Big Sharks Fish and Chicken is opening a Springfield location on Monday, July 17.
Owner Sajed Qattoum has extensively remodeled the space at 330 South Grand Ave., which most recently housed Audi’s Café & Gaming. Owner Audrey Austin operated her own restaurant for nearly a year after parting ways with her business partner, Necole “Nickey” Alexander, in July 2021 and closing their joint venture, Nickey’s Southern Style Kitchen.
“The winter held us back, we couldn’t really do much for a few months. We’ve finally gotten everything done and I’m happy with how it turned out,” said Qattoum, who said he completely remodeled the interior in addition to making exterior improvements.
Qattoum, a Decatur native, opened his first location in Decatur in November 2019, just a few months before COVID took a toll on the restaurant industry. He now operates a total of four restaurants in Decatur, two branded as Big Sharks Fish and Chicken, and has another two locations in the works for Champaign.
Despite the restaurant’s name, Qattoum said fish and chicken only make up about half of the sales. “Our top seller is our steak philly sandwich; we sell over 3,000 a month. About 50% of our sales are burgers and sandwiches,” he said.
Qattoum said the majority of orders are placed online or over the phone. “All our food is made fresh to order, so it takes about 10-15 minutes to prepare, and most people order ahead.” There is a dining area for those who want to eat on-site.
Hours of operation will be Sunday through Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m.
This article appears in July SBJ 2023.