The Prairie Dog Taproom: Where the Best Craft Beer, the Best Pizza, the Best Hot Dogs and Hoagies are Priced Right and the Locals Never Have to Hide in Summer

When we first opened back in March 2025, a few folks walked in, saw 28 self-pour taps, and had the same adorable deer-in-headlights moment:

“Wait… I pour it myself? By the ounce? Am I accidentally buying the whole keg?!”

Totally fair reaction. We were new at explaining it, they were new at living it, and somewhere between the wristband and the first sip a tiny myth was born: “That place must be fancy-pricey.”

Fast-forward eight months: our crew can now demo the system blindfolded, everyone who tries it instantly loves it, and we still catch ourselves giggling at how silly the old rumor sounds… because the math is honestly hilarious (in your favor).

So grab your phone, kick your feet up on an imaginary creek-side picnic table, and let us show you — with zero lectures, just laughs and actual numbers — why a day or night at The Prairie Dog Taproom is the best deal you’ll find in the Black Hills, tourist season or not.

Let’s gooooo!

The “Is It Secretly Expensive?” Test

(Grab your phone—we’ll wait.)

Average craft beer 12oz. pour at a nice Black Hills sit-down spot right now: $6–$8 + tip.

Average quality pizza for two: $20–$26.

Average loaded beef/bison burger: $14–$22, with one side

Average kid meal: $8-$10.

Now The Prairie Dog Taproom (same price in February snow or August during the “Harley thunder”):

• Average 12-oz pour of the best craft beer from our 28 rotating self-pour taps → $5.40–$7.42; Domestics → $4.69 - $6.48

• The best pizza - enough for two very happy humans → $16–$23

• The best hot dog, beef or bison - Grass-fed and grass finished from local ranchers, or the best burger (bison or beef) that people literally dream about → $6.35 –$15.75, adding a side

• Kid food that doesn’t taste like sadness → $7–$8

Translation: A family of four can eat and drink here for less than most places charge for appetizers and two entrees. And that’s before we throw in the free games, the creek-view patio, the fireplace, the TVs, the live music, and the fact that your kids can run on real grass while you actually relax.

Go ahead, do the victory dance. We’ll wait again.

The “But Do You Jack Prices When the Tourists Roll In?” Test

Nope. We don’t raise prices for tourists—ever.

We spent four years (2021–2024) slinging the best hot dogs, best burgers, and best hoagies from our food truck every single day—including during the Sturgis Rally—at the exact same prices. Regulars still talk about it like it was a minor miracle.

So yeah… your tab in July looks identical to your tab in January. Same prices, same value, same family-friendly spot for the best craft beer, pizza, hot dogs, and hoagies in Hill City and Rapid City.

The “Will I Have to Wait 45 Minutes Like Every Other Patio in Town?” Test

About those lines you hate…
At most places, a full parking lot means a 30–60 minute wait for a table, another 20 minutes to get a server’s attention, and another 15 before anyone pours you a drink.

At our family-friendly patio in Hill City and Rapid City, that literally can’t happen.
You walk in, check in like at a hotel, get a “freedom band” wristband that activates the taps, and you’re pouring your own craft beer before you’ve even picked your table, patio spot, or board game for the kids.

Hungry? Scan the QR code securely on your phone or wave at a Guest Ambassador, and your pizza, hot dogs, or hoagies show up fast—like the good kind of magic, not the creepy kind. Even when the parking lot looks like a motorcycle convention rolled in, there’s no line to get a drink or order food.

Regulars figured it out quickly and quietly claimed us as their summer hideout: a family-friendly patio with the best craft beer, best pizza, best hot dogs, and best hoagies in the Black Hills—without the long wait.

We’re the overachiever of chill, family-friendly hangouts in both Hill City and Rapid City.

We took the classics—craft beer, hot dogs, hoagies, and pizza—and went all-in on serving the best craft beer, the best pizza, the best hot dogs, and the best hoagies in an easygoing space where families, friends, and locals all feel at home. It’s why everyone keeps saying we have the best vibes in Hill City and Rapid City.

• 28 rotating taps pouring some of the best craft beer in the Black Hills (no “same six beers since 2022” nonsense)

• Clay-fired pizzas that keep winning “best pizza in South Dakota” arguments

• Hot dogs so loaded people take photos before the first bite – really, just check out our Google reviews

• Hearty hoagies that deserve a spot in every “best hoagies” list in Hill City and Rapid City

• A family-friendly living room-style space with a fireplace, a Creekside patio with real grass, cornhole, firepits, indoor arcade games, board games, live music, and bathrooms so clean you’ll want to Instagram them. Please don't!

So Here’s the Deal

Tourists: Welcome to the best bang-for-buck, family-friendly stop between Mt. Rushmore and your hotel pillow. You get creek views, real grass for the kids, cornhole, fireplaces, live music, arcade games, and zero attitude.

Locals: This is your creek-side living room most days of the year—no price hikes, no long lines, no excuses needed. Claim your table, chair, or picnic bench, grab a game, and celebrate at the most family-friendly venue in the Black Hills. Bring the neighbors and make the patio your patio.

Come pour as little or as much of the best craft beer as you want—grab a $2 taster or a $4 mix-and-match, steal a slice of the state’s best pizza and the best hot dogs, and let the kids run wild on actual grass while you watch Spring Creek do its thing. We probably tapped something fresh five minutes ago.

Bottom line: You’re paying less than almost anywhere else for the best craft beer, the best pizza, the best hot dogs, the best hoagies, and one of the most relaxed, family-friendly experiences in Hill City and Rapid City most places only dream of creating.

Winter hours:Wednesday–Monday, 11 a.m.–9 p.m.; Saturday - College Game Day at 9AM.

See you soon—whether you’re from three blocks away or three states away.

Cheers (at prices that make everyone smile),

The Prairie Dog Pack

P.S. First local who walks in and says “I stayed away because I thought you were one of those places” gets a free 4-oz pour and a gentle “told you so.” We’re nice like that.

FAQ's

FAQ: Family-Friendly, Best Craft Beer, and Best Pizza in Hill City & Rapid City

Q: Is this a family-friendly place near Mt. Rushmore?

A: Yes. We’re a family-friendly hangout between Mt. Rushmore and your hotel, with creek views, real grass for the kids, cornhole, fireplaces, live music, arcade games, and plenty of space to relax.

Q: Why do locals love this spot so much?

A: Locals treat us like their creek-side living room—no price hikes, no long lines, and no excuses needed. You can claim a table, chair, or picnic bench, grab a board game, and enjoy one of the most family-friendly venues in the Black Hills.

Q: Do you really have the best craft beer, pizza, hot dogs, and hoagies?

A: We focus on quality and value: rotating taps with some of the best craft beer, slices of the state’s best pizza, loaded hot dogs, and hearty hoagies—all at prices that are lower than most places in Hill City and Rapid City.

Q: What makes your outdoor space different from other places?

A: Our patio sits right by Spring Creek with actual grass, firepits, and yard games, so kids can run around while adults relax with a beer, pizza, or hot dog and enjoy the view.

Q: Can I visit whether I’m a tourist or a local?

A: Absolutely. Tourists get a memorable, bang-for-buck stop, and locals get an everyday creek-side hangout where they can bring friends and neighbors and make the patio feel like their own.

Q: Will I have to wait in long lines for a table or a drink?

A: No. Even when the parking lot looks full, our check-in system and self-serve taps mean you can pour your own craft beer within minutes, without standing in a long line. You simply check in, get a wristband that activates the taps, choose your spot on the patio or inside, and start enjoying the best craft beer, pizza, hot dogs, and hoagies. This setup keeps our family-friendly patio in Hill City and Rapid City moving smoothly, even at peak times.

Q: Do your prices go up during tourist season or events like the Sturgis Rally?

A: No. We don’t raise prices for tourists—ever. From 2021–2024, we served the best hot dogs, best burgers, and best hoagies from our food truck at the exact same prices every day, including during the Sturgis Rally. Your tab in July looks the same as your tab in January—same prices, same value, at a family-friendly spot for great craft beer, pizza, hot dogs, and hoagies in Hill City and Rapid City.