Huge Crowd Floods 'The Caves,' New Tulsa Club At Former Casa Bonita

Sunday, April 1st 2012, 12:01 pm

By: Dee Duren

A Tulsa icon turned night club got off to a roaring start Saturday. A crowd spilled out of The Caves, formerly known as Casa Bonita, on opening night.

The parking lot of Alameda Shopping Center was packed with cars for the new restaurant and dance club at 21st and Sheridan.

"It blew me away. We had no concept of how much of a hit it would be," owner Todd Montgomery said Sunday morning.

Montgomery said they let 600 people into The Caves and estimated that there were another 400-600 outside.

"We did not expect that," he said.

The new business kept the same decorating theme - and full kitchen - as the former Tulsa restaurant. It's advertised as "three clubs in one building" with two DJs and a live band.

"It was in very poor shape inside, so we really went back and preserved about 75 to 80 percent of the old Casa Bonita because of how much people loved it. We re-did all the walls, the flooring - brought it up to this decade," Montgomery said.

Tulsa Police were taken by surprise by the large turnout and came to the location to check it out. Montgomery said he had six security guards working outside and 10 inside the club. It employs about 80 people altogether.

"It'll calm down," the owner said, adding that crews went out to clean up the parking lot after closing.

The Caves serves steak, lobster and burgers from 4 to 9 p.m. when it becomes a 21 and up club.