Casa Bonita

Today I had an errand to run in Denver, so I decided to make a day of it with my friend Jennifer. She offered to treat me to lunch or dinner for my birthday (what do you call it when it's too late in the day for lunch but too early for dinner? linner? dunch?) and the restaurant I chose was... Casa Bonita! This request elicited an eye roll from Jenn, but she gamely went along with my wishes. Let me explain. If you've lived anywhere along the Front Range for as long as we have, which is, in the case of Jenn's, Pat's, and my families, the 1970s, you probably have fond memories of Casa Bonita. And it can only be described as kitschy. Casa Bonita is not known for its food. In fact, the food there is sort of a running joke -- eat there at your own risk, etc. I don't think their cuisine deserves such a bad rap, personally. They do serve hundreds of people on a slow day and probably several thousand on a busy day, so it's not like they're going to earn any Michelin stars. It's cheap and cheerful Mexican food. But I digress. Casa Bonita is known for its entertainment. The interior of the restaurant is completely over the top. You may find yourself eating dinner on a terrace overlooking a two story waterfall, you may find yourself eating in a baroque dining room, or you may find yourself eating in a cave. (Really.) If you're lucky enough to get a view of the waterfall and pool, you'll be treated to skits and cliff divers. Kids LOVE it. We all love it. You don't have to have kids to eat there. I personally think it'd be a great place for a first date, because it's so corny. There's never a dull moment at Casa Bonita and it's always a fun time. Even if you do need a little Pepto Bismol afterward.

Here's a video of one of their famous cliff divers. Sopapillas and cliff divers. It just doesn't get any better than this, folks.