Surf’s Up, Chicago’s premier cajun and creole seafood restaurant, is expanding to Mount Prospect, located at 220 Randhurst Village Dr.
The new location will move into Randhurst Village sometime in July 2022, moving into a vacant space within the shopping center. The new site will feature a daiquiri bar and an outdoor patio. Founders/ husband-wife duo Eric and Denise Roy tell the Daily Herald they hope to grow to about 100 locations within the next two to three years. The pair first opened in Hillside in 2012 before expanding to more than a dozen locations, including Yorktown Mall, Lombard, Mundelein, and Aurora.
Eric and Denise have come from different backgrounds before coming together to open the first Surf’s Up. Before opening, Eric worked as an accountant, eventually working at the Florida Department of Revenue. On the other hand, Denise worked as a hairstylist and trained chef who attended Kendall College. After visiting Tallahassee, Florida, and trying the food, the couple wanted to bring the area’s fare and family recipes to Chicago.
Following the success of the Hillside location, the Roys enlisted Eric’s sister Vanetta Roy to expand throughout Chicago even greater, opening locations in Old Town and South Shore. Together, the family-owned business has expanded down to Huntsville, Alabama. They are considering expanding to Houston, Milwaukee, and Indianapolis. All locations will feature a wide variety of seafood, including lobster, shrimp, alligator, crab legs, and catfish.
