Absolutely. Incredible. I cannot recommend Chef Rebecca more highly. Her pairings of fresh flavors, textures, and color are a surprise and delight. Block off a few hours - this is a luxurious, sumptuous meal, enjoyed in true European style. Bring good company :) P.S. We ordered the beet salad and I can't stop thinking about it! It was art! read more

Such good food. Recommend doing the hot springs too in the same building. Small intimate restaurant with a wonderful chef. Recommend the steak. Our server was very knowledgeable. read more

I've eaten here 3 times at the time of writing this review and each time has been amazing. It helps that it's inside the hot springs spa, so combined with a hot springs soak it makes for a relaxing lunch! While it can be a little slow, especially if there's a line of people, the staff ensures everything is cooked to perfection and care is taken with top quality fresh ingredients (reflected in the taste!). I know people have complained about it being an 18+ age requirement due to the spa, and I can tell you as someone that's interrupted many times by screaming children whose parents are anything BUT attentive, interrupting an otherwise glorious meal, I'm GRATEFUL for this rule! I agree with other reviewers that it should be disclosed on their website, but people need to realize this is INSIDE a "Quiet voices required" spa environment (a simple Google search will reveal this fact) and children are typically anything but quiet... They're KIDS, and I honestly don't know why anyone would bring kids here anyway since the food is quite pricey (worth it!) and they have no children's menu. Overall this has become one of my favorite local restaurant and I aim to eat here a few more times before we leave the area for our next destination. read more

See all

My fiancé and I have been here a couple of times and have been blown away each time. The chef uses a lot of bold flavors across every plate, which can sometimes end up a mess, but they manage to balance and pair these bold flavors perfectly making every bite an absolute delight. Every single element on the plate tastes amazing on its own, even down to a simple cooked carrot. We came here for our anniversary yesterday and it was exactly what we want for a fancy date night. Small dining room and very intimate. Service has been good for us. And for those mad that they don't allow children? This place isn't for children, plain and simple, and I am glad it's that way! More restaurants should guarantee a quiet adult atmosphere. Nobody wants to hear your screaming kids over their five star meal. Some have also mentioned the menu being too limited, but anyone who understands how a restaurant works knows that it's necessary to keep the menu small in a place like this to keep the meals that they do serve of the highest quality. If you don't have a more developed palate for different flavors and aren't willing to put your trust in the chefs creations, this may not be the restaurant for you. read more

Buffalo Dreamer - Special: Ossobuco - New American Near Me - Hot Springs, South Dakota

See all

Our experience was good. I'm at four stars for two reasons. First my "Steak of the day" was ordered medium and came out well done thin and a bit fatty. I didn't send it back because of the time that would have taken. We are in SD, everywhere advertises quality beef. Even the local gelato/ice cream shop sells it from a freezer and the choices looked amazing. Second reason is the service is slow. Really slow. We were told that it was slow when we sat. We were the first ones sat. I kind of expected the place to get packed full because we changed our reservation to an earlier time and felt like we almost wouldn't get in. Also, that would've then made more sense that the service goes slow. But we were only 1 of 3 tables sat. Us and another couple at 5pm. Then a four top at 5:45. Then another four top after 6pm. Still we were in the restaurant for 1:45. Not sure what the chef is doing in the kitchen. Our waiter was great. Very communicative. Attentive to our table. We watched multiple couples come to the entrance and when not even greeted within five minuets they left. I was concerned when we got the steak at 1:30 into the meal that it was going to take another 20 minutes for the check so I placed my card on the table and the check came quickly. Despite the week-done status of the meat it was quite delicious. The red wine and berry gastrique made for a great sauce. We also ordered the Georgia O'Keefe summer salad and Red Lentil Dahl. Both had excellent flavors. In fact the salad was one of the best flavors of salad we have enjoyed. The Dahl was delicious too. It was the food flavors that bring the review to up a notch. If you dine here, order a bottle of wine. You'll have time to drink it since it'll take a while. read more

See all

We love eating here because of all the gluten free options on the menu! Their GF bread is in house made and so dang good! The service is always great and the ambience is trendy, clean and up to date. read more

We stopped by for lunch and were thrilled we did! We ordered the swimming angel and buffalo tacos and both were so unique and so tasty! Our only regret was not ordering another dish to try! You cannot go wrong with either. They have a nice patio that's shaded in front as well so we were able to have our dog with us while we ate. Definitely give this place a try! You won't be upset read more

Hit up the spa next door so we stopped in for a meal. I'm vegan and my sister is a meat eater. Both meals were incredible! We will be back for sure next time we're in town. read more

Buffalo Dreamer - Lenten Dahl (vegan) - New American Near Me - Hot Springs, South Dakota

See all

We ate dinner here not knowing it was a Prix Fixe dining model, but once committed we were in for the ride. This was possibly one of the best meals we've had in South Dakota. Quite the surprise in tiny Hot Springs. You can't go wrong here; if you can afford the price, it is definitely worth it!!! read more

Honestly I've eaten here two nights in a row, because I cannot get enough. The ingredients are fresh and everything is cooked to perfection. I had the cheese plate which was out of this world. I had the fresh beet salad which was so fresh and tasty I ordered it again the second night! The fresh catch was salmon and it was also cooked to perfection and the seasonal vegetables were to die for! Asa was our server both nights and was amazing and made great wine recommendations! Chef Rebecca has got in going on so it's a must try if you are in the South Dakota Black Hills! I'd spend the day at Moccasin Springs spa and then have dinner at Buffalo Dreamer and I imagine it will be the highlight of your trip! read more

Buffalo Dreamer - Outside area - New American Near Me - Hot Springs, South Dakota

Just got back from a 15 day car camping, cross-country road trip. I have to say my favorite meal that I ate at a restaurant on this entire trip was this gourmet masterpiece from the "intuitive" Chef at Buffalo Dreamer. Kudos to Chef Rebecca for imagining up this beautiful, quaint place with so many feel good vibes throughout, and for picking an incredible server, Ginny, to be the face of warmth and kindness and good humor at the front of the house. If not for Ginny, I would have had an entirely different experience in South Dakota. You will truly feel relaxed and at home, which juxtaposes the level of culinary talent in the best of ways. Who doesn't want to wear comfy clothes to a gourmet restaurant? Amuse Bouche Blistered Plum Salad with Watercress Flat Iron Steak with Green Chutney, Smashed Potato, and Braised Greens Vanilla Almond Tarte with Mesquite Glaze Would recommend every item on the menu and would have tried every item if I'd stayed longer, but I'll be back. First two courses paired with Pratach Grüner Veltliner Entree and Dessert paired with Oveja Negra I have not put a single edit on any of these photos. This is how beautiful the food actually was. It stood on its own. Some of the locals were excited to try the place but it has been busy! I hope it continues to do extremely well. read more

See all

Don't judge me, I'm Back for lunch and it looks amazing I got the Turkish potato salad which is good I got the Buffalo Burger In a lettuce rap and sapparelli main root beer. read more

See all

With very mature kids with us they wouldn't let us even take food to go. We couldn't sit inside or outside. Strict 18 and older" policy that isn't on any document on the site. The chef's "philosophy" on the site may want to be updated to say: we hate young people. No information on the website, no information on Yelp. No apology. Please be warned. read more

I had such high hopes for Buffalo Dreamer because of all their positive reviews and their intentionality; I'm gluten-free and it's hard to find that easily when on the road. We went there for lunch and were there when they opened. We were the first ones to place our order at the counter. However, it took almost an hour to get our food despite the fact that they were not slammed at all. Another couple who ordered just after us had the same experience. Meanwhile, a lady in a bathrobe, coming from the attached hot springs, ordered the EXACT same dish as me, was served almost immediately, completed her meal and left at least 20-25 minutes before either we or the other couple received our meals. And I think the only reason we received our meals is that both of us had to go up and inquire where our food was. Our dessert was not served either and when hubby went to go ask for it, the owner gave him the deer in the headlights stare like she had completely forgotten that we even ordered it--kind of like our entrees. We were never provided a reason or an apology for the lengthy delay. Having said all the above, Buffalo Dreamer should be a SOLID 4.5-star review. ALL our food was EXCELLENT. Hubby's buffalo tacos were DELISH. I am uncertain why there are such gaps in service but hope for their sake they can remedy them. read more

An absolutely superb meal! This is dining. Expect to take your time and enjoy the experience. It is not a rushed experience. I loved being able to enjoy the courses, the excellent wine list and the ambience. The staff were super friendly and the service was beyond great. I would highly recommend this "cacophony" of flavors as well as quite like the most superb ribeye I have ever had the pleasure of savoring. Thank you for a superb dining experience! read more

Buffalo Dreamer is by far one of the best restaurants I've eaten at - and I live in Denver, CO and have dined in major cities all over the U.S. The food is creative and prepared with culinary skill and love. The attention to detail is unprecedented - freshly chopped herbs, clean proteins, and masterful food combinations. The Chef is truly in touch with both her own creative genius and her God given ability to prepare food that delights the palate. The restaurant is very small but what it lacks in size is made up for in the artistically beautiful setting. It is separate from but housed in the equally beautiful, newly built Hot Springs Spa (great natural hot springs and integrative wellness treatments - massage, sauna, yoga and more). Lunch is walk-in and order at the counter. I was told that dinner is reservation only. Understand there is an artist at work behind the scenes in the kitchen, the food is prepared fresh and therefore takes time. We ate there twice for lunch. Both times there was an extended wait to receive our food after we ordered - ~ 30 minutes. But it was delicious and worth the wait. We'll be back the next time we visit! P.S. - I am gluten-free with many food sensitivities. It was no problem at all. read more

For a tiny town in the middle of nowhere SD, this place is AMAZING! In researching our trip, I happened upon this jewel and made a dinner reservation for one of the nights we would be in the area. That was imperative, as it is a very small space and do not accept walk ins. My GFree hubby did not have to worry AT ALL about the meal, as EVERYTHING on the menu that night was gluten free. They did disclose that they had non GFree buns at lunch but had cleaned and sequestered them from the other foods. Must make reservations online. They were very welcoming and it was a lovely relaxed evening after a day at the Moccasin springs spa (on premise) and we enjoyed every minute. Started with the mussels and Thai jasmine rice. Yum. Hubby got the braised beef dish, I had the catch of the day. His only complaint was that his veggies came in the same bowl with his juicy meat, which ended up masking their own delicious flavor with the meat flavors. I had the same veggies with my fish which were amazing, even the chard! The dessert was the shortbread which was delicious as well. I would be back here a LOT if we lived here. Thanks for a safe and delicious dinner! read more

See all

It was my birthday and I wanted a place that was memorable. The reviews were really good so I made a reservation. We arrived early so we were able to get our pick of tables. The appetizer of cheese, fruit, nuts and cheese was amazing. The honey drizzle just made it work! My husband and I enjoyed our main courses. The Buffalo tacos were tasty. I ordered the steak and it was delectable The ice cream was ok. It was with espresso. They made my 56th birthday dinner memorable. Thank you. read more

Very nice dining experience. Food was great. The menu is very small so over the course of a few nights, we basically exhausted all of the choices. Beef dishes were very good. Fish was nicely prepared with Asian spices. Vegetables creatively prepared. Very small but well curated wine list. No mixed drinks. Very small dining area. It's a fun and cozy spot. read more

Buffalo Dreamer is a great place! We loved it. The first thing we noticed was that the building and site are amazing. We stopped in for lunch. Excellent staff, sufficient albeit limited lunch menu, wonderful food. Well worth the stop. read more

They messed up my wife's reservation so she missed it, wouldn't answer their phone or return her calls, and they still charged us the full price of $360!!!! Avoid these people like the plague. They're not good business owners, or human beings for that matter. read more

Not worth it. I did not have a good experience dealing with this restaurant and attempts to reach out to sol e an issue were unsuccessful.

Buffalo Dreamer represents the high end of dining in Hot Springs. The facility is co-located with Moccasin Springs Natural Mineral Spa, and is has six tables, so space is limited. Reservations are a must. The food was spectacular! There is a limited menu but everything they served was unique and flavorful. I'd come back. read more

Buffalo Dreamer - Buffalo Street Tacos - New American Near Me - Hot Springs, South Dakota

See all

Wow. I'm the first to review this place. OMG. If you love excellent inspired food and presentation you'll love this place. The menu is limited but focused. I ordered the buffalo Chile rellenos which is inspired by a Native American recipe that includes dried cherries and buffalo. Smokey, tomatoy (is that a word) crunchy and a little sweet. Wow. The best chili relllenos I've ever had. Okay. There's more. Great focused wine list. Plus the restaurant is in a hot spring spa. So you could get a massage or a soak in a natural mineral spring and then a beautiful inspired dinner. I'm coming back and bringing my friends. read more

Buffalo Dreamer - Pickled Vegs - New American Near Me - Hot Springs, South Dakota

See all

My friend and I visiting on vacation. We had an amazing time soaking at the Moccasin Hot Springs and decided to stop by Buffalo Dreamer for dinner. We were BLOWN AWAY by the level of quality at this restaurant. Each of the dishes had such complex flavor profiles, creative pairings of foods, and stunning plating. And our server, Asa, was such a gem! She helped us with our dietary restrictions, was such a kind and friendly face, and we felt right home dining with her. We even fantasized about moving here because we loved the food so much read more

Out of this world cuisine! Our waiter was knowledgeable, patient and sincere. Best meal the six of us had, EVER! Family get together of travelers from Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Wisconsin, and we'd do it again :) read more

I've eaten at a lot of quality restaurants. This isn't one of them! With a very limited menu, you would think the chef would be confident with her creations, but she over compensates adding too many ingredients which only results in a cacophony of taste. As far as the quality of ingredients, I would question her sources. The steak I ordered was one of the toughest pieces of meat I ever had. Simply inedible. For the over the top price, it should melt in your mouth not fight you back! As bad as the food was, the service was far worse! 70 minutes from being seated to receiving a very disappointing "meal." There are only 20 seats in this place and there were only 16 occupied. No one ever checked with us once our, so called, food was served and getting the attention of one of the two servers was not easy. Was over 20 minutes after we were clearly "finished" before a server even looked our way. Another 5 before they got to the table and 10 more before they managed to bring the check to our table. Waiting for them to run the credit card excruciating. If you have 2 hours, and $100 to waste on a really bad experience, I highly recommend this place. Otherwise, taking a 100 mile round trip to the nearest McDonalds is a much, much better option. At least you won't leave hungry read more

Flat Iron steak was excellent, my wife really enjoyed the Buffalo Burger. My only small complaint would be there was mostly side dishes on the salad, pasta salad, etc,, and very few actual salad toppings. Service was excellent. read more

We were recommended to go here for dinner by people in the town. We were not disappointed. It is very small with maybe only 8 tables so a reservation is a must. The food was absolutely wonderful. I chose a dish way out of my comfort zone and loved it. My husband loved his meal as well. I would definitely recommend it for any one going to Hot Springs. Unfortunately, they were only open a few days during the week or we would have gone a second time. read more

food was amazing. This is a very small intimate restaurant that only seats about 15 people. You go there for the experience. If you're going for dinner give yourself about two hours there. Food is amazing. read more

They need to advertise on their page that they don't allow anyone under 18 in the facility. They have outside seating and would not give a reason. I assume it's because of potential noise as it is a spa too. Would have been nice to know before driving from Custer. read more

I had such high hopes for this establishment, unfortunately it just didn't quite hit the mark. Cute place, 8 tables I believe, two wait staff and a limited menu. Reservation was for 6, arrived 10 min early (didn't want to arrive late and lose the 20.00 booking fee for no show) and was seated promptly. Non alcoholic beverage choice was limited so tried Maine sarsaparilla. Just okay...! We placed our order (again, limited menu) and waited an hour for the plates to arrive. We could have ordered a small plate of cheeses and nuts, but chose to wait for dinner and dessert. A choice we regretted 45 min later and were really hungry. The 2 entrees were brought out. The braised buffalo was in a bowl and served as a soup. Mashed potatoes were runny and the veggies were indistinguishable from the buffalo. I have to admit the meat was tender. The other entree was the New York steak, again same mashed potatoes about a half a cup and veggies. Honestly, the steak was just plain awful... tasteless and tough to cut and chew. We gave up trying to eat it. Server didn't apparently notice out displeasure, didn't come by to check on our meal and certainly didn't notice we were finished. Eventually we flagged down one of the servers and asked for our check. 20 min later and what I assumed was a very busy back room we received our 90 buck bill and a request to pay the tip in cash so they could distribute the earnings to the kitchen staff. Very thoughtful. There are so very few restaurants in Hot Springs, SD... but I think next time I'll choose Dairy Queen over Buffalo Dreamer! read more

Buffalo Dreamer is a true 5 star experience. The food and the staff surpassed expectations. We would highly recommend the buffalo tacos. The flat iron was cooked to perfection. But the highlight of the dish was the seasonal vegetables! Absolutely exquisite. read more

See all

The best swimming angel- that peanut sauce is amazing! Chef Rebecca is so very talented!

I have only one word for this place...Incredible! The food was so amazingly delicious. Fantastically flavorful is another way to describe. We were lucky enough to be seated at a table that looked into the kitchen. That was such a treat to watch the preparation of the food. It was true artistry. Everyone was so artistically in tune to what they were doing. Everyone new their purpose and appeared to enjoy it. read more

What a treat for the senses! The flavors, locally sourced products, attention to detail, presentation and respect for the farm to table experience. Chef Rebecca blends styles, geography and her years of experience to create dishes that are truly beautiful to look at and delicious to eat. Her restaurant is thoughtfully laid out to enjoy the views at Moccasin Springs as well as glimpses of her creating in the kitchen. The atmosphere is serene and cozy. This is seriously good food with an upscale dining experience in the town of Hot Springs in the Black Hills of South Dakota. We'll be back for sure. read more

WOW!!!! The food and presentation is unbelievable ,amazing! The service is perfect!!! It was worth coming to this city just for this experience! read more

See all

My husband and I had the best meal we've had in all in our travels throughout South Dakota at Buffalo Dreamer this last week. We split an avocado grapefruit salad, buffalo-stuffed poblano relleno, trout with capers, and a lovely raspberry-oatmeal-vanilla mousse dessert. Everything was exceptional! Even the decaf coffee was fab. Relaxing ambience + attentive service + presentation/taste/creativity in the food...yeah, we'll be back. read more

Buffalo Dreamer - Grapefruit avocado almond mixed green salad. - New American Near Me - Hot Springs, South Dakota

Hands down, without question, the best food in Hot Springs. After 3 weeks working in this town I finally decided to try Buffalo dreamer, I am so mad at myself for not doing this earlier. I had a reservation and they got me right in and seated me at my table. I had the dry Rose Which was an actual French rose for a change, which was delicious. I had to avoid the appetizer, the small bites, because I saw the tart on the menu and I knew I would be having dessert. The braised rib with black current and polenta Was phenomenal. You expect the protein to be good, but I have always thought when the sides are as good as the protein, that shows the kitchen knows what it's doing. How they made that polenta taste so delicious is absolutely lost on me. The polenta, and the squash. Squash is nothing fancy, it's nothing anyone has ever thought was out of this world, but the squash was even beyond delicious. I had the Berry tart which was wonderful, it was sour, and sweet, and the dark chocolate was deliciously Better and the perfect offset to the sweet cream. There is no doubt that when I am back in Hot Springs my 1st reservation will be at Buffalo Dreamer.. read more

Wonderful. Shared fermented vegetables and steak. They were super kind when my friend had to leave due to coming down with a bad headache. Combo of inhalant allergies and too much hot tub at the springs. The food was so good and they didn't change us to split plates! My friend pushed me to go and she made a good call. read more