Tiki in Denver?

I was unable to find mention of Tiki in Denver in the Locating Tiki forum or on CriTiki. Is there anything remotely Tiki in Denver? Please don't tell me that Denver is lamer than the Twin Cities!

I'm not aware of any tiki currently in Denver myself, but I have heard that there's a cool over-the-top Mexican place with a big mariachi band. I don't recall the name of it. Not what you're looking for, but sounds interesting nonetheless.

The Mexican place is Casa Bonita. Indoor waterfalls with a cliff diving show and roaming mariachi band. You get service at your table by raising a little flag. Probably 8 or so different sub-themed dining areas, including in the rocks behind the waterfall. Pretty amazing and fun. No tiki.

-Randy

Yes! That's the place I'd heard of, thanks Randy. Sounds like a must-see.

Ooh! That sounds cool! I'll look into going there.

Whaddya know, Casa Bonita has a website!

About other tiki stuff in the area, there was a place in LoDo awhile back called Tabu that had a logo theme heavily borrowing from Bosko's style, and some decor from Oceanic Arts. But the word was that it was just a normal dance club, hardly a tiki sanctum. Check out this old thread for a little more info too.

-Randy

Here are a few older links to some threads about tiki here in Colorado. You can still find a few traces if you look hard enough. Just within the last month I found an older mobile home park originally called the Kon-Tiki Village. It was de-tikified in 1997 when it was sold and the name was changed to Bear Creek Village. But there are a few architectural elements left on the clubhouse.

Colorado Tiki Part I

Tiki Kai Part I

Tiki Kai Part II

Colorado Tiki Part II

Colorado Tiki Part III

[ Edited by: ZuluMagoo 2005-09-13 20:22 ]

There was a whole "South Park" episode about Cartman trying to get invited to a birthday party at Casa Bonita that involved convincing Butters that the world was destroyed by a meteor: http://www.twiztv.com/scripts/southpark/season7/southpark-711.htm

My. wife was friends with the guys who invented South Park. They all went to school together. Can you imagine the yearbook? "the guys most likely to make cartoons about little kids and poo....."
And Casa Bonita rocks, the food sucks, but if it ever closes shop, it would make the ULTIMATE Tiki bar. Thirty foot waterfall, caves, rope bridges, plam trees and fake lava rock everywhere.......man, it would be beautiful.
Savin' my pennies.....

Alas, the long drought is over. Denver does indeed have a Tiki bar now: Tiki Boyd's in the Ramada on East Colfax. Tiki aficionado Boyd Rice (see: Taboo: The Art of Tiki) recently designed and assembled the lounge. They play only Tiki music on vinyl and the bartenders are steadily building their repertoire of Tiki cocktails. If you live in Denver and a Tiki item to contribute, they'll give you a fair trade in drinks.

Finally! That's fantastic news... and it's great to see you posting here, to boot!

What??? I thought I was up to speed with the tiki scene here in Denver. I have not heard a peep about this place. Must investigate ASAP.

I'm thrilled to hear about the new Denver tiki place...pictures?

Mr Dale reports:

And Casa Bonita rocks, the food sucks...

It sucks in the Tulsa Casa Bonita too...really really, dry rice, and there are no divers or anything like that. However, the basic decor is good and, like Denver, it'd be pre-adapted to tiki.

When did Tiki Boyd's open? I was in Denver over Labor Day weekend. I'll gnash my teeth, pull my hair, and tear my clothing if it was open while I was there!

Or, maybe, I'll make a return trip. That certainly would be more enjoyable.

PS. FKR, Thanks for the great magazine.

(edited out by ZM)

[ Edited by: ZuluMagoo 2005-10-19 20:07 ]

Hmmm, I'm seconding ZuluMagoo on this. I won't be visiting Tiki Boyd's.

On 2005-07-20 15:30, aquarj wrote:
The Mexican place is Casa Bonita. Indoor waterfalls with a cliff diving show and roaming mariachi band. You get service at your table by raising a little flag. Probably 8 or so different sub-themed dining areas, including in the rocks behind the waterfall. Pretty amazing and fun. No tiki.

-Randy

My [formerly] little girl loved to go to birthday parties at Casa Bonita - they always did fun parties for the kids. It's pricey - and you have to order food in order to get in to the restaurant...kind of a fast food/cafeteria process. If the food were good, well, the price wouldn't be so bad lol. OH! The sopapillas with honey ARE very yummy!
The cliff diving show is worth it though - great fun! Kids (well, grownups too) like to stand at the edge of the pool to get splashed.
I totally agree that Casa Bonita would make a Tiki Club of epic proportions...the mind boggles at all the cool nooky rooms that could be tiki-fied...

Sitting here with a hurricane whooping it up around my house almost makes me wish I were back in Denver - even the spring blizzard of '03 (or was it '02?) isn't as scary as this!

amiotiki

...oh, and yeah - Rice is a really freaky guy. Sadly, there seem to be a lot of his ilk (just love that goofy word) out there. Maybe Melon (the bartender) can get you guys who are out there to front a new place?

The revitalization of East Colfax and some sections of Broadway have created some fab niches where a Tiki Bar could be a big hit. Not to mention the west side - Denver West, Wheat Ridge, Lakewood...boundless potential there!

amiotiki

If you have a hard time imagining a place like this designed by Boyd, then either 1) you really do need to open up your imagination; and 2) you need to check things out prior to making comments. You are welcome to see with your own eyes - it truly is an oasis of calm and beauty - a major coup for our corner of Colfax.......

my GAWD--a thread celebrating the CRAPPIEST mex food in the coolest location for a restaurant...my sister went once and we had to drive from Ft. Collins to Denver(50 miles--seemed like a THOUSAND when you are a kid) for MICROWAVED mex food--endless sopapillas though!! They had CLIFF DIVERS jump into the 'waterfall' and a GORILLA--mariachis too. I went as an adult when I was at Co. Institute of Art--you couldn't DRINK there--it SUPER BLEW. That building is STILL THERE? that would make an AWESOME tiki bar!!

Moondog:

You know the Mountain folk of Colorado do not know a thing about Comida deluxe. They better stick to Buffalo Steaks and calf fries.
Mexican food in Colorado..geez..better stop in Taos before you hit that border. That dawg don't hunt!