The Fried Fish Chain That Built A Small Empire In Chicago

Few things represent the American Dream better than a determined entrepreneur who starts something small that eventually becomes something big — something said entrepreneur might have never imagined. That's exactly what happened in Chicago in 1982 when James J. Green set up shop on Martin Luther King Drive with the first JJ Fish Restaurant.

The restaurant was known for its fresh fish and offered to fry the fish in a secret batter for just a dollar extra. It quickly became a hit in Chicago, and only took two decades to expand to 130 locations across the country with the new name of JJ Fish and Chicken. Still, Chicago is the heart of all things JJ Fish and Chicken, with 90 locations in the Windy City alone. The restaurant also has a footprint in Milwaukee, metro Atlanta, Northern California, Houston, Memphis, and even one location in Staten Island, New York. 

The menu is exactly what you would expect from a chain that serves up fried fish and chicken. Fish combo dinners cost $19.99 and include the choice of catfish — a soul food favorite — ocean perch, tilapia, whiting, cod (one of the best fish for frying), and even shrimp with french fries. JJ's also offers plenty of fried chicken options — from wings to leg and thigh combinations, to nuggets, and even a whole fried chicken for $31.99. Sides are also heavy on the fried side — including cheese sticks, mushrooms, mac and cheese bites, corn nuggets, jalapeño poppers, okra, and fried pickles, all of which are in the $4 to $8 range.

There's a reason that JJ Fish and Chicken has had so much success, and that's because customers typically love it. A Yelp reviewer summarizes how popular their local restaurant is: "It opened at 11 a.m. on the dot and I was already the second person in line. After ordering my food, line was already at the door ... what I love about JJ Fish and Chicken: They are consistent."

One Facebook commenter agrees, saying, "The highlight for me was the catfish filets ... I'm not sure what they bread it with, but I think it was little pieces of heaven." Other reviewers say the fried chicken is the best they've had, the staff is friendly, and the food is fresh and hot. On the flip side, not all the reviews are warm and fuzzy. Some reviews say the food is too heavy on the salt, some locations are in unsafe areas of town, and wait times can stretch up to 25 minutes — which is very close to the time limit the majority of customers are willing to wait.

So, yes, like any other restaurant chain, you'll find some bad reviews of JJ Fish and Chicken. But, for the most part, those are outliers. This place has a lot of fans and returning customers that love the fish, chicken, and shrimp options. So if fried food is your thing and you have one of its locations near you, JJ Fish and Chicken is a can't-miss restaurant.