The restaurant Casa Bonita, seen in Season 7 of “South Park,” was a real-life Mexican eatery and entertainment venue in Denver. After closing down in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Casa Bonita filed for bankruptcy in 2021, but “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone bought the business — still, it hasn't been smooth sailing from there.

Parker and Stone knew that they had the capital to reopen Casa Bonita, which had operated successfully for 50 years. A bankruptcy judge approved their $3.1 million purchase offer, but the restaurant is still closed as of August 2022, since the renovations for the Denver venue are much more expensive than Parker and Stone had imagined.

A complete overhaul of the neglected building has become quite the money pit, but the two “South Park” creators know they can't back down. Parker and Stone have hired James Beard-nominated chef Dana Rodriguez to work on Casa Bonita's menu, and they continue to retain and pay the restaurant's staff to work at local nonprofit organizations.