There are two kinds of casinos. The first is the one everyone pictures when they think of Vegas: big and bright, with slot machines, table games, an attached hotel, a pool complex, and so on. The other one is what I like to call a “video poker hut.” These are the ones you see when you venture a few miles off the Strip but haven’t gone so far that you’re in the neighborhoods. They are small, windowless, and except for the video poker machines, aren’t that much different than any other bar. For the most part, that describes Skinny Dugans, a truly old-school Las Vegas casino.
(Seriously, it was built in 1973. Look it up).
I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that when you think about places of significance to writers, “video poker hut” doesn’t rank high on the list, and in any other city, I’d agree with you. But in the case of Skinny Dugans, you’d be wrong. Not only do they play host to two (and sometimes more) writer’s groups every week, but they also check a number of boxes when it comes to accommodating the needs of a writer/customer.
Atmosphere
I’ve been going to Skinny’s almost every week for four years (or three and a half if you discount The Void Months of early 2020). That amount of exposure has somewhat desensitized me to the atmospheric effect of the place. To me, it’s more like an extension of my living room/home office than a destination.
All of this is to say that, when you walk into Skinny Dugans for the first time, it doesn’t look like much. It’s divey, but not necessarily in a hip way (though the cigarette vending machine is a fun blast from the past). The bar takes up the most space by far–probably as much as all the other areas put together. This makes sense since Skinny Dugans bills itself as a casino, and the bar is the casino, with machines set every few feet all around the oval counter There’s also Doc’s Cigar Lounge, a smoking lounge/television room that looks a lot like a mini sports book, though to my knowledge they didn’t take those kinds of bets (though with the mobile apps the entire state is your sports book! But I digress).
Before you even get to the bar, however, you will encounter two doorways off the foyer. To the right is a room with tables and booths that looks a lot like my hometown Perkins did circa 1993. To the left is another room, very plain-looking with tables and chairs. This is the private room, and it’s where I spend every Tuesday night hanging with fellow writers, reading their work and my work, and talking shop.
Food and Drink
Thanks to shows like Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, we’ve come to expect that every offbeat hole-in-the-wall place is hiding some crazy culinary secret. Is that the case at Skinny Dugan’s?
I mean…yes and no? There’s nothing super special about the menu in terms of signature items. However, as I said earlier, I’ve been to Skinny Dugans every week for a long time, so my perspective is somewhat different. What I can say is that, with maybe one exception, everything I’ve ordered off the menu has not disappointed me. Also, the prices are some of the cheapest you’ll probably find in any casino.
My favorites:
- Chicken Caesar Wrap (pictured above): It’s my go-to when I don’t know what else to order and it always satisfies me. Get it with the onion rings for an extra treat.
- BLT (on wheat with cole slaw for me): Yeah, it’s a pretty simple choice, but it’s all about the bacon, and here it’s good quality and they don’t skimp.
- Cheeseburger and Fries: They’ve got fancier options, but when I can, I prefer to have my burgers focus on the meat and keep the toppings minimal. This one is seasoned nicely and cooked well, making it a solid choice for lunch or dinner.
- Denver Omelette: By far one of the best features of Skinny’s is its All Day Breakfast Menu. While this isn’t on the menu per se, they do have a build-your-own option with all the ingredients available.
Also, where else in Vegas can you get a full glass pour of wine for $8.00? I’ll tell you–pretty much nowhere.
Sidenote: You can’t really tell from the photo, but that glass is about the size of a softball.
How Did The Writing Go?
How doesn’t it go? The place is open 24 hours so you can come and go whenever you want. Whether you do your best work first thing in the morning or after midnight, they’ve got you covered. I’ve never seen more than ten people in the building at a time, so it’s unlikely you’ll be shooed out because they need the table. And because the Sin City Writers have been meeting there for years, I can safely say that, when it comes to the unique needs and quirks of writers, Skinny Dugans has the most educated staff of any casino in town. You can write, you can read, and two days a week you can even get feedback. What more do you need?
Final Thoughts on Skinny Dugans
It’s rare to call a casino a pillar of any community, but for writers living in Vegas, Skinny Dugans is just that. On the outside, it may seem like just another aging off-Strip casino where locals go to drink, smoke, and try their luck (or throw money away, depending on how you feel about such things). While I’m sure there’s plenty of that going on, there’s more to see here if you care to look. With a solid menu, friendly staff, and willingness to accommodate the local weirdos–sorry, writers–Skinny Dugans offers a comfortable, unpretentious place to eat, work, and socialize. For people who spend so much time living in their own heads, a place like Skinny’s is essential.
Skinny Dugans is located at 4127 W Charleston Boulevard. For more information, visit https://www.skinnyduganslv.com/.
For information about the Sin City Writers Group, join us on Meetup.
