Casa Bonita Restaurant
add photosMexican restaurant in Lakewood, just west of Denver.
21 Reviews for Casa Bonita Restaurant
2
00 families found this helpful
"Casabonita should be condemned"
We visited the first week we moved to Denver. Now, three yrs later it is a standing joke in our family that people actually go to this place and Pay "money" for THAT food amidst the absolute filth of the environment and horrid distorted sound system. The poor children that are dragged there look so bored ...and so hungry. The food is a crime! This place should be legall shut down!
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0 families found this helpful
"restraunt"
This was a fun atmosphere, but the food was not good! It was a nice to have things to watch while we ate because it helped my kids stay good, but I would not go back because of the food! They had a bunch of caves that you could go walk through. Some were more scary then others but you can just walk through and enjoy. One nice thing was they had upper seating, which we sat in, so you weren't bothering anyone else.
1 family found this helpful
"Great Entertainment, Terrible Food"
The first thing you need to know about Casa Bonita is that the food is bad. I mean really, really bad. People are not drawn to this family favorite for excellent dining. They go for the awesome entertainment and ambiance! From the cliff divers to the pinata breaking, it's a great time for kids of all ages. There is plenty to see and is worth the few bucks you spend on a lousy meal. When people find out I grew up in Denver, it never fails, someone almost always mentions Casa Bonita!
0 families found this helpful
"Bad food, Fun for Kids"
If you go with the expectations that the food is not very good, but it is an experience for the kids, then that is the right attitude! Everyone is required to order something and you cannot share, but we like to go and watch the divers jump off the indoor cliff into the indoor waterfall and pond. Our kids are always amazed. It also has some arcade games.
0 families found this helpful
"Fun place to eat"
The food is not fantastic, but the atomosphere makes up for it. Be sure and leave room for the sopapillas. They are fun and the kids sill love eating those. After you eat leave time to walk around and explore all the rooms and watch the divers and music etc. Your kids will like this
0 families found this helpful
"We Go Every Year!"
My father is from Denver and we've been going as a family for over 25 years, I believe my parents went the first year it was open. It definitely isn't the most glamorous place or in the best location in Denver but it is a little treasure in America. You don't find restaurants like this everywhere in the US. You are not coming here for the food so don't expect some amazing Mexican food. They are pumping this food out of the kitchen at a rapid pace so expect cafeteria grade food. What you are coming here for is to see the look on your kids face when they see the gun fight on the waterfall, or the divers diving inside of a restaurant. Or the puppet show, the piñata breaking, the endless amount of rooms to explore, the scary cave or the mariachi bands. You can also get your caricature drawn, your old time photo taken or play games in the arcade. If you get the all you can eat platter and spend $15 for mediocre food it isn't really that bad considering you can get 4 or so hours of basically free entertainment.
0 families found this helpful
"Fun for the kids. "
The many sideshows this restaurant provides is absolutely wort going to for the kids. The food is TERRIBLE but moderately priced and the kids won't know the difference. Some of the stuff is a little strange but you have to walk through the place and partake of all the different acts. Truly something that will be remembered by all...for one reason or another. :)
0 families found this helpful
"Truly Unique"
You have to go here at least once, but you should certainly eat beforehand, or just plan on filling up on the free, yummy sopapillas. It is an experience like no other -- melodrama with gorilla suits, cliff diving, creepy Ignacio's Cave, a mariachi band, really, it's like the Disneyland of Mexican restaurants. My little one enjoys the site, but it is better for bigger kids 4 or 5 + and adults.
0 families found this helpful
"Food"
This place is so much fun and my kids always have a great time! the only thing is the food is terrible!!!!! It tastes nasty and I have gotten sick every single time I have gone. So if you go, just order a drink and watch the divers! It's alot of fun... just not when you get sick.
0 families found this helpful
"Worth a trip just for the experience..."
As others have said, the food is overpriced and not very good (except for the sopaipillas - yum!) but Casa Bonita is one of those places you need to experience, at least once. Our girls loved the diving and crazy gorilla! The facilities themselves look like they've taken quite a bit of wear and tear but Casa Bonita is a Denver landmark and worth a visit.
0 families found this helpful
"TERRIBLE Food But Kids LOVE The Adventure"
If only the food were actually edible, this place would be awesome. Cliff divers, games, LOTS of fun AFTER you eat the 'all-you-can-eat' slop that they call food. The cheese-food that they drown your plate in appears to be 90% plastic and 10% food-based. The price of the 'meal' is also ridiculously high, but I guess you're paying more for adventure than food. It's incredible that they fit all of the activities under one roof. The audio for the cliff-divers was terrible last time we were there- hopefully that was just a temporary problem.
0 families found this helpful
"It is what it is"
If you want fine dining this isn't your place. Still, the sense of wonder is palpable. Feels like Pirates of the Carribean meets yummy sopapillas. The cliff divers are usually high school kids, but our kids didn't care-the tunnels, the multiple levels, the lighting are all great for kids.
1 family found this helpful
"every child should experience this"
Our family loves Casa Bonita. All the previous reviews are accurate as this place seems somewhat legendary in America. We have friends travel from all over the US to visit us...and Casa Bonita. The food couldn't get any worse...and that is the God honest truth. You have no choice, the meal is mandatory for entrance, just think of it as an admission fee and eat when you get home.
0 families found this helpful
"Casa Bonita"
Growing up and going here on family vacations as a child, I had so many great memories. Taking my family here last month was a different story. In order to get in you have to buy food. The food is not great. However, my boys (2 & 4) loved the cliff divers and arcade games. It gets very loud inside with the waterfall and other screaming kids, so don't expect much of a conversation with other adults.
'11
1 family found this helpful
"Not at all tasty"
We waited in a line like cattle for about 20 minutes, ordered our food, then were hustled further in the line to have our plates of food slapped onto our trays. Not a good way to start a dining experience.
If we could have come here without eating, it might have been worth it. The food was not good and was not tasty. Imagine Velveeta all over everything.
The kids enjoyed the diving show, although it was too far away from our table to really see everything.
Every family in our party (10 other people) got sick that night and we all claim it was due to the food here.
Never again... not even for the crazy and wild dive show.
0 families found this helpful
"A little cheesy but still magical!"
We knew we had to take our kids here and we are glad we did! This restaurant is an experience that you won't forget! From the cliff-diving to the gun fighter show (save the princess!) to exploring in the caves this place is a definite must for all families! They even had a pinata that thte kids got to break for candy which was an added bonus! The food is pricey but pretty good and the Sopapillas are the best ever! Your children will love raising the flag for more! There is even a little gift shop with some $3 dolls and fun other fun trinkets for kids! Very fun place!
2 families found this helpful
"Bring your stomach pump"
It's not often that I have a complaint, or warning about a place, but our personal experience with Casa Bonita was about as bad as it gets. Although the restaurant is attractive because of the caves, lighting, water fall, divers, and even a dinner show (about as good as the one on Shrek III), the fact that you are required to eat the food at Casa Bonita is borderline criminal. We all got very sick with food poisoning. After this experience, we have now completely re-evaluated eating out with our family. I would not recommend this experience for other families.
0 families found this helpful
"Trip to Mexican village, no passport required"
Cliff divers? Check.
Sheriff chasing after Black Bart? Check.
Yummy sopaipillas for dessert? Check.
Big gorilla running around to live mariachi music? Check.
Delicious Mexican food? Hmmmm....
The food is passable but not excellent. However, people flock to Casa Bonita by the bus- and car-loads for the ambience. It's loud, it's garish, it's unique, and kids love it. School-age kids, anyway. Toddlers may be scared by the gorilla, if my children were any indication.
0 families found this helpful
"Cute place, food isn't so great"
My kids love it, even as teens they still talk about the time we all went to Casa Bonita.
I enjoy being here with little ones because they love it, they love the non-mexican food and entertainment.
It's worth the time for them to have the memory.
2 families found this helpful
"Great entertainment"
We spent 2 1/2 hours at this restaurant and the kids had an absolute blast! They loved watching all the shows and the cliff divers are amazing. The food is mediocre but that is not why you go there. I remember going there as a child and I was so happy when we traveled back to Denver and found that the restaurant in still there.
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