Syl's Restaurant & Lounge in Rockdale under new ownership

Syl's Restaurant & Lounge in Rockdale is under new ownership as of this week.

Don “Duke” Williams said he had been friends with Bob Pekol, the previous owner, for years and made the transaction official Tuesday.

Williams and his wife run Premier Events & Banquets, which leases the Renaissance Center in downtown Joliet and has catered events around the area for 20 years. He said he’d been eating at Syl’s for years. He particularly liked the space it provided for events and its menu items such as shrimp spinachi and chicken oreganto.

“The food’s always been great down here,” he said. “And they got some great specialty dishes that you’re not going to find in other restaurants.”

Williams said fans of Syl’s should expect the same menu and staff, but the restaurant will expand its hours, including for Sunday brunch starting on Sept. 22.