One user on Reddit said it all: “This is like trying to get (Taylor Swift) Era’s Tour tickets. But for a restaurant.” After more than a year of hosting invite-only dinners, Casa Bonita officially opened public reservations on Monday, allowing eager fans to finally book a table at the iconic Denver restaurant.
Hopeful and excited diners ran into a new slew of problems, however, with the new, overwhelming demand for reservations sparking long queues and technical frustrations, according to reports on social media. On the reservations landing page, the restaurant provided a list of “things to know.” In it, the list explains that the most recent reservation opening includes dates for bookings in October and November and gives customers 12 minutes to complete the process.
Only one reservation is allowed per customer, and while credit card information must be entered, charges will only apply if cancellations occur within 24 hours of the reservation date. The Denver Gazette confirmed that about an hour-and-a-half after the reservation system launched at 9 a.m.
on Monday morning, the line stood at about 50,000 hopefuls and continued to grow. Our experience with the reservation system revealed that even after entering the lobby, users frequently encountered errors or saw their selected slots quickly taken by others. This led to a frustrating trial-and-error process where they had to repeatedly adjust times, dates, and party sizes before the system would finally confirm a booking.
It required patience and flexibility to secure a reservation, as availability changed rapidly, and errors were common. A second queue opened at 3 p.m.
, but users continued to face similar issues. Denver Gazette staff successfully secured reservations from both the morning and afternoon queues, though this required multiple site refreshes and settling for available slots rather than preferred choices. Some members of our newsroom were unable to secure reservations altogether, however, reporting site errors and being kicked out of their place in reservation queue before eventually giving up.
That’s what happens when you don’t believe in your dreams. Dreams that include cheesy, melty, enchiladas and pillowy sopapillas laced with fresh honey. For the afternoon queue, it took approximately two hours from the time we entered the queue (2:20 p.
m.) to the time a reservation was successfully completed (4:17 p.m.
). This experience mirrored what was being reported online via social media channels. Reddit user u/everybodyneedspants gave tips for the booking process, saying: “I was able to make a reservation for 3 at 7 p.
m. on a Tuesday in November despite starting out with 21,000+ ahead of me..
. Be quick, be flexible with times, dates, and even the number in your party.” It is easier to get tickets to the Super Bowl than it is reservations at Casa Bonita.
“It is easier to get tickets to the Super Bowl than it is reservations at Casa Bonita,” said one person identified as Jake Chavez, on social media platform X . One improvement to the new reservation system is that guests no longer need to prepay for their meal, and all will receive table service. However, credit card details are still required when booking, as cancellations made within 24 hours or no-shows will incur a $10 fee.
Our hands-on experience with both Casa Bonita's initial, invite-only reservation model and the current public roll-out shows that while the previous method involved long waits and uncertainty about receiving an email invite, it ultimately made securing a reservation easier. In contrast, the current system, though open to the public, presents additional challenges, such as technical issues and fierce competition for limited slots — requiring more persistence and flexibility from users to book a table. Casa Bonita, a Denver landmark known for its cliff divers, cave, and sopapillas, reopened in 2023 after $12 million in renovations by “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone.
The restaurant, which filed for bankruptcy in 2021 due to the pandemic, is now under the culinary direction of James Beard nominee Dana Rodriguez, who has revamped the menu with freshly made items. The location retains its original atmosphere, albeit with the improved menu and some nods to the “South Park” connection. You can read our full guide to the new and improved Casa Bonita here .
The Denver Gazette reached out to Casa Bonita directly through their online press inquiry form for comment, but a comment was not provided in time for publication..
