Casa Bonita: What to know as the restaurant gears up to reopen, plus how to dine in first

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If you were born and raised in the Denver area in the 1980s and '90s, you grew up with two legendary entities in your life: John Elway and Casa Bonita.

While the beloved Denver Broncos quarterback retired in 1998, the equally beloved and far more quirky Mexican restaurant continued to amuse guests for years with its unique entertainment and camaraderie around panning its food.

That is, until March 2020, when Casa Bonita shut down amid the coronavirus pandemic and then declared bankruptcy shortly thereafter, according to The Associated Press.

Three years later, and following a notable ownership change, Casa Bonita is gearing up to finally reopen. Here's what you need to know:

Why are people obsessed with Casa Bonita?

There's really nothing like it.

The restaurant, located at 6715 W. Colfax Ave. in Lakewood, was much more than a place to eat a meal with family and friends or gather for a birthday party. While it was open, it was a true Denver-area destination, with its indoor waterfall, cliff divers, skits, music and more — all packaged in a bright pink exterior.

Casa Bonita, which opened in 1974, is listed on the Lakewood Historical Society's Register of Historic Landmarks.

Who are these notable new owners?

In 2021, Matt Stone and Trey Parker — already pretty well-known as the creators of the Colorado-focused TV show "South Park" — announced they had made a deal with the then-current owners to buy the still-shuttered restaurant, according to The Associated Press.

The two grew up in Colorado and met while attending the University of Colorado in Boulder.

Who could have seen their interest in Casa Bonita coming?

Fans of "South Park" probably could. The restaurant was featured in a 2003 episode of "South Park," titled, aptly, "Casa Bonita."

"South Park" not on your binge-watching list? No problem. Here's the show's description of Season 7, Episode 11: "Kyle chooses Stan, Kenny and Butters to celebrate his birthday at Casa Bonita. When Cartman finds out he's not invited, he arranges for Butters to conveniently go 'missing'."

Was Casa Bonita's food really that bad?

While we're sure the menu had some fans, its food — with the exception of its sopaipillas — was widely mocked.

We won't belabor the point, but a quick search on Twitter highlights the strong opinions people had about the food, including this one:

Will the food be better?

That's anyone's guess, but there's reason to be hopeful. Parker and Stone hired Dana "Loca" Rodriguez as their executive chef. Rodriguez owns restaurants Work & Class and SuperMegaBien in Denver, and is a three-time James Beard award nominee, according to Denver magazine 5280.

When does Casa Bonita open?

We haven't known a lot about reopening plans, as Stone and Parker have kept specific details under wraps.

But on Friday, without naming a date, Casa Bonita announced there will be a soft opening with limited dinner hours. To be one of those first people to eat at the new Casa Bonita, you'll have to sign up for the Casa Bonita email list at CasaBonitaDenver.com. No walk-ins will be allowed during the soft opening, according to the news release.

A sticker and video posted to its website months ago said the opening would be in May. So stay tuned!