Went to Casa Bonita yesterday - a review

knoxtom

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Took my 14 year old to Casa Bonita yesterday with a few of his friends and my wife. We were celebrating his 14th and that was his pick. For those who don't know, this is the place the South Park guys own and it has been in the toon many times. It is not in a good part of town (Denver).

Food - great chips, strange but good salsa, the rest was mediocre at best. I had Carnitas, the others had various stuff. My son thought it was the best food he had ever eaten.

The atmosphere. We were on the balcony overlooking the cliff divers into the pool below. It is rather cool. There were caves, rooms all over, it is pretty weird. You eat your food then walk around looking at all the stuff. At a lot of tables there will be people walking past you non stop.

Cost - WAY to expensive for the food but it is really about the overwhelming nature of the place.

Should it be on the Denver visitor to do list? I guess if you are a big fan of the show then you gotta see it. ManBearPig was walking around, it is pretty much exactly as portrayed.

Denver traffic sucks.

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BSD

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In reply to knoxtom • 11:51a, 10/5/25

AG

#goals

Counterpoint

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4:52p, 10/5/25

AG

Thanks! I've tried to get reservations to CB for forever, but I never know I'm going to be in Denver far enough in advance to get them. Then I get on the waiting list and even when I reply to their texts immediately, the slot is already gone. At least I don't feel as bad about it now.

NoahAg

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4:54p, 10/6/25

Man, I remember our Denver relatives taking us to CB 35+ years ago. I guess they were trying to impress us. I'm sure 9 year old me was impressed. I vaguely remember the cliff divers, caves, and stuff. I think it's great that those guys bought and resurrected it.

94chem

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2:47p, 10/8/25

We used to go there when I was a kid in Fort Worth. It was just the Chuck E. Cheese of Mexican food. Skeeball with more flatulence.

94chem,
That, sir, was the greatest post in the history of TexAgs. I salute you. -- Dough

Aggie87

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In reply to 94chem • 3:58p, 10/8/25

AG

94chem said:
We used to go there when I was a kid in Fort Worth. It was just the Chuck E. Cheese of Mexican food. Skeeball with more flatulence.

I'm pretty sure that's not the same as the Casa Bonita in Denver. That's a relatively unique place, and has been for decades.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Bonita

edit - I see that there actually was a Casa Bonita in Ft Worth. I'm curious how it compared to the one in Denver that is associated with South Park.

2 edits

94chem

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In reply to Aggie87 • 4:26p, 10/8/25

Aggie87 said:
94chem said:
We used to go there when I was a kid in Fort Worth. It was just the Chuck E. Cheese of Mexican food. Skeeball with more flatulence.

I'm pretty sure that's not the same as the Casa Bonita in Denver. That's a relatively unique place, and has been for decades.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Bonita

edit - I see that there actually was a Casa Bonita in Ft Worth. I'm curious how it compared to the one in Denver that is associated with South Park.

Like I said, it was literally Mexican Chuck E. Cheese. Over-priced mediocre tex-mex, with token games and the overpriced garbage you could buy with your tickets.

94chem,
That, sir, was the greatest post in the history of TexAgs. I salute you. -- Dough

Aggie87

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In reply to 94chem • 8:37p, 10/8/25

AG

94chem said:
Aggie87 said:
94chem said:
We used to go there when I was a kid in Fort Worth. It was just the Chuck E. Cheese of Mexican food. Skeeball with more flatulence.

I'm pretty sure that's not the same as the Casa Bonita in Denver. That's a relatively unique place, and has been for decades.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Bonita

edit - I see that there actually was a Casa Bonita in Ft Worth. I'm curious how it compared to the one in Denver that is associated with South Park.

Like I said, it was literally Mexican Chuck E. Cheese. Over-priced mediocre tex-mex, with token games and the overpriced garbage you could buy with your tickets.

I assumed the one in Denver was unique, with the cliff divers, waterfalls, torch juggling, dancing gorilla, etc.

cr06gis

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8:56p, 10/14/25

AG

My 2nd birthday was held at the Casa Bonita in FW. I obviously don't remember it, but Dad always brings it up.

ChampsAg

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9:51p, 10/22/25

Agree with the OP completely. My wife planned the trip and was told to book reservations at CB. My boss lived in Colorado and warned me it was expensive for what it is. The cliff divers were cool, but the show is short. We were in one of the lower "caves" and it was not a great experience.

Younger kids may enjoy it but I would not go back.

agdaddy04

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In reply to Aggie87 • 2:53p, 10/24/25

AG

Aggie87 said:
94chem said:
Aggie87 said:
94chem said:
We used to go there when I was a kid in Fort Worth. It was just the Chuck E. Cheese of Mexican food. Skeeball with more flatulence.

I'm pretty sure that's not the same as the Casa Bonita in Denver. That's a relatively unique place, and has been for decades.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Bonita

edit - I see that there actually was a Casa Bonita in Ft Worth. I'm curious how it compared to the one in Denver that is associated with South Park.

Like I said, it was literally Mexican Chuck E. Cheese. Over-priced mediocre tex-mex, with token games and the overpriced garbage you could buy with your tickets.

I assumed the one in Denver was unique, with the cliff divers, waterfalls, torch juggling, dancing gorilla, etc.

Originally they were all the same. If you go to the one in Denver there is a wall of history that explains the different owners throughout time. The South Park creators didn't buy it until the last owner thought people wouldn't go eat at restaurants again because of covid and decided to shut it down. Took two years for them to remodel and get it going, and then the soft opening was when it was a lottery to get reservations. Getting reservations now isn't hard at all. Took our 11 and 7 year old daughters over the summer and they really enjoyed it. We had reservations for right when it opened for lunch and I'd recommend that.

At one time, same parent company that owned Taco Bueno also owned all Casa Bonita locations.

1 edit