8 Best Restaurants in Mt. Rushmore and the Black Hills, South Dakota

Deadwood Social Club

$$$ Fodor's choice

On the second floor of historic Saloon No. 10, this warm restaurant surrounds you with wood and old-time photographs of Deadwood. Light jazz and blues play over the sound system. The decor is Western, but the food is northern Italian, a juxtaposition that keeps patrons coming back. Try the wild boar bundles as an appetizer, paired with one of numerous martinis or a bottle from one of the largest wine cellars in the state. The menu stretches from pheasant to walleye, as well as creamy pasta dishes, buffalo, and melt-in-your-mouth rib-eye steaks. Reservations are recommended.

Steerfish Steak & Smoke

$$$ Fodor's choice

Western chic is the style of this restaurant, where a buffalo head and cowboy art adorn the walls of a historic, 1893 stone building with wood floors. Steaks, smoked meats, and burgers are the focus, but the menu also includes a large salad section, and the prices range widely from $12 sandwiches to $40 choice steaks. The bar serves an extensive selection of beer, wine, whiskey, cocktails, and mixed drinks. In a city with some great restaurants, this one stands out.

Antunez

$$$

Going for the feel of a Spanish or South American café, this small restaurant is one of the few in the Black Hills attempting to elevate Hispanic food into high cuisine. Although the elaborate dinner entrees are quite expensive, the menu also includes more affordable, all-day choices such as enchiladas, quesadillas, and tacos.

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Branding Iron Steakhouse & Saloon

$$$

Much of the Belle Fourche--area economy is built on cattle, and when local ranchers and other residents want a good steak, they go to the Branding Iron. This is a no-nonsense, saloon-style facility with wood paneling on the walls, a bar, pool tables, lots of seating, and big food portions.

Legends Steakhouse

$$$

In a place where legends aren't taken lightly, this establishment in the lower level of the historic Franklin Hotel has quickly made a name for itself, beckoning back locals who like its aged beef, moderate prices, and flair. You'll find all the usual suspects on the menu—buffalo, beef, and chicken—but each with a flavorful twist. Arrive early and have a cocktail in the lounge, because they don't take reservations.

Legends Steakhouse

$$$

The atmosphere is historic elegance in this intimate, fine-dining establishment where steak, seafood, and dessert are served up with pride and style in the basement of the 1903 Franklin Hotel. With its stone walls, dark wood finishes, and large wine list, Legends Steakhouse is a great place to step out and spend a little extra on a relaxing evening meal.

The 1891 Steakhouse and Bistro

$$$

In a shared location with the Red Rock River Resort, this steak house in a historic building sources produce from local farmers' markets and beef from locally grown cattle. The spacious dining room has wood floors and high ceilings with intimate, cloth-covered table settings.

The Latchstring Restaurant

$$$

This restaurant with a simple menu focusing on buffalo meat, beef, fish, soup, and salads is built in a log-cabin style with a stone fireplace and animal heads on the walls. It's in an unbeatable setting 14 miles from Lead, next to Spearfish Canyon Lodge in Spearfish Canyon. If the weather is good, no diner should miss walking the short trail behind the restaurant to Spearfish Falls, a 50-foot waterfall.

Mt. Rushmore and the Black Hills

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