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JJ Fish & Chicken, 3057 N. 35th St. Photo taken by Sophie Borich on May 30, 2024.
Popular fast food chain JJ Fish & Chicken plans to expand its presence in Milwaukee with the opening of a new restaurant at 3057 N. 35th St.
The upcoming location, scheduled to open in December, will be the Chicago-based restaurant’s 11th location in the city, offering fish, sandwiches, shrimp and chicken staples.
The chain, which has more than 130 locations in Wisconsin and Illinois, also offers salads, desserts and sides such as okra, jalapeño poppers and onion rings.
The restaurant will be operated by Illinois-based business partners Omar and Nazeh Ahmad. The two own five existing JJ Fish & Chicken stores in the city, with Mr. Omar owning three stores and Mr. Nazeh owning two.
James J. Green founded JJ Fish & Chicken in 1982 to offer customers the option of battering and frying fresh fish for $1. The business grew from there, later expanding the menu to include chicken and other types of seafood.
The 2,320-square-foot restaurant has been in development for several years near the busy six-way intersection of Fond du Lac Avenue, 35th Street and Burley Street. Other fast-food restaurants such as Checkers and an under-construction Touch Down Wings & Seafood location are located on adjacent blocks.
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The building itself was previously home to St. Peter’s Missionary Baptist Church, but has been vacant since at least 2016, according to city records. During that time, the surrounding environment changed significantly. Specifically, two adjacent buildings at 3043-3045 N. 35th St. and 3051 N. 35th St. were demolished.
The fish and chicken restaurant first applied for a permit in 2021.
Once open, the restaurant will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, according to a permit application filed with the Milwaukee City Council.
Another, JJ Fish & Chicken, recently reopened at 405 W. Center St. Although it opened in 2017, the restaurant closed just a few years later and the building was slated for demolition. The store is currently offering drive-thru service, with walk-in orders expected to resume in the coming months.
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