When it first opened back in 2006, I visited and enjoyed myself at Carlos O'Charlies. I remember being impressed first of all with how big the place was: two floors of shifting environments, several bars and multiple dining areas.
Downstairs, there was a dance floor and a few pool tables; upstairs, more formal dining spaces; and in the center, a stone fountain. It didn't all make perfect sense, and it was hard to imagine its ever being full of diners, but its flamboyance put a smile on your face.
The menu was all over the place too, divided up into about equal sections of classic American grill food, Southwestern/Californian, and Salvadoran/Mexican offerings.
It was a curious place, and at the time I wondered which of the business' parts would grow and which would shrink (more dining tables or more pool tables?), and which parts of the menu would fly and which wouldn't? I also wondered whether the neighborhood's growing Latino population would embrace Carlos O'Charlies.
Three years later, there are some answers. To take the last question first, Carlos O'Charlies, from all appearances, has developed a predominantly but not exclusively Latino following. A staff member told us as much, adding that the nightclub attracts a comfortable mix of black and Latino customers.
The spaces here look mostly the same, although it's much clearer now that the lower level is intended more for partying and pool-playing than dining. The menu looks about the same, too. The American fare still tends to shrimp scampi and T-bone steaks; the Southwestern listings run to fish tacos and "monster" burritos; and most of the things that you probably will want to try on a first visit are still in the Mexican and Salvadoran section - carne asada, plantains and tamales.
On this recent visit, all of the food - the appetizers and the entrees - came out of the kitchen at the same time. That seemed to be the way here, at least on a Sunday night. Suddenly faced with a feast, you can't keep away from the flautas. They're delicious. An appetizer plate comes with eight deep-fried shells, and really, they are so filling, and the shredded chicken inside them is so tasty, that an order of them might be all you need. Plantains are another good choice. We didn't order them as an appetizer because they came with one of our entrees.
