We are deeply committed to nurturing the local school ecosystem, hosting fundraising events, and actively participating in community events.”

Jordan Strasser | Sneakybird co-owner

Sneakybird opened its doors to the Surprise community in late November, bringing its “never fried” chicken recipe to the Village at Prasada.

The local family-owned restaurant, which opened its doors in the Valley in 2022, offers a quick, craft, casual approach to oven-grilled chicken sandwiches, wraps, tenders and wings.

Located at 16430 W. Waddell Road, Suite 108, the 1,860-square-foot restaurant is open 10 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.

For co-owner Jordan Strasser, the new restaurant is more than just a business, but the opportunity to work with his family to feed the local community.

“Our family ... discovered Sneakybird while looking for a healthy alternative to fried food and could not believe the quality of the chicken,” Strasser said.

Partners J2E Investments LLC, has big plans for the brand. In partnership with founder Dan Chaon, they are in the midst of developing several locations across Maricopa County during the next 18 months, including sister restaurants set for Arcadia, Queen Creek and Dove Valley over the next year.

Creating successful businesses is nothing new for the Strasser family.

After working as a police officer in their native Wisconsin for several years, family patriarch Terry Strasser made the transition to entrepreneur and business leadership with his wife, Jill.

For the past quarter century, they have built a number of successful brands across the nation, including FedEx independent service providers, Overhead Door Co. of Wausau, Sport Court Wisconsin and more. The Strasser family moved to Arizona in 2023.

“The community has a vibrant food scene, and we’re thrilled to contribute with the unique approach on never ever fried chicken” Strasser said. “Our mission is to create welcoming spaces where people can enjoy great food and connect, driving our brand forward with passion and dedication.”

According to Chaon, who launched the brand in December 2022, the process is applied to an array of oven-grilled chicken sandwiches, wraps, tenders, and wings.

Any of the chicken offerings may be paired with the guest’s choice of several dry rubs. For those who prefer something that feels more like grilled chicken, each option may also be ordered “naked,” which means it is grilled breadless with a salt, pepper and garlic dry rub.

“Our team worked on our officially registered ‘never-ever fried’ recipes for a full year before opening our first location, and we have since expanded to the southeast Valley in the past few months,” Chaon said. “Thanks to our amazing partners in J2E Investments LLC, with whom we opened our Gilbert location in May, together we are honored to bring our sneaky good restaurant to the West Valley.”

Catering is available at the new location. Options range from packages for just two-to-three diners to ample offerings that can serve up to 12 people per box. All sauces are served on the side, and the sides and salads have their own proprietary system as well, with some sides serving up to 20 guests.

“We are also in the process of getting our community outreach program up and running,” Strasser said. “We are deeply committed to nurturing the local school ecosystem, hosting fundraising events, and actively participating in community events. Our doors are always open to collaborate and foster a spirit of unity and growth.”

To start, the brand is focused on Camp Sneaky, a community-driven initiative that supports local schools and educational programs through sponsorships, events, and partnerships, fostering growth and engagement within the education system.