Carlos’n Charlie’s at Flamingo is one of our favorite places to drink and eat and drink and carouse and drink on The Strip, and the popular restaurant will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a renovation.

We’ve got some exclusive renderings of the Carlos’n Charlie’s renovation because that’s just how we roll.

Honestly, we don’t know much about the upcoming Carlos’n Charlie’s renovation. All we know is we’re not really supposed to have these renderings, which makes sharing them even more fun.

We’re troublesome like that.

Carlos’n Charlie’s opened at Flamingo on April 18, 2012, and has been providing Las Vegas visitors with world-class hangovers ever since.

 

We’ve never seen this place empty, so you know it’s a rendering.

Carlos’n Charlie’s is owned by the same company as Senor Frog’s at TI, Grupo Anderson’s, out of Cancun.

The “Carlos” in Carlos’n Charlie’s is Carlos Anderson, founder of Grupo Anderson’s. “Charlie” is Charles Skipsey, Anderson’s business partner.

After a decade, Carlos’n Charlie’s deserves a facelift.

The bar and restaurant are known for their flair bartending, generous pours, outdoor patio, and quirky, irreverent decor.

 

We’ve had so many great times here that we can almost remember.

It’s also known for its chicken parm, although, that’s not really what they call it. All we know is it’s delicious and pretty much the only thing we’ve ever ordered there. Other than the Awesome Brownie dessert. A true case of honesty in advertising.

 

Research confirms you can gain weight just by looking at this Carlos’n Charlie’s dessert.

The renovation renderings aren’t final-final, from what we are told, but they give a sense of the work to be done over the next few months. The restaurant will remain open during the bulk of the renovation. (If it needs to close, it will be during the slow season, winter.)

We also hear the Carlos’n Charlie’s contract at Flamingo has been extended another five years, so there’s more very, very responsible revelry still to come.

 

If you don’t have a good time at Carlos’n Charlie’s, you are a robot.

The 13,000-square-foot Carlos’n Charlie’s sits near the hotel’s fountains and pool complex, not far from the resort’s wildlife habitat.

From our visits, Carlos’n Charlie’s is Flamingo’s wildlife habitat, if you get our drift. Carlos’n Charlie’s knows how to throw a party, and the vibe is always lively without being annoying.

 

Don’t let the proximity of Carlos’n Charlie’s to the Flaming sports book deter you.

The only borderline annoying thing about Carlos’n Charlie’s was a gag from its early days at Flamingo. When customers asked for ketchup, staff delivered 20 bottles. That practice was nixed by management, thankfully.

 

This is the perfect example of what can happen if you have more renderings than photo captions.

The 10th anniversary of Carlos’n Charlie’s is a great vindication for the team at the restaurant, 27 of whom have been at Carlos’n Charlie’s since day one, an impressive feat given the churn at many Las Vegas restaurants.

We were working at Caesars Entertainment when Carlos’n Charlie’s opened in 2012, so we got to chat with the restaurant’s G.M. Genaro Dispa about what made the place different. Genaro still oversees the circus that is Carlos’n Charlie’s, so make sure to pester him for an autograph when you visit.

 

Carlos’n Charlie’s has weathered the occasional criticism from alleged foodies who insist the cuisine isn’t authentic Mexican food.

Who the hell cares?

As Genero says, “This is not a Mexican restaurant, this is Mexicans in a restaurant, and that’s fun.”

We like the food a lot, and the drinks even more, and 10 years later, Carlos’n Charlie’s is still going strong, so we look forward to seeing the upcoming changes to this fixture on the Las Vegas Strip.