Cue the mariachi music and raise the red flag: The wait is finally over! Casa Bonita is set to reopen to the public on June 23-24 and June 29-July 1.
The restaurant notified e-mail subscribers Wednesday that it will reopen for dinner on those select dates. Tickets, $39.99 for adults and $24.99 for kids ages 3-12 (kids under 3 years old are free), can be purchased online and are non-refundable and non-transferable. Only eight people per group can get tickets at one time. It’s unclear if everyone on the list was invited to buy tickets, and they do not yet appear to be on sale on Casa Bonita’s website.
The email suggests that additional dates for which diners can buy tickets will be available in the future.
“A limited number of dates will be made available on a rolling basis,” the email states. “Should your preferred time not be available, check back – your link will remain valid for 90 days.”
The Pepto-Bismol-colored Denver landmark, known for its cliff divers and sopapillas, will reopen with a new menu from four-times-nominated James Beard Award chef Dana Rodriguez and a $40 million renovation. Longtime Denver residents and new transplants will finally be able to explore Black Bart’s Cave again and inhale the waterfalls’ chlorine.
The opening comes after years of anticipation. Casa Bonita closed in March 2020 due to COVID-19, before Summit Family Restaurants, its parent company at the time, filed for bankruptcy in April 2021.
The following September, “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone purchased the Lakewood landmark, effectively saving the beloved venue and ensuring locals would once again be able to visit.
The pair originally hoped to reopen Casa Bonita by late 2022, but were stalled by unforeseen challenges during construction. Last June, for example, Casa Bonita’s iconic fountain was razed amid concerns about its crumbling foundation. (But there are promises to have it rebuilt.)
By December, however, they were able to announce a May opening. Ever since, locals have been speculating about what’s been happening in those hallowed halls. The anticipation has been so great that 15,000 people sent in an RSVP to a fictitious grand opening event in hopes of being among the first patrons in line.
And now they can finally make plans to do that.