Comedy Central
- Matt Stone and Trey Parker say they’re trying to buy the hallowed Colorado dining institution that is Casa Bonita
- The South Park creators featured the restaurant in an episode of the show and are trying to save it after it filed for bankruptcy
- Read more about South Park here
You don’t have to know a single thing about Colorado to enjoy South Park, but over the course of its 24-season run, Trey Parker and Matt Stone have sprinkled in plenty of hilarious references to the state where they grew up that most viewers lack the knowledge to fully appreciate.
For example, in the fourth season, the boys hatch a plan to scam the Tooth Fairy by prying a pearly white out of the mouth of a kid who lives in Cherry Creek, which has traditionally been one of the most affluent neighborhoods in Denver. However, there’s not a single homage in the entire series that tops one nod to a legendary culinary landmark located in a decidedly less ritzy part of the city: Casa Bonita.
The Colorado institution lends its name to an episode from South Park’s seventh season that primarily centers around Cartman attempting to secure an invite to the birthday party Kyle is hosting at the Mexican restaurant, a fantasy land home to a mariachi band, cliff divers, and a bevy of kid-friendly attractions that all actually exist in real life.
The first time I went to Colorado with my now-wife, she was very reluctant to make the pilgrimage to Casa Bonita, but she eventually acquiesced and issued a stern warning you usually don’t want to hear before walking into a dining establishment: “Do not eat a single bite of the food” (which you’re required to order if you’re on the hunt for a margarita). I remembered being overwhelmed by the sheer aura of tackiness that radiates through every single inch of Casa Bonita as soon as I stepped inside—and I absolutely loved every single second I spent there.
As a result, I was heartbroken to discover Casa Bonita was forced to file for bankruptcy this year after falling victim to the pandemic. Thankfully, The Hollywood Reporter has learned a couple of real-life superheroes are planning to swoop in to save it, as Parker told the outlet he and Stone hoping to use some of their South Park money to buy the restaurant and give it the facelift it’s probably needed since the 1970s.
The South Park co-creator says ongoing court proceedings have interfered with their attempts to add it to their portfolio, but Parker shared his vision for what they plan to do if Casa Bonita comes into their possession, saying:
“We are going to do everything we can. We want to make it right and make it amazing. We started talking about the changes we’re going to make—mostly with the food. We’re going to make really awesome food. I was already thinking about how I was going to make Black Bart’s Cave a little bigger.”
Jeff Bezos needs to start taking notes.