1624 E. St Patrick St #101
605-348-7827
Sunday to Saturday
10:00am to 10:00pm
-OR-
711 Omaha Street
605-343-8020
Monday to Saturday
10:00am to 8:00pm

Pauly’s is my favorite place to get pizza in Rapid City. It’s a hip, friendly place that has the best crusts and cheeses in town.

Pauly’s offers a nice array of pizza’s, salads, and subs. I’ve met people who live for their no-frills pepperoni, but I am in love with their gyro pizza. Served with tzatziki sauce on the side, it hits the spot every time. Pauly’s has delicious parmesan knots, which I also love, and are a great snack. If you like lots of crispy bacon, I would suggest their chicken BLT salad, which has enough bacon to satisfy the even the most extreme bacon lover. As far as sandwiches, the West Coast Stack is by far the best.

Pauly’s has been recently been remodeled and upgraded to a sports bar. For all you sports fans that enjoy yelling at huge flashing screens, this is a place for you. If you are not, there is usually something else to watch or those little techie trivia games you can test your smarts with. Also for you techie’s – order online at their website.

Did you know your $15 Adult, $13.50 Senior, or $10 kids ages 5-12 Summer admission to Reptile Gardens buys you a season pass May 28 through Labor day? Or, your Fall visit for $11 Adult, $10 Senior, or $7 kids ages 5-12 admission buys you a season pass for Labor Day through October 31? Well, I didn’t and though its not a KGB secret, it seems somewhat unknown. I should add that fo-yo old and under are free regardless of when they visit.

One small tip: You have to request the season pass upon your exit from the park. No, its not automatically given to you when you pay your admission and my cashier failed to apprise me of this little gem. [begin French accent] But of course, as I sometimes dew, [end French accent] I didn’t pay attention to signage so it’s entirely possible that something was posted and I just didn’t take notice.

I am by no means a fan of reptiles and primarily disgruntled toward snakes. Mainly because things that move on land without legs and feet are as creepy as a night watchmen showing up early for work at a Chuckie Cheese. But…I was enchanted with the opportunity to explore Reptile Gardens accompanied by a friend whom I hadn’t seen in 18 years.

The park has three interactive exhibits/shows; birds, snakes, and crocs/alligators. The shows can be caught several times a day, and do not require a separate admission fee.

The Wings of Adventure session is basically a birds of prey display with hawks, vultures, owls and a falcon. The length of the show varies dependent on the current mood of the birds. The birds move off ’stage’ at their own accord with a reward for leaving or performing for the audience. Obviously, it would not be a good idea for birds of prey to interact with other species especially in front of impressionable eyes. So the show can go either direction, short for birds in a hurry to get rewarded, or slow for stubborn foul.

We were slow moving through the park and missed the snake performance, but no love lost there. After all, it’s Reptile Gardens with several dozens of snakes available to be viewed in the Sky Dome without sitting amongst the masses to see a human toy with deadly snakes. The display area is behind glass so, no worries about Jr. getting bit. Judging from the ooh’s and aah’s from the snake set, it was an enjoyable but slightly terrifying experience for viewers.

Alas, the impressive crocodile and alligator show. The handler was very entertaining and provided an educational back drop. The crowd seemed to gasp, yet encourage the scaled carnivores to snack on the handler. No such luck, as it appeared to be a finely choreographed dance of near death and humane treatment of the two dozen beast.

There are plenty of other interesting things to see including but not limited to; a prairie dog town with a tunnel to a ground level observation bubble, the famous photogenic 125+ year old Methuselah (giant Galapagos tortoise) who enjoys a good neck rub, as well as multiple man-made exhibits. I could continue with several more pages of review, but some things are best experienced first hand.

I recommend visiting Reptile Gardens at least once in your life, if for anything, to pay respect to Methuselah the flagship member in an exciting and educational South Dakota attraction.

Reptile Gardens is nestled in a small valley just six miles south of Rapid City on HWY 16/Mt. Rushmore Rd.

The city calls it a path, some call it a trail, but frankly, it’s an oversized concreted sidewalk FREE of admission. Easily commuted by bike, sneaks or a stroller if you can find someone to push you, it is a docile afternoon of activity.

According to my mountain bike computer it’s just under 14 miles one direction and starts and ends near the city limits East (Star of the West Sports Complex off E. St Patrick St.) to West (near Cleghorn Trout Hatchery off HWY 44). It’s an enjoyable jaunt with an abundance of access points (too many to list) if you wish not to cover the full length.

The path does not feel like it has any elevation change to it. However, the it courses parallel to gently flowing Rapid Creek, which to the keen observer would indicate a slight incline/decline dependent on the route you choose to take. I assure you its negligible exertion either direction, even for couch potatoes, and won’t leave your legs feeling like you’ve had a mafia beating.

There is plenty of fun to have alone, with your family or a couple friends on this winding venture through Rapid City. You will pass by soccer and baseball fields, numerous parks, Storybook Island, a couple golf courses and Cleghorn Springs Trout Hatchery, so there is no shortage of stops to take in the scenery on the Rapid City Bike Path.

Midpoint on the path with outdoor seating and bike racks to secure your ride, is the golden arches. Yes, I’m talking McD’s and it’s less then 30 feet off the path and has its own sidewalk exit approach to the East of the restaurant. Trust me you can’t miss taking a break to scarf down a couple hot fudge sundaes and an order of fries. Hey your exercising right? Reward yourself and/or the kiddos.

Don’t think for a minute this is only a seasonably functional path. The city of Rapid City manages the path and does a pretty good job of clearing winter snow. Truly a year round opportunity.
No bike, no problem. You can rent a bike from Two Wheeler Dealer. Minimum rental is five hours and runs $18. Feeling spry go for a day rental at $29 or weekly for 80 smacks on a bare ass. Ok, actually $80 would cover the week. Prices and availability vary and of course are subject to change, so call ahead and make a reservation.

In my opinion the bike path is the anchor of free active entertainment in Rapid City. I ride frequently and never tire or bore with this easily accessible path, trail, sidewalk, whatever you wish to call it. The path is comfortably navigated by young and old, so don’t leave anyone at home. Get out and hit it, run it, walk it, ride it, but most of all, simply enjoy it!

225 Main St,
Hill City, SD

You can’t claim to be from the Black Hills unless you have been to the Alpine Inn in Hill City for their filet dinner at least once. Perhaps you can claim to be from Rapid City, Custer or maybe even Hisega, but definitely not the Black Hills. I did not become ‘from’ the Black Hills until late this spring, when I finally decided I had better try out this place I had always seen and heard about. Here’s the deal at the Alpine Inn: Once you sit down and order your drinks, the waiter asks if you want the 6 ounce or the 9 ounce filet. Once that is decided, you get your meal. Salad: a wedge of iceberg lettuce drizzled with Alpine Inn’s homemade ranch dressing. I might add here that it is one of the best dressings I’ve ever had, and I don’t even like ranch. Then comes your 6 or 9 ounce bacon-wrapped filet, a baked potato, and buttered Texas Toast. The filets we had were great. This is your no-frills steak dinner done right. No more worrying about whether your order is going to get mixed up or whether or not your steak is going to be dry, chewy or tasteless.
The Alpine in is generally busy during the summer, tourists and locals alike are enjoying a steak. And if you have kids that don’t yet have a palate refined enough for steak, there is a kids’ meal. The lunch menu is posted on the Alpine Inn’s website, and looks very German – Bratwurst and Ruebens, along with your typical American sandwiches.
Before going to the Alpine Inn, I had heard that one must try the dessert, as it is the best part. I expected to get a good dessert, but what I did not expect was to choose from more than 20 different desserts! At this place you really do need a dessert menu. Kudos to any waiter or waitress that can recite them all! I tried the Bavarian Cream Cake. They say a taste can enlighten your memory, and the first bite of this brought me back to the quaint town of Lake Bled, Slovenia, where their specialty dessert is called Crema Rezina. Who knew I could travel to Slovenia without leaving the Black Hills? My hubby tried some sort of chocolate waffle, piled high with countless other toppings. All I remember was it was so big it could have been mistaken for breakfast for two. As for the other 18 – plus desserts, you’ll have to try them yourself.
At the end of the meal we were delightfully surprised at the price of our dinners. The 6 ounce steak is priced at $8.95 and the 9 ounce at $10.95. Can you get a good steak at that price? Apparently so, that is, if you are truly ‘from’ the Black Hills.

B&L Bagels is my favorite place to get bagels in Rapid City. My all-time favorite is the French Toast bagel with brown sugar cinnamon cream cheese. At B&L, you’ll always get a nice thick coating of cream cheese. I’m obviously partial to the brown sugar cinnamon, but the honey almond is also pretty good. Grab a mug of coffee and you’re good to go.

I sometimes enjoy getting a dessert or scone at B&L. I’ve had a great blueberry scone and their 7-layer bars are great for sugar highs.

There are lots of bagel sandwiches offered, but unfortunately I’ve never tried any. I’ve always been satisfied with a great bagel and cream cheese no matter what time of day.

You can also get day-old bagels by the half dozen for only $1.50.

What kind of bagels does everyone else like? Is B&L or Black Hills Bagels better? Leave a comment below.

512 Main St, #120
Rapid City, SD

You can call me crazy or a racist or even a reverse racist if you want, but when I go to a Mexican restaurant, you know what I want to see? Mexicans. As many of them as possible. Cooking the food, taking the orders, waiting the tables, running the registers, the whole nine yards. I go to ethnic joints with the lofty goal of, even if just for one hour, eating as the natives do. And who’s going to do it better than the natives themselves?

El Ranchito (on E. North St across from Kmart and in the same strip mall as the little Asian grocery store) is just such a place. Don’t let the unassuming storefront and spartan decor fool you. This is a place where seriously talented food-makers from Mexico make seriously delicious Mexican food for some seriously lucky Great Plains gringos.

It’s a Mexican family who runs the joint, and when we visited, there was a Mexican soccer match on TV and Mexican pop music blaring from the kitchen. There are two visible coolers in the dining room: one full of Corona, Tecate, Negra Modelo and Pacifico, and the other full of Jumex and Jarritos.

These guys ain’t faking it.

But first, here’s some weirdness for you. Despite a robust menu of Mexican favorites, the word “taco” does not appear on the menu. I’m not gonna bet my firstborn on it or anything because my proofreading skills aren’t what they used to be, but I swear that I looked over that menu with a fine-toothed comb and didn’t see “taco” on it even once.

Don’t let that scare you away, though — I’m guessing they’d make you a taco if you asked for one (taquitos are on the menu, also known as “rolled tacos” around these parts). Plus, the menu’s full of other authentic-but-not-terrifying items.

(Side note: Like the U.S., Mexico is a giant country whose cuisine can vary greatly from region to region. The type of food we Yanks traditionally think of as “Mexican” is food from the state of Sonora, and it’s pretty tame — tacos, burritos, enchiladas, etc. However, it’s a different ballgame when you come across the food of, say, the state of Hidalgo. Fish heads and barbecued goat make frequent appearances, as do dishes with guts, bone marrow, and everyone’s favorite, cabeza — brains.)

Don’t let that scare you away, either — you don’t have to be a brain-eater to find something you like on El Ranchito’s menu. It includes enchiladas, tamales, burritos, soups, seafoods, dinner plates and Mexican sandwiches, along with weekend favorites like pozole and menudo.

OK, let’s get down to the business of the food. I admit, I had very high hopes for this place. I lived in Phoenix for many years and developed a jones for the hearty, salty, fatty, meaty deliciousness of the obscenely inexpensive burritos at the local dives. I miss places where I could get a steak-and-chorizo burrito the size of my newborn son for about $3.35.

I scanned the menu and settled on a a pork sausage quesadilla. They have two sizes, and I took the small one. For good measure, I ordered a chicken tamale, which ended up being delicious but completely unnecessary. I’ll explain.

When my pork sausage quesadilla arrived, I lifted the tortilla and — I’m not sure, because it’s fuzzy now — but I think I began to well up with tears the way I did when my daughter took her first steps. The bright-red wall of pork sausage nearly blinded me; there could’ve been a .22 pistol hidden underneath that thick layer of meat and it would’ve been completely obscured. OK, I’m kidding about that, but I’m not joking about this — I actually felt around my pockets for camera, because I wanted to take a picture of it before eating it. Otherwise, no one would believe this.

I was weak, though. I forsook the outside world for my own unadulterated pork lust. I took a bite, and the flavor attacked and punished my mouth like a savory dominatrix, furious with my tongue for accepting such overwhelming pleasure without the humility to ask nicely first. I cursed myself for coming here; the last thing I needed was another addiction, I thought. I was going along just fine with my morning gym visits and scrambled egg white omelets, and now this homewrecking whore of an entree had shown up in my kitchen with a knife and is already boiling my pet rabbit.

Twelve bites in, I was finally beginning to understand, after 30 years, how Scooby Doo must feel about Scooby Snacks. I was stuffed to the point of aching, yet was already craving my next one. I wanted to fight a ghost to get my hands on another one. I thought for the briefest of moments that I saw the Virgin Mary’s outline in this sea of salty red pig meat. I was in a pleasure coma.

OK, I think you get my drift. The food is outstanding — the type of outstanding that makes you rave to your friends about it over and over until they let you drag them there, and you build it up to the point where you’re sort of miffed if they don’t like it as much as you do. Which is what I’m doing right now, I guess.

So do your best to ignore my gushing and have a visit for yourself and see what you think. Prices are not at the fast-food level, but are very reasonable considering what you get. A la carte items are in the $2 range, all the way up to full dinner dinner plates in the $10 range. Add a buck or two on top of that for seafood items, which I’ve not yet tried but certainly plan to.

If I can tear myself away from the pork sausage quesadilla.

1012 E North St Ste A
Rapid City, SD

306 7th St
Rapid City, SD

I think it’s fair to say that, at some point in the arguably near future, space aliens will emerge from the heavens and, in one fell swoop, eradicate the human race. How they will do it and why they will do it persist as topics of serious debate. I, for one, think they’ll be smart enough to do it in a way that preserves us for future study, like the Pompeii volcano.

And when alien Earthropologists come down to study us after it’s all said and done, I bet one of the first questions they attempt to answer about our postmillenial species is, “Why did they cover the walls of their eating establishments with such a wide variety of random shit?” Exhibit A will likely be Sanford’s Grub & Pub, where the one rule of decor has always been that if it weighs less than 300 pounds, we’ll find a way to glue it to the wall. License plates, dead animals, suits of armor, chain link fences, fully functioning percussion instruments — I know you can find some of that stuff on the walls there, and you can probably find all of it if you look hard enough. The only thing you probably can’t find is the actual wall itself.

But over-the-top is the Sanford’s way, and you don’t only see it in the decor; it’s in the food, as well. The menus are larger than some of the windows in my house, and although I’m far too lazy to count the number of food items on the menu, it must be over 100. For the sheer amount of stuff on it and the time it takes to make up your mind, the Sanford’s menu is rivaled only by the Cheesecake Factory. I’ll summarize what’s on it: a countless number of burgers and sandwiches, steaks, pasta dishes, homestyle meals, chicken wings and a couple dozen other appetizers, desserts, and just about anything you could imagine.

And yes, I really mean “anything you can imagine.” Sanford’s is one of those excellent catch-all restaurants that you can head to when you’ve got a group of hungry people who can’t quite agree on what to eat. If you really have someone in your party who can’t find anything on the Sanford’s menu that pleases them, my suggestion is to grab that person by the collar, pull them near you and firmly mutter through clenched teeth, “Why don’t you stop being so (insert your favorite expletive here) hard to please for once, huh?” That usually works for me.

OK, OK, they’ve got a lot of food — but is it any good? I’ve eaten at Sanford’s a half-dozen times or so, and I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve ordered. I’m a bit of a Monte Cristo sandwich freak, and the Sanford’s version is outstanding. I’ve eaten chili (excellent), burgers (excellent), spaghetti (nothing special, but good), salads (very good), and a variety of appetizers, all of which were also tasty. Can’t tell you to avoid any one thing because, again, everything I’ve eaten has been good.

Portions are massive. I can’t stress that enough. I’m a large man who has conquered many buffet lines without loosening a belt loop, but the above-mentioned Monte Cristo was so big that I took half of it home. I’m sort of ashamed to admit that, but it’s true. And given the amount of food you get (the Flintstones opening with the car-tipping Brontosaurus burger comes to mind), the prices are extremely reasonable. Will you pay $10 for a burger? Yes, possibly. Will you get three meals out of it? Yes, unless you’re a sissy about leftovers, and if that’s the case, baby, you’re paying the sissy tax. That’s how it works.

Sanford’s is a big place that seats a lot of people, but it’s still packed to capacity during peak times. Keep that in mind if you think you’re gonna casually drift in with a party of 12 on a Saturday night, because that won’t be happening. Otherwise, the place is a great place to enjoy large portions of comfort food. Thumbs-up from this fella.

513 6th St
Rapid City, SD

How many times have you driven past, or even walked past, the tiny purple awning across from the Elks Theatre which reads, ever so subtly in white block letters, “Wine Cellar”? It seems so tiny and it makes you wonder — is that a restaurant or is it just a tiny little wine store? Surely it’s not big enough to have an actual restaurant in there, is it?

It is, actually, and I ate there for the first time a couple of weeks ago and came away extremely impressed. The place is a great place to eat an upscale meal — a lovely peer of more well-known places in town like Delmonico, Enigma and the like.

Let’s start with the looks of the place, though. Yes, it’s quite small — I’m guessing seating for about 25, tops — but it’s decorated very nicely. I’d give you details, but I’m sort of a guy’s guy and I can’t really tell you styles or materials or anything like that. I know the walls are dark yellow and there’s nice art on the walls, but it’s not at all a stuffy place that makes you feel uncomfortable if you aren’t dressed up. (Sorry…that’s all the feminine sensibility I can tease out of myself today).

OK, let’s get to the food, since we have to skip the wine (I don’t drink wine, so I can’t tell you how good the wine is. I can tell you there’s a lot of it, though, on what seems to me to be a pretty fat wine menu). One thing that really took me by surprise on the menu was the number and variety of gourmet pizzas. I’m a sucker for a schmancy pizza, and there were at least six or seven to choose from. The one I ordered had local buffalo and a few kinds of non-standard cheese on it (I’m thinking it was gruyere or brie, or both). Interesting, but really delicious if you like to experiment with pizza.

My wife had the filet mignon, and it was also excellent. Both of our meals came with salad (very good) and some sort of bean spread that reminded me of hummus, along with bread. I loved it all.

And of course you can’t try a place like this without cracking the dessert menu, and we split a piece of peanut butter cheesecake. I’m not a huge fan of peanut butter anything (my wife was doing the choosing that evening), but she loved it. The coffee we ordered also came in individual French presses, which if you like coffee, you know makes a damned fine cup.

We’ve only eaten here this one time, but based only on that time, I’ve enthusiastically recommended the place to several friends and will continue to do so. Anyone else have experiences here? Add them in the comments below!

2520 West Main St
Rapid City, SD

If you’re never eaten Colorado-style pizza, then — well, you’re probably like everyone else in the world who isn’t from Colorado. I didn’t even know Colorado had its own style of pizza. Hell, I bet most Coloradans didn’t even know that Colorado had its own style of pizza.

But it does, and frankly, it’s pretty damned good. My wife and I ate at Beaujo’s (in the Haggerty’s building on W. Main, where Khoury’s used to be before it moved) the week of its opening, and we were impressed not only at the taste of the food (always our no. 1 priority), but also the uniqueness of the offerings. Beaujo’s has a lot of stuff that you’re just not gonna find elsewhere in the Hills right now in terms of pizza.

Here are my impressions of the place. Excuse the rapid-fire nature, but everybody likes bulleted lists, right?

So there you have it. Overall, I think you can tell that I like the place and recommend anyone who likes pizza give it a try. Definitely a great new restaurant to have in our town.

Been there? What did you think? Let’s hear what you think, people. Leave a comment.