Downtown's Olde Keg Building Coming Back To Life

JOLIET, IL - Back in the day, there were two restaurants in downtown Joliet that consistently drew standing-room only crowds that spilled outside the front doors. Stefanich's Restaurant & Lounge on North Scott Street was one. The Olde Keg, at 20 West Jackson St, was the other. Pizza at the Keg was a memorable experience. Next month, Catrina's Mex, a new Mexican restaurant, plans to open at the former Keg.

At Tuesday night's meeting, the Joliet City Council will vote whether to issue a Class E liquor license to Hernando Del Toro and Amarita Hernandez, operators of the new Mexican restaurant locating in downtown Joliet. A Class E liquor license is designated for restaurants and hotels. The license applicant, Del Toro, has never been involved with the sale or service of alcoholic beverages, according city documents. However, he is deemed to be a person of good character, city officials informed the council.

The last time somebody tried to operate a restaurant inside the legendary location of The Keg, their business failed. That was around 2009. Ever since then, the Keg building has sat empty. Now, it's about to come back to life, just as the city of Joliet's downtown is in the midst of a resurgence that is centered around bringing more nightlife and fine-dining options to the City Center.

Joliet's liquor commission has urged the City Council to approve the Class E liquor license for Catrina's Mex.

"The applicants indicated that the operation will be a Mexican restaurant with alcohol and would like to open the business sometime in March of this year," city documents show. "The business will consist of four part-time workers, with no one employed under 21, and have business hours of 8 a.m. to midnight."

Images via John Ferak, Joliet Patch Editor