I'm a Nascar fan, but that was just gross! No bumper stickers, tattoos, or any of that stuff here. I just cheer for Earnhardt in the comfort of my own home! (Just got back from Tulsa yesterday. OMG it was soooo hot! Casa Bonita is open for service again. YUM!)

Wow folks. I can't believe you guys are discussing the first Mexican restaraunt I ever ate at. The enchiladas and sopapillas with honey were to die for. It broke my heart when the one in OKC closed in the early 90's. I'm heading to the Indian Territory in September and I will head to Tulsa to try them out. I thought they were forever gone. How cool is this. Thanks Okie for the exciting info.

CASA BONITA HISTORY

TULSA CASA BONITA TO RE-OPEN

Four of us flew to Colorado for the day and went to Casa Bonita. It was really an experience and we felt pretty special flying that distance for lunch. It was the first and only time I ever did that so it is a memory I will always cherish. I remember the divers, the grottos, the sopapillas and gift shop. I don't know if the food was really that good or the special occasion made it seem so good. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

Were you able to leave before Lorenzo?
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at EAL. We were there in earlier years then for the space man and eventually the boil on the butt of humanity--Mr. L. Still have many fond memories of the old Eastern. When everyone cared--management, employees and the flying public. Those days are long gone and the memories bittersweet.

I know the feeling. I went through the Lorenzo School of Airline Business at the Continental Airlines Campus LAX. I graduated in 1983. Like Eastern, we had lot going on at our "family" business; that is, until "he" came.
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If he is, do you think he can sleep at night? Scratch that question. I am sure the man has no conscience as he surely had no heart.

I saw an article on Lorenzo on Wikipedia once!

He is still a very successful investment broker it seems.

They wrote him up as some kind of life time hero it appears. Eastern was barely mentioned, a lost cause maybe when he got there, from the "family" running it! I don't know much about that business failure.

came into both Eastern and Continental and dismantled and took all the best parts and 'sold' them and then took these ill-gotten gains and hauled off to Texas where Frank Boreman already was. They both got quite wealthy over the bones of both airlines. The Eastern 'family' as you refer to it had kept Eastern going for many years and had a feeling of accomplishment. When Boreman came on the employees would have done anything for him, and they did. I still have the worthless 'warrants" to prove it. In no time he proved he was not worthy of this adolation, nor was his experience as an astronaut worth a hill of beans---and left for greener pastures.Then Lorenzo came in for the kill.

You'll never be able to explain it to him. As he put it " I don't know much about that business failure. For once, he's telling the truth.

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The last I heard, he was living in the Houston Texas area.
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Is there one in Tulsa too? Or did I misunderstand you?

I've been to the one in the Denver area, the one that was featured in a 'South Park' episode.

Does your CB have cliff divers too?

The one in Tulsa is on 21st and Sheridan. It has been there since the early 70's I think. It did close a couple of years ago and someone reopened it as Casa Viva. That didn't fly, so it reopened 2 1/2 weeks ago as Casa Bonita again. The outside used to be pink stucco, but it was repainted a terra cotta color. No cliff divers in this one. It does have a small waterfall in one room. It has a cave room, courtyard, a jail, etc., and a room with games. They didn't bring back the carousel though. My niece wanted her picture taken on it again, but it wasn't there. Where is the one in Denver located?

The one in Denver is off of Colfax and Sheridan, in Lakewood. It is also that tacky pink stucco, 3 levels high with strolling Mariachi bands, secret caves, waterfall with cliff divers and magic shows for the kids. The food isn't that great but you go for the experience. CB must be a chain then... I didn't know there was another one - neat!

There used to be one in Little Rock, Arkansas also. I think it closed quite a while ago. Never been to that one either. Ours used to have the strolling Mariachi bands too, maybe they will be back. If you didn't clap for them, sometimes they would clap for themselves!

My family flew out to visit relatives in Tulsa back in the early '80's and we ate at Casa Bonita and loved it. I was about 13 at the time and I have never forgotten it (I'm in my late 30's now!). We actually still talk about the place. When I saw Casa Bonita on the citizen I thought "they can't be talking about MY Casa Bonita!!" so it was cool to see that others from around here know about it too.

meal, I guarantee that you'll look this!
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No wonder they are out of business!!

Did Hutch give you permission to use his picture? Shame on you man.

Great conversations folks. I still can't believe all you guys knew about the "Beautiful Home".

Look very closely, that's me with a fake mustache and big hat.
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Thanks for the links to Casa Bonita. The one in Colorado has a beautiful facade. I like the tacky pink better than the dark terra cotta color they painted ours. We didn't have a chance to raise the flag on our table because the girl was usually somewhere nearby. The sopapillas (spelling?) were good as usual. I don't think they were cooking their own chips though, they seemed thicker. The A/C was on the fritz, but not in the whole place. It was over 100 outside. I'd be on the fritz too! Overall it was still pretty good. The place was clean, didn't have that greasy smell. The bathrooms had been remodeled, very nice. I hope it stays around for a long time. My sister and her daughter drove from Dallas in the rain to go on the last day they were open in 2005. It was really late, the line was snaking around the parking lot. It didn't look like they were going to get in. My sister went up and asked if she could come in and buy a souvenier, so they let her in. While she was in there, they locked the doors! She told the manager that her daughter got locked outside, so they went out and got her. They wandered around taking pictures and played in the arcade until it closed. My niece is crying in most of the pictures. She spent almost every birthday there. She's 19 now.

In the 70's going to Casa Bonita's was like going to the Varsity in Atlanta. If you made the trip to OKC, you ate there. When staying at the fairgrounds for the spring and fall shows in OKC, our ag-class would make the ritualistic trip to Casa Bonita's twice a year. That was the place to go. There and the A & W Drive-in by the Cowboy Hall of Fame with those frosted mugs of root beer served on the tray that hung from your rolled down window.

When we were stationed in FL and my children were young, we would go to A&W for burgers and root beer. The little ones got tiny frosted mugs of root beer (free). They may also have gotten small burgers free, memory not to clear on this one. Those burgers were wonderful as was the root beer and the prices were perfect for a young couple with children on a tight budget. Ah, you guys are dredging up too, too many great memories!

It's a drive-in and called Griffith's these days. It opened back in the days when Chick-Fil-A was licensing the rights to sell Chick-Fil-A sandwiches and they had those and of course the frosty mug A&W. While the Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich is now the sole province of CFA, you can still get the A&W down there. They also have a real unhealthy gutbuster called the "Scrambler" that is a couple of hot dogs, cheese, chili, onions, buns, etc scrambled up in a bowl and it's awesome

Worth a ride down to Griffin.

Did you ever eat at one of the old Biff Burger hamburger restaurants in
Florida?

Those burgers sure did taste good.

Don't remember ever hearing about a Bif Burger. Was it a drive-in?

And, no, I didn't know there had ever been an A&W in Griffin. One of those root beers in that frosted mug would taste good but that other conglomeration seems to be a liile too much for me! Tho I probably would try it--would much prefer one of their hamburgers!

I’m surprised you never heard of Biff Burgers, Yes they were drive - ins.
We use to go to the one in Daytona Beach I think it was on Volusia Ave.

Biff Burgers were all over Florida back in the 50’s and 60’s. I think they went out of business sometime in the 70’s.

The burger had a special sauce on it.

because I can't remember ever hearing about or tasting Bif Burgers. I was in South FL (Miami area). Maybe they weren't that far down. Will have to ask some friends if they remember. Not like me to forget an eating establishment!