Super Catfish Crest Hill Grand Opening: 'It's Been Their Dream'

CREST HILL, IL — Ryan Asadi and Zaher Alhamwi, two young men who came to the United States from Syria nearly 10 years ago, celebrated the grand opening of their second restaurant in Crest Hill on Thursday. About 40 people packed inside the new Super Catfish.

Crest Hill Mayor Ray Soliman gave a short speech, thanking the business partners, their family and supporters for opening a second restaurant in Crest Hill. "We have a great working relationship," Soliman proclaimed.

Soliman said the Catfish & Chicken restaurant near Route 30 and the Six Corners intersection has an excellent reputation in the community. The new restaurant, called Super Catfish, is at 20641 West Renwick Road. It's right next door to Burger Rebellion.

Soliman told everyone the new restaurant owners are from Syria.

"And I will tell you that my grandparents were from Syria, and I will also tell you when they opened up Catfish on Caton Farm Road (they) gave me a special gift. These are Syrian beads which are supposed to bring everybody good luck and good health, so I'm hoping that happens."

Many people in the Joliet area are already familiar with Catfish & Chicken, which opened in 2020 at 2400 Caton Farm Road at the Caton Crest Commons.

At Thursday's grand opening, Asadi and Alhamwi told Joliet Patch that the food will taste different at Super Catfish compared to the food they serve at Catfish & Chicken.

"This is our second location, but a different concept," Asadi told Joliet Patch. "Everything is cooked fresh. We don't pre-cook."

The Super Catfish menu includes: fish dinners, chicken dinners, wings dinners, legs & thighs, partial wings, boneless and sandwiches. Side orders include fried okra, fried zucchini, fried mushrooms, cheesy bites, fries and more.

The desserts include nine choco-loco bites or nine choco-marsho bites. Drinks include slushy lemonade and slushy pink lemonade as well as orange juice.

Crest Hlll Ward 2 Alderman Darrell Jefferson and Alderwoman Claudia Gazal were also on hand for Thursday's grand opening event.

"Not only is it good food," Gazal told Patch, "but it's a lot of food for the money. That's the reviews that I get, and it's always fresh."

Gazal said she's thrilled to see the Syria-born business partners establish a successful restaurant venue that is now embarking on expansion with plans to eventually branch out and become a restaurant franchise.

"It's been their dream for like a few years," Gazal said.

The new Super Catfish is now open 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Come May, it will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. It's takeout and delivery.

"It's a simple menu for pickup and go," Asadi said.