Spearfish, South Dakota
Graduation, Birthday and Celebration Dinners in Spearfish
A big table in the dining room for the nights that matter, graduations, birthdays, retirements, team dinners. Open seven days a week at 11 AM.
Graduation weekend books out.
BHSU and Spearfish High commencement weekends fill every good table in town. Call (605) 717-1255 as soon as you know your headcount.
Open since 2012 · Scratch kitchen · 1,143 Google reviews · #3 of 49 Spearfish restaurants on TripAdvisor
Graduation weekend in Spearfish is a math problem
Two weekends a year, this town runs out of tables. BHSU graduates its class, Spearfish High School graduates its class, and suddenly every family in Spearfish, plus grandparents in from Rapid City, aunts and uncles in from out of state, needs a restaurant that can seat ten or twelve people at once, on the same Saturday, at roughly the same hour.
There aren't many places in Spearfish that can do that well. We're one of them, and the tables go to whoever calls first. That's not a sales line, it's just how the weekend works.
So: figure out your headcount, pick a time, and call. Earlier is better.
Big table, or a space of your own?
Two different things, and picking the right one saves you a phone call.
A big table in the dining room
That's this page. You're in the main room with everyone else, on the full menu, ordering off it like any other table. Right for 8 to about 14 people. Graduation dinners, birthdays, a team meal after a game.
A private event
That's our private events page. A dedicated space, a planned menu, a set headcount. Right for bigger groups, rehearsal dinners, company holiday parties, retirement receptions and BHSU department events where you want the room to yourselves.
If you're not sure which one you need, call (605) 717-1255 and describe the night. We'll tell you honestly which fits better.
What we host at a big table
Graduation dinners, BHSU and Spearfish High
The classic version: twelve people, three generations, one person in a gown who wants a steak. Every steak and entree comes with a house salad, a cup of soup or a cup of chili, which keeps a big order simple. Grandparents get a ribeye or the Dakota meatloaf. The graduate gets the Ridge Rider Tatanka Warrior. The cousin who eats plant-based gets the black bean burger and doesn't feel like an afterthought.
Birthday dinners
Any night of the week, any size. Tell us when you call whether you're bringing a cake, and whether you want the check split or on one card.
Retirement dinners
Someone worked thirty years and you want a room where people can hear the toast. Come earlier in the evening, 5:30 or 6, when the dining room is quieter.
Team dinners
Post-game meals, coaches' dinners, a squad that just needs to eat a lot of food fast. Burgers, wings and shareables travel well across a long table. For bigger squads or a set price per head, private events is the better call.
BHSU parents' weekend
Parents in town for two days, a student who's tired of the dining hall. Book Friday or Saturday evening ahead of time, parents' weekend is a busier weekend than most people expect.
Anything else worth a table
Engagements, promotions, a good bowling score, someone finally moving out of a rental. We don't ask.
How to book a big table
- 1
Call (605) 717-1255
With your date, your time and your headcount.
- 2
Tell us the real number.
A group of 11 that shows up as 14 is a harder problem than a group we knew was 14. If it might grow, say so.
- 3
Flag anything the kitchen should know.
Gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, a nut allergy. See the gluten-free page for what we can do and what we can't promise.
- 4
Say how you want the check handled.
Separate checks, one card, or split evenly. Deciding at the table with twelve people is nobody's favorite part of the night.
What to order for a group
Start with shareables, and order more than you think. Garlic cheese curds, classic wings (buffalo and gorgonzola, Moroccan dry rub, or Caesar and parmesan), bison chili cheese fries, carne asada fries, brussels sprouts with bacon and goat cheese. The full shareables list is here.
For the main course, the range is the point. Steaks and entrees, petite filet, garlic butter sirloin, ribeye, espresso-rubbed New York strip, Moroccan spiced lamb chops, all come with a salad, soup or chili included. Burgers are hand-pattied and every one can be swapped to a bison patty, a chicken breast or a bean patty. Pub plates cover the middle: Dakota meatloaf made with elk and bison, bison short ribs, bacon mac and cheese, Thai curry noodles.
Nobody gets stuck. Gluten-free lettuce buns and gluten-free fries on any burger, the GF-marked steak tips, eggplant dip, Italian zoodles and portobella stack, a house-made black bean burger, gluten-free beer and a real non-alcoholic list. One honest note we put on every page: all items are prepared in one kitchen, and vegan, vegetarian and gluten free items are subject to possible cross-contamination.
For the toast, the bar makes its own grenadine, bitters and honey syrup, and two cocktails are barrel-aged in house, the Barrelled-in-Bond Old Fashioned and the Verde Y Reposado. Seventeen rotating drafts, including Crow Peak brewed here in Spearfish. Non-drinkers get the Bowl Cut, the Scratch Shirley or a real N/A beer list.
What to know before you book
Parties of 8 or more are subject to an automatic 18% gratuity.
It's printed on our menu and we'd rather you read it here than find it on the check. A big table is a lot of work for the server running it, and this makes sure they're paid for that work no matter how the checks get split.
Book early for graduation weekend, and for anything in December. Those are the two times of year Spearfish genuinely runs short of tables.
Come earlier if you want to talk. The dining room is livelier after 7:30 on weekends, especially when there's live music. Great for a birthday with twelve twenty-somethings, harder for a retirement toast.
Bigger than a big table? Private events.
Planning a quieter two-person night instead? See date night.
Frequently asked questions
Can Killian's seat a large group for a graduation dinner?
Yes, a big table in the main dining room is exactly what this page is for, and graduation dinners are one of the most common reasons people book one. Call (605) 717-1255 with your date and headcount.
How far ahead should I book for graduation weekend?
As early as you can. BHSU commencement and Spearfish High graduation each create a weekend where every good table in town is spoken for, and the families who call first get the times they want.
Is there an automatic gratuity for large parties?
Yes. Parties of eight or more are subject to an automatic 18% gratuity. It's stated on our menu, and we mention it up front so it's never a surprise when the check comes.
Can we get separate checks for a big group?
Tell your server how you want it handled at the start of the night rather than at the end, and we'll do our best.
What's the difference between this and a private event?
This is a large table in the main dining room, ordering off the full menu, right for roughly 8 to 14 people. A private event means a dedicated space and a planned menu, which is the better fit for bigger groups, rehearsal dinners, company parties and department events.
Can we bring a birthday cake?
Mention it when you call so we can plan for it, and let us know if you need it kept cold before dessert.
Do you have options for a group with different diets?
Yes. Gluten-free lettuce buns and gluten-free fries on any burger, GF-marked entrees including the Italian zoodles and portobella stack, a house-made plant-based black bean patty, gluten-free beer and a full non-alcoholic list. All items are prepared in one kitchen, so cross-contamination is possible.
Can you do a team dinner after a game?
Yes, and it's a regular thing here. Burgers, wings and shareables are the easiest way to feed a squad quickly. Call ahead with a headcount and an approximate arrival time, for larger teams or a fixed price per head, private events is a better fit.
Pick your date, count the heads, and call. The good times on graduation weekend go early.
Killian's Food & Drink · 539 W Jackson Blvd, Spearfish, SD 57783 · (605) 717-1255
Mon-Thu 11 AM-10 PM · Fri-Sat 11 AM-11 PM · Sun 11 AM-10 PM