We had spent the morning observing bison in the southern part of the park, and we were getting hungry. We were in the vicinity of the Blue Bell Lodge, so decided to give it a try. We were driving a rental car, that had a wonky license plate that was hanging on by one screw. As we walked in the restaurant manager had noticed our license plate, and offered to help us fix it when we were finished. He then sat us in a partially full dining room, which is beautifully decorated. I went with the bison chili, and it was super tasty! For me, it was a little bit on the spicy side, but I know for a lot of people they would love it that way. I asked for a side of cornbread, as I had just ordered a cup of the chili, not the main chili meal, and they were very gracious and brought one out. The cornbread was also super delicious! As we finished our meal, it had started to rain. The manager stood by his offer to help us with the license plate, and met us just up the road a bit at a place where the maintenance supervisor's truck was located so that he could get us a zip tie to fix our license plate. It was such a nice gesture, and we appreciated that he went out of his way to help us. We would highly recommend the Blue Bell Lodge! read more

See all

Lovely rustic lodge setting and our server Victor was wonderful. We ordered steak and the Schnitzel and both dishes were delicious. They do offer a wide range of beers and cocktails and even have outdoor dining available. read more

Blue Bell Lodge - Steak - Resorts Near Me - Custer, South Dakota

See all

We ate lunch here, and it was one of the best meals we had in South Dakota! The overall vibe is great, and very committed to the Western theme. The Buffalo meatloaf was very flavorful... it was just good. The mashed potatoes and cowboy beans were good too. The chicken pot pie was very good too, with the pie crust really standing out as tasty. Though the food was good, it did seem pretty expensive, but that seems to be the case for most meals on the western side of South Dakota. read more

See all

Lovely setting with choice of lodge dining room or outdoor deck. We chose the deck. He chose the bison stew and I had a tasty salad with pecans, Gorgonzola, grapes, sautéed apples and greens. I added the chicken breast but later realized I didn't need it. The server and hostess were friendly and accommodating. I would definitely return. I almost forgot! The cornbread was outstanding. read more

Shout out to Regina and Joel for the friendly service. Loved the bison chili and the selection of bar drinks which included cocktails and a nice selection of South Dakota craft draft beer. The inside of the restaurant was super cute - the kids really enjoyed getting their pictures on the saddles. read more

We stopped here after enjoying a full day at Custer Dtate Park. One of the only places open until 9PM as well which helped given our busy schedule we had planned. The staff was really friendly and we appreciated the honesty from the hostess and waitress on what their favorites were. We ordered the Triple Cheese Mac with Chicken and Chicken Pot pie. Both meals were unique and tasty, with the chicken pot pie having a fun and tasty twist on traditional pot pie. We were happy with our meal! As per the waitress, avoid the steak and Buffalo entrees as they are apparently tender and not as tasty. read more

Blue Bell Lodge - The dinner menu - Resorts Near Me - Custer, South Dakota

we had gone to the game lodge and had a great dinner so we went to Blue Bell. We got there early to have a drink in their bar but were told the bar was reserved for chuck wagon people and we could have a drink at our table. Later we found that was not true. It was in the 40s and raining but no fire in the fireplace. Our server was not in a good mood and obviously did not feel like waiting on us. The wife had the Walleye and said it was good. I had the pork schnitzel that was very over cooked. I had asked for the sauce on the side which was called "pile o dirt porter mustard cream". The chef came out because I asked for the sauce on the side. Who wouldn't? It was uncomfortable because of the server and her attitude pretty much ruined the whole evening. We had separate tickets with our friends and the checks were not right. Hopefully they will get better as the season goes along. On the whole, I applaud the SD state park system. They have great amenities in their parks, unlike the under funded parks in TX. But they need to step it up in their service area. read more

Pancake with fresh blueberries was delicious! Our family loved everything we ordered. Biscuits and gravy and pancakes were among top choices, probably. Neat lodge feel. Friendly staff. read more

See all

We met for lunch here while in Custer State Park. We've never been to this restaurant but it is now one of the places to go while in the park. We both ordered the hot beef sandwich. My husband ordered the local stout beer called Buffalo snot. He said it was good. read more

Blue Bell Lodge - Hot Beef sandwich with mashed potato - Resorts Near Me - Custer, South Dakota

Terrific service! Log lodge atmosphere. We liked our food! (except the cornbread which tasted like cake instead of corn...) The bison tips were tender. The mac and cheese was rich and creamy. We were staying in Custer at the Blue Bell campground so it was so convenient just to walk over. We felt happy and grateful to have this place so close. read more

See all

Love the varied menu choices, the western Lodge atmosphere, and the great tasting dishes.

Al we have been here for 4 days with 12 people. The food is terrible. Everything is way too salty but worse, the manager is rude. He would not let us sit at a table at 3;30 and just have drinks because they had dinner reservations. We had planned on a breakfast tomorrow but I won't give them money ever again. We live in Rapid City and come often but not again. Not ever. read more

We stopped here for breakfast while exploring the Black Hills / Needles Highway. If you could travel back 50 years when grandma cooked everything from the stove, you've come to the right spot. Everything was cooked spot on from the hash browns to the sausage to butter biscuits / pancakes that came out of a pan. Highly recommend this spot if you are traveling in this area. read more

Good food, rude management! Part of our family arrived late, requiring a bigger table. They made a huge deal about moving to another table when the restaurant was completely empty and only one server. So instead, we just decided to borrow a chair from another table, which was empty,... The manager came over took the chair, put it back and said we don't move furniture here. read more

We met some friend here who live in town. They said they really enjoy coming here. We have been to Custer state park many time and have never eaten here. It was a nice place. I would suggest stopping here if you are traveling in the park. read more

I had such high hopes for this place. I was told by a friend that it was one of the best places in the park to eat. It took forever just to put my order in. Everything came at once so I had a hot sandwich and a cold salad. I ate half the salad. I didn't figured I'd dig into the buffalo brisket, which was so overly salted. I had to stop eating it halfway through. I asked the waiter to since I ate half of it to please give me half off the sandwich because it was so uneditable and the people next to me agreed that theirs was the same way . The check took an eternity. when I finally got the check, it was for the full bill. I asked him to take it off again and the manager came out again. Another eternity went by. Yes they did give me half off but in good faith I should've gotten the whole thing deducted. Just not a good place for lunch unless you're really desperate. I would just drive to the town of Custer, which is only about 20 minutes away and I'm sure there's plenty of places there to have a decent lunch. read more

Long drive, food was edible... ordered a medium well hamburger and it was well done and overcooked. Atmosphere was excellent very quaint place with lots of area photos. My husband had buffalo steak bites ... he said they were good. No chicken dinner options...darn! read more

Late on a Wednesday evening on a winding road in South Dakota, we were searching for food that wasn't from a gas station, while being chased by a supercell thunderstorm. As lightning crashed overhead and the rain began to pour, we pulled into Blue Bell Lodge to seek refuge with the hope we might also find something to eat. As luck would have it, they had one table left, which we gladly took. The dining room was warm, with large windows looking out on the raging storm outside. The classic lodge dècor, with several bucks adorning the log cabin walls, added to the cozy ambiance. The food was hearty, savory, and delicious. We ordered the chicken pot pie, which had a deconstructed wafer design, where you could crunch the wafer above the bowl of pot pie filling and mix it to your custom specification. The South Dakota dip had pot roast and cheddar with au jus and it was extremely tasty. We decided to take the plunge on desserts and they were awesome. The apple crisp ala mode and the homemade bread pudding ala mode were an extraordinarily delicious, albeit unnecessary (but not unwelcome) end of the meal. Five hearty stars. We will definitely come back next time we're in town. read more

Blue Bell Lodge - Entry greetings! - Resorts Near Me - Custer, South Dakota

Considering there aren't a lot of choices around, I was pessimistically expecting overpriced, uninspired food. I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong! The menu offers great choices consistent with the setting, including several preparations of buffalo: the meatloaf was very good; the stew was tasty but salt overpowered. Good cocktail choices. And all of this at very reasonable prices. The historic building is outstanding, lots of rustic log charm...as long as you don't mind a dozen deer heads watching you eat. read more

We did the hayride and chuckwagon dinner at the Blue Bell lodge in May and had a great time! Was fun, relaxing and out guide "Cowboy Keith" was hilarious! We did singing and dancing in a gorgeous mountain setting after a great steak dinner! We highly recommended this!!!' read more

See all

We had lunch today at the Blue Bell Dining Room today. The chicken pot pie and the buffalo stew were delicious. My wife says it's the best stew she's ever had. So much food that we have another full meal for home. We highly recommend this restaurant! It's in a really nice well maintained log building. We also had the apple crumble for dessert this was very good. read more

This review is for the Blue Bell Lodge Chuckwagon ride and dinner. We did the Chuckwagon ride on 8/3/20. We checked in at the Blue Bell Lodge for our tickets (pictures of the Chuckwagon guides on the wall). As we got our tickets, a friendly, older gentleman grabbed a few boxes of cowboy hats, and he started handing them out to the Chuckwagon guests. We learned later he was Cowboy Keith, our guide for the ride. Everyone grabs a hat, and climbs aboard one of the three Chuckwagons. Our guide was Cowboy Keith. He regaled us with tales of the mountains and the pioneers who tried to tame the mountains. He sang familiar songs as well as some that he wrote to entertain and tell a story. Cowboy Keith was quite knowledgeable of the area, the animals and nature. He is an excellent singer as well. After about 45 minutes of touring Custer State Park in the Chuckwagon (we saw bison, prairie dogs, and deer along the way), we arrived at a private park with picnic tables and a covered area. Here all of the guides sang songs for us and took requests. Dinner was served - your choice of steak, hamburger or veggie burger with potato salad, coleslaw, watermelon, corn bread & a chocolate chip cookie. The food was good, but not the highlight of the evening - you're really going for the experience, not the meal. The whole experience was very welcoming and accommodating. Whether you wanted to wear a mask or not, you were welcomed and not judged. Everyone came together to enjoy a fun tour, food, and singing/dancing. read more

See all

The Chuck Wagon ride and dinner was such a unique, fun experience. You ride in the wagon with a live western singer and do a sing a long. You see wildlife along the way too! We saw buffaloes, prairie dogs, and white tail deer. Dinner is in a beautiful field. The ONLY reason I am giving this experience 4 stars is that my burger was burnt to a crisp. I told the chef and they didn't offer a solution. Others in my group got the steak and said it was good. We hopped back on the wagon and enjoyed the live music. Overall, I am glad my family did it while in town. I would just suggest getting the steak. read more

Surprisingly good. This came at the end of our "Jeep Wildlife Safari", which was also memorable. A special treat on the safari was riding through at least 200 bison, some of which were close enough to touch. (But, don't!) The dinner was accompanied by a couple of excellent country-music singers. I had the 8 oz Bison sirloin, the only meat on our tour that was actually cooked to my, requested, medium rare. My wife had the hamburger. Sides included baked beans, slaw, potato salad, corn bread and a cookie or brownie. All in all, it was a fun and unusual experience. read more

We ate lunch at Blue Bell Lodge in Custer State Park. Service was good, place was clean. We each had the Belldorf Salad and shared a desert. It was good. Like all national and state parks it can get pricey. Example Ice Tea was $4 each. It was good food, good service, and we were happy with our choice. read more

The service was great, my stew was a bit on the sweet side from what I'm use too. My husband and nephew loved their burgers. One of my boys didn't care for his burger and another kids mini corn dogs were not good but the grilled cheese and chicken strips were good. read more

Blue Bell Lodge - Stew - Resorts Near Me - Custer, South Dakota

See all

I wrote a poem to describe my poor experience Limited Menu Poor Preparation Dry Meat Absurd Sauce Bad Service Bad Staff No Return Unsatisfactory Meal read more

Staff was very attentive and allowed us to decorate the white buffalo room the night before. The few things I didn't like was that I never got to finish my food or even half of it before it and my drinks were taken from my seat. We also paid for a champagne toast that we never received. You don't get to keep any leftovers (which there was plenty of) . read more

We visited on a Sunday evening. We made reservations but the restaurant was not crowded. The waiter, Chris. was attentive and very helpful in choosing our dinners. I had the cashew crusted walleye and my companion the bison tips (medium rare) in the skillet. Both were very good! As was the cornbread. I would recommend both of these dishes. read more

So I only ordered some onion rings, a beer, and dessert. The thing is, I had no idea this place was here. Had I know, I certainly would have saved myself to eat here. The ambiance is exactly what it should be in the middle of the park. There are nearby cabins and campers walking in to get their supper. Link a lot of places these days, they're short staffed, so you will likely need to get a reservation, even though it's not all that crowded. If I'm ever back here I'd love to try more of their food. I got such a good vibe from the whole place. read more

See all

We stopped here on the Wildlife Loop at Custer State Park looking for a bathroom stop and to stretch our legs. We wound up staying for an early lunch and it was great. The Bluedorf salad was excellent, as was the chili. The cornbread was just to die for. We had a great lunch in the middle of nowhere! Highly recommended. read more

Doesn't look like much on the outside, but it's got a nice log cabin feel on the inside. Lots of seating and a separate room for the bar. Good kids menu, and amazing buffalo. It's clean, and it's staff are really chill. It's very nice, great food. I would definitely recommend! read more

While staying in Custer State Park we ate dinner and breakfast at Blue Bell Lodge. The food is delicious! They have something for everyone's tastes and likings. The lodge is beautiful and the staff is friendly. My husband had the Buffalo Meatloaf, it was a generous portion which filled him up. I had the Buffalo Steak Tips which were seasoned perfectly and very tender. The last day they are open for the season was October 24th. We went to breakfast and had another great meal. We both had the Western Omelette Skillet with homemade sourdough toast. I couldn't finish mine because it was such a large portion. Excellent service and excellent food. read more

My husband and I stopped at Blue Bell for lunch last week and shared the club sandwich. It was excellent so we decided to come back for dinner the following week. We both decided to have them pot pie. The pot pie was tasty; however, it was a fairly small portion. It would be nice if the size was increased. We ordered the apple crisp to offset the small portion of dinner. I have to say that the apple crisp was wonderful and it actually took longer to finish it due to its size than it did to eat dinner. The blend of oatmeal, caramel, and apples was spot on and a definite repeat on our list. read more

If you go to the lodge restaurant with no expectations for good food or service you may leave enough fans, as we did, to say four stars. If you expect good food and service, you may be disappointed. Balancing expectations and reality can make all the difference. With that in mind, I set the context for us. We had been up since 5:00am and after a few hours in gorgeous Custer State Park by 10:30am we were ready for a cup of coffee, a little nosh and, to be honest, access to a flushable loo with running water. All of which was to be had here. Our experience with the vibe was good enough to say we'd go back if in the Park again given the dearth of eat-in options. VIBE: A fun, log walls, rustic, bright, well maintained, sparkling place inside the Blue Bell Lodge that has its' roots in the early 1920's when built by Northwestern Bell (aka one of the "Baby Bell" Telephone companies) as a retreat for his family and friends. (Hence the logo, the Blue Bell of the old Bell System.) The lounge - bar is also fun to see with saddles set up as bar stools. THE DRILL: The dining room is at the back of the lodge lobby, you check in at the desk here if you're renting one of the cabins. (The loo is for dining room, bar or lodge guests only.) Table service from food ordered via menus which change for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We were seated and eventually delivered a breakfast menu. MENU: Breakfast menu is divided into sections like "Wrangler Skillets" combinations of eggs and potatoes and cheese and veggies or meat (@$9.50) and "Mornin' Classics" like Chuckwagon Benedict (using buffalo brisket @ $11) and "True Grit" listings that include things like pancakes (@$7). Lunch and dinner menus have equally kitschy headings, like "Bits and Spurs" that run from things like Spinach Dip ($8) to Buffalo Quesidilla ($10.50) and "Saddle Up" for salads ($10 - $13) to Blue Bell Classics like chicken fried steak ($14) or rustic rib eye ($26) or "Cattle Drive" for burgers or "Two Handers" for sandwiches ($10 - $12). My observation as a diner who leans to vegetarian eating by choice much of the time, this would be a challenge here. SERVICE: There was only one other table of diners, a family of eight, when we arrived at 10:30 on a Saturday morning in early June. That surprised us, but it started to fill up by the time we left at 11:40. Not that we planned on staying an hour plus but the service was so slow to get our food - very simple orders - out of the kitchen that we had no option. Nice young guy waiting on us but it seemed he was new to the craft and the cook might have been also. Wouldn't be unusual given this State Park contracts out for lodge services and a number of the employees (as in the two guys horsing around behind the lodge desk) seem to be student summer hires. FOOD: I ordered a side of biscuits and a cup of coffee. The server was astounded I didn't want gravy with my biscuit. No, I said, just a biscuit. I received an under baked biscuit on a plate with a side, which I didn't order, of undercooked breakfast potatoes. My husband ordered eggs, over hard, with dry toast. The first pass at his meal showed up with the eggs barely cooked and buttered toast. As the server set the dish down my husband asked, "Don't these eggs look very soft to you?" Server: "Yes, but this is what the cook gave me." Husband: " I ordered the toast dry. This is buttered." Server: "Yes." My husband sent the dish back to have the cook try again. The second pass was better for getting the eggs cooked and toast dry but also arrived with not ordered undercooked potatoes. So, suggestions... ...one; be patient and enjoy the surroundings. ...two; be prepared to "eat around" what you can't swallow. ...three; unless you are desperate for caffeine, don't order the coffee. ...four; as warning or encouragement (depending on how you might process this), the kitchen is known for a Jumbo Caramel Roll. (Jumbo is the right adjective.) It is on the breakfast menu and offered pre-wrapped to go at the lodge lobby cash register. If I'm going to invest in that number of calories it ought to be something pretty incredible and this looked a little too blonde for my tastes. (Imagine it being under baked. Wouldn't that be a surprise.) But I will share that a couple next to us volunteered the roll was equally delicious with and without the golf ball sized serving of butter they slathered on at the table. I have it on their authority that calories don't count on vacation and you should order this roll. I pass that on for what it's worth. LIBATIONS: Full bar for cocktails when the time of day is right. A few beers by bottle. A few wines by bottle or glass, but in that modality one of the offerings was Three Blind Moose. If you're a wine drinker you know that this means. Don't. THIS N THAT: 1) PARKING: Gravel lot next to the lodge. 2) ACCESSIBILITY: Level in and throughout. Standard height seating. read more

See all

We did the hayride & Chuck wagon dinner. It was great. Keith entertained us on the hayride. He sang and told stories of the area and his time growing up in that area. Lots of interaction as he had everyone singing & clapping. At the chuck wagon, the food was excellent. Choice of steak or a burger. We had the steak. And all the fixins'. It was delicious. Be sure to book this on your trip. It was well worth it. Guaranteed a great time. read more

Stopped in after riding through Custer State Park. They had a $15 cookout outside but my family opted to go inside and sit down. The food was delicious and the service was outstanding. My mother got the Buffalo Stew and it was amazing. It tastes as good as your grandmother's cooking. Get it if you can. P.S. The cornbread is also delicious. Get an extra plate. Worth a couple extra bucks. read more

Blue Bell Lodge - The Buffalo Stew. As good as your grandma's cooking. - Resorts Near Me - Custer, South Dakota

Dined there with the family last Saturday for the second time in three years and the food was fantastic as always. Service was exceptional and the adults and kids both loved it. Great ambience and a great menu. Only reason it's four instead of five stars was due to the presence of flies. Otherwise, highly recommend. read more

Blue Bell Lodge in Custer State Park was a surprise, The Blue Bell is a restaurant in the middle of the park, that specializes in buffalo dishes, but they have beef, salads and other things as well. We got seated right a way, they were mindful of covid and the service was fantastic! I ordered a salad with apples, grapes, goat cheese and cinnamon walnuts, delish! The other people in my party ordered the buffalo meatloaf, buffalo chili and one person ordered the beef hamburger (boring), lol. Anyway it was a nice surprise, food was good, prices were a little high, but we were on vacation and hungry! read more

We stayed in a log cabin. It was pretty nice, except the giant spider on the bed post The only negative was the employee at check in. Not a very friendly person to be working a front desk. Otherwise it was an average experience. read more