Casa Bonita Tulsa (Okay, not a park, but almost)

StaceySue · February 05, 2011, 03:06:38 PM

So, I called Casa Bonita in Tulsa today because a Facebook friend said it was closed. Sure enough, a lady answered the phone and confirmed they were closed. Dang! Another piece of my childhood gone (unless someone opens it again). The food wasn't that great, but oh, the fun!

We actually visited the one in Denver last summer, and my family had a great time. I bought a tee shirt and a magnet. I guess that will have to hold me over until I can go to Denver again.

shavethewhales · February 05, 2011, 03:12:05 PM

I seem to recall hearing about Casa Bonita closing several times in the past. I'm sure someone else will swoop it up again soon enough.

DollarCityBoy · February 05, 2011, 04:12:42 PM

There use to be a Casa Bonita in Little Rock, then it changed to Casa Viva (pretty much the same). I grew up eating at that restaurant. It was always a favorite of mine to go with my cousins when we were staying at my grandmothers house. A few years ago, I tried to visit the restaurant, just to find out it had closed several years earlier. The sign was still up, and the Facade looked exactly the same. I started researching the restaurant (Casa Bonita & Casa Viva) and found out about the larger one in Denver, and the other one in Tulsa. One weekend, my wife and I decided to take a weekend and go to Tulsa to visit the restaurant. I loved it (minus the food! haha). The floor plan and theme was almost identical to the one in Little Rock. I took around a dozen photos, I'll upload them if anyone is interested. I am SO SO thankful that we took that trip now. From the research I found on the restaurant, it does seem to open and close off and on; so we shall see what happens.

History Buff · February 05, 2011, 06:33:58 PM

Growing up, we often ate at the one in Oklahoma City, and we always loved it. My wife's cousin worked at the one in Denver as the girl the gorilla swooped up to the cliff. She dove off the cliff into the water below.

Back then, CB was owned by the same company as Taco Bueno.

DollarCityBoy · February 05, 2011, 07:05:35 PM

Casa Bonita. Tulsa, OK. (Summer 2009)

sanddunerider · February 05, 2011, 07:40:35 PM

bring on the pics

DollarCityBoy · February 05, 2011, 10:27:30 PM

Casa Bonita. Tulsa, OK. (Summer 2009)

One of the many themed rooms inside the massive restaurant.

Kind of a Spanish Villa themed room.

Zephon · February 05, 2011, 11:27:38 PM

I had the pleasure of eating at the one in Denver in the 70's. It was cool, with entertainment and actual cliff divers.

joshblakebran · February 06, 2011, 09:19:40 AM

Living in Colorado, we've been to Casa Bonita many times...It is a great family experience, but like many of you said, the food is not that great...I still love Black Bart's mine...

DollarCityBoy · February 06, 2011, 10:40:18 AM

Casa Bonita. Tulsa, OK. (Summer 2009)

The first pic is of a room that is identical to a room that existed in the Little Rock location. Having not been to the one in Denver, do any of you know if this room exist in the Denver restaurant?

The second pic is of "The Waterfall Room." This is obviously a much smaller scale waterfall than the one mentioned in the Denver restaurant; as it does not have the cliff divers. To my knowledge and memory, this room did not exist at all in the Little Rock restaurant.

Junior · February 06, 2011, 04:09:18 PM

Never been to this place, but anyone remember MOLLY MURPHY'S in Tulsa? It was a themed restaurant, where all the waiters and waitresses dressed as characters. A salad bar was made from a car. It closed after a waitress in character embarrassed a guests who sued them. Shut the place down cold! Goes to show what a humorless jerk with a good lawyer can do. Expensive but fun. Our party of eight had a $100.00 bill back in 1983, and at that time that was huge money!

StaceySue · February 06, 2011, 05:20:43 PM

Quote from: Zephon on February 05, 2011, 11:27:38 PM
I had the pleasure of eating at the one in Denver in the 70's. It was cool, with entertainment and actual cliff divers.

Cliff divers were still going strong this summer!

History Buff · February 06, 2011, 09:06:23 PM

Ate at Molly Murphy's in OKC once before it, too, closed. I thought it was the only one.

Maxwell Q. Klinger was our waiter.

DollarCityBoy · February 07, 2011, 11:16:29 AM

Last 3 pictures of my Casa Bonita (tulsa) trip of 2009

The first picture is showing part of the cliff at the entrance to the cave room.

The second picture is a major pathway through the restaurant; directs you to may of the themed dining rooms.

The third picture is of the outside facade.

DeweyBald · February 07, 2011, 07:36:17 PM

I remember Casa Bonita very well. As a kid, I would LOVE to go there to eat. Of course, as time went on and I got older, the food started to decline. I don't know if the quality actually went down, or if I was just growing up and was a little more aware of good food. Last time I ate there, it was slightly above frozen food quality. But the building itself was amazing. Does anyone remember Crystals Pizza Parlor that was in the same strip mall on the south end? I loved going there as well. Getting a pizza and going to the movie room to watch Laurel & Hardy, Jerry Lewis and the 3 stooges. Ahhh....the good ole days!