Casa Bonita restaurant: Inside videos, menu, and more revealed as eatery gets overloaded after waitlist announcement

Mexican restaurant Casa Bonita is experiencing an overload on the guestlist after it announced limited dinner hours at the food joint. As per CBS, the Denver-based eatery has been seeing a waitlist to dine in, as it geared up to open for the first time in over three years to resume its services.

In a tweet shared on May 27, the restaurant said it will share full ticketing and price information soon with its fans.

Since its purchase by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone for $3.1 million in September 2021, the Lakewood restaurant has been undergoing major improvements amounting to over $12 million.

Since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, the Colorado restaurant, renowned for its intricate interior, cliff divers, and sopapillas, has remained closed.

Despite the announcement made by Parker, Stone and the newly appointed Casa Bonita Executive Chef Dana Rodriguez in December 2022 regarding the reopening of the restaurant in May, the exact date of the reopening remains a mystery.

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Casa Bonita has had some changes right from its entrance

As per 9News, Casa Bonita has not changed but improved everything. Right from the beginning at the cashier and ticket counter, now people can buy their passes and order food from a separate hall with eight ticketing windows. This move cleared the long waiting lines of people waiting for clerks to sell them tickets.

This has helped in expanding the area of the property from 5,200 square feet to 5,600 square feet.

CBS News' Spencer Wilson also pointed out the improvements they saw during a trip to the Mexican eatery. For example, the pool area didn't change but its insides did. The 4-feet pool, which earlier caused obstruction for divers, has now been made into one big deep pool.

The cafeteria-style food service remains unchanged, but a new feature has been added to the area where trays are handed out. Diners can now catch a glimpse of the dishes they are about to enjoy. In a designated section with large windows, customers can now see a staff member preparing freshly-made tortillas.

A big kitchen created to Rodriguez's specifications is hidden from the view of tourists. Inside, the team chops fresh tomatillos and other veggies as part of her goal to create all of the meals from scratch.

The inside of the restaurant has kept a lot of its original charm, but there have been a lot of big changes. With rails and lifts, the whole restaurant now meets ADA standards and makes it easy for people to get anywhere in the place.

As per 9News, Casa Bonita's new menu consists of carnitas, picadillo, camarones, enchiladas, adobo chicken, calabacitas, taco salad, and Casa Bonita mole.

CBS News reports that although the menu items at the eatery have remained the same, their taste has significantly improved.

Casa Bonita made headlines this week by setting up billboards along West Colfax Avenue in Denver, boldly declaring itself as "The Greatest Restaurant in the World." On May 25, Casa Bonita employees were seen entering the restaurant as final preparations were being made.

On the same day, the restaurant's social media handles changed its profile and cover pictures, removing the tag that said that it'll start operating in May 2023.