Colonial House Restaurant & Bar
2501 Mount Rushmore Rd, Rapid City, SD, 57701
Colonial House Restaurant & Bar Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Rapid City for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Rapid City for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Rapid City for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
2501 Mount Rushmore Rd
Rapid City, SD, 57701 - Phone (605) 342-4640
- Website https://colonialhousernb.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :7:00 am - 9:3
- Mon : 7:00 am - 9:3
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Breakfast
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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A A.
We went here for our son's birthday while vacationing and had a fabulous experience. The waitstaff was friendly and prompt and the atmosphere homey. Our meal started off with their homemade dill/onion and Rosemary/salt breads, absolutely delicious! The salad and soup were pretty standard, but the entree's were amazing! My husband got the ribs and sausage. The meat was so tender it fell off the bones and the sausage was a gigantic link that was sweet on the outside and spicy inside. Others at our table had perfectly cooked steaks, my son had the buffalo steak that was perfectly seasoned and cooked. My girls had pasta, one had Pandora's pasta that was heavenly and my youngest had a kid's meal with spaghetti. The kid's meal was a hearty portion. She got hot chocolate with her meal, I have to say that was the most decadent hot chocolate. I would definitely recommend Colonial House for a delicious meal!
(5)Dev R.
Reminds me of a Cracker Barrel...it had great Yelp reviews when I looked for a breakfast joint. Parking was packed, with folk pouring out of the doors waiting, so I figured that was a good sign. I put my name in for a 20-minute wait. The waiting room is small, but it was HOT, so best to be in my car, cooling. But I remember this from a time ago, the buzzer doesn't work in the car. Sigh. I'll go stand and wait. Approximately 15 minutes later, I was seated in a place where I could people-watch. : ) They gave me a dinner menu, but I'd come for breakfast. Could I help it if I was waiting? They honored by request for breakfast and I had the country fried steak and eggs. Delish! While everything was hot, everything was good. Country fried steak could have been more tender, but it was good. Sausage gravy was good until it congealed. Over medium eggs were good. Potatoes ended up being more like potato chips. But alas, I was full. i really wanted to try the bacon, and try a dessert, but I was full. I watched folk for a while. The bar that seats 4 folk is awfully cozy. The wares near the register didn't get touched much, but seems like lots of folk ordered pastries to go. I was still too full for that. But that salted caramel hit the last spot!
(4)Erez R.
Gets 4 stars mainly because of the deserts. We liked the buffalo burger and flat iron steak. Both were reasonably good. The Pandora Pasta was really really good. Totally recommended. The best part of this restaurant were the deserts. The pies are awesome! Almond cream highly recommended. Overall a friendly environment and staff. Came out full and very happy!
(4)Tony P.
As always I hate writing bad reviews for independents. In this situation the great reviews must be from people that just don't get out much. The server (in our case) was totally unable to explain the wine list or even make the food sound exciting. We resorted to the burgers as we did not want to get up and leave. Again I think our better option would have been to leave. The place is in desperate need of an update with the staff, décor and menu. The burgers were preformed and not hand pressed. There are other options in town for the same price but much better in quality. The décor feels like something from the 60s.
(2)Michael S.
We were told this would be a good place to go. It was .... okay. I had the Bison ribeye, ordered medium rare. I always ask the server what does that mean. Medium rare is, pink but not fleshy. The waitress avered the scale. It came out brown, cooked medium well, through and through. It still had some soul left in it and was not dry so I ate it anyway. I don't send steaks back if they are still edible. I just prefer medium rare to medium well. My kid got the Bunkhouse burger. It is a very large burger and has to be eaten with a fork and knife as one really can't hold it as a burger. He removed one patty and ate it as a patty. The waitress was nice enough, but you could tell she would rather be somewhere else. I usually leave an 18 - 20 % tip. I left you a bit under 15% because you really didn't want to engage us more than the minimal needed to take the order. As a result, we felt compelled not to really ask questions about the menu. We were out of town and we'll never know if we got the best experience. We were full so we passed on deserts. An update. The owner contacted me. An owner that cares?!? I would absolutely go back to this establishment based on that alone. A real class act the owner is. If I ever get back to Rapid City, I'll give the colonial house another try. BTW, I missed one salient fact. Their beer is really good. :-)
(3)Ana A.
Awsome pancakes!!! We had a delicious breakfast in this old-fashion style dinner. Kind service, 100% American style. Pastries and cookies looked tasty too but I couldn't eat anything else after the pancakes :-P
(5)Wei L.
Enjoyed my meal. First time having buffalo and it wasnt bad. That bread was really good! They said they been making the chicken noodle soup for 35 years.
(4)Charissa B.
Love their Carmel rolls! We frequent this place quite often for breakfast and lunch. Overall their service is quick and food tastes great. My favorite is the almond cream pie!
(4)Jacob J.
We did not like this place at all. It is a dive, the food was not very good, but the service was nice. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger and fries. The fries tasted like old fryer oil, the bacon was thick but limp, and the burger was very dry. What really was disappointing though were the prices. It was very over priced. I will not return and would not encourage anyone else to eat here. We went here because of the good reviews...don't be deceived. For what you are going to pay, there are tons of better choices that are quality.
(2)Beth E.
Okay if you are hungry. There was only a light coating of sausage gravy over my oversized biscuit. Trying to get the attention of a waitstaff person to request more gravy took close to 10 minutes. Once the request was made, a server did bring more quickly.
(3)NP G.
Buffalo Steak and burgers (and much more). Cool ambiance inside. (Attracts the locals, so that speaks volumes.) I had a Bloody Mary cocktail and it was served with the full course of garnishes. Huge desserts. Moriah was an absolutely excellent server!!!
(5)Rachel W.
Great local eatery. Friendly servers (big up Michelle!) serving awesome tasty home-cooked food. One very happy bunny.
(4)Tim B.
If you are on the road to Mt. Rushmore, Custer Park, or any of the other surrounding attractions, and do not want to stop off at a tourist-oriented roach, the Colonial House Restaurant is a perfectly acceptable not-overpriced option. Their burgers are juicy, the lemonade and tea perfectly sweet, and the super cookie is a, um, super choice as a dessert item. Additionally, their walls are covered with movie action figures, creating a good side topic of conversation for whoever you happen to be enjoying the meal with. I would have two ideas for improvement: 1) While the restaurant seems to be well known amongst the locals, it wouldn't hurt to have better signage - the restaurant is in a bit of a strip mall and is in the same area as a Subway, a chain so toolish that they deem it necessary to have an all rights reserved insignia on their Google Maps icon. Colonial House's sign is in a dark blue, which makes it a bit difficult to read from a distance. 2) Given the extensive presence of movie icons, the waiters should know something about them, or know who to ask if they don't know. Neither happened during our visit.
(4)Edwin H.
A best kept secret in rapid city. There is summertime construction right now but don't let that discourage you. The servings are huge. Food is very comforting.
(5)Chris G.
The only thing that is good here is the French toast, the breakfast potato's were bland and soggy, bacon was burnt, pancakes were hard. Avoid this place.
(1)opqr s.
Stopped by here because looking for buffalo. Turned out to be a great experience. Hali was our server and she was great! The food was delicious. We had the buffalo burger with sweet potato fries and buffalo rib eye. Would definitely return when back in town.
(5)Scott S.
Everything is yummy . Flat iron steak is amazing and cooked perfect the mashed potatoes are the bomb . You can never go wrong eating here
(5)Richard J.
Nice waitress, very pleasant and knowledgable. Food was OK, as ordered. We saw the beers on tap and selected the sampler which was 3 glasses of 2/3 oz of each. We were so upset about the quantity and the price we passed on ordering any of them! We picked this because of the Yelp and TripAdvisor reviews. I don't see why the ratings were so high. This is just an ordinary eatery. The food was OK. Our server was better than most.
(2)Jessi D.
Love the colonial house it never disappoints. The wait staff is wonderful and the food is amazing! Can't go wrong with the Carmel but French toast....unless you have a gluten allergy!
(5)Bryan G.
Fast, friendly service. Good family friendly environment with good food. Sonic Wrap was great, Caesar salad was fresh.
(4)Larry H.
OK, let's be clear. I am a CFS snob. Be that as it may, a "CFS" that is cooked on a griddle is NOT a chicken-fried steak. It is a griddled steak. Doesn't roll off the tongue like CFS, and doesn't taste like it, either. A CFS should be "sliced thin and fried hard," as Will Rogers directed. The "CFS" here is neither of those; it is the usual mascerated piece of neck meat commonly passed off as steak, and though it appeared to have been breaded on the spot rather than at a factory, it was not improved by griddling. On a scale of 1 to 10, I rate it a 3.5.
(1)Beverly H.
First off, thanks for serving quinoa as a wheat substitute and being open to me choosing it instead of pasta! Open-minded! One server was friendly, the other wasn't, but we were on our laptops at breakfast. That makes us the rude ones. The food was excellent and the portions large. I took leftovers and they fed me 2 meals each! I had the ribs for dinner and eggs/bacon for breakfast. The home fries are tasty! The wifi signal is great. The local senior citizens love this spot! It's in the best western parking lot, but not a hotel restaurant.
(5)T B.
This place is a diamond in the rough! The food is delicious and the desserts are to die for! Save space because you won't want to miss their made in house pies, etc! Their special of the day was the Indian Taco; wish they'd add it to the permanent menu!
(5)Sandee W.
This place is overall ok for Breakfast, I know my they are known for their Carmel or CInnamon Roll which maybe next time that would be something to try, but I think for lunch its not fantastic in all means... I decided to have one of their homecooked soup and salad with bread... Which I figured wow mmm Chicken Noodle Soup I am sure going to be fantastic since its a local diner and homecoocked, it came out looking like a pile of Slop... my salad well just a sald but can definately tell came from a bag with some added vegetables (maybe) and the bread well I can not complian there definately was homecooked probably best part of whole meal.. The Soup tho when asked the servere why does this look so yellow she told me it was Yellow Food Dye...I mean come on why do you need to put that in your Soup to make it look like that and plus when has Dye ever been nutritous or pleasing, i think only time is Easter when you Dye Eggs and even then we dont eat the shells we peal that off, so come on really.. Just a big turn off....
(3)Wendy C.
We were in town for one night and found this place based on all the great yelp reviews. Let me tell you, everything we had off their breakfast menu was fabulous! I had eggs Benedict. My friends had a waffle and country fried steak... Both wonderful. But the most amazing thing we had was a caramel apple crostata with a crust that was straight from heaven! We tried to order more to take home and they ran out...very sad! But if I'm ever in Rapid City again...this is where I will go for breakfast!
(5)Justin S.
Colonial House is super close to the Best Western where we were staying, plus the clerks at the hotel recommended it for breakfast, so we stopped by twice during our stay in Rapid City. Two Best Western clerks gleefully exclaimed (on two separate occasions) that Colonial House is "rated #1 in the Black Hills," so how could we not try it!? The breakfast menu presents fairly standard diner-like offering of options including omelets and egg dishes, sweet dishes (pancakes, French toast, etc.), and all that good stuff. I had a "farmers market omelet" on one visit which was very good - Large and filled with a variety of sautéed vegetables and served in a skillet with a big portion of their "American fries" (I thought this was some kind of take on Freedom fries), which are basically crispy, delicious hash browns. They also have marble rye as a toast option which is nice and in keeping with the grandma-like atmosphere here. The restaurant itself is large and has a kind of "grandma's living room" décor thing going on. They also have some very attractive looking pastries next to the cashier's counter, though I didn't get to try them. For us, this served a great purpose since we could fall out of our hotel into it for breakfast, but Colonial House is a great diner option for anyone right in Rapid City.
(4)Scott S.
When we walked into the place, we knew we made the right choice as the locals outnumbered the tourists. I was hesitate to come here with the recent reviews but glad we came here for dinner. Based on tips from folks coming here for 30 years, I tried the buffalo ribeye and was not disappointed. The clam chowder was better than some I have had in San Francisco or Boston (shock)! Service was very good and she made sure our steaks were cooked to order when she dropped them off. My wife had the chicken fried steak and was the best she ever had. It was very tender and tasty, not chewy like most. Oh.........save room for dessert as that was the best part of the meal. Or get a 4x4 bar to go and enjoy it later!
(5)Emma B.
Food was okay. We ordered the carrot cake and that was awesome. We ordered the bread pudding too, but it came out cold and so we sent it back. I think this place is good to go for desserts..but the entrees were just so-so.
(3)Michelle G.
Oh my goodness! The Danishes are so beautiful and fresh! Prices on other meals were a little high but all was tasty. Next time I would come back just for the baked goodies
(4)Maria S.
The menu was huge but I thought a bit random. Our dinners were not very good. Would not recommend.
(1)Denise C.
Great local place to have a meal. The bread they bring before your meal is amazing. Our waitress was very nice and accommodating. The taco salad was yummy and hit the spot on a warm day and my dining companion's burger and fries were very good.
(5)Maria A.
Excellent! This place is where the locals go. We got there for the lunch rush, and we did not have to wait at all. Our order was taken promptly and our food came out fast. Great service! The buffalo burgers were AWESOME, and all of their soups are homemade and delicious.
(5)Al B.
Second time eating here. My wife had the smothered buffalo steak. The meat was top notch and the brown gravy is the best we have ever tasted. The Cajun spices finish it perfectly without making it hot at all. We both agreed it is one of the best meals we have ever enjoyed.
(5)Kyle B.
There is only one word to describe this place and that is amazing! My family and I visited this restaurant for lunch and got a table near the bar. We ordered some drinks which were incredible, the bartender was very flattered and provided good, welcomed conversation with us. Our waiter was great and experienced, he knew the menu very well along with the mixed drinks that the bartender made. We were so impressed with the service, food and drinks that we returned later that night with even more people and surprisingly got the same waiter! We had 8 people with us and our waiter brought them all out at once on one tray. Once again the cooks did not disappoint with their extraordinary food. We all had an amazing time here.
(5)AJ D.
The reviews are spot on for this place, great food and great service. I had the spitfire chicken pasta which was incredible.. I didn't try any of their deserts but they all looked super tasty.. If you're an out-of-town we like myself, give this place a go!
(4)David J.
Food was uneven, service was okay. Hummus was missing tahini, garlic and lemon, ie was mashed chick peas. Fish sandwhich, buffalo burger, and onion rings were good. French fries were limp. Deserts looked delicious, but we did not try.
(3)Michele V.
Nothing much to say. The burgers were ok, the service good. That's about it. It was okay not fantastic but not bad at all.
(3)Valerie B.
Husband loved his chicken fried steak and my eggs benedict was great! The staff are excellent and very attentive.
(4)Adrienne G.
Decent breakfast to start our holiday weekend.....in the fog Advised their frenchie was dry ( & I ONLY indulge in the custardy French Toast vareties), I chose the Wheatberry Porridge. Supposed to come w/ dried cranberries, brown sugar & cream Well turns out the cranberries & sugar were cooked IN the porridge. While I didn't mind so much the cranberries being in there already, it was way too much sugar I was expecting everything on the side like one usually sees w/ oatmeal but this was not the case. Result? Made for a very sweet breakfast & I had been hoping for something healthier. BF had the standard eggs, hashbrowns & toast - all declared yummy & Buddy #1 stole more than a few of those yummy potatoes Buddy #1 had Pancakes w/ bananas & they were light, fluffy & a huge portion - liked them okay but not the best we've ever had Coffee....standard OJ...not fresh squeezed (we asked) This seems to be a regular spot for many of the locals. We were sitting behind this table where apparently 1 of the tablemates worked remotely w/ someone from the Bay Area. They spent that majority of our time there making fun of the "granola" way this Bay Area person spoke & about SF in general Word to the wise: Be sure to love your neighbor & keep your snarky comments to yourself. The very people you're mocking may just be the very people representing at the next table
(3)Kate W.
The best meal I have had at a restaurant in a long time! We had the pasta. My daughter and I split the steak and bacon pasta. We couldn't eat it all! My husband had the salmon florentine pasta. 5 stars for both dishes!!! The service was wonderful. The waitress chatted with us about the area and things to do while we r visiting!
(5)Samuel K.
Pretty hip place to be in rapid city. Lots of choices and great atmosphere. Great beer selection as well. Our waitress was pretty nice. Food was pretty good. The fried pickles were really good. I had the meatloaf and our party also had the salmon, steak salad, and filet mignon. Only reason why I'm not giving 5 stars is because they messed up on the temperature of the steak. We didnt want to make a fuss about it. The steak was supposed to be medium but came out well. Apricot beer was delicious! Try it out
(4)David J.
Do not let the road construction keep you away. Great food at a decent price. I hold back one star because their wine selection is not so good.
(4)Nancy B.
Best food and restaurant service in three days- Brian is an awesome server. The roast beef was delicious. Already recommended it to my parents.
(5)Byron S.
Great breakfast. I had the eggs and buffalo sausage. Prepared well and the sausage was really good.
(5)Anika B.
Colonial House is great! It was recommended to me in a very unusual way - I purchased an item for my daughter on ebay. The seller was from Rapid City and I told her we'd be at Mt. Rushmore in a few weeks, could she recommend a good, local, non-chain restaurant. She recommended Colonial House and the rest is history. We all had the Chicken Fried Steak (we had never had this dish before in our lives!) and it was delicious! Service was friendly and attentive and the decor was fun. One more thing, I was pleasantly surprised that Borscht was the soup of the day! I make this for my family often because I can't buy it freshly made anywhere around here unless I drive up to Skokie. The Borscht was delicious and I just had to ask the waitress how it was that they were serving this wonderful Russian soup in Rapid City!
(5)D. W.
Frankly, this gets a 5-star rating were it not for a couple hiccups. The first (and this is endemic to Rapid, evidently) was that I called in an order for pickup, drove to the other side of town to check out what was supposed to be a marvelous liquor store (not as much as hoped for), then drove back through construction, arriving a bit later than they said it would be ready and promptly waited another 10 minutes. They were also out of a few of the dessert items, which, by itself, would not weigh very heavily, but given the issue of timeliness... As to the food...checking around the various "list" site, this one always shows up in the Top Ten, usually the Top 5. I think another "trip" site has given it an award of some kind. Those lists are sometimes meaningless, such as in the case of another Rapid restaurant I will review later, but in this case, it was dead on. The food was spectacular, at least in terms of the entree's and sides. If you haven't had a buffalo burger, you'll be hard-pressed to do better than here. The fries were outstanding. The dessert items were...I'll go with being charitable and say "underwhelming." The Oregon berry pie I thought was pretty good but my wife hated and the sour cream and raisin pie was completely not what I had in mind. Still, all told, next trip up there, I will unquestionably be hitting this again. I never saw the parking lot less than full (again, sometimes that doesn't always matter -- in this case it does) and the restaurant's history (on their website) speaks for itself. To compare to other restaurant types, in terms of both decor and food, think of a Perkins/Embers/Village Inn/IHOP sort of place, just considerably upgraded, but not quite fine dining and merge that a bit with some of the higher-end bar food out there and you'll be closing in. This was one of the few restaurants in Rapid in which I would have happily wanted to dine in.
(4)James A.
Chicken fried steak. Homemade chicken noodle soup. The homemade rosemary bread was killer. Heather was a great server. The hamburgers are HUGE.
(4)Alice H.
Good customer service and the food was pretty tasty. I got the fiesta wrap which needed sour cream or hot sauce with it.
(4)Jason D.
Stopped in there on our first night in Rapid City. It's right up 8th street on the way out of town to Mt. Rushmore. Easy to find. Everyone at the table had a great dinner. I'm a terrible, terrible steak snob and this steak I ordered was delicious. I'd come back.
(4)B. D.
Overall, a solid American-style diner. Borderline 3* or 4*. I frequently dine out at a variety of restaurants, in many cities and states. This is casual, sit-in amercian-style dining, with reasonable entree prices. Good for families or groups. Large dining room, with a bar. Relatively big menu. My fiance dined for lunch on Sun 13Apr2014. They offer wine and craft beer, and a good selection (5+) of burgers, pastas and salads, as well as a few fish options (Canadian Walleye) other American-style dishes (country fried steak, all-day waffles and bacon). I was hoping for a great selection of sandwiches, but they only offered burgers and a reuben, no club, BLT or else. They also have a big desserts menu, with many to-go options. Great service - attentive and friendly. The food was tasty, but nothing to rave about. I ordered a $10 Reuben with sliced beef, sauerkraut, cheese on marble rye with fries. My fiance ordered an $11, huge mushroom&swiss burger on marble rye. It was pretty good. I also enjoyed a pint of Spearfish Brewing Pile O' Dirt Porter, a VERY tasty porter. If i were in the area longer, I would have visited the brewery. Free private-lot parking, which may be limited when busy.
(3)PJ B.
Absolutely the very best restaurant in the Black Hills area or anywhere for that matter in my humble opinion ..... however if you are in the Black Hills and you want to have the BEST breakfast or lunch or dinner .... you want to find the Colonial House!!!!! Their pies are unmatched in this entire country!!!! Never in my life, have I had a better slice of pie than at the Colonial House and often we have taken friends and family in there talking about the pie and everyone has always agreed it's the best pie that they've ever tasted!!!!!!! MY FAVORITE PLACE! I order my holiday pies from here as well. They are more than reasonably priced and no one can make a pie as scrumptious as them!!!!
(5)Jeff C.
Got seated pretty quickly, but sat for quite a while before being served. Nice waitress. Took quite a while to get food. Ribs were so, so...not a lot of flavor. The bbq sauce had strong soy sauce and rice vinegar flovors and tasted more like teriyaki sauce, definitely not what most would consider as bbq sauce. The hot link sausage, fries, and oatmeal cookie were great. My wife said her Asian salad was good (6/10). Host asked how everything was when paying, I told him only about the bbq sauce and he seemed disinterested and defensive about the sauce. This was are second experience there that was just ok.
(3)Craig W.
Buffalo burger is amazing. Definitely get the coconut cream pie with a milk. The Pile O Dirt Porter makes this meal a local dream. If you're lucky you will also get an amazing waitress named Molly. She was the cherry on the top of this local experience.
(4)James B.
Had brunch here and the adobe was fantastic!
(5)Chase S.
Wow. South Dakota has a pastry chef. No really - a fucking amazing pastry chef (named Jeff Latham - spelling?) that is working at the Colonial. For that reason alone you should go there. Once a month Jeff works at night and prepares a special dessert table side - tonight it was Colorado peach flambe a la mode. It was amazing. It was so good I opted to pick up a few other treats he had made; Lemon meringue pie, caramel apple crostadas, and peach galettes. I tasted the pie as soon as I got home and ate the entire piece. Even though I was stuffed from dinner I could not resist because it was just that fucking good. I only snapped a few pics of the latter two since I am saving them for breakfast tomorrow. Jeff you ARE the man. As far as dinner went the bread (also prepared by Jeff) was fantastic. The salad was iceberg lettuce and boxed croutons. My steak was OK and was cooked to my order of mid-rare. They had a great horseradish sauce I doused my fried onions in. The food was quite tasty except for the crappy salad. As far as service went the young blonde girl working the front was super nice. Our server however was a snappy bitch (Nikki I believe), even to the elders dining with us, so -1 star for her shitty attitude and the pathetic excuse for a salad. peace, love, and good booze ~ chase
(4)Kathy W.
We visited here on a recent trip to Rapid City. We always pick our restaurants when traveling based on the online reviews. We prefer local restaurants that are frequented by locals. The Colonial House fits that description. If you were to just drive by this place, you might not stop. It is in an older part of town and is an older restaurant and not flashy. It is a locally-owned 30-year old restaurant that is popular with locals. The interior is strictly 1980's style, but is clean. The service was very good and we got our food very quickly. The menu is diverse with everything from chicken strips and hamburgers to steak, pork chops and Canadian Walleye with various sides. The food was good, but I wouldn't say outstanding. We would definitely eat here again if in the area.
(4)Penelope B.
Fast efficient service and a big breakfast. I cannot remember what I had (in August, really need to get on my Yelping more promptly) but it was good. Eclectic decor that included some amusing signs.
(4)Kailyn G.
Stopped while passing through Rapid City for one night. Found through the Yelp reviews. We got the spinach/artichoke dip as an appetizer. For the entree, I got the buffalo burger (medium rare). My boyfriend got the full rack of ribs. The biggest winner of the night was the bread that they do. It's baked every day and amazing. Warm, soft, perfect. The buffalo burger was good - too large for me and I think I'm not a fan of buffalo in general. The ribs were also good - a bit spicy. Wish we saved room for desert - the pies looked amazing. Since we left at pretty much the end of the night, they sent us home with a caramel roll for free - which was nice and tasty. Environment: Basic family restaurant. We came late, so it wasn't too crowded. I can see it getting pretty loud. Service: Friendly, efficient. And good with the recommendations. 4 stars - I'm tempted to do 3, since I wasn't wow'd by the food. But there weren't a lot of options it seemed in Rapid City - so it gets a 4 based on location.
(4)Gail W.
Breakfast is my favorite "eat out" meal. We picked this place last Sunday while traveling based on the good reviews. Unfortunately, I didn't experience the quality of food or service indicated in those reviews. I ordered the Spinach Quiche which was one of the specials. It comes with nothing else -- no toast, no fruit, no side of any sort. When it was served, it had been sliced in half. I thought the "crust" was made from filo dough, which would have been a nice touch. However, there was no crust. That was the cupcake papers the quiche had been baked in! Folks, quiche is pie--pie needs crust of some sort. The quiche was scalding hot and tough as a rubber ball so it had obviously been put into the microwave to re-heat. I can understand baking quiche ahead of time since it takes a while to bake and I have had quiche at other bakeries and restaurants that has been re-heated in the microwave -- I've never had yellow rubber balls before! My husband had a side of bacon and a side of rye toast. We always order bacon extra crispy. Apparently, this kitchen doesn't understand that terminology. My pet peeve in restaurants is people who order well after us yet get served before us. I could understand if we had ordered something special or complicated, but, as mentioned, all they had to do for our order is fry bacon, make toast, and microwave quiche. The other couple had large plates of hash browns, sausage, and what appeared to be eggs over easy. Certainly something that took longer to cook than our meal. Colonial House seems to have a good reputation and, based on the number of filled tables when we were there, lots of people go there.....but we won't again!
(1)Travis B.
You know, you're wasting precious time reading this review when you could be at the Colonial House eating great food. This is a Mom & Pop restaurant that all the locals go to.
(5)lee c.
Your typical everybody eats there, place has 1970's decorations, Elvis was starring at me, off the main drag kinda joint---pricey---
(5)Molly T.
I love Colonial House. Whyyyyy would you choose Perkins when Colonial House is an option? I would advise this is a bit on the pricey side for breakfast, but you get what you pay for--fresh, fresh ingredients and quick service. We had a group of five and received our menus, food, and refills in great time. I have only ever had breakfast here, but it is worth coming back to again and again throughout the years. On the day in question I just had a classic egg breakfast with toast and potatoes (which are so good, light, almost fluffy?, and not super greasy. Love it) but I have also been known to order pie for breakfast dessert. I love to support local business in my homestate and Colonial House does not disappoint.
(5)Brian M.
Great meal and selection. Good for the family! Great local brew. Hummus was homemade and delicious.
(5)Jayme D.
Only after a 45 minute wait did we receive our overcooked omelette and very average waffle. Thankfully I was contented with a carafe of above average coffee.
(2)Shanlee D.
Yelp steered me very wrong here. My husband, who usually inhales everything without thinking twice couldn't eat more than two bites of his food (trout special) and that is a rare occurrence. My son also wouldn't eat more than a couple bites of mac and cheese saying "it is gross." My food was edible, and my sweet potato fries were delicious, therefore I'm giving it 2 stars but I feel that is generous. The service was mediocre (plates were not cleared promptly, despite my husband not eating anything never asked if food was OK, etc.) Prices were way too high for quality of food and they charge you for every last switch/swap (ie, sweet potato fries $1.50 more than regular fries, etc). Maybe it would be better for breakfast? Don't know but it was a disappointment (and then we had to go find dinner for my husband and kids!) Would not recommend.
(2)David B.
, not gourmet but if you're traveling it's a safe bet, the staff are very nice and accommodating
(3)Kathleen M.
Great food and really friendly, efficient servers. Was in town a few days so ate several meals there. Their American fries especially good. Had the Jack Rabit scrambler and omelet with Buffalo sausage. Both were great!
(5)Pete O.
Great place to get breakfast in Rapid. Homemade daily desserts are excellent would definitely come in here again when I'm in the area. Stop in you will not regret it.
(4)Anita F.
This place is fine for the area, so you won't starve in the foodie wasteland between the Badlands and Devil's Tower. (I hear during the summer season and off-season weekends there are more options in Rapid City.) The salmon pasta was quite tasty but serving size will certainly pack on unnecessary pounds. Order the light version for sure, and then share that one. Still hungry? I wasn't but--credit where credit's due--the deserts looked extraordinary. The salads were rather uninspired. Don't they know veggies can be yummy?
(2)Verne V.
We get to Rapid City once or twice a year and we make it a point to always have our breakfast at Colonial House. We have learned that they have an incredible selection of Danish at the counter as you enter the restaurant. They make these themselves and they taste like great Danish should. I usually get a hot breakfast that is always terrific. They have wonderful hash brown potatoes with plenty of "crispy" edges on them. My wife always orders from that selection under the counter as you enter. She was trying to find a way to buy several to bring back to Seattle with her. Visited June 2012
(5)Caylin S.
The blue walnut salad was excellent - I had it without olives. My husband had a burger which was also very good. The carmel rolls are superb! Very friendly service.
(5)James H.
This place is pretty good. The service is always very responsive. You know it's a popular restaurant... the vast majority of their customers are slightly older (50-70) and range from obese to grossly obese. But they keep coming back so you know you are getting the best bang for your buck. Wish they had a better beer selection though
(3)Chris K.
Wonderful food! Funky atmosphere, but very clean. The menu has lots of choices and everything is homemade - down to the whipped cream. Have had dinner and breakfast and wish we lived closer so e could go every week. Prices are reasonable and service is great. Very large selection of desserts also.
(5)Kristina S.
I remember coming to this place a few years back and it felt inviting. Now when you walk in it's stuffy and pretentious. The food isn't as good as it used to be and prices aren't worth it.
(2)Andy C.
The closest comparison I can make in my experience with dining in locally-owned restaurants is with Sydney's in Munising, Michigan. Colonial House is a multi-generational establishment (check out the photos above the main foyer), and although it won't awe you into obliteration, what they do offer is fair prices, generous portions, friendly service, and decent family fare. Location: 4 out of 5 I guess if you're in Rapid City, this is pretty close. It's south of the downtown area, and there is a free parking lot. Service: 4 out of 5 There are no traditional maitre d's at this place. The waitresses and waiters don't have crisply ironed and lightly starched uniforms (they have matching t-shirts!). There is no pretense, and when you go to the bathroom, they do not fold your napkin up for you and fold it into the shape of a swan. I had the experience of being served by a very new waitress. It might have been her second day there. She didn't know the specials. She didn't know the beers. When asked about various specials, she replied to almost every question with, "It's very popular." When I asked for an alternative to the large portion of prime rib, she pointed to an equally large portion of a different steak. But you know what? In time she'll learn the exact beers they have on tap, and which beers are local. In time she'll taste all the items on the menu and be able to describe them. But what she already knew what to do well was to offer me exemplary customer service. She was quick to refill my water, she was keen on noticing when I was done with certain dishes, and bless her heart - she double checked with me on my food order to make sure she hadn't made a mistake. Quality of Food: 4 out of 5 I actually have no qualms at all with what I was served. The 'naked' wings were a new experience to me, but after I thought about it, naked wings actually make the most sense. And after I thought about it some more, it dawned on me that the only separation between a place like Buffalo Wild Wings and Colonial House when it comes to wings is that Buffalo Wild Wings spins the sauce right before service, and at Colonial House, you did the wings in sauce to your taste. For my entrée, I had the fried chicken breast, which I thought was absolutely fantastic. It was lightly breaded, tender on the inside, and just the right amount of crisp on the outside. I had mashed potatoes as my side, and get this - they have TWO types of gravy (chicken or beef). I also had some cheddar beer soup, and although it wasn't the most spectacular of the genre, it was tasty and it would be something that if offered again, I wouldn't hesitate to consume. The real surprise of the evening came from their freshly baked pizza bread. It was almost like a hybrid calzone/pizza puff/pastry but oh my goodness - the bread part was soft and warm, the outside was crispy but not overly so like a baguette, and the interspersed spicy sausage, sauce, and pepperoni tantalized my taste buds. THAT IS A BINGO! Selection of Food Items: 4 out of 5 Actually quite a prolific selection. I realize I got one soup, and two different variations of chicken, but they also offered fish, and as others have mentioned - buffalo and ribs! Sandwiches were also on the menu, and being a local establishment - one can only conjecture that the house prime rib, offered only on Saturdays, would be a winner. Décor: 3 out of 5 It's a family restaurant with older furniture. It's comfortable and spacious. I don't recall there being anything entertaining on the walls, but I don't recall there being anything obnoxious either. Price: 4 out of 5 Actually on the cheaper side, given the portion sizes of the food that you receive. I'm sure there are places that are cheaper, but I'm also certain there are places that are much more expensive. Beers are 4 dollars a pint for the microbrews, and 2.50 or so for macro domestics. Overall: 4 out of 5 A charming family run restaurant that is family friendly. They may not knock your socks off, but I was treated very well, and I have no reservations with recommending this establishment to people who are traveling to the Rapid City area.
(4)Robert M.
there is nothing special about this place, but the staff is very friendly, the service is good, the food is good (nothing fancy) and a lot of locals dine here. the prices, for the most part, are in line with "family restaurants". i ate there 2 nights waitress first night made a plate of 4/5 ounce (cooked) grillled chicken breast and mushroom risoto and salad. with two beers came to $16.00 and was very good. next night, soup instead of salad and, again, $16. can't beat that. easy to get to, easy parking. try it! happy trails
(4)Jackie H.
Well not sure if we ordered the wrong things or what but I thought the food was average. Good but nothing to rave about. I had the fried chicken breast with mashed potatoes and gravy...enjoyable. Then I got a salad.... very simple. The bread was my favorite part, yummm. Keep in mind I am a bread lover. My boyfriend got a chocolate malt which didn't come out until after the meals (ordered with the drinks) and the Cajun chicken penne pasta. He ate it all but wouldn't ever order it again. The waiter was very unmotivated but might have just been having an off day. This may be one of the top restaurants in Rapid City but who knows what that means. Keep your expectations at the average level and you will be satisfied. The desserts did look yummy.
(3)Joshua C.
It's so nice to find a quality restaurant in a tourist town! Everything, from appetizer to desert, was very good! I got a buffalo burger and I was glad that they actually could cook it correctly! The best part is the dessert, which was wonderful. We had the Oregon pie and every bite was great! Even the crust was good (and you could tell it was made from scratch, not store bought). We felt the service was good and would say that this is definitely a place to seek out if you're out visiting Mount Rushmore or the Badlands.
(4)Ben K.
Stopped here on a whim on a long 5 day road trip. The short story is the friend I was traveling with was getting cranky and he needed to be fed. Ordered the buffalo burger which was the best buffalo burger I've had to date. Apparently the bison is from a local farm and it shows.
(5)Joe H.
This place had the really great kind of diner food that I was really yearning for. I had lunch there twice and breakfast on a third day. I had a sandwich, pancakes with sausage, and an open-faced turkey platter that were all wonderful. The service was also fantastic - one of those places that a refill for your drink arrives the second you take the last sip. I only wish that I saved room for the gorgeous desserts I passed on the way in and out. I don't have much funny or enlightening to add beyond that, but I really enjoyed it.
(5)Natalie M.
Great local spot for breakfast! We both loved our food, and the service was both friendly and fast.
(5)Hogs F.
Great meal all around. Huge buffalo burger was very tasty. We also went to breakfast here and the pastries were awesome.
(5)Louis C.
Was looking for a decent breakfast place in Rapid City and came across Colonial House. We were so glad we did! As you first walk in, it is hard to miss the display of ginormous pastries in the display case. Giant cheese danishes, cinnamon rolls, and apple crostadas galore. We treated ourselves to one of each as an appetizer. (Is it proper to have an appetizer at breakfast?) I am not a fan of apple "anything" but the crostada was excellent. Flaky and flavorful crust with just enough spice in the apples. I ordered the biscuits and gravy and was more than satisfied by not only the portion but taste as well. The biscuits were buttery and flaky and the sausage gravy was creamy and rich. It's not Denny's cheap, but the portions and quality of food made our breakfast a great value! Good selection and variety and when you order a juice, they bring it to you in a large glass, not a tall shot glass like some other establishments. The only thing negative I have to say is that they weren't open for dinner on Sunday night. Because we were wanting to go back for dinner which I am sure would have been just as spectacular! Don't deny your taste buds of the Colonial House next time you are in Rapid City!
(4)Whitney P.
I would give this 3.5 if I could. We stopped here for lunch, good restaurant selections seem slim in rapid city. This didn't blow us away but it was still good. Service was very good. The desserts looked like a 5 but we didn't get any. Buffalo burger was average may a 3, Walnut blue salad was good, I'd rate it 4, French dip roast beef sandwich was very good with avacado spread we'd give it 5, halibut was ok, we'd rate it 3. Seems that some of the items are excellent if you order the right thing.
(3)Harry E.
Good All-American diner. Nothing fancy; but more than decent meals are served here. Prices are reasonable. Portions are generous and service is friendly and fast. I recommend eating here for a good place to eat when visiting the Mt. Rushmore National Memorial area.
(4)Judith C.
We had supper and the service and food was excellent. The portions were just right and the steak I had was cooked just like I like it. There food is like home cooking and they don't serve to large portions.They have there own pastry chief who makes everything each morning for the day. If you like good home style cooking you will enjoy eatting a meal here.
(5)Jim B.
My wife sometimes likes to give me a hard time over being so connected via Social Media as I am. However, she was quite grateful that I had my blackberry with me during our recent vacation to Custer State Park... We tried the Colonial House based solely on the quality of it's Yelp recommendations. We not only tried it once, we tried it twice, even three times! Our two dinners and one breakfast meal were all very delicious and we came away satisfied each time. The food was well prepared and quite tasty, and the wait staff was very friendly, even recognizing that we had returned for a second night and thanking us for coming back. If you are vacationing in western South Dakota I would not hesitate to tell you to come here!
(4)Amber C.
Impeccable customer service; you walk in the door and every single person smiles at you and makes you feel welcome. Fantastic food; everything my table had was delicious and we all ordered something different, so we could share. I went with the waitresses recommendation of the Log Cabin. Yum! Affordable; for what the quality was compared to the likes of Perkins, I would go to this place hand over fist. Crazy cheap and totally worth-while.
(5)K. P.
Nothing fancy, but good food and service. I had the basic two eggs meal (scrambled eggs are made with real eggs, not some substitute) and my husband and Mom had corned beef hash and eggs, which they enjoyed. With coffee, meal came to $35, which is not out of the ordinary.
(4)Jacob H.
Great meal! Everyone ordered buffalo burgers or something similar. The burgers were great, one person got the double bacon cheeseburger, and was only capable of eating half. Ah, America. The buffalo was great, the buffalo dish with smothered onions and mushrooms I heard was alright, they wished they had the burger. Also, killer fries/sweet potato fries, and the iced tea was really good! I rarely order it.
(5)Murray L.
Giving one star because the food I have had from my numerous visits in the past has been good. BUT...and this is HUGE...I cannot tolerate the way another table was treated on Monday, September 17, 2012. My wife and I stopped in that night to have dinner about 8pm and sat in our usual booth in the bar...our waiter literally slapped down our drink coasters and then asked in a huff what we wanted to drink...and hastily rushed us through our order..like we were bothering him and left without a word. Rude, but WHATEVER, i get it that sometimes a server has a bad night, so I let it go. BUT, there was a single mother and her young son at another table who had been there since we sat down. Everyone ignored them and the server who was so "helpful" with us asked her harshly if she just sat down...and then brushed past her and never spoke to her again, nor did anyone else...after our rude/huffy server spoke to her she and her son looked over at us and I gave her an "i'm sorry" kind of look...and she was upset...and her son said "geez, I'm just a kid that got off footbal practice"...so, I sat and waited for our food....but then it hit me..i DID NOT want to support a business that allowed their customers to be treated like this. So, I went up to the front to leave and speak with the manager. I spoke to a Max and he listened with a very blank expression and glibly asked what "i wanted him to do?" and that "He wasn't aware of this.." both of which were terrible responses from a manager on a not busy night (or any night). I simply told him our server was a jerk, and that I would not support a business that allowed their employees to treat customers like that. ALL of this stated, Colonial House will not suffer from this review as they are an institution in Rapid City and have more than enough regulars to fill my family's void, but they will not have my business any longer.
(1)Bruce C.
Best breakfast in Rapid City. If you're from out of town, don't let the modest exterior and decor fool you. Family owned and excellent service.
(5)Rachel A.
Nothing super fancy, but for an alternative to a chain like Applebee's or for a family-friendly restaurant that is like if Perkins was local and made food from scratch, it's fantastic. The service is always some of the best in the area, and the desserts are made fresh daily by a trained pastry chef. Not a huge fan of the breakfast, but for lunch or dinner, always a great option - the fish is my favorite!!
(5)Jeff C.
My wife and I have been regulars for years, it is now a family favorite with our kids bringing their kids. This is another of my top five picks for Rapid City. The best soup and desserts in town. My top pick for good down home American food. The spitfire penne pasta is a family favorite.
(5)Michael W.
We've eaten there twice in the past two weeks. By far the best restaurant in Rapid City. AWESOME Food, excellent prices, spectacular service. Great coffee!!!
(5)Marty H.
This is a great place to take a family. We stopped off for lunch on the way back to Custer. Their menu is a good blend of standard American fare. Think of a nice, local Perkins only with better food. We also liked that they had 'lighter portion' options for several of their dishes. Service was friendly and attentive. They brought out our food fairly quickly. As for what we ordered, my wife had a blue walnut salad that was really tasty. The grilled salmon on top was slightly overdone but was still good. I ordered the sonic ranchero wrap and it was outstanding. Nice balance of fresh vegetables, chicken and 'spicy' ranch dressing. The menu made it sound as if it would be spicy but my children could have eaten it. I won't hold it against them as it was still delicious. Kids ordered fried shrimp and a cheeseburger. The sweet potato fries were a nice change and the cheeseburger was really well done. We decided to try out their desserts. They had quite a selection, especially in the pie department. The best one we had was the coconut cream pie. The crusts were good but nothing amazing. That's true of the other desserts, no master pieces here but well made. It was a perfect lunch spot and I highly recommend it for a quick bite to eat while on the road.
(4)Brenda C.
We spent 4 days in Rapid City visiting all the local sites. Looking for a comfort food restaurant our last night we found Colonial House listed in Yelp as a good one to try. So off we went to try our luck. When we arrived we were greeted by a very nice hostess who asked us to wait just a few minutes so they could finish clearing off some tables. Why we waited we took the time to browse the many things they have in the lobby for sale as well as the antiques on display. I couldn't resist purchasing a shaker bottle of BBQ rub for my Hubby to try on his next grilling meat. It did not take long for them to show us to our table. Our waiter soon arrived to take our drink order. Yes, they have a full bar so alcohol is readily available. I might add that the mixed drinks were served in a water glass which I really enjoyed and the price was very reasonable! I ordered liver and onions since Hubby doesn't like it I don"t fix it at home. Hubby and our cousin both ordered the flatiron steak. We were all impressed by quality of the food. My liver was prepared to perfection which is hard to find in a restaurant. Hubby and Cousin were very pleased with the tenderness and taste of their steaks. I also tried their homemade almond pie which was very tasty and not too sweet. This is a restaurant that I would recommend to anyone looking for homemade food at a reasonable price.
(5)Patick D.
This is a family run restaurant. We visited it based on Yelp ratings and was not disappointed. I had the chicken fried steak which was real steak, pounded and hand breaded and then fried on a grill, not deep fried. It was tender and delicious. We also had pasta which was a very generous helping. Three generations of Besharas are involved with this establishment which is celebrating 30 years in business. The apple pie was great and we also had some wings which were very crispy. The owner, Kevin Beshara was on hand and I complimented him on his restaurant. He as circulating and greeting guests. As a traveler from California, we appreciated this local fare with a very broad menu.
(5)Aretae r.
Pretty good breakfast. Large portions. I had biscuits and gravy, and it was quite tasty...especially with the sausage. I'm happy to have stopped here rather than dennys/perkins/etc.
(4)BL R.
After landing at the Rapid City Airport, we asked for a referral for good eats and were directed to Colonial House. Place was really busy, but we were seated quickly. I ordered a Buffalo burger and hubbie got the special, "California Wrap". I gotta say, best Buffalo burger I've ever had! Really good flavor. There were some pickles on the side that looked and tasted homemade. Really good. Hubbie really enjoyed his wrap; good flavor and fresh. Got a slice of the chocolate cream pie. Man of man ~ it was excellent! Light, yummy and topped with wonderful whipped cream. I wasn't going to help him eat it because I was pretty full from the burger, but after taking a taste, I couldn't stop. I was surprised hubbie didn't lick the plate, but he sure was thorough in cleaning every bit of it up. Great food. Thinging of making another trip before heading home.
(5)AC S.
One of the best restauants in Rapid. It has the greatest burgers, our favorites being the canjun and veggie burgers. The desserts are even better.
(5)Sara G.
I got my order to go - the walnut and blue salad. The salad was ok, the salmon over-cooked, and the raspberry "vinaigrette" was more like raspberry syrup. Way too sweet and thick. The rest was good though, especially dessert. Staff up front was friendly.
(2)Kathy L.
I love eating the Colonial House. it is my favorite place in Rapid City. The Beshara family always has welcome arms and the the best pie in the area.
(5)ann s.
The husband & I live fulltime in our RV and spend all our time traveling the country. We stopped off at CH last year on a visit through this area and remembering how good it was decided to go back today. We were, once again, not disappointed. We arrived right at the lunch hour, were greeted and seated within a few minutes. The husband declared his french dip sandwich the best he has ever had. He is also very fussy about his french fries, they must be 'well done' and they were prepared perfectly. My blue walnut salad was excellent and just the right size. This is a Mom & Pop kind of place, not a chain and it is definately a place that the locals go. Fortunately we are in Rapid City for a few more days which will give us time to visit again for what should be another excellent meal.
(4)Sharon N.
The French Toastie is the best French toast you'll ever have. A drizzle of cream cheese and chokecherry syrup! It is fantastic.
(5)D L.
Ate here during road trip going back to Chicago from the black hills. Found it on Yelp while we were at the dinosaur park (nice road trip stop for 30 minutes-FYI) and we enjoyed it. Its a simple family place, huge menu with mostly typical, but some surprising options. The Asian chicken wrap was awesome. I eat a lot if wraps and it was one of the best. My wife liked her burger and the kids ate all of their chicken strips. If I'm back in rapid city i'll be eating here. Very large doubt you'll ever wait. My only regret was not having any pie. We did take some of the very expensive home made candy on the way out, was good, but way over priced. Giving it 5 stars because good food was a challenge on this road trip.
(5)Liz B.
Service was amazing. The food was bland. We started with the hummus platter and it was a rip off. The hummus was the worst I've ever had in my life. The ribs I ordered where tough and overcooked. The salad was horrible and old. My husband had the buffalo. The meat was great but the fact that it was swimming in a nasty gravy sauce killed the great buffalo meat if that is what is really was.
(2)Dani E.
Shortly after I posted my review, I was contacted by the owner, Kevin Beshara. He extended a personal invitation to my husband and I, asking us to come back to the restaurant and meet his family, and have another meal, also mentioning that there has been a change in staff. While I did not take him up on the offer, I felt I had to add another star just for the invitation.
(3)Tony P.
As always I hate writing bad reviews for independents. In this situation the great reviews must be from people that just don't get out much. The server (in our case) was totally unable to explain the wine list or even make the food sound exciting. We resorted to the burgers as we did not want to get up and leave. Again I think our better option would have been to leave. The place is in desperate need of an update with the staff, décor and menu. The burgers were preformed and not hand pressed. There are other options in town for the same price but much better in quality. The décor feels like something from the 60s.
(2)NP G.
Buffalo Steak and burgers (and much more). Cool ambiance inside. (Attracts the locals, so that speaks volumes.) I had a Bloody Mary cocktail and it was served with the full course of garnishes. Huge desserts. Moriah was an absolutely excellent server!!!
(5)Rachel W.
Great local eatery. Friendly servers (big up Michelle!) serving awesome tasty home-cooked food. One very happy bunny.
(4)A A.
We went here for our son's birthday while vacationing and had a fabulous experience. The waitstaff was friendly and prompt and the atmosphere homey. Our meal started off with their homemade dill/onion and Rosemary/salt breads, absolutely delicious! The salad and soup were pretty standard, but the entree's were amazing! My husband got the ribs and sausage. The meat was so tender it fell off the bones and the sausage was a gigantic link that was sweet on the outside and spicy inside. Others at our table had perfectly cooked steaks, my son had the buffalo steak that was perfectly seasoned and cooked. My girls had pasta, one had Pandora's pasta that was heavenly and my youngest had a kid's meal with spaghetti. The kid's meal was a hearty portion. She got hot chocolate with her meal, I have to say that was the most decadent hot chocolate. I would definitely recommend Colonial House for a delicious meal!
(5)Dev R.
Reminds me of a Cracker Barrel...it had great Yelp reviews when I looked for a breakfast joint. Parking was packed, with folk pouring out of the doors waiting, so I figured that was a good sign. I put my name in for a 20-minute wait. The waiting room is small, but it was HOT, so best to be in my car, cooling. But I remember this from a time ago, the buzzer doesn't work in the car. Sigh. I'll go stand and wait. Approximately 15 minutes later, I was seated in a place where I could people-watch. : ) They gave me a dinner menu, but I'd come for breakfast. Could I help it if I was waiting? They honored by request for breakfast and I had the country fried steak and eggs. Delish! While everything was hot, everything was good. Country fried steak could have been more tender, but it was good. Sausage gravy was good until it congealed. Over medium eggs were good. Potatoes ended up being more like potato chips. But alas, I was full. i really wanted to try the bacon, and try a dessert, but I was full. I watched folk for a while. The bar that seats 4 folk is awfully cozy. The wares near the register didn't get touched much, but seems like lots of folk ordered pastries to go. I was still too full for that. But that salted caramel hit the last spot!
(4)Erez R.
Gets 4 stars mainly because of the deserts. We liked the buffalo burger and flat iron steak. Both were reasonably good. The Pandora Pasta was really really good. Totally recommended. The best part of this restaurant were the deserts. The pies are awesome! Almond cream highly recommended. Overall a friendly environment and staff. Came out full and very happy!
(4)Larry H.
OK, let's be clear. I am a CFS snob. Be that as it may, a "CFS" that is cooked on a griddle is NOT a chicken-fried steak. It is a griddled steak. Doesn't roll off the tongue like CFS, and doesn't taste like it, either. A CFS should be "sliced thin and fried hard," as Will Rogers directed. The "CFS" here is neither of those; it is the usual mascerated piece of neck meat commonly passed off as steak, and though it appeared to have been breaded on the spot rather than at a factory, it was not improved by griddling. On a scale of 1 to 10, I rate it a 3.5.
(1)Michael S.
We were told this would be a good place to go. It was .... okay. I had the Bison ribeye, ordered medium rare. I always ask the server what does that mean. Medium rare is, pink but not fleshy. The waitress avered the scale. It came out brown, cooked medium well, through and through. It still had some soul left in it and was not dry so I ate it anyway. I don't send steaks back if they are still edible. I just prefer medium rare to medium well. My kid got the Bunkhouse burger. It is a very large burger and has to be eaten with a fork and knife as one really can't hold it as a burger. He removed one patty and ate it as a patty. The waitress was nice enough, but you could tell she would rather be somewhere else. I usually leave an 18 - 20 % tip. I left you a bit under 15% because you really didn't want to engage us more than the minimal needed to take the order. As a result, we felt compelled not to really ask questions about the menu. We were out of town and we'll never know if we got the best experience. We were full so we passed on deserts. An update. The owner contacted me. An owner that cares?!? I would absolutely go back to this establishment based on that alone. A real class act the owner is. If I ever get back to Rapid City, I'll give the colonial house another try. BTW, I missed one salient fact. Their beer is really good. :-)
(3)Ana A.
Awsome pancakes!!! We had a delicious breakfast in this old-fashion style dinner. Kind service, 100% American style. Pastries and cookies looked tasty too but I couldn't eat anything else after the pancakes :-P
(5)Wei L.
Enjoyed my meal. First time having buffalo and it wasnt bad. That bread was really good! They said they been making the chicken noodle soup for 35 years.
(4)Charissa B.
Love their Carmel rolls! We frequent this place quite often for breakfast and lunch. Overall their service is quick and food tastes great. My favorite is the almond cream pie!
(4)Jacob J.
We did not like this place at all. It is a dive, the food was not very good, but the service was nice. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger and fries. The fries tasted like old fryer oil, the bacon was thick but limp, and the burger was very dry. What really was disappointing though were the prices. It was very over priced. I will not return and would not encourage anyone else to eat here. We went here because of the good reviews...don't be deceived. For what you are going to pay, there are tons of better choices that are quality.
(2)Beth E.
Okay if you are hungry. There was only a light coating of sausage gravy over my oversized biscuit. Trying to get the attention of a waitstaff person to request more gravy took close to 10 minutes. Once the request was made, a server did bring more quickly.
(3)Tim B.
If you are on the road to Mt. Rushmore, Custer Park, or any of the other surrounding attractions, and do not want to stop off at a tourist-oriented roach, the Colonial House Restaurant is a perfectly acceptable not-overpriced option. Their burgers are juicy, the lemonade and tea perfectly sweet, and the super cookie is a, um, super choice as a dessert item. Additionally, their walls are covered with movie action figures, creating a good side topic of conversation for whoever you happen to be enjoying the meal with. I would have two ideas for improvement: 1) While the restaurant seems to be well known amongst the locals, it wouldn't hurt to have better signage - the restaurant is in a bit of a strip mall and is in the same area as a Subway, a chain so toolish that they deem it necessary to have an all rights reserved insignia on their Google Maps icon. Colonial House's sign is in a dark blue, which makes it a bit difficult to read from a distance. 2) Given the extensive presence of movie icons, the waiters should know something about them, or know who to ask if they don't know. Neither happened during our visit.
(4)Edwin H.
A best kept secret in rapid city. There is summertime construction right now but don't let that discourage you. The servings are huge. Food is very comforting.
(5)Chris G.
The only thing that is good here is the French toast, the breakfast potato's were bland and soggy, bacon was burnt, pancakes were hard. Avoid this place.
(1)opqr s.
Stopped by here because looking for buffalo. Turned out to be a great experience. Hali was our server and she was great! The food was delicious. We had the buffalo burger with sweet potato fries and buffalo rib eye. Would definitely return when back in town.
(5)Scott S.
Everything is yummy . Flat iron steak is amazing and cooked perfect the mashed potatoes are the bomb . You can never go wrong eating here
(5)Richard J.
Nice waitress, very pleasant and knowledgable. Food was OK, as ordered. We saw the beers on tap and selected the sampler which was 3 glasses of 2/3 oz of each. We were so upset about the quantity and the price we passed on ordering any of them! We picked this because of the Yelp and TripAdvisor reviews. I don't see why the ratings were so high. This is just an ordinary eatery. The food was OK. Our server was better than most.
(2)Jessi D.
Love the colonial house it never disappoints. The wait staff is wonderful and the food is amazing! Can't go wrong with the Carmel but French toast....unless you have a gluten allergy!
(5)Bryan G.
Fast, friendly service. Good family friendly environment with good food. Sonic Wrap was great, Caesar salad was fresh.
(4)Beverly H.
First off, thanks for serving quinoa as a wheat substitute and being open to me choosing it instead of pasta! Open-minded! One server was friendly, the other wasn't, but we were on our laptops at breakfast. That makes us the rude ones. The food was excellent and the portions large. I took leftovers and they fed me 2 meals each! I had the ribs for dinner and eggs/bacon for breakfast. The home fries are tasty! The wifi signal is great. The local senior citizens love this spot! It's in the best western parking lot, but not a hotel restaurant.
(5)T B.
This place is a diamond in the rough! The food is delicious and the desserts are to die for! Save space because you won't want to miss their made in house pies, etc! Their special of the day was the Indian Taco; wish they'd add it to the permanent menu!
(5)Sandee W.
This place is overall ok for Breakfast, I know my they are known for their Carmel or CInnamon Roll which maybe next time that would be something to try, but I think for lunch its not fantastic in all means... I decided to have one of their homecooked soup and salad with bread... Which I figured wow mmm Chicken Noodle Soup I am sure going to be fantastic since its a local diner and homecoocked, it came out looking like a pile of Slop... my salad well just a sald but can definately tell came from a bag with some added vegetables (maybe) and the bread well I can not complian there definately was homecooked probably best part of whole meal.. The Soup tho when asked the servere why does this look so yellow she told me it was Yellow Food Dye...I mean come on why do you need to put that in your Soup to make it look like that and plus when has Dye ever been nutritous or pleasing, i think only time is Easter when you Dye Eggs and even then we dont eat the shells we peal that off, so come on really.. Just a big turn off....
(3)Wendy C.
We were in town for one night and found this place based on all the great yelp reviews. Let me tell you, everything we had off their breakfast menu was fabulous! I had eggs Benedict. My friends had a waffle and country fried steak... Both wonderful. But the most amazing thing we had was a caramel apple crostata with a crust that was straight from heaven! We tried to order more to take home and they ran out...very sad! But if I'm ever in Rapid City again...this is where I will go for breakfast!
(5)Justin S.
Colonial House is super close to the Best Western where we were staying, plus the clerks at the hotel recommended it for breakfast, so we stopped by twice during our stay in Rapid City. Two Best Western clerks gleefully exclaimed (on two separate occasions) that Colonial House is "rated #1 in the Black Hills," so how could we not try it!? The breakfast menu presents fairly standard diner-like offering of options including omelets and egg dishes, sweet dishes (pancakes, French toast, etc.), and all that good stuff. I had a "farmers market omelet" on one visit which was very good - Large and filled with a variety of sautéed vegetables and served in a skillet with a big portion of their "American fries" (I thought this was some kind of take on Freedom fries), which are basically crispy, delicious hash browns. They also have marble rye as a toast option which is nice and in keeping with the grandma-like atmosphere here. The restaurant itself is large and has a kind of "grandma's living room" décor thing going on. They also have some very attractive looking pastries next to the cashier's counter, though I didn't get to try them. For us, this served a great purpose since we could fall out of our hotel into it for breakfast, but Colonial House is a great diner option for anyone right in Rapid City.
(4)Scott S.
When we walked into the place, we knew we made the right choice as the locals outnumbered the tourists. I was hesitate to come here with the recent reviews but glad we came here for dinner. Based on tips from folks coming here for 30 years, I tried the buffalo ribeye and was not disappointed. The clam chowder was better than some I have had in San Francisco or Boston (shock)! Service was very good and she made sure our steaks were cooked to order when she dropped them off. My wife had the chicken fried steak and was the best she ever had. It was very tender and tasty, not chewy like most. Oh.........save room for dessert as that was the best part of the meal. Or get a 4x4 bar to go and enjoy it later!
(5)Emma B.
Food was okay. We ordered the carrot cake and that was awesome. We ordered the bread pudding too, but it came out cold and so we sent it back. I think this place is good to go for desserts..but the entrees were just so-so.
(3)Michelle G.
Oh my goodness! The Danishes are so beautiful and fresh! Prices on other meals were a little high but all was tasty. Next time I would come back just for the baked goodies
(4)Maria S.
The menu was huge but I thought a bit random. Our dinners were not very good. Would not recommend.
(1)Denise C.
Great local place to have a meal. The bread they bring before your meal is amazing. Our waitress was very nice and accommodating. The taco salad was yummy and hit the spot on a warm day and my dining companion's burger and fries were very good.
(5)Maria A.
Excellent! This place is where the locals go. We got there for the lunch rush, and we did not have to wait at all. Our order was taken promptly and our food came out fast. Great service! The buffalo burgers were AWESOME, and all of their soups are homemade and delicious.
(5)Al B.
Second time eating here. My wife had the smothered buffalo steak. The meat was top notch and the brown gravy is the best we have ever tasted. The Cajun spices finish it perfectly without making it hot at all. We both agreed it is one of the best meals we have ever enjoyed.
(5)Kyle B.
There is only one word to describe this place and that is amazing! My family and I visited this restaurant for lunch and got a table near the bar. We ordered some drinks which were incredible, the bartender was very flattered and provided good, welcomed conversation with us. Our waiter was great and experienced, he knew the menu very well along with the mixed drinks that the bartender made. We were so impressed with the service, food and drinks that we returned later that night with even more people and surprisingly got the same waiter! We had 8 people with us and our waiter brought them all out at once on one tray. Once again the cooks did not disappoint with their extraordinary food. We all had an amazing time here.
(5)AJ D.
The reviews are spot on for this place, great food and great service. I had the spitfire chicken pasta which was incredible.. I didn't try any of their deserts but they all looked super tasty.. If you're an out-of-town we like myself, give this place a go!
(4)David J.
Food was uneven, service was okay. Hummus was missing tahini, garlic and lemon, ie was mashed chick peas. Fish sandwhich, buffalo burger, and onion rings were good. French fries were limp. Deserts looked delicious, but we did not try.
(3)Adrienne G.
Decent breakfast to start our holiday weekend.....in the fog Advised their frenchie was dry ( & I ONLY indulge in the custardy French Toast vareties), I chose the Wheatberry Porridge. Supposed to come w/ dried cranberries, brown sugar & cream Well turns out the cranberries & sugar were cooked IN the porridge. While I didn't mind so much the cranberries being in there already, it was way too much sugar I was expecting everything on the side like one usually sees w/ oatmeal but this was not the case. Result? Made for a very sweet breakfast & I had been hoping for something healthier. BF had the standard eggs, hashbrowns & toast - all declared yummy & Buddy #1 stole more than a few of those yummy potatoes Buddy #1 had Pancakes w/ bananas & they were light, fluffy & a huge portion - liked them okay but not the best we've ever had Coffee....standard OJ...not fresh squeezed (we asked) This seems to be a regular spot for many of the locals. We were sitting behind this table where apparently 1 of the tablemates worked remotely w/ someone from the Bay Area. They spent that majority of our time there making fun of the "granola" way this Bay Area person spoke & about SF in general Word to the wise: Be sure to love your neighbor & keep your snarky comments to yourself. The very people you're mocking may just be the very people representing at the next table
(3)Kate W.
The best meal I have had at a restaurant in a long time! We had the pasta. My daughter and I split the steak and bacon pasta. We couldn't eat it all! My husband had the salmon florentine pasta. 5 stars for both dishes!!! The service was wonderful. The waitress chatted with us about the area and things to do while we r visiting!
(5)Samuel K.
Pretty hip place to be in rapid city. Lots of choices and great atmosphere. Great beer selection as well. Our waitress was pretty nice. Food was pretty good. The fried pickles were really good. I had the meatloaf and our party also had the salmon, steak salad, and filet mignon. Only reason why I'm not giving 5 stars is because they messed up on the temperature of the steak. We didnt want to make a fuss about it. The steak was supposed to be medium but came out well. Apricot beer was delicious! Try it out
(4)David J.
Do not let the road construction keep you away. Great food at a decent price. I hold back one star because their wine selection is not so good.
(4)Nancy B.
Best food and restaurant service in three days- Brian is an awesome server. The roast beef was delicious. Already recommended it to my parents.
(5)Byron S.
Great breakfast. I had the eggs and buffalo sausage. Prepared well and the sausage was really good.
(5)Anika B.
Colonial House is great! It was recommended to me in a very unusual way - I purchased an item for my daughter on ebay. The seller was from Rapid City and I told her we'd be at Mt. Rushmore in a few weeks, could she recommend a good, local, non-chain restaurant. She recommended Colonial House and the rest is history. We all had the Chicken Fried Steak (we had never had this dish before in our lives!) and it was delicious! Service was friendly and attentive and the decor was fun. One more thing, I was pleasantly surprised that Borscht was the soup of the day! I make this for my family often because I can't buy it freshly made anywhere around here unless I drive up to Skokie. The Borscht was delicious and I just had to ask the waitress how it was that they were serving this wonderful Russian soup in Rapid City!
(5)D. W.
Frankly, this gets a 5-star rating were it not for a couple hiccups. The first (and this is endemic to Rapid, evidently) was that I called in an order for pickup, drove to the other side of town to check out what was supposed to be a marvelous liquor store (not as much as hoped for), then drove back through construction, arriving a bit later than they said it would be ready and promptly waited another 10 minutes. They were also out of a few of the dessert items, which, by itself, would not weigh very heavily, but given the issue of timeliness... As to the food...checking around the various "list" site, this one always shows up in the Top Ten, usually the Top 5. I think another "trip" site has given it an award of some kind. Those lists are sometimes meaningless, such as in the case of another Rapid restaurant I will review later, but in this case, it was dead on. The food was spectacular, at least in terms of the entree's and sides. If you haven't had a buffalo burger, you'll be hard-pressed to do better than here. The fries were outstanding. The dessert items were...I'll go with being charitable and say "underwhelming." The Oregon berry pie I thought was pretty good but my wife hated and the sour cream and raisin pie was completely not what I had in mind. Still, all told, next trip up there, I will unquestionably be hitting this again. I never saw the parking lot less than full (again, sometimes that doesn't always matter -- in this case it does) and the restaurant's history (on their website) speaks for itself. To compare to other restaurant types, in terms of both decor and food, think of a Perkins/Embers/Village Inn/IHOP sort of place, just considerably upgraded, but not quite fine dining and merge that a bit with some of the higher-end bar food out there and you'll be closing in. This was one of the few restaurants in Rapid in which I would have happily wanted to dine in.
(4)James A.
Chicken fried steak. Homemade chicken noodle soup. The homemade rosemary bread was killer. Heather was a great server. The hamburgers are HUGE.
(4)Alice H.
Good customer service and the food was pretty tasty. I got the fiesta wrap which needed sour cream or hot sauce with it.
(4)Jason D.
Stopped in there on our first night in Rapid City. It's right up 8th street on the way out of town to Mt. Rushmore. Easy to find. Everyone at the table had a great dinner. I'm a terrible, terrible steak snob and this steak I ordered was delicious. I'd come back.
(4)B. D.
Overall, a solid American-style diner. Borderline 3* or 4*. I frequently dine out at a variety of restaurants, in many cities and states. This is casual, sit-in amercian-style dining, with reasonable entree prices. Good for families or groups. Large dining room, with a bar. Relatively big menu. My fiance dined for lunch on Sun 13Apr2014. They offer wine and craft beer, and a good selection (5+) of burgers, pastas and salads, as well as a few fish options (Canadian Walleye) other American-style dishes (country fried steak, all-day waffles and bacon). I was hoping for a great selection of sandwiches, but they only offered burgers and a reuben, no club, BLT or else. They also have a big desserts menu, with many to-go options. Great service - attentive and friendly. The food was tasty, but nothing to rave about. I ordered a $10 Reuben with sliced beef, sauerkraut, cheese on marble rye with fries. My fiance ordered an $11, huge mushroom&swiss burger on marble rye. It was pretty good. I also enjoyed a pint of Spearfish Brewing Pile O' Dirt Porter, a VERY tasty porter. If i were in the area longer, I would have visited the brewery. Free private-lot parking, which may be limited when busy.
(3)PJ B.
Absolutely the very best restaurant in the Black Hills area or anywhere for that matter in my humble opinion ..... however if you are in the Black Hills and you want to have the BEST breakfast or lunch or dinner .... you want to find the Colonial House!!!!! Their pies are unmatched in this entire country!!!! Never in my life, have I had a better slice of pie than at the Colonial House and often we have taken friends and family in there talking about the pie and everyone has always agreed it's the best pie that they've ever tasted!!!!!!! MY FAVORITE PLACE! I order my holiday pies from here as well. They are more than reasonably priced and no one can make a pie as scrumptious as them!!!!
(5)Jeff C.
Got seated pretty quickly, but sat for quite a while before being served. Nice waitress. Took quite a while to get food. Ribs were so, so...not a lot of flavor. The bbq sauce had strong soy sauce and rice vinegar flovors and tasted more like teriyaki sauce, definitely not what most would consider as bbq sauce. The hot link sausage, fries, and oatmeal cookie were great. My wife said her Asian salad was good (6/10). Host asked how everything was when paying, I told him only about the bbq sauce and he seemed disinterested and defensive about the sauce. This was are second experience there that was just ok.
(3)Chase S.
Wow. South Dakota has a pastry chef. No really - a fucking amazing pastry chef (named Jeff Latham - spelling?) that is working at the Colonial. For that reason alone you should go there. Once a month Jeff works at night and prepares a special dessert table side - tonight it was Colorado peach flambe a la mode. It was amazing. It was so good I opted to pick up a few other treats he had made; Lemon meringue pie, caramel apple crostadas, and peach galettes. I tasted the pie as soon as I got home and ate the entire piece. Even though I was stuffed from dinner I could not resist because it was just that fucking good. I only snapped a few pics of the latter two since I am saving them for breakfast tomorrow. Jeff you ARE the man. As far as dinner went the bread (also prepared by Jeff) was fantastic. The salad was iceberg lettuce and boxed croutons. My steak was OK and was cooked to my order of mid-rare. They had a great horseradish sauce I doused my fried onions in. The food was quite tasty except for the crappy salad. As far as service went the young blonde girl working the front was super nice. Our server however was a snappy bitch (Nikki I believe), even to the elders dining with us, so -1 star for her shitty attitude and the pathetic excuse for a salad. peace, love, and good booze ~ chase
(4)Kathy W.
We visited here on a recent trip to Rapid City. We always pick our restaurants when traveling based on the online reviews. We prefer local restaurants that are frequented by locals. The Colonial House fits that description. If you were to just drive by this place, you might not stop. It is in an older part of town and is an older restaurant and not flashy. It is a locally-owned 30-year old restaurant that is popular with locals. The interior is strictly 1980's style, but is clean. The service was very good and we got our food very quickly. The menu is diverse with everything from chicken strips and hamburgers to steak, pork chops and Canadian Walleye with various sides. The food was good, but I wouldn't say outstanding. We would definitely eat here again if in the area.
(4)Penelope B.
Fast efficient service and a big breakfast. I cannot remember what I had (in August, really need to get on my Yelping more promptly) but it was good. Eclectic decor that included some amusing signs.
(4)Kailyn G.
Stopped while passing through Rapid City for one night. Found through the Yelp reviews. We got the spinach/artichoke dip as an appetizer. For the entree, I got the buffalo burger (medium rare). My boyfriend got the full rack of ribs. The biggest winner of the night was the bread that they do. It's baked every day and amazing. Warm, soft, perfect. The buffalo burger was good - too large for me and I think I'm not a fan of buffalo in general. The ribs were also good - a bit spicy. Wish we saved room for desert - the pies looked amazing. Since we left at pretty much the end of the night, they sent us home with a caramel roll for free - which was nice and tasty. Environment: Basic family restaurant. We came late, so it wasn't too crowded. I can see it getting pretty loud. Service: Friendly, efficient. And good with the recommendations. 4 stars - I'm tempted to do 3, since I wasn't wow'd by the food. But there weren't a lot of options it seemed in Rapid City - so it gets a 4 based on location.
(4)Craig W.
Buffalo burger is amazing. Definitely get the coconut cream pie with a milk. The Pile O Dirt Porter makes this meal a local dream. If you're lucky you will also get an amazing waitress named Molly. She was the cherry on the top of this local experience.
(4)James B.
Had brunch here and the adobe was fantastic!
(5)Gail W.
Breakfast is my favorite "eat out" meal. We picked this place last Sunday while traveling based on the good reviews. Unfortunately, I didn't experience the quality of food or service indicated in those reviews. I ordered the Spinach Quiche which was one of the specials. It comes with nothing else -- no toast, no fruit, no side of any sort. When it was served, it had been sliced in half. I thought the "crust" was made from filo dough, which would have been a nice touch. However, there was no crust. That was the cupcake papers the quiche had been baked in! Folks, quiche is pie--pie needs crust of some sort. The quiche was scalding hot and tough as a rubber ball so it had obviously been put into the microwave to re-heat. I can understand baking quiche ahead of time since it takes a while to bake and I have had quiche at other bakeries and restaurants that has been re-heated in the microwave -- I've never had yellow rubber balls before! My husband had a side of bacon and a side of rye toast. We always order bacon extra crispy. Apparently, this kitchen doesn't understand that terminology. My pet peeve in restaurants is people who order well after us yet get served before us. I could understand if we had ordered something special or complicated, but, as mentioned, all they had to do for our order is fry bacon, make toast, and microwave quiche. The other couple had large plates of hash browns, sausage, and what appeared to be eggs over easy. Certainly something that took longer to cook than our meal. Colonial House seems to have a good reputation and, based on the number of filled tables when we were there, lots of people go there.....but we won't again!
(1)Travis B.
You know, you're wasting precious time reading this review when you could be at the Colonial House eating great food. This is a Mom & Pop restaurant that all the locals go to.
(5)lee c.
Your typical everybody eats there, place has 1970's decorations, Elvis was starring at me, off the main drag kinda joint---pricey---
(5)Molly T.
I love Colonial House. Whyyyyy would you choose Perkins when Colonial House is an option? I would advise this is a bit on the pricey side for breakfast, but you get what you pay for--fresh, fresh ingredients and quick service. We had a group of five and received our menus, food, and refills in great time. I have only ever had breakfast here, but it is worth coming back to again and again throughout the years. On the day in question I just had a classic egg breakfast with toast and potatoes (which are so good, light, almost fluffy?, and not super greasy. Love it) but I have also been known to order pie for breakfast dessert. I love to support local business in my homestate and Colonial House does not disappoint.
(5)Brian M.
Great meal and selection. Good for the family! Great local brew. Hummus was homemade and delicious.
(5)Jayme D.
Only after a 45 minute wait did we receive our overcooked omelette and very average waffle. Thankfully I was contented with a carafe of above average coffee.
(2)Michele V.
Nothing much to say. The burgers were ok, the service good. That's about it. It was okay not fantastic but not bad at all.
(3)Valerie B.
Husband loved his chicken fried steak and my eggs benedict was great! The staff are excellent and very attentive.
(4)Shanlee D.
Yelp steered me very wrong here. My husband, who usually inhales everything without thinking twice couldn't eat more than two bites of his food (trout special) and that is a rare occurrence. My son also wouldn't eat more than a couple bites of mac and cheese saying "it is gross." My food was edible, and my sweet potato fries were delicious, therefore I'm giving it 2 stars but I feel that is generous. The service was mediocre (plates were not cleared promptly, despite my husband not eating anything never asked if food was OK, etc.) Prices were way too high for quality of food and they charge you for every last switch/swap (ie, sweet potato fries $1.50 more than regular fries, etc). Maybe it would be better for breakfast? Don't know but it was a disappointment (and then we had to go find dinner for my husband and kids!) Would not recommend.
(2)David B.
, not gourmet but if you're traveling it's a safe bet, the staff are very nice and accommodating
(3)Kathleen M.
Great food and really friendly, efficient servers. Was in town a few days so ate several meals there. Their American fries especially good. Had the Jack Rabit scrambler and omelet with Buffalo sausage. Both were great!
(5)Pete O.
Great place to get breakfast in Rapid. Homemade daily desserts are excellent would definitely come in here again when I'm in the area. Stop in you will not regret it.
(4)Anita F.
This place is fine for the area, so you won't starve in the foodie wasteland between the Badlands and Devil's Tower. (I hear during the summer season and off-season weekends there are more options in Rapid City.) The salmon pasta was quite tasty but serving size will certainly pack on unnecessary pounds. Order the light version for sure, and then share that one. Still hungry? I wasn't but--credit where credit's due--the deserts looked extraordinary. The salads were rather uninspired. Don't they know veggies can be yummy?
(2)Verne V.
We get to Rapid City once or twice a year and we make it a point to always have our breakfast at Colonial House. We have learned that they have an incredible selection of Danish at the counter as you enter the restaurant. They make these themselves and they taste like great Danish should. I usually get a hot breakfast that is always terrific. They have wonderful hash brown potatoes with plenty of "crispy" edges on them. My wife always orders from that selection under the counter as you enter. She was trying to find a way to buy several to bring back to Seattle with her. Visited June 2012
(5)Caylin S.
The blue walnut salad was excellent - I had it without olives. My husband had a burger which was also very good. The carmel rolls are superb! Very friendly service.
(5)James H.
This place is pretty good. The service is always very responsive. You know it's a popular restaurant... the vast majority of their customers are slightly older (50-70) and range from obese to grossly obese. But they keep coming back so you know you are getting the best bang for your buck. Wish they had a better beer selection though
(3)Chris K.
Wonderful food! Funky atmosphere, but very clean. The menu has lots of choices and everything is homemade - down to the whipped cream. Have had dinner and breakfast and wish we lived closer so e could go every week. Prices are reasonable and service is great. Very large selection of desserts also.
(5)Kristina S.
I remember coming to this place a few years back and it felt inviting. Now when you walk in it's stuffy and pretentious. The food isn't as good as it used to be and prices aren't worth it.
(2)Andy C.
The closest comparison I can make in my experience with dining in locally-owned restaurants is with Sydney's in Munising, Michigan. Colonial House is a multi-generational establishment (check out the photos above the main foyer), and although it won't awe you into obliteration, what they do offer is fair prices, generous portions, friendly service, and decent family fare. Location: 4 out of 5 I guess if you're in Rapid City, this is pretty close. It's south of the downtown area, and there is a free parking lot. Service: 4 out of 5 There are no traditional maitre d's at this place. The waitresses and waiters don't have crisply ironed and lightly starched uniforms (they have matching t-shirts!). There is no pretense, and when you go to the bathroom, they do not fold your napkin up for you and fold it into the shape of a swan. I had the experience of being served by a very new waitress. It might have been her second day there. She didn't know the specials. She didn't know the beers. When asked about various specials, she replied to almost every question with, "It's very popular." When I asked for an alternative to the large portion of prime rib, she pointed to an equally large portion of a different steak. But you know what? In time she'll learn the exact beers they have on tap, and which beers are local. In time she'll taste all the items on the menu and be able to describe them. But what she already knew what to do well was to offer me exemplary customer service. She was quick to refill my water, she was keen on noticing when I was done with certain dishes, and bless her heart - she double checked with me on my food order to make sure she hadn't made a mistake. Quality of Food: 4 out of 5 I actually have no qualms at all with what I was served. The 'naked' wings were a new experience to me, but after I thought about it, naked wings actually make the most sense. And after I thought about it some more, it dawned on me that the only separation between a place like Buffalo Wild Wings and Colonial House when it comes to wings is that Buffalo Wild Wings spins the sauce right before service, and at Colonial House, you did the wings in sauce to your taste. For my entrée, I had the fried chicken breast, which I thought was absolutely fantastic. It was lightly breaded, tender on the inside, and just the right amount of crisp on the outside. I had mashed potatoes as my side, and get this - they have TWO types of gravy (chicken or beef). I also had some cheddar beer soup, and although it wasn't the most spectacular of the genre, it was tasty and it would be something that if offered again, I wouldn't hesitate to consume. The real surprise of the evening came from their freshly baked pizza bread. It was almost like a hybrid calzone/pizza puff/pastry but oh my goodness - the bread part was soft and warm, the outside was crispy but not overly so like a baguette, and the interspersed spicy sausage, sauce, and pepperoni tantalized my taste buds. THAT IS A BINGO! Selection of Food Items: 4 out of 5 Actually quite a prolific selection. I realize I got one soup, and two different variations of chicken, but they also offered fish, and as others have mentioned - buffalo and ribs! Sandwiches were also on the menu, and being a local establishment - one can only conjecture that the house prime rib, offered only on Saturdays, would be a winner. Décor: 3 out of 5 It's a family restaurant with older furniture. It's comfortable and spacious. I don't recall there being anything entertaining on the walls, but I don't recall there being anything obnoxious either. Price: 4 out of 5 Actually on the cheaper side, given the portion sizes of the food that you receive. I'm sure there are places that are cheaper, but I'm also certain there are places that are much more expensive. Beers are 4 dollars a pint for the microbrews, and 2.50 or so for macro domestics. Overall: 4 out of 5 A charming family run restaurant that is family friendly. They may not knock your socks off, but I was treated very well, and I have no reservations with recommending this establishment to people who are traveling to the Rapid City area.
(4)Robert M.
there is nothing special about this place, but the staff is very friendly, the service is good, the food is good (nothing fancy) and a lot of locals dine here. the prices, for the most part, are in line with "family restaurants". i ate there 2 nights waitress first night made a plate of 4/5 ounce (cooked) grillled chicken breast and mushroom risoto and salad. with two beers came to $16.00 and was very good. next night, soup instead of salad and, again, $16. can't beat that. easy to get to, easy parking. try it! happy trails
(4)Amber C.
Impeccable customer service; you walk in the door and every single person smiles at you and makes you feel welcome. Fantastic food; everything my table had was delicious and we all ordered something different, so we could share. I went with the waitresses recommendation of the Log Cabin. Yum! Affordable; for what the quality was compared to the likes of Perkins, I would go to this place hand over fist. Crazy cheap and totally worth-while.
(5)Jackie H.
Well not sure if we ordered the wrong things or what but I thought the food was average. Good but nothing to rave about. I had the fried chicken breast with mashed potatoes and gravy...enjoyable. Then I got a salad.... very simple. The bread was my favorite part, yummm. Keep in mind I am a bread lover. My boyfriend got a chocolate malt which didn't come out until after the meals (ordered with the drinks) and the Cajun chicken penne pasta. He ate it all but wouldn't ever order it again. The waiter was very unmotivated but might have just been having an off day. This may be one of the top restaurants in Rapid City but who knows what that means. Keep your expectations at the average level and you will be satisfied. The desserts did look yummy.
(3)Joshua C.
It's so nice to find a quality restaurant in a tourist town! Everything, from appetizer to desert, was very good! I got a buffalo burger and I was glad that they actually could cook it correctly! The best part is the dessert, which was wonderful. We had the Oregon pie and every bite was great! Even the crust was good (and you could tell it was made from scratch, not store bought). We felt the service was good and would say that this is definitely a place to seek out if you're out visiting Mount Rushmore or the Badlands.
(4)Ben K.
Stopped here on a whim on a long 5 day road trip. The short story is the friend I was traveling with was getting cranky and he needed to be fed. Ordered the buffalo burger which was the best buffalo burger I've had to date. Apparently the bison is from a local farm and it shows.
(5)Joe H.
This place had the really great kind of diner food that I was really yearning for. I had lunch there twice and breakfast on a third day. I had a sandwich, pancakes with sausage, and an open-faced turkey platter that were all wonderful. The service was also fantastic - one of those places that a refill for your drink arrives the second you take the last sip. I only wish that I saved room for the gorgeous desserts I passed on the way in and out. I don't have much funny or enlightening to add beyond that, but I really enjoyed it.
(5)Natalie M.
Great local spot for breakfast! We both loved our food, and the service was both friendly and fast.
(5)Hogs F.
Great meal all around. Huge buffalo burger was very tasty. We also went to breakfast here and the pastries were awesome.
(5)K. P.
Nothing fancy, but good food and service. I had the basic two eggs meal (scrambled eggs are made with real eggs, not some substitute) and my husband and Mom had corned beef hash and eggs, which they enjoyed. With coffee, meal came to $35, which is not out of the ordinary.
(4)Louis C.
Was looking for a decent breakfast place in Rapid City and came across Colonial House. We were so glad we did! As you first walk in, it is hard to miss the display of ginormous pastries in the display case. Giant cheese danishes, cinnamon rolls, and apple crostadas galore. We treated ourselves to one of each as an appetizer. (Is it proper to have an appetizer at breakfast?) I am not a fan of apple "anything" but the crostada was excellent. Flaky and flavorful crust with just enough spice in the apples. I ordered the biscuits and gravy and was more than satisfied by not only the portion but taste as well. The biscuits were buttery and flaky and the sausage gravy was creamy and rich. It's not Denny's cheap, but the portions and quality of food made our breakfast a great value! Good selection and variety and when you order a juice, they bring it to you in a large glass, not a tall shot glass like some other establishments. The only thing negative I have to say is that they weren't open for dinner on Sunday night. Because we were wanting to go back for dinner which I am sure would have been just as spectacular! Don't deny your taste buds of the Colonial House next time you are in Rapid City!
(4)Whitney P.
I would give this 3.5 if I could. We stopped here for lunch, good restaurant selections seem slim in rapid city. This didn't blow us away but it was still good. Service was very good. The desserts looked like a 5 but we didn't get any. Buffalo burger was average may a 3, Walnut blue salad was good, I'd rate it 4, French dip roast beef sandwich was very good with avacado spread we'd give it 5, halibut was ok, we'd rate it 3. Seems that some of the items are excellent if you order the right thing.
(3)Harry E.
Good All-American diner. Nothing fancy; but more than decent meals are served here. Prices are reasonable. Portions are generous and service is friendly and fast. I recommend eating here for a good place to eat when visiting the Mt. Rushmore National Memorial area.
(4)Judith C.
We had supper and the service and food was excellent. The portions were just right and the steak I had was cooked just like I like it. There food is like home cooking and they don't serve to large portions.They have there own pastry chief who makes everything each morning for the day. If you like good home style cooking you will enjoy eatting a meal here.
(5)Jim B.
My wife sometimes likes to give me a hard time over being so connected via Social Media as I am. However, she was quite grateful that I had my blackberry with me during our recent vacation to Custer State Park... We tried the Colonial House based solely on the quality of it's Yelp recommendations. We not only tried it once, we tried it twice, even three times! Our two dinners and one breakfast meal were all very delicious and we came away satisfied each time. The food was well prepared and quite tasty, and the wait staff was very friendly, even recognizing that we had returned for a second night and thanking us for coming back. If you are vacationing in western South Dakota I would not hesitate to tell you to come here!
(4)Murray L.
Giving one star because the food I have had from my numerous visits in the past has been good. BUT...and this is HUGE...I cannot tolerate the way another table was treated on Monday, September 17, 2012. My wife and I stopped in that night to have dinner about 8pm and sat in our usual booth in the bar...our waiter literally slapped down our drink coasters and then asked in a huff what we wanted to drink...and hastily rushed us through our order..like we were bothering him and left without a word. Rude, but WHATEVER, i get it that sometimes a server has a bad night, so I let it go. BUT, there was a single mother and her young son at another table who had been there since we sat down. Everyone ignored them and the server who was so "helpful" with us asked her harshly if she just sat down...and then brushed past her and never spoke to her again, nor did anyone else...after our rude/huffy server spoke to her she and her son looked over at us and I gave her an "i'm sorry" kind of look...and she was upset...and her son said "geez, I'm just a kid that got off footbal practice"...so, I sat and waited for our food....but then it hit me..i DID NOT want to support a business that allowed their customers to be treated like this. So, I went up to the front to leave and speak with the manager. I spoke to a Max and he listened with a very blank expression and glibly asked what "i wanted him to do?" and that "He wasn't aware of this.." both of which were terrible responses from a manager on a not busy night (or any night). I simply told him our server was a jerk, and that I would not support a business that allowed their employees to treat customers like that. ALL of this stated, Colonial House will not suffer from this review as they are an institution in Rapid City and have more than enough regulars to fill my family's void, but they will not have my business any longer.
(1)Bruce C.
Best breakfast in Rapid City. If you're from out of town, don't let the modest exterior and decor fool you. Family owned and excellent service.
(5)Rachel A.
Nothing super fancy, but for an alternative to a chain like Applebee's or for a family-friendly restaurant that is like if Perkins was local and made food from scratch, it's fantastic. The service is always some of the best in the area, and the desserts are made fresh daily by a trained pastry chef. Not a huge fan of the breakfast, but for lunch or dinner, always a great option - the fish is my favorite!!
(5)Jeff C.
My wife and I have been regulars for years, it is now a family favorite with our kids bringing their kids. This is another of my top five picks for Rapid City. The best soup and desserts in town. My top pick for good down home American food. The spitfire penne pasta is a family favorite.
(5)Michael W.
We've eaten there twice in the past two weeks. By far the best restaurant in Rapid City. AWESOME Food, excellent prices, spectacular service. Great coffee!!!
(5)Jacob H.
Great meal! Everyone ordered buffalo burgers or something similar. The burgers were great, one person got the double bacon cheeseburger, and was only capable of eating half. Ah, America. The buffalo was great, the buffalo dish with smothered onions and mushrooms I heard was alright, they wished they had the burger. Also, killer fries/sweet potato fries, and the iced tea was really good! I rarely order it.
(5)Marty H.
This is a great place to take a family. We stopped off for lunch on the way back to Custer. Their menu is a good blend of standard American fare. Think of a nice, local Perkins only with better food. We also liked that they had 'lighter portion' options for several of their dishes. Service was friendly and attentive. They brought out our food fairly quickly. As for what we ordered, my wife had a blue walnut salad that was really tasty. The grilled salmon on top was slightly overdone but was still good. I ordered the sonic ranchero wrap and it was outstanding. Nice balance of fresh vegetables, chicken and 'spicy' ranch dressing. The menu made it sound as if it would be spicy but my children could have eaten it. I won't hold it against them as it was still delicious. Kids ordered fried shrimp and a cheeseburger. The sweet potato fries were a nice change and the cheeseburger was really well done. We decided to try out their desserts. They had quite a selection, especially in the pie department. The best one we had was the coconut cream pie. The crusts were good but nothing amazing. That's true of the other desserts, no master pieces here but well made. It was a perfect lunch spot and I highly recommend it for a quick bite to eat while on the road.
(4)Brenda C.
We spent 4 days in Rapid City visiting all the local sites. Looking for a comfort food restaurant our last night we found Colonial House listed in Yelp as a good one to try. So off we went to try our luck. When we arrived we were greeted by a very nice hostess who asked us to wait just a few minutes so they could finish clearing off some tables. Why we waited we took the time to browse the many things they have in the lobby for sale as well as the antiques on display. I couldn't resist purchasing a shaker bottle of BBQ rub for my Hubby to try on his next grilling meat. It did not take long for them to show us to our table. Our waiter soon arrived to take our drink order. Yes, they have a full bar so alcohol is readily available. I might add that the mixed drinks were served in a water glass which I really enjoyed and the price was very reasonable! I ordered liver and onions since Hubby doesn't like it I don"t fix it at home. Hubby and our cousin both ordered the flatiron steak. We were all impressed by quality of the food. My liver was prepared to perfection which is hard to find in a restaurant. Hubby and Cousin were very pleased with the tenderness and taste of their steaks. I also tried their homemade almond pie which was very tasty and not too sweet. This is a restaurant that I would recommend to anyone looking for homemade food at a reasonable price.
(5)Patick D.
This is a family run restaurant. We visited it based on Yelp ratings and was not disappointed. I had the chicken fried steak which was real steak, pounded and hand breaded and then fried on a grill, not deep fried. It was tender and delicious. We also had pasta which was a very generous helping. Three generations of Besharas are involved with this establishment which is celebrating 30 years in business. The apple pie was great and we also had some wings which were very crispy. The owner, Kevin Beshara was on hand and I complimented him on his restaurant. He as circulating and greeting guests. As a traveler from California, we appreciated this local fare with a very broad menu.
(5)Aretae r.
Pretty good breakfast. Large portions. I had biscuits and gravy, and it was quite tasty...especially with the sausage. I'm happy to have stopped here rather than dennys/perkins/etc.
(4)BL R.
After landing at the Rapid City Airport, we asked for a referral for good eats and were directed to Colonial House. Place was really busy, but we were seated quickly. I ordered a Buffalo burger and hubbie got the special, "California Wrap". I gotta say, best Buffalo burger I've ever had! Really good flavor. There were some pickles on the side that looked and tasted homemade. Really good. Hubbie really enjoyed his wrap; good flavor and fresh. Got a slice of the chocolate cream pie. Man of man ~ it was excellent! Light, yummy and topped with wonderful whipped cream. I wasn't going to help him eat it because I was pretty full from the burger, but after taking a taste, I couldn't stop. I was surprised hubbie didn't lick the plate, but he sure was thorough in cleaning every bit of it up. Great food. Thinging of making another trip before heading home.
(5)AC S.
One of the best restauants in Rapid. It has the greatest burgers, our favorites being the canjun and veggie burgers. The desserts are even better.
(5)Sara G.
I got my order to go - the walnut and blue salad. The salad was ok, the salmon over-cooked, and the raspberry "vinaigrette" was more like raspberry syrup. Way too sweet and thick. The rest was good though, especially dessert. Staff up front was friendly.
(2)Kathy L.
I love eating the Colonial House. it is my favorite place in Rapid City. The Beshara family always has welcome arms and the the best pie in the area.
(5)ann s.
The husband & I live fulltime in our RV and spend all our time traveling the country. We stopped off at CH last year on a visit through this area and remembering how good it was decided to go back today. We were, once again, not disappointed. We arrived right at the lunch hour, were greeted and seated within a few minutes. The husband declared his french dip sandwich the best he has ever had. He is also very fussy about his french fries, they must be 'well done' and they were prepared perfectly. My blue walnut salad was excellent and just the right size. This is a Mom & Pop kind of place, not a chain and it is definately a place that the locals go. Fortunately we are in Rapid City for a few more days which will give us time to visit again for what should be another excellent meal.
(4)Sharon N.
The French Toastie is the best French toast you'll ever have. A drizzle of cream cheese and chokecherry syrup! It is fantastic.
(5)D L.
Ate here during road trip going back to Chicago from the black hills. Found it on Yelp while we were at the dinosaur park (nice road trip stop for 30 minutes-FYI) and we enjoyed it. Its a simple family place, huge menu with mostly typical, but some surprising options. The Asian chicken wrap was awesome. I eat a lot if wraps and it was one of the best. My wife liked her burger and the kids ate all of their chicken strips. If I'm back in rapid city i'll be eating here. Very large doubt you'll ever wait. My only regret was not having any pie. We did take some of the very expensive home made candy on the way out, was good, but way over priced. Giving it 5 stars because good food was a challenge on this road trip.
(5)Liz B.
Service was amazing. The food was bland. We started with the hummus platter and it was a rip off. The hummus was the worst I've ever had in my life. The ribs I ordered where tough and overcooked. The salad was horrible and old. My husband had the buffalo. The meat was great but the fact that it was swimming in a nasty gravy sauce killed the great buffalo meat if that is what is really was.
(2)Dani E.
Shortly after I posted my review, I was contacted by the owner, Kevin Beshara. He extended a personal invitation to my husband and I, asking us to come back to the restaurant and meet his family, and have another meal, also mentioning that there has been a change in staff. While I did not take him up on the offer, I felt I had to add another star just for the invitation.
(3)Tanya U.
Best breakfast! The "American fries" were the bomb, crunchy on the outside, soft in the middle. Went back a second time it was soooo good. Nice friendly service.
(4)aj j.
Run by family, this independent restaurant boast homemade pies like rhubarb-custard and banana creme, fresh berries and fruit in season. We were there for dinner; enjoyed a cold beer in the bar and were seated within 10 minutes. The restaurant is nice, nothing fancy, but the food was excellent. I had the rib and chicken combo which was so much food I had to take most of it home. My husband had the porkchops which were thick, lightly breaded and then fried to a golden brown. He said they were the best he's ever had in his 64 years! Our waitress, Brooklyn, was attentive and personable, checking on us frequently to see if we were satisfied. I'd pass on the beer-cheese soup and get the salad or the chicken noodle. My husband was so happy with our meal and bill, that he asked to meet the owner, Kevin, who said that he, two brothers, a sister and their father all contribute to making their restaurant shine. I'll say!
(5)Gene B.
We tried this restaurant based on the 2 earlier reviews. Sure glad we discovered Yelp, because this was a wonderful family restaurant. Go prepared for huge portions of extremely well-prepared food. The Buffalo Burger was fantastic and the grilled chicken and vegetable pasta was equally tasty. Do order the sweet potato fries, which are cooked in safflower oil. Delicious. Crista was our server, and she was cheerful, helpful, knowledgeable, and went out of her way to please us.
(4)Tanya U.
Best breakfast! The "American fries" were the bomb, crunchy on the outside, soft in the middle. Went back a second time it was soooo good. Nice friendly service.
(4)aj j.
Run by family, this independent restaurant boast homemade pies like rhubarb-custard and banana creme, fresh berries and fruit in season. We were there for dinner; enjoyed a cold beer in the bar and were seated within 10 minutes. The restaurant is nice, nothing fancy, but the food was excellent. I had the rib and chicken combo which was so much food I had to take most of it home. My husband had the porkchops which were thick, lightly breaded and then fried to a golden brown. He said they were the best he's ever had in his 64 years! Our waitress, Brooklyn, was attentive and personable, checking on us frequently to see if we were satisfied. I'd pass on the beer-cheese soup and get the salad or the chicken noodle. My husband was so happy with our meal and bill, that he asked to meet the owner, Kevin, who said that he, two brothers, a sister and their father all contribute to making their restaurant shine. I'll say!
(5)Gene B.
We tried this restaurant based on the 2 earlier reviews. Sure glad we discovered Yelp, because this was a wonderful family restaurant. Go prepared for huge portions of extremely well-prepared food. The Buffalo Burger was fantastic and the grilled chicken and vegetable pasta was equally tasty. Do order the sweet potato fries, which are cooked in safflower oil. Delicious. Crista was our server, and she was cheerful, helpful, knowledgeable, and went out of her way to please us.
(4)