Restaurant owner Abdullah Hamed (right) stands with brothers Anas and Salman Dawood outside their roadside restaurant in Imam Wais, Diyala governorate. Photo by 964media.
Viral video and a road closure bring a boom to Diyala roadside diner
DIYALA — A small roadside restaurant in the Imam Wais area of Diyala governorate has seen a rush of customers after a TikTok video watched by millions coincided with traffic being diverted onto its road when the Hamrin Lake route closed for repairs.
The restaurant sits on the Imam Wais road linking Khanaqin with Muqdadiya and on toward Baghdad and southern Iraq, a stop for truck drivers and other travelers. Owner Abdullah Hamed said business took off after brothers Anas and Salman Dawood appeared in a TikTok clip built around the phrase “Believe it or not,” which spread quickly on the platform. Around the same time, on May 24, the Directorate of Roads and Bridges closed the Hamrin Lake road for maintenance after flooding, sending traffic through Imam Wais.
As customers multiplied, Anas and Salman joined the staff. “We’re all cousins,” Hamed said. He said the restaurant serves traditional Iraqi home cooking made with locally sourced meat and fresh chicken, including okra stew, grilled meats and pacha, all prepared at home and brought to the restaurant. It was built on land that belonged to the family’s grandfather, he said, and now serves a steady flow of drivers between Khanaqin, Baghdad and the south.
Truck driver Muqtada Khudhair said motorists had passed the place for years without much notice until the video took off. Now dozens stop for a meal, he said, drawn by both the food and the welcome. “Today I had okra tashreeb and grilled chicken, and the food was delicious,” Khudhair said.