Because every restaurant is more than just what’s on the plate.
Type: Burger Bar / Local Pub Price: $$ / Location: 819 W. Main Rapid City, SD
The Timeless Burger
Burgers have been around forever and they’re not going anywhere. Every few years something new gets called the next big thing in dining, and meanwhile the burger bar just keeps filling up on a Saturday afternoon. People like a good burger, a cold beer, and a room where they can relax.
Thirsty’s Burger and Beer in Rapid City knows the drill.
Settling In
You walk through the double doors and the bar is immediately to your right. It’s a large, open room and you seat yourself. Tables and chairs fill most of the space, TVs cover just about every wall, and if there’s a game on you’re going to see it from wherever you land. Walk a little further in, past the bar and around the corner, and there are some booths and a pool table back there.
One thing I appreciated were the Sasquatch signs scattered around the room. It would be my second favorite cryptid behind Nessie.
The place feels local pretty fast. When Victoria and I were there, a graduation party was happening in the back. Someone had set up a couple of tables, one with cards and gifts, another loaded with giant cookies for the guests.
The Little Stuff
The tap list has local options like Lost Cabin, Black Tooth, Dakota Point, and Crow Peak, along with Guinness, Coors, and Blue Moon.
The menu goes beyond burgers. There’s French dip, chicken strip baskets, and salads in the mix. Also, the back of the table menu has a section where you can order a plain burger patty or chicken breast for your dog. They’ve got a shaded side patio where your pet is welcome, and it’s a comfortable spot to sit.
The Reason You’re There
Every burger here is hand-pattied, half-pound Angus beef. Most places use machine-pressed frozen patties. The problem with those is that the press squeezes the air out of the beef, which is what makes them come out dense and tough. A half-pound patty formed by hand stays a little looser, and you can taste the difference.
I went with the Bourbon Burger, which has a bourbon glaze, grilled onions, and blue cheese crumbles. Victoria got the Korean Chicken, a toasted bun with freshly pickled onions, carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, and gochujang sauce.
Mine was cooked all the way through. Most people would probably want a little more pink in the middle, but that’s exactly how I like it. The bourbon glaze is subtle, more of a hint of sweetness than anything heavy, and it sits well next to the blue cheese.
The fries are home cut and salted just right. They come out soft, not crispy, and that happens to be exactly how I like them. If you prefer a crispier fry, just ask for them cooked a little longer. Victoria’s sweet potato fries were crinkle cut and very good.
We also grabbed the candied walnut cheesecake. They rotate a different cheesecake every week. It’s a simple dessert, nothing over the top, but after a burger like that it was a good call.
Victoria’s Taste
“My Korean chicken was really good. The pickled vegetables were fresh and the gochujang gave it just enough kick. But honestly, I spent half the meal staring at Houston’s bourbon burger and that’s what I’m ordering next time. I should have just gotten that.”
What Sticks With You
Thirsty’s is comfortable from the minute you sit down. The food is good, the beer is cold, and we ran into someone we knew on a Saturday afternoon. She was actually the women I have to turn my receipts in to in order to continue this column. I’m glad she saw I was being responsible!
Final Bite
The very first condiment ever put on a burger wasn’t ketchup. It was onion. Onions, pickles, and mustard came first, and everything else got added over the next hundred years. Grilled onions on the Bourbon Burger at Thirsty’s. Turns out that’s about as classic as it gets.
The burger bar is timeless for a reason. Thirsty’s is doing it right. Go get the Bourbon Burger. Victoria’s already got her order ready for next time.
Taste the Room pays for every meal we review. We don’t accept comped food, and restaurants aren’t notified of our visit in advance. It’s how we keep our reviews honest and independent.
