Inside the REAL Casa Bonita from South Park

One of the most beloved episodes of South Park involves Cartman kidnapping his classmate Butters in order to nab his spot at a birthday party taking place at a Mexican restaurant called Casa Bonita. The restaurant in question has a haunted cave, mariachi bands, sopapillas, and cliff divers, you may think that it would only exist in a cartoon.

But don't be fooled: Casa Bonita is a real restaurant in Denver, Colorado, and all of the aspects of the restaurant included in that episode are real. (They actually left a lot of stuff out.) We enlisted the help of Mike Mason, the general manager who has worked there for nearly 40 years, to give us a tour of the 52,000-square-foot restaurant and fill us in on its long history. By the end of our visit, you'll understand why the place is known as "The Most Exciting Restaurant in the World."

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[michaelokeefe]

The best description of this place I have ever heard was my brother telling me it was "like Disneyland and a Taco Bell had an illegitimate child then abandoned it in front of a strip mall on the outskirts of Denver".

[slowbro]

The fact South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker just bought the establishment and plan to update it makes this all much more amazing.

[worstcaseontario]

The motto for Casa Bonita: "Was it worth it?", "Totally"

[Ls-V]

Matt Stone and Trey Parker just bought this place, it's nice to see someone get super rich but never forget where they came from

[RodCornholio]

I couldn't believe this place was real. I totally understand Cartman's desire to go there. Totally.

[SIMIFU]

"Well kid you made an entire town panic, You Lost all your friends and now you're going to juvenile hall for a week...was it worth it?"

[TheIggyBun]

13:10 they actually have a Cartman plush at the top of the rocks haha that's so cute

[Frightmarelordofthenightmares]

13:10 The fact they have a Cartman plushy makes this even better.

[HunteronaBudget]

Next time on Munchies, we visit the "City Wok" in the Denver Airport

[mr.x]

It’s all fun and games until you have to trick someone into staying in an underground bunker just so you can go.

[johndoe]

"Do you want to be interviewed?" "uhh haha, no..."
next scene
"...my name is Alex Perez..."'

[GenGamesUniverse]

I love the fact that Matt Stone and Trey Parker have actually outright bought Casa Bonita after the restuarant filed for bankruptcy

[oltorf]

"the terrace area which is basically designed like terraces" 

strong.

[madmax]

Should have a statue of Cartman present, best commercial ever.

[shumpwumbus]

Can we just talk about the man that runs this place that's been there for decades because he enjoyed it when he was a kid, now he gets a huge platform to proudly discuss it? What an absolute king.

[James]

Denver native and it’s hard to express what this place means. We’ve all made fun of it, but we’ve never turned down an opportunity to enjoy cafeteria food with unlimited sopapillas. It’s pure nostalgia and I can’t wait for the reopening in May.

[chodeoriki]

“Cartman table” god I need to get there in my lifetime, holy shit.

[MrHumanforlife]

As a non american, this feels like a fever dream of a restaurant.

[Cutty_Bronson]

“You want to be interviewed?”
Alex: “No.”
**Cut to Alex being interviewed**

[Starkillr]

After seeing this, Cartman is 100% justified in locking Butters in a bunker 😂