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    Independent Ale House

    4.5 (558 reviews)
    ModerateBars, Pizza
    Open 11:00 am - 10:30 pm
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    Independent Ale House Photos

    Business Info

    INDEPENDENT ALE HOUSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Independent Ale House

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    Reviews With Photos

    The Legendary Mashed Potato Pizza, though upstaged by the Spinach Artichoke special...
    Wendy H.

    The ONLY reason for a 4 out of 5 is due to the tweaking of the mashed potato pizza. Instead of a few dollops of sour cream, it was drizzled. The Spinach Artichoke special pizza for the win!

    Andrea U.

    An old style bar with outdoor tables & 200 craft beers on tap. I sampled the cabana cruiser wheat brew & enjoyed it. Joanna was that waitress she was helpful and accommodating. Prices were very reasonable. We had a good time perusing the menu. A pickled pizza, spicy chicken, mashed potato pizza... So creative and interesting! We shared a carnivore pizza with Canadian bacon, pepperoni, bacon, sausage, ground beef. The pizza was excellent, very flavorful with spicy and smoky hints.

    Bob's Popper Pizza
    Austin B.

    tl;dr the food menu is equal parts fun and flavorful, while the extensive draught list will appeal to weekend warriors and beer snobs alike Across my National Parks travels, I've found bars and breweries to be the safest of bets for reasonable dining in the middle of nowhere. In Rapid City, one of the most popular spots is Independent Ale House in the quaint downtown area. This taproom boasts an extensive list of local and international brews, paired with a cheeky lineup of slightly elevated pub fare. Independent doesn't particularly pop against the well-manicured brick buildings downtown, but it's one of the few spots with steady foot traffic. Warm accent lights dimly light the interior. The exposed-brick walls are decorated with an eclectic assortment of brewery-branded neon signs and antique tchotchkes. Wooden tables flank both sides of the entrance ramp, while upholstered booths are hidden in the back. A human-height blackboard above the bar is chalked with countless color-coded rows of available beers. Contemporary music is drowned out by chatter. My group visited on a weekend for an early dinner, and we had no trouble securing a booth. For brews, I loved my Lost Cabin Lord Grizzly Scotch ale, while my partner enjoyed her Cohort Cranberry Hibiscus mead. Beyond the drinks, I was pleasantly surprised by the pizzas. The oval-shaped pies were about the size of a menu. The thin, chewy crust was more akin to flatbread, but it never felt cheap or fast-food-y. The toppings were pressed close to the edges, and each pie was cut into 8 two-bite slices. Our consensus favorite was the recommended Bob's Popper pizza, a bacon-ranch pie that added a few unorthodox ingredients: cream cheese and raspberry preserves. Put simply, the components just worked. The 3 Little Pigs pizza was no slouch either. The rich combination of meats infused a flavorful savoriness but never felt overwhelmingly greasy. The Dub's Thai pizza combined an ambitious array of ingredients (from peanut sauce to sliced coconut), with an overarching flavor of the cinnamon- and cumin/forward garam masala spice blend. The resulting pie was more fun than forgettable, even if I would try another variety over this one next time. House hot sauces and other dips on the side infused new flavors into any untopped crusts. Beyond pizza, the special Sweet & Salty High Salad (topped with pretzels and popcorn for texture) was an inoffensively playful take on a spinach-and-goat cheese salad. The service was efficient, if not somewhat absentminded -- our server didn't bring water until after food was served, and she nearly forgot one of our items. The pizza was a tad expensive (at $15 for some varieties), but Independent otherwise delivered my most enjoyable and well-rounded meal across the Dakotas.

    Wild Mushroom with Sausage
    Marie S.

    Great atmosphere and flatbreads! Was in Rapid City for work and this was recommended by colleagues. Had the Wild Mushroom and added Sausage - it was delicious! Also offered Kombucha, which was pleasantly refreshing and did not taste like a regular vinegary Kombucha. Our server/bartender was awesome and checked in on us several times. Another great place to check out if staying in Rapid City.

    They let DOGS in here.  Great beer though!
    Rickster F.

    Damn. I hate giving 5 star reviews. But .. .... Expansive list of beers and other stuff .... Food was very good - salad and flat bread .... Johanna's service was extraordinary/superior .... Cool place with a good "vibe" (I hate that term) Yes. Recommended. Just do it.

    Bernardo...two adults can share
    Rob S.

    Good spot for pizza and beer. Over 50 beers on tap. One pizza can be shared with someone else. Inside is very nice however expect the noise to be louder. The bar area has a very nice vi take look. Outdoor seating only had 4 tables and is very limited, but it works. Service here was speedy and polite.

    Bob's Popper Pizza (bottom- THE BEST!! Highly recommend!!) and Italian Pesto Pie (top)
    Marisa E.

    Wow!!! If I could rate it higher I would. I'm not a huge pizza person but I would come back over and over for their Bob's Popper Pizza (Ranch Sauce, Cheese Blend, Jalapeño, Bacon, Cream Cheese,& Raspberry Preserves). I dipped it in their bottle of green hot sauce that was on the table and it was fantastic!! My husband got the Italian pesto pie which was good (and he really enjoyed it) but in my opinion nowhere near as good as the popper pizza. We both got the Blakes Triple Jam Cider and that was also phenomenal!! Loved it sooo much!! Wish we lived here!! (Or this was in DC )

    Maura L.

    Great beer selection, but the spicy chicken pizza has absolutely no taste of BBQ and tasted like the sauce base was just Frank's Red Hot. Otherwise the Greek salad was fantastic!

    3 Little Pigs
    Tom G.

    We sat downstairs where it was a bit more mellow and had great service, food and beer. The 3 Little Pigs pizza was tasty and they have a very good beer selection.

    Popper pizza
    Kelly A.

    Service was great, massive beer selection and food is good. Our server asked if we'd been before and I heard other tables being asked the same. I liked that because then they went on to explain the beer menu (QR code) and how the pizzas are more like flatbreads and sizing, super helpful. The pizza was really good too and they have a great variety. Our little ate half his cheese pizza then finished the rest the next day!!

    Wild mushroom, Althea, and mashed potato
    Mike G.

    Great pizza and beer spot. Lots on tap to enjoy. My wife and I split the Althea and the wild mushroom pizzas. Both were delicious. Our daughter liked her mashed potato pizza too. Service was also great. Highly recommend.

    Carnivore Pizza.
    Jason B.

    Great food and service! The pizzas were great. The mashed potato pizza was a trip. Carnivore pizza was good. Bobs Popper pizza was my favorite though. I highly recommend.

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    Great Flat bread pizza and good verity. Friendly works and great service. Highly recommend!

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    1 year ago

    Good beers and selection! We ate the yummy flatbread! Nice vibes! Has some tables outside too.

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    Page 1 of 14

    Ask the Community - Independent Ale House

    Do they allow dogs on their patio?

    sure, if the dog does not bark, for no good reason, I think it is a welcome guest. But if you have one of those dogs that bark at everything, and you simply say "It's just friendly and participating" stay away.

    Gluten free options?

    Yes. They do have a gluten free dough. I believe it's a little extra but the option is available.

    View All 3 Questions

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