A Caribbean cuisine restaurant is ready to fill an empty restaurant space at one of the entrances to the Louis Joliet Mall.

The El Flamingo Bar & Grill has “Coming Soon Caribbean Food” signs on the restaurant doors just inside the mall entrance located near the JC Penney store.

The Joliet City Council will vote Tuesday on a liquor license for the restaurant.

City officials made positive comments about the prospective restaurant at a workshop meeting Monday while going over the liquor license request and other matters on the agenda for Tuesday.

The space was last occupied by Cajun Boil and Bar, which was shut down in December 2022 by former Mayor Bob O’Dekirk for repeatedly staging live entertainment without a license.

The entertainment included live dancers on the bar, O’Dekirk said at the time.

The mayor also serves as the city’s liquor commissioner.

Mayor Terry D’Arcy has recommended approval of the liquor license for El Flamingo.

A report from the liquor commission states that El Flamingo will have music entertainment but does not provide details.

No one objected to the liquor license at a public hearing held Sept. 30 for El Flamingo.

“Joliet Police Department does not foresee any special law enforcement problems associated with the issuance of this liquor license,” the liquor commission report states.

Rafael Pellot is listed as the applicant for the license.