This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Serving Up Spice of Life: Cajun-Themed Crazy Jaws Arrives in Morton Grove

Two Indian restaurateurs celebrate their grand opening of a Cajun restaurant in Morton Grove.

Mix jambalaya with etouffee and crawfish. Add in restaurateurs Sanjay and Niral Patel, and you've got an American dream come true in Morton Grove. 

"People asked us 'What are you guys thinking?'" said Niral Patel on Tuesday afternoon during the Fat Tuesday grand opening of Morton Grove's newest restaurant Crazy Jaws on Waukegan Road.

"It was mostly our families," Niral said, smiling. "They wondered why we didn't just open an Indian restaurant, but this," said Niral, indicating the dining room filling with Morton Grove residents dining on his ribs, buffalo chicken and crawfish, "this just made too much sense." Check out the attached menu on Patch. 

Find out what's happening in Niles-Morton Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Why Morton Grove makes sense

Niral and his cousin Sanjay Patel were inspired to open Crazy Jaws after a revelatory trip to New Orleans. "Have you ever been?" Sanjay asked. "The beer...the barbecue...the people were friendly, and we loved the spicy food," he said.

The Skokie natives say the Morton Grove eatery was more than 10 months in the making, though the story actually begins 15 years before that. During all that time, the cousins were patrons of the bars on this site, a Champps and a Rivals.

Find out what's happening in Niles-Morton Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Of their decision to open shop in Morton Grove, the two said that the community needed a place like Crazy Jaws. "Other bars were just for drinking," said Sanjay. "It's important to us that this place is kid friendly," Niral adds. "Families eat here during the day, and then it's a place for young people to meet people at night."

According to Northbrook resident Lori Lonicki, the cousins are right about the community needing fresh social outlets. "I work here in Morton Grove," said Lonicki. "There's nothing like this here, and it's so good."

Lonicki was eating an order of barbecued beef ribs, known for the extra large size of each rib. "The waitress said these were like 'Flintstones' ribs," said Lonicki, "and that's why I got them."

The verdict? "So delicious and tender."

Serving the "Hurricane"

From the Cajun menu to the Mardi Gras decor, with strings of beads draped over each chair and festival masks adorned with feathers, Crazy Jaws runs the danger of beating its customers over the head with its theme.

For Jenna Peters, however, the place feels just like home.

The New Orleans native and cocktail waitress moved to the region two years ago by throwing a dart at a map while drinking in a bar. Asked if she always made major life decisions that way, she didn't miss a beat. "After Katrina, I sure do."

Peters said she spent nine days in the Superdome, and decided to give another part of the country a shot for a while. Once in Chicago, she read the job posting online for Crazy Jaws. She walked in and felt a connection with the restaurant immediately. "I said, 'I'm here, this is my home, hire me!'" laughed Peters. "She got the job right away," said Niral.

The feeling appears to be mutual. Peters says that her coworkers are the friendliest group of people she's met since moving up here. It's clear how the quickwitted waitress so easily manages to ingratiate herself. "Try the Hurricane," she says, recommending a drink. "You can't go to New Orleans and not have a Hurricane," she winked.

High spirited all night long

Those high spirits were constant throughout the night. A crowd of supportive friends, family and locals cheered wildly as Mayor Dan Staackmaan cut the ribbon, and patrons danced to the sounds of Paul Allodi and the A Team, who inaugurated the space with The Doors classic "Roadhouse Blues." A busy waitress walked by, singing along to herself as she worked, while at nearby tables Morton Grove Trustees laughed and shared both drinks and beaded necklaces.

Elsewhere, the Patel cousins enjoyed the evening as it began to ramp up. "My grandmother is here," said Niral, "even though she doesn't like crowds or loud music. She may not get exactly what we're doing, but she insisted on being here. We couldn't have done it without support from our families."

Asked how he was celebrating, Patel said that he was "staying sober...I'm working 'til 3 a.m."

It was anything but a complaint. "This is exactly what we wanted," said Niral. "Not a lot of people can say that, but we got exactly what we wanted."

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?