About Us
The Prairie Dog Taproom – Where the Black Hills Party Starts! 🎉🍺
Yo, Black Hills crew! We're Michael and Jimmy Chidiac, Texas transplants with New Jersey roots, who fell hard for the Black Hills magic. (Texas has maps; we chose to "get lost" here on purpose!) It all sparked over bourbons with a buddy in Spearfish: "You've got land. Now, what are you going to do for retirement income?" The genius answer? "Hot dogs. We'll do a hot dog stand." Right there The Prairie Dog Taproom was born.
We’re Hill City SD’s first self-pour taproom, slinging legendary artisan hot dogs, bison burgers that break the internet, hoagies, hand crafted "Tipo 00" pizzas, and 28 freedom taps of craft and domestics brews, all with ZERO “8 Waits” drama. (That’s our name for the table-hunt-server-chase-refill-refill-bill-begging nightmare. Sound familiar? See "The 8 Waits" under Taproom Tales.)
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Our Epic Origin Story (Pop-Up to Creekside Legend)
> 2021: Pop-up tent chaos = instant “best hot dogs" earning us a cult following.
> 2022: Food truck takeover in Custer where we pioneered QR ordering and text-when-ready.
> 2023: Crashed Miner Brewing and saw lines out the door for Black Hills-themed eats and "605's" Best Dogs in Hill City, SD.
> 2024: Miner sold? Panic? Nah. We pivoted hard focusing our efforts on how to kill the wait times at traditional Black Hills breweries and eateries.
> Winter 2024: BOOM! The answer came to us like pouring the perfect pint! Let's fuse QR ordering with self-pour taps. We hunted the best tech and a perfect creekside spot and snagged the historic Firehouse Smokejumper Station on 1.6 creekside acres of pure magic.
>Dec 2024, re-imagined the space in 3 months, and at the end of March 2025, we opened The Prairie Dog Taproom, Hill City SD’s first self-pour taproom. Pour your own craft beer, order the best food in Hill City securely via your phone, and enjoy stress free entertaining on your terms.
We were done with growling stomachs and theme-park lines at Black Hills' breweries and eateries. So we built the fix: friction-free dining for families, date nights, and retiree squads. It’s your 1.6-acre creekside haven in Hill City for craft brews, live music, family-friendly games, and zero-drama dining. No lines. Just endless communing.
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Why We’re the #1 Black Hills Hangout (Full Stop.)
> No Lines. EVER. Grab a freedom band, pour local craft beer (Lost Cabin, Sawyer, Zymurcracy, etc.) like a boss. You’re the bartender, baby!
> Eats That Slap: Rushmore Rattler hot dog (spicy but tasty), bison Philly hoagie, hybrid Neapolitan/NY Style pizza that locals are considering podcasts, we’re starting YouTube videos.
> We have the Vibe: 70+ live music national bangers (Maggie Bough, Sam Grow, John King) to Regional legends, Jalan Crossland, Camp Comfort, MoonCats, Ryan Chrys—Mountain West Musician of the Year 2025!), outdoor and indoor games galore (corn hole, arcade, board games), big-screen sports, fire pits, Black Hills views that’ll remind you of a post card.
> Family-Friendly: Kids, dogs, grandparents. Everyone here is a VIP.
We’re not just a taproom in Hill City—we’re where phones die, stories explode, and memories get made Black Hills-style. We built this for families, couples, retirees so that they could easily gather, savor, celebrate without the wait or chaos. We're where Black Hills hospitality meets freedom.
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What the Pack Is Barking About (Real Reviews, Zero Filter)
> “Best night in the Black Hills—poured my own IPA, ate the Gold Rush, watched the game, kids played cornhole. No waiting. 10/10.” — Jake T., Rapid City (Google, 5★)
> “The Rushmore Rattler is SPICY PERFECTION. And self-pour? Genius. We’re locals now.” — Sarah & Mike, Custer (Yelp, 5★)
> “Brought the whole family—grandparents, toddlers, teens. Everyone happy. Fire pits + live music = magic.” — The Thompson Crew, Minnesota (TripAdvisor, 5★)
> “Finally—a taproom where I don’t have to flag down a bartender every 5 minutes. Freedom band = life-changing.” — Chris R., Denver (Facebook, 5★)
> “The bison burger? I proposed to it. (She said yes.)” — Anonymous Foodie (Instagram)
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Your Turn to Live the Legend!
Locals: We’re the Firehouse reborn. Do bring the whole crew!
Visitors: We're 2.5 miles south of downtown Hill City SD on Hwy 385. Look for the loudest, funnest creekside yard in the Black Hills.
Grab your freedom band. Pour your pint. Start your story.
Gather. Savor. Celebrate!
[Plan Your Visit Now – No Waits, Just Wins!]
