In a world where everything has become a holiday, why would there not be a National Cocktail Day? March 24th has become a day anticipated as the official National Cocktail Day and what better way than to spend in Spearfish sampling the many great spots where you can grab your favorite cocktails and spirits?
A cocktail is essentially any alcoholic mixed drink that typically combines one or two spirits with some flavoring complement like juices, syrups, tonic water, or even special herbs. It is open-ended, and each year bartenders and mixologists get more creative on ingredients, and it continues to slowly emerge as one of the trendiest art forms in the restaurant/nightlife industry. The mixology scene is represented exceptionally well here in Spearfish and in this guide, we will show you where you can find your favorite drink.
Killian's Food & Drink
Killian’s Food and Drink has been serving up some of the best cocktails in town since 2012. This rustic tavern has one of the best food menus in the area and a lively bar that is stocked with hundreds of spirit options. You can order one of the standard cocktails like the ever-classy Old Fashioned, but you will also find some homemade creations such as The Handlebar- Roku Gin, fresh lemon juice, honey simple syrup, topped with a draft IPA. That liquid creation emulates Spearfish culture perfectly with its bike-themed name and addition of an IPA.
Steerfish Steak & Smoke
When you walk into Steerfish you are greeted by an 8-foot-high, bookshelf-style wall that is coated with a sea of spirits. This venue opened up in 2016 and was my personal first memory of having a specialized cocktail in town, and they have been going strong ever since. If you are looking for the Steerfish forte, Steerfish seems to always have exotic variety in their Martini flavors such as the Lemon-Espresso Martini- Deep Eddy’s Lemon, Kahlua, iced coffee, and honey syrup. Or if you are more into classics, you could go with a century-old special in the Sidecar- a 2oz Cognac concoction with lemon juice and Triple Sec.
Nonna's Kitchen
What better pairing than authentic Italian food and premier cocktails? That is the mission at Nonna’s Kitchen where they have been serving up this loved combo since their start. Despite the fact that Nonna’s is still one of Spearfish’s younger restaurants, that has not slowed their business down at all, and in fact, within the last few years have created a new cocktail menu that pairs exceptionally with the signature Italian dishes for which they are so well known. At Nonna’s, you can expect to find authentic Italian drinks like the Negroni- Gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari- a true staple for anyone looking for a true Italian experience. Nonna’s setting and location add to the authentic feel as the restaurant is located in one of Spearfish’s historic downtown buildings giving you that speakeasy/prohibition era feel we all love.
Spearfish Public House
The Spearfish Public House is the newest kid on the block, as they opened their doors at the start of 2022. From the day they began their journey, they have cemented themselves as arguably the premier cocktail destination of Spearfish. If you can think of the cocktail, the Public House can probably make it with their experienced mixologists on staff and their endless array of spirit options. If there is one cocktail or spirit the Public House specializes in, it would be whiskey. From the Manhattan to an Old Fashioned, to maybe just your favorite whiskey neat, the Public House has it all. The Public House also offers one of the best beer tap lists in the area, hosts an amazing concert venue with almost nightly musical talents, and even offers classes on how to create your very own cocktail!
Other Spearfish Nightlife
Spearfish is home to many other great drink options and multiple different iterations on what a cocktail is. Thanks to places like the False Bottom Bar, The Back Porch and B&B Bar, the Scoreboard Lounge, and the Stadium Sports Grill people of Spearfish can enjoy a wide variety of standard cocktails, or well drinks, like Rum and Coke, a Screwdriver, and Bloody Marys in a relaxed environment with pool tables, games, and large tv's for the sports lovers out there.
And the fun doesn’t stop there. Many other restaurants and hangout spots in the area are also going to have a healthy stash of spirits for more fun creations like big chains with Applebee’s, local favorite Guadalajara’s for a premier Margarita, or even deep in the Canyon with the Latchstring Restaurant.
The options are all around you, the question is, which spirit are you in? Happy National Cocktail Day from Visit Spearfish.
