Survey Says: A Majority of Colorado Voters Have Visited Casa Bonita

Want to get people to pay attention to a political poll? Throw in a question about Casa Bonita. The Colorado Polling Institute did just that with its most recent statewide survey of voters.

Representatives of Democrat-identifying Aspect Strategic and Republican-aligned New Bridge Strategy walked the media through the most telling political results on April 10. For starters, the majority of Coloradans have very unfavorable opinions of President Donald Trump and his policy choices, including negative views on tariffs and the Department of Government Efficiency headed by Elon Musk. They're not as fond of the Colorado Democratic Party as they used to be, either.

But a majority have one thing in common, and that result deserved its own announcement: The poll determined that almost 60 percent of Colorado voters have visited Casa Bonita. Most went pre-renovation, with 5 percent only visiting since the pink eatertainment palace reopened in 2023 after its  $40 million rehab job by new owners Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park. Just 9 percent of the respondents had made it in both before COVID shut down the place and after its resurrection.

“Longtime Coloradans are very familiar with Black Bart’s Cave and the famous cliff divers — as three-quarters of Coloradans who have lived in the state for at least twenty years say they have visited Casa Bonita compared to just two-in-five of those newer to the state,” notes Lori Weigel, principal of New Bridge Strategy. “There’s a regional aspect predictably, too, with two-thirds in the Denver-metro area having raised a flag for sopapillas, compared to just about half of those in the rest of the state.”

“Among the things people told us they like most are the restaurant’s ambience, the entertainment and the food, which at one point earned the eatery the nickname ‘Casa No-Eata’ from many locals,” adds Kevin Ingham, principal of Aspect Strategic. “It was described by respondents as a ‘national landmark,’ an example ‘of the way Coloradans allow creative and unusual ideas to flourish,’ and as ‘awesome’ by a Mr. Eric Cartman.”

No, this was not released on April Fool's Day — although the online poll of 615 likely Colorado voters was conducted March 27-31 — and Mr. Eric Cartman did not offer any opinions about the state of Colorado politics.

The inclusion of the Casa Bonita question came as a surprise to the Casa Bonita team, which is now accepting reservations through September 7. And yes, there are some openings at casabonitadenver.com — so that 41 percent of Colorado voters who have yet to visit will get their chance.