Coloradans asked for it for Christmas, and they got it. Casa Bonita finally has a reopening date.
In a holiday YouTube video posted Thursday, South Park creators and restaurant owners Trey Parker and Matt Stone along with executive chef Dana Rodriguez announced that the Lakewood establishment would open its doors this spring.
"I saw a thing in the news about what Coloradans want for Christmas," said Parker in reference to a Christmas article from the Denver Post. "And besides a new football team and fresh snow, they said they wanted an opening date for Casa Bonita. Guess what?"
"We got a present!," said Rodriguez as she opened a Christmas wrapped gift from Parker.
"We're opening in May!" Rodriguez and Stone said as they celebrated with the construction workers in the back.
The exact date in May was not given.
Casa Bonita shot to fame when it was featured in an episode of South Park. The previous owner, Summit Family Restaurants, Inc, closed the restaurant due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The company later filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Arizona.
Parker and Stone purchased Casa Bonita for $3.1 million in November 2021. They hired Rodriguez to revamp the menu. Not everything has been smooth since the purchase.
The new owners fended off a legal challenge from a local group Save Casa Bonita to block the sale. Then, they sought legal action of their own against the City of Lakewood after building plans were released. The lawsuit was later dropped. And renovations were described as the worst episode of Kitchen Nightmares.
There have been some positives along the way. Parker and Stone secured jobs for Casa Bonita employees until the reopening. And some employees graduated from a second language program earlier this year.
