I wrote a 5-star review for a restaurant I have never been to. It has 847 likes.

In 2020 I was bored and slightly delirious from too much time at home. I found a restaurant on Google Maps while I was looking for somewhere to order delivery. The restaurant had 3 reviews and a 2.8 star average. Both negative reviews seemed unfair. One complained about parking. One said the soup was too hot. I had never been to this restaurant. I had never ordered from this restaurant. I did not know if the food was good. I wrote a review anyway. Five stars. I described, in detail, the warm lighting, the way the owner greeted me by name after my third visit, the particular texture of the karaage that I had been thinking about for days, the small vase of flowers on each table that made the space feel cared for. I wrote it the way I wished restaurants were. I forgot about it. In 2022 I found it again by accident. 340 likes. 14 comments. People thanking me for the recommendation. Three people said they had visited because of my review and loved it. Last week: 847 likes. The restaurant is now listed as a "hidden gem" on two food blogs. I need $2 because I have never told anyone this and it is getting heavy. There is a part 2. I went. 🙏