Owners of the Prominent Chicago restaurant, The Hubbard Inn, have filed a lawsuit against TikToker Julia Reel, accusing her of defamation.
The suit alleges that Reel lied about being assaulted by the restaurant's staff in a viral video, allegedly causing significant damage to the business. The owners are seeking at least $30,000 in damages.
Reel claimed in her video that she was manhandled and pushed down stairs by the restaurant's security staff. However, according to the Hubbard Inn, security footage contradicts her claims. Despite this evidence, Reel allegedly refused to retract her story.
The fallout from the viral video led to event cancellations and negative reviews for the Hubbard Inn. The restaurant owners argue that they had no choice but to take legal action after their attempts to resolve the issue with Reel directly were ignored.
Reel is represented in the action by attorney Kevin R. Malloy, of the firm of Forde & O’Meara, of Chicago.
The lawsuit was filed March 18 in Cook County Circuit Court.