A wide variety of food options scatter the menu, from sidewinder fries to mozzarella sticks, chicken wings, customizable hamburgers, mac and cheese, and breakfast sandwiches.

Catlett Market Place assistant manager Erik Isenhour said the initial influx of customers has been steady throughout the first days of Fire Up Late Night Grill’s operation.

“We just opened up Monday, so it’s been a little hectic trying to find out where everybody’s going and who does what, who’s Mayor of Fry Town,” Isenhour joked.

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UI sophomore Keaton Shuckman is the so-called “Mayor of Fry Town,” according to Isenhour, because Shuckman runs all the fryers in the corner of the Catlett Market Place food prep station. Shuckman has worked in restaurants since he was 16. Before crossing the river to the East Side food venue, he gained additional experience in Hillcrest’s dining center last year.

“We have a lot of student who are like Keaton,” Isenhour said. “He doesn’t go to bed until 6 a.m. … He thought, ‘Hey, well instead of me trying to get up at 10 a.m. and try to get to work, why don’t I work the late night?'”

Isenhour previously worked at Carl and Ernie’s and Coaches Corner restaurants in Iowa City before applying for his current position with UI Housing & Dining.

“I think right now, the mac and cheese bowl is a hit,” Isenhour said. “I don’t think that will ever go off the menu.”

Fire Up Late Grill is open 9 p.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday and accepts credit cards as well as Hawkeye Dollars and UI Charge.

— Joseph Cress

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