If you go in recognizing that this is a gourmet experience that emphasizes the presentation and taste profile in lieu of portion size, then you should be very satisfied. Our entrees were expertly prepared and presented. They offered a number of lovely cocktails that pleased the rest of my party, while I enjoyed a glass of the lovely Austin Hope Cab. I'm knocking off a star for the excessively loud 80's music curated by an aging DJ, along with over-worked waitstaff that were challenged to respond to every party. Expensive (for Rapid City), but a lovely splurge to celebrate the birthday of our friend. I only wish that the temperature (103F at 6 pm) would have allowed us to sit on the rooftop patio. read more

Juniper at Vertex Sky Bar - My wife's rotating cocktail, with pomegranate juice, gin, St. Germane, and something else on top. Delish. - Bars Near Me - Rapid City, South Dakota

An amazing restaurant at the top of the historic Alex Johnson hotel! We are visiting Rapid City and Mt. Rushmore for Independence Day this year. We made reservations a few months ago for this restaurant. Very thankful we did as it was full to the brim! The decor and ambiance brought us back to the roaring 20's. Our server, Alexis, was awesome. She was highly informative and gave us greet recommendations! I had the watermelon and strawberry gazpacho as an appetizer! Refreshing with spicy twist....delicious! Wish I had the recipe! My husband & I had the specialty pasta for the evening....a ricotta and herb filled tortellini with a melt in your mouth herbed chicken breast...all in a creamy light red sauce. Fantastic! Our friends had the beef filet (cooked perfectly by the way) and the Elk ribs. They both said they were the best they've ever had! We all shared the combination dessert plate....plentiful! Overall an amazing experience! Highly recommended! read more

Juniper at Vertex Sky Bar - Bars Near Me - Rapid City, South Dakota

We met friends for drinks and appetizers. Great service. Good food. Great view of the sunset.

Awesome rooftop bar with amazing views of Rapid City! This was such a lovely place to be every night while staying in Alex Johnson hotel. The staff was friendly, the drinks were great. I would highly recommend the Blue Hue Spritz cocktail - it was delicious and refreshing. There's seating inside and then an awesome patio with seating along a fire pit, some tables/chairs, and some bar seating along the perimeter with views of the city. read more

See all

We dined at Juniper nearly two months ago, and everything was *phenomenal.*. Because it was a Monday evening, staffing was light, so Connor, the bartender, was doing it all: answering the phone, taking orders (no note pad, nailed every course), mixing the drinks, and checking in on us all while taking care of other customers. He and his helper were polished, professional, kind, and so much fun! To enter the restaurant, you have to go through the lobby of the Alex Johnson hotel and take the elevator up to the top floor. You emerge from the elevator in a cozy foyer with enormous windows, and the restaurant is through a heavy wooden door to the right. Inside the restaurant, the decor is Art Deco, light and airy with tin ceilings and tall windows. Everything was immaculately maintained. The menu was limited that evening, but we still found everything we wanted (I am vegan, my companions were not) from starters to dessert. The only bad part was that it was our last night in Rapid City and we couldn't take our leftovers, so we just ate as much as we could. The serving sizes were generous without being over the top. We would 100% return to Vertex if we visit Rapid City again. read more

See all

Excellent ambiance, service and food! For a unique dining experience, check out The Juniper at The Vertex Sky Bar in The Alex Johnson Hotel. read more

Juniper at Vertex Sky Bar - Filet with mashed potatoes, carrots and I think a juniper berry sauce. Delicious! - Bars Near Me - Rapid City, South Dakota

See all

You come here for the amazing views, and stay for the cocktails! Amazing view of the city, great sunset, cute string lites, and a fire pit. We loved the ambiance and the fresh air. The dirty martinis were great! The bread service as awesome, it came with a tangy spicy butter and it was delicious! We each got salads-- mine was with the filet and my friend got grilled chicken. They bother were pretty good. The service is very very slow, but they were very nice. We had to go downstairs to track down our waitress and get the check. read more

See all

Rooftop restaurant We sat in small room overlooking Rapid City. Great cocktails and food. Attentive service. Very nice dinner on our last night in Rapid City. read more

See all

The ambiance was nice regardless of the weather. We went once in the rain then back in the sun. Servers and bartenders friendly and accommodating. Cool signature drinks and amazing charcuterie. Don't miss this one. read more

Juniper at Vertex Sky Bar - Charcuterie - Bars Near Me - Rapid City, South Dakota

Stayed at the Alex Johnson for a night in August. This entitled us to free admittance to the Sky Bar. A couple of brews by the fire was nice. The playlist out on the patio included "Back on '74" by Jungle which will always be synonymous with this trip. read more

Juniper at Vertex Sky Bar - A few from the top after a nice rain storm. - Bars Near Me - Rapid City, South Dakota

Our server Sam (Samantha) was great thank you! Filet steaks were good and experience in the top floor roof level was fun. Thanks for a great time, wife and I really appreciated it! Prices were a little steep for dinner, but roof top bar restaurant was fun experience. read more

Met a local at a nearby restaurant and he recommended this roof top bar as a must see. I'm so glad we went because the service, view, drinks and history were phenomenal. View would be better at night. It's on the 10th floor and you need a keycard to get to that level. In front of the elevator is a collage of all the past famous guests. We got an old fashion, Heather Hendrick's and a mocktail for my mom. The mocktail was made with raspberry. Heather Hendrick's had gin, elderflower and Prosecco. Shout out to Brandon, the manager who made our entire time unforgettable. read more

See all

Great views of course, but the food is just wonderful. 4 of shared a delightful charcuterie. All of us were pleased with that. We each also had a bowl of soup. The French Onion was picture perfect. I felt that prices were fairly set...this isn't a cheap place but the quality and size of servings justified the prices. Wonderful wait staff. read more

Have the petite fillet here, outstanding!I really enjoyed the blackberry gastrique that was served underneath my steak. Vegetables were perfect. Mashed potatoes were total comfort food nicely done. read more

Juniper at Vertex Sky Bar - ...photo after my first couple of bites. Petite Filet with blackberry gastrique! Yes, it works! - Bars Near Me - Rapid City, South Dakota

I had a horrible experience here with Benji, he refused to serve me when I was staying in the hotel and only had a few drinks and he wouldn't give me a reason as to why he wouldn't serve me. I hope that coke addict no longer "works" here because he ruins the whole atmosphere and he should not have been hired in the first place. Check Murphys for references because he is a horrible person! A sky bar this nice should prioritize a good staff. read more

Boy, are these drinks here just divine. Divinely expensive, just like conner's convo. It's pricey. But the bartender here, Conner, fit all my needs. More than just drinks. He's delicately crafted, shaped like a martini glass. I wanted to snap those little suspenders. xD. His eyes are as blue as pactola, and his ferocious man bun was soft and gentle, like cooked spaghetti. Skin as soft as a babies butt. Will be coming back for more, hope to see Conner there. booyah! read more

Food, service, and atmosphere was perfect for a Monday dinner date. Wine selection is amazing. read more

See all

Perfect for a classy night! Excellent service, and an amazing view. Food is thoughtfully prepared and presented. Delicious flavors- no wonder The Alex Johnson got this restaurant! Try the gluten free/dairy free bread loaf. It tastes like heaven and you'd never guess it was without those ingredients. The charcuterie seems pricey at $40, but when it arrives it's worth every cent. This board has high end ingredients that you just can't find anywhere else in Rapid. And when you're done, go outside to Vertex for an after dinner drink and a stunning view of the entire city! If you run into Richard, he's the nicest, most helpful concierge anywhere. Plus, he knows the area really well, and has outstanding suggestions. Can't wait to go back! read more

Juniper at Vertex Sky Bar - The view from Vertex Sky Bar - Bars Near Me - Rapid City, South Dakota

Dinner was excellent - had Romaine wedge and a 6 oz filet - medium rare - came out with a nice char and cooked perfectly. Well seasoned too. Wife had the Hawaiian pork - crispy rice - a new one and tasted great. Pork was also cooked perfectly and tasted great. Served explained they got a few new cooks and it's made all the difference. Hopefully they stay because dinner was top notch! read more

The most amazing food in Rapid City!!! Being a NYC foodie, Juniper hits the highest mark in Rapid City, and beyond! Their mushroom ragu is uncomperable! Their scallops are the best that I've had, perfectly prepared! Their menu rivals the best of the best! Oh, and the cocktails are top-notch!! Great staff!!!! read more

Nice views of downtown rapid city especially during sunset. The food was pretty good but the prices were expensive for their size. Our party ended up sharing the dishes and having a bite of each. Our server was really nice and reminded us of Ed Sheeran. If you don't stay in the hotel, then you need to get a day pass which is not applied to the dinner. Since we called ahead and mentioned a bachelorette they comped it. We just had to pick it up at the front desk prior to going up the elevator. Fun fact. We did not know this hotel was haunted prior to dining and had an interesting dinner reading ghost stories. The front desk has a book with stories from previous guests with their strange encounters. read more

See all

Went to the Vertex for one drink with some friends for a birthday before taking a walk to the Wobbly Bobby. One Old Fashioned cost $17. Not awesome, but fine. Close my tab with the group when we leave; tell the bartender I don't need a receipt, since I have it on my phone. Two days later; I find out they charged me $22.18. Called the hotel and they justify it by calling it a walkout because I didn't take the receipt i didn't need and they charged an extra 20%. Don't go here unless you want them to steal your money. read more

Place is not as upscale as you'd expect for being atop the Alex Johnson Hotel. Our waiter was not very quick and it was their first day but that was fine. Prices are fairly high for the portion, and the drink prices are that of a sports arena. Honestly, a once experience is enough type place. The Lobster risotto was good - but $50 was a bit much. read more

Rooftop bar with amazing drinks and service to match the view! This is located atop the Alex Johnson Hotel. read more

Juniper at Vertex Sky Bar - Bars Near Me - Rapid City, South Dakota

We saw excellent recommendations for Juniper and followed the directions to their old location We called when we couldn't find it and they directed us to this Vortrex location downtown inside of a hotel. They still have a significant online presence including in yelp, trip advisor, google maps and more that shows both their original and new locations that they really should clean up. Upon arrival we discovered that without reservations they wouldn't permit go up to the restaurant. So I called back to try for reservations. After some delayed they said they could seat us. I informed the front desk person at the hotel, who after offering unwelcoming stairs, reluctantly provided us a keycard to go up to the restaurant that we found mostly empty. The food was significantly more expensive than we were prepared for based on menus and yelp reviews regarding their original location and the write up in the local tourist magazine. Yelp has this price for this location as $$ (where it should be more like $$$$ or at least $$)... The food was EXCELLENT but I wasn't planning on spending 50% more than I was led to believe when taking the family out to dinner this evening. The waitress for our table was nice and well informed about the menu but when my wife asked for recommendations for wine pairing with her meal nothing meaningful was offered and it felt like a blind guess. The waitress of the table next to use kept glaring in what could only be called disapproval at our older teenage kids who where honestly better behaved than the college students they were serving. I think it says something when their original location boasts a 4.6 star review and their new location is 3.5, showing the huge decline and customer dissatisfaction. We were lured in by the 4.6 reviews The only reaming element was the excellent food. But everything else leaves is not wanting to return to this establishment. We felt quite unwelcome. I truly try not to give negative reviews, as you can see of the 121 reviews I've given, only 7 including this one are less than three stars. read more

After hearing all the hype about this place I was super excited to try it but it fell short and was kinda a disappointment. The restaurant space was good with good views of the Rapid City area. Service was ok. It was slow at time and the kitchen seemed out of cinque. The wine list was good and the specialty drinks looked fun. The food was disappointing. I had the Buffalo tenderloin. It was nicely presented with asparagus and small potatoes. The Buffalo was cool and appeared to be sitting. My son has had curry tofu. The flavor was good but the temperature was cool. I think the curry tofu would have been better if it was served with rice instead of potatoes. We did not have dessert as the menu looked disappointing. For the price this restaurant should have been better. read more

Juniper at Vertex Sky Bar - Curry tofu. - Bars Near Me - Rapid City, South Dakota

See all

The ambiance is stunning. The service is great. The cocktails are delicious. The food is pretty good. However, I think this space is having a bit of an identity crisis. The names are too confusing. The membership fees are a bit silly and honestly pretty pretentious for such a small town and it feels a bit off putting. The food and service downstairs at the Paddy's pub is excellent and has a more approachable sensibility. There used to be a beautiful restaurant on the main floor where the Starbucks is now and I wish the hotel would bring the Landmark back and let the Vertex remain a rooftop bar. read more

Didnt make it here yet but called hostess at phone number and all she asked was what time we thought we would be arriving. Obviously here some one understands customer service instead of just advertising it.. Would just as recently recommended, call even 20-60 minutes prior to your arrival time to speak with hostess on duty. read more

We had an exceptional dinner at Juniper. The ribeye special was expertly prepared and the kiddo loved the filet tips and especially the mashed potatoes. The view from the patio is special and our server was very friendly. We'll be back our next time through Rapid City. read more

Our waiter was extremely helpful and very attentive and talked us through the limited menu. The view from atop the hotel is the best around and watching the sunset from up there was spectacular. The craft cocktails were expertly prepared and the filet and asparagus hit the spot. read more

Juniper at Vertex Sky Bar - Fillet with grilled asparagus. - Bars Near Me - Rapid City, South Dakota

1st, you have to pony-up $20 just to take an elevator from the hotel lobby to the restaurant. 2nd, when I asked if the "walleye fingers" appetizer(which was excellent) was a type of salmon or trout, the waiter said salmon ... it is a perch! 3rd, we brought a bottle of our own wine, for which we're happy to pay the $25 corkage fee... the waiter brought an ice bucket, we ended up opening the bottle, putting it on the ice, and pouring each and every glass for ourselves. Fee for ....? 4th, wife's duck was very nice, my elk ravioli came out at room temp, the second plate was quite good; nicely the waiter comped it. In total, this restaurant is way overhyped. Yes, the food when done correctly, was quite good. The view and decor are worth a visit. But the service and overhead charges are second tier. read more

If you're staying at the Hotel Alex Johnson you know this bar. The best skyline view in all of Rapid. The drinks are top notch. I'm talking top shelf liquors that are crafted in delicious recipes. Bourbon selection is deep. I haven't eaten here, so take that for what it's worth. But if you're staying in the hotel and just looking for a drink, this is an above average hotel bar. Cheers! read more

See all

Amazing restaurant and bar on the 10th floor of this Hilton Curio property. Very good selection of Bourbons and Ryes which is worth 6 start alone for me...lol! The service is clearly 5 star. As with most highly reviewed locations, it's all about the staff. No exception here. The staff was amazing! My food was very tasty. I had the Duck and the Tater Tots, so not complex. Presentation was excellent! Even though I had issues with this Hilton Curio property, I have recieved an apology and more as a Lifetime Diamond Member. This bar/restaurant is not reflective of my review of the Hilton. A definate check-out. read more

We made reservations for our anniversary and unbeknownst to us they had reserved a special table for us. There was a bit of a mix up but they went out of their way to remedy. Being our first time, we asked for guidance and our server Jamie was spot on. Scallop appetizer was unique and delicious, filet was cooked to perfection with a great crust and subtle smoke flavor. It was too hot for the patio but many seats had great views. We will be back! read more

Juniper at Vertex Sky Bar - View of downtown Rapid City. - Bars Near Me - Rapid City, South Dakota

The view was amazing! Would recommend for like a cocktail hour. Dinner menu was limited, so if you're wanting a nice dinner maybe find somewhere else. But for drinks it was amazing! Service was okay. The patio was very crowded and our server was taking care of everyone so I think he was just overwhelmed. read more

See all

Went for a gal pals birthday after hearing the hype for months. The hype was so worth it. I more Times than not leave nice dinners slightly disappointed but that was not the case here. Drinks were fantastic wnd I can't stop thinking about my dinner. I had the honey sage pork loin over pumpkin Parmesan bacon risotto and it was fantastic. I tried to go back tonight but there was no room, so reservations are def recommended. Will be back soon read more

In a somewhat intimate setting even in cold weather this must be one one the best places in rapid city to have a drink. Service is quick and professional and the bartender is a trip! He will keep you entertained no matter what big you choose to seat at the bar. Drink menu is extensive and there are many other drinks and new variations that are not on the menu. Two outdoor rooftop areas with plenty of fireplaces make it an awesome time to sip a few drinks. I did not eat but food looked good. This is a member only and guests of the hotel and seems member can invite guests, so for the size of the place that is a perfect group of patrons. Decor is very unique and nice. And the best thing are their monthly promotions. Take a look at the discount of almost 50% on my tab. I has an amazing time! See the magic trick video from bartender. read more

See all

Read and heed the one-star reviews. They are (still) accurate. This spot oughta simplify/casual up so they can get more in line with the fabulous rooftop location. read more

Food was okay. Service was awful. The waiter kept us waiting for too long in just simple things like getting us set-ups after serving the food. Ambiance is Nice but you would think the hotel would capitalize on the potential views. I understand a new hotel will be added shortly, so I suspect the long needed deferred maintenance of the Alex Johnson will be started. read more

Very good service food was pretty good Martin was very good music was irritating should have been more old school