As many dedicated fans of South Park and/or Colorado culture in general may know, the aforementioned show’s creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have recently purchased and renovated the iconic Casa Bonita restaurant in Lakewood.
On May 26, there was a tour for select members of the press in which the restored insides of the restaurant were previewed. Notably, the menu has also been revamped and displayed for the media to take a peek at. The classic sopaipillas, which are arguably the most revered item on the menu, are still free and adhere to the tried-and-true recipe. However, the new items on the menu are even more promising, with new recipes for enchiladas, carnitas, roasted adobo chicken, picadillo stew, calabacitas (a summery blend of veggies), Camarones, roasted chicken mole, and taco salad. Overall, the opening of Casa Bonita 2.0 seems extremely auspicious.
For those unaware, the history of Casa Bonita is a markedly fascinating one. The Colorado location of the family-friendly restaurant and tourist attraction opened its doors in 1974, and since then has experienced varying levels of success. However, the original Casa Bonita was located in Oklahoma City, followed by locations in Little Rock, Tulsa, and eventually the quintessential location in Lakewood. Lakewood’s location is most redolent of the Tulsa location, taking cues by replicating their mariachi bands and cliff divers.
What made Colorado’s location so legendary, though, was the idiosyncratic nature of it all: Black Bart’s Cave, the pastel-pink exterior, the dimly lit lagoon, the jail-themed photo booths… but perhaps most memorable and infamous of all were the massive portions of cheap-tasting food. The restaurant was the focus of a 2003 episode of the cult classic Colorado TV show South Park, in which antagonist Eric Cartman manipulates Kyle Broflovski’s birthday celebration into his own self-centered indulgence fest. It is known as one of the greatest episodes of the show, and the fact that Parker and Stone have now taken the reins of Casa Bonita feels like a wonderful, full-circle moment.
Casa Bonita has always represented a unique brand of kitschy Americana, influenced by Latin America. It possessed all of the excess of a fast food restaurant fused with bizarre fixtures, but now with a new menu, its reputation will likely be elevated to something new and refreshing. Sure, the campiness will remain intact, but overall enjoyability will improve across the board.
In addition to the menu improvements, identical replications of everything inside the restaurant have replaced the earlier, older amenities. The kitchen has brand new appliances, and executive chef Dana Rodriguez has been highly acclaimed, so her presence in the fixture is super exciting! The restaurant is now fully ADA accessible, and for dear divers, the pool is now far safer. Speaking of divers: did you know, dear reader, that our magazine’s former owner Jerry Cunningham used to be one?
The new and improved Casa Bonita is a gift to Denver from Trey Parker and Matt Stone and is sure to be as big—if not bigger—of a hit as it was in past times. Be sure to sign up here for the chance to get in line for the official reopening!
Photo of exterior courtesy of Casa Bonita’s Twitter, press images courtesy of Casa Bonita
Special thanks to OUT FRONT Creative Director Rachel Galstad.
