Baltimore eatery owner stands up for American pride following Olympic criticism

Baltimore Restaurant Responds to Olympic Pride Controversy

A seafood eatery in Baltimore has gained significant attention after reacting to a Huffington Post piece claiming that some U.S. Olympic athletes might struggle with patriotism.

This article, titled “There’s a name for the discomfort I feel watching the Olympics right now,” was published on social media platform X. The accompanying caption suggested that those who show American pride might not be alone in feeling turned off by it.

In response, Jimmy’s Famous Seafood posted, “If you wave an American flag or yell ‘USA!’ we’ll turn you off right now; you’re not alone,” which quickly garnered over 16 million views on X by Tuesday morning.

The restaurant’s owner, John Minadakis, mentioned that his reaction was sparked by the U.S. men’s hockey team’s recent victory over Canada, with a score of 2-1.

In an interview, Minadakis expressed his joy over the athletes bringing home a gold medal. He described the match as a “beautiful spectacle.”

While browsing social media, he came across the Huffington Post’s article that resonated with his own thoughts. He noted, “That’s exactly what I was thinking, and probably everyone else, too,” before hitting ‘post.’

Founded in 1974 by Minadakis’s father, the family-owned restaurant is notably famous for its crab cakes.

Minadakis shared that his father immigrated from Greece in the late 1960s and realized the American Dream by building the restaurant almost from scratch, alongside a few friends. It has become a cornerstone of the local community.

After his father’s passing in 2003, Minadakis and his brothers, then in their teens, assumed control of the restaurant.

The family grew up above the restaurant, and Minadakis reflected on how that experience shaped their strong work ethic. “We lived above the restaurant. That’s where we grew up,” he recalled. “We take great pride in our work because it was our apartment.”

In closing, Minadakis emphasized their pride in being both American and Greek-American, celebrating their immigrant heritage. As a token of appreciation, he announced that both the men’s and women’s hockey teams would receive free crab cakes for life.