently to lobby for a higher rating.

“Give it an 8.9,” Nobody said. “I heard you out there and recognized that voice.”

“Is it your spot?” Portnoy replied. It was not.

“So you’re just the voice, the voice from the clouds,” Portnoy said.

“Exactly.”

But the divine voice from below may have made a difference. By the end of the video, Portnoy had tweaked his score. “You know what?” he said to camera. “I screwed these guys; this is an 8.1.”

Angeli’s Pizzeria, 7.3

“Send me to Hollywood, hon,” Marianne Campanelli of Angeli’s Pizza told Portnoy as he stood outside the Little Italy restaurant with a cameraman and a pizza to go.

But the cheese pie didn’t impress El Presidente, who mistakenly called the restaurant “Angelini’s,” and inaccurately stated it had been around 100 years (try six).

He rated the pie a 7.3. He rated Campanelli a 10.

Out of nowhere appeared owner Juniet Ozturk, out of breath from racing down to the restaurant from the company’s new Bolton Hill branch. “We are big fans,” he told Portnoy. He was thrilled to hear Portnoy had come to his restaurant.

“This … is … Dave … he’s … the … biggest … pizza … influencer … in … the … world,” he told Campanelli.

“Well, is it in Naples, Italy?” Campanelli asked, unimpressed. “They originated pizza.”

Portnoy said he didn’t like Neapolitan style pizza. “Too floppy.” Then Ozturk took Portnoy on a tour of the restaurant, telling him it was a dream come true to welcome him in.

The episode closed out with a cameo appearance by nearby restaurateur Joseph Gardella trying to peer-pressure Portnoy into trying his meatballs.

Reached after the video posted, Ozturk said he cringed when watching. 7.3 was the lowest rating Portnoy had given in Baltimore so far. But Ozturk said he’s still glad Portnoy came. There’s no such thing as bad publicity.

Johnny Rad’s Pizzeria Tavern, 7.1

To wrap up his stay in Charm City, Portnoy stopped by Eastern Avenue for a pie at Johnny Rad’s, which left the Barstool owner wanting.

“Not bad,” he said after tearing off a slice, which he noted was a “tough rip.” “It has the parmesan, which I don’t always love.”

The pizza connoisseur enjoyed the pie’s light weight and lack of a “floppy” exterior. As in keeping with the theme of his reviews, the highlight of his taste test was the unexpected yet energetic reaction of passersby. One person shouted while driving past Portnoy that Johnny Rad’s is their “landlord’s pizza bar.” This came shortly after Portnoy confessed he “can’t stop thinking” about Campanelli of Angeli’s Pizzeria fame.

“These Baltimore reviews have been something,” Portnoy said. “All of them unique.”

Baltimore Banner reporter Darreonna Davis and editor Caitlin Moore contributed to this story.