Casa Bonita reborn

Now Rio, iconic Tulsa restaurant spot still a wonderland—but for adults

In the 80s and 90s, every kid begged their parents to take them to Casa Bonita. The restaurant was more than a place to eat. It was an immersive experience with a whimsical interior, all-you-can-eat sopapillas and puppet shows. But, like the rest of us, Casa Bonita has grown up. Long gone is the bustling arcade, with its carousel and Whack-A-Mole games. No more Zoltar to grant wishes and no more monkey-on-a-bicycle, zipping across the ceiling on a high wire. The vestiges of its kid-centered past have given way to Rio Restaurant & Bar, a multiplex for night life with three different clubs in one place. 

Rio has experienced some very adult-themed problems—a shooting outside the club in 2014 and a raid by the DEA in 2016, which yielded the arrest and indictment of eight individuals for drug conspiracy. Despite the bad press, the restaurant and club remain open, and Rio is still a popular spot for not only the nightlife, but also for lunch and dinner. 

The salmon-pink stucco façade and terra cotta roof appear untouched by time. In my mind’s eye, I can almost see the old Casa Bonita sign, lit up and glittering like a carnival ride. 

As a kid, I remember waiting in a monstrous line where my parents would cajole us into ordering actual food, even though the only thing on our minds was hitting the arcade, maybe catching a magic show. So walking into Rio for lunch on a Tuesday was like walking into a museum at night, the vastness punctuated by the absence of crowds. 

The playground I loved as a kid has transformed into the kind of place that gets my full approval as an adult. The nostalgia remains, like the large plastic trees that ascend to the vaulted ceiling and the iron gates and stone paths that give the illusion of being in a magical Mexican courtyard. 

The formal dining room is still intact, with lush booths, newly installed flooring and ornate mirrors covering the walls. The area in front of the dining room is cleared of tables and chairs, revealing the perfect place for salsa dancing on the weekends. 

A winding path leads to the most memorable and coveted seating area—the caves. The inset booths and muted lighting make me realize that this was meant to be a club all along. This is where top-40 dance music is played, where darkness is replaced by frenetic lasers and swirling lights. Stairs lead up to a balcony for aerial bacchanal viewing. Another larger area lies outside of the caves, and is anchored by bar number three. 

But, on a Tuesday at 1 p.m., there are no bumping beats or busy bartenders. There are, however, $.99 tacos and $2 Coronas—all day. Fresh chips and a smoky, spicy salsa are dispatched immediately. We dig into the warm chips and explore the large menu. 

Eight Mexican imports and a few domestics round out the beer options. They also have a great selection of mixed drinks, shots, daiquiris, even a mega Margarona served in a fishbowl-sized goblet for $21.99. 

We start with a white queso flecked with tomato and peppers. The menu is filled with all the Tex-mex standards—tamales, fajitas, enchiladas, and tacos. They also have a large choice of seafood dishes, and serve menudo and pozole on the weekends. 

I choose a lunch combination platter with a taco, enchilada, rice and beans for $5.99. I also order a carne asada gordita. They have so many meat filling options—mole rojo, verde, pollo, chicharron, rojas con queso, birria, chorizo and pastor. 

The roja mole gordita is a real standout. The crisp-yet-chewy gordita shell creates a pouch for the roja mole—tender morsels of beef that have been slow cooked in a rich sauce of red chiles and tomato. 

The items in my lunch combo are so-so. The enchilada is less of an enchilada and more of a flour tortilla stuffed with ground beef and topped with queso. My carne asada gordita is a treat, filled perfectly with delicately flavored carne asada, minced onion and cilantro.

Rio is always hopping with special events, roaming mariachi bands on the weekends and daily specials like $6.99 fajitas on Wednesdays and $.99 Taco Tuesdays. It’s open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the kitchen closes at 9 p.m., but the fun keeps going until 2 a.m. The space’s festive essence of yore is still alive at Rio, and with kids out of the equation, it may be more appealing than Casa Bonita ever was. 

For more from Angela, read her article on Tulsa’s newest food truck court, Fuel 66.