Nikos: New Lenten Fish Fry Tradition For Joliet, Details Revealed

JOLIET— One month after Nikos Lippas announced he was taking over the St. George's Banquet Hall at Midland Avenue and Stryker Avenue, Lippas wants everyone to know he will be serving up delicious "homemade from scratch" fish fries starting this week, with Ash Wednesday.

The former Serbian Hall on Joliet's west side is now known as Niko's Banquet Hall. Lippas said that his fish fry on Ash Wednesday, March 5, is from noon to 8 p.m. and will continue on all Fridays during lent during the same time, noon to 8 p.m.

The address of the new Niko's Banquet Hall is 310 Stryker Ave.

"Ash Wednesday starting, then every Friday throughout the Lent," Lippas repeated. "For dine-in and carryout. I'm excited to host. I'm excited and looking forward to the fish fry at my new banquet hall."

At 310 Stryker Avenue, Lippas will offer a two-piece cod dinner for $15.99, a three-piece cod dinner for $19.99, a shrimp dinner featuring seven jumbo pieces for $15.99. He will also offer a combo plate of four jumbo shrimp and a choice of one piece of fish at $18.99.

All dinners will come with a choice of potato, fries or baked potato, rice pilaf and dinner roll with butter.

And there's more.

Lippas wanted everyone to know he will be selling as a side order for $5.99 his Skordalia, which is a Greek garlic dip.

"Everything will be made there and we're offering the Greek homemade Skordalia, the Greek garlic dip, on the side," Lippas explained. "It goes really well with the cod fish."

Niko's Banquet Hall Fish Fry will feature a fish taco dinner featuring three tilapia tacos with pico de gallo, chipotle sauce and served with pilaf rice for $15.99. There will be a two-piece baked cajun tilapia dinner served with steamed broccoli and pilaf for $15.99.

Lippas said that people can call ahead —if they want. His phone number at the former Serbian Hall location is 815-302-4066.

"Tell them I'm looked forward to 300 orders or more," Lippas proclaimed during a weekend interview. "I'm excited about the banquet hall. It's a very nice place, but I'm going to put a little touch into the upstairs and we're remodeling the downstairs. We already have booked about 10 different events already and soon we are going to have an open house as soon as we finish the remodeling."

Ash Wednesday Fish Fry Is Cash Only

Wednesday's fish fry will be cash only, according to Lippas. He said there is an ATM machine inside the banquet hall. "Sorry for the inconvenience," he said, explaining he's in the process of getting a credit card payment system set up for his new banquet hall at 310 Stryker Ave.

All of the Lenten fish fries will take place at the former Serbian Hall, the banquet hall that Lippas opened in 2024 on Republic Avenue will not be open for the fish fries.

Lippas promised that his new Niko's Banquet Hall fish fries will become one of the best in Joliet.

"One of the best, yes," he repeated. "See you soon my friends at Niko's Banquet Hall, 310 Stryker Avenue."