Juniper at Vertex Sky Bar

The staff at Vertex did an AMAZING job preparing and serving our wedding dinner. Alexis made us an absolutely gorgeous cake and Emilio and staff went above and beyond to ensure the night was perfect. The food was phenomenal! Thank you for making us the perfect dinner!

The food was absolutely amazing and the views were even better! Our waitress was so kind and had a great voice, singing my husband happy birthday. We will definitely be back and are highly considering a membership!

Just stopped in for a drink on the rooftop bar. Cool spot. Pricey drinks, but they were good. You're paying for the vibe. Great views. If just sitting outside, get your drinks at the bar then sit outside. Located within the hotel. To get there, enter the hotel lobby and take a right to the elevator up to the 10th floor. There are two levels to sit outside. There was a cool guy up there playing records inside. Nice on a good weather day. Metered street parking nearby is easy, free after 6.

Five-Star Review for the Sky Bar at Hotel Alex Johnson The Sky Bar at the Hotel Alex Johnson is an absolute gem in Rapid City! From the moment you step onto the rooftop, you’re greeted with breathtaking panoramic views of the Black Hills and downtown. Whether you’re catching a sunset or enjoying the twinkling city lights, the atmosphere is unbeatable. The drink selection is top-notch, with a great variety of craft cocktails, wines, and local beers. The bartenders are friendly, knowledgeable, and make fantastic recommendations. The service is always attentive without being overbearing, making it the perfect spot to relax after a long day of exploring. The ambiance is stylish yet comfortable, with cozy fire pits and plenty of seating to enjoy the view. Whether you’re a local or just passing through, the Sky Bar is a must-visit for a memorable night out in Rapid City. Highly recommend! Thank you all so much for an amazing first experience!

Where to start on this…. I guess at the front door where we met annually nice and sincer Gentleman who gave us our card pass and instructions how to get to Juniper since we have never been there. Met an Awesome young man in the elevator who worked there and gave us an over view of Juniper and what to expect. Greeted by Jamie and led to our table looking east over the city!!! Great view. Jamie was also our server and helped and made suggestions for our meal!! She was SUPER SWEET and knew her job…. And was soooo much fun as she helped make this a Special Evening for my wife and I. We started out with an appetizer of Bread with French Baguette bread, Garlic Butter, Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil… one of my favorites!! My wife ordered the the Roasted Beet Salad and I a Caesar Salad. Both Excellent!!! Our Main entrée was Wild Caught Alaskan Halibut and I had the Steak Special with Scallops. Both Dishes were INCREDIBLE!!! The flavor of her Halibut was outstanding and I would order anytime. But I have to say about my steak…. It was the BEST STESK I’ve had in Rapid City in the 51 years I’ve live here. Cooked to PERFECTION (Med Rare) with the most outstanding sear that added sooo much flavor!!! Only place that compares to this is Mortan’s Steak House in St. Louis. This was Truley a night for us to remember with the view of Rapid City at night, the EXCELLENT FOOD and SERVICE!! I can’t Thank Jamie, the Chefs and Staff for making our Night Out one to remember!!!!!

We've been visiting Juniper since their Sheridan Lake Road location, and the food has been consistently great. Our most recent visit was no exception: the filet in particular was perfect in every way and remains the best we've had in SD by far. The service has largely been wonderful. The only reason for less than five stars was the service at our most recent visit - this was the first time we've ever been made to feel we were not worth a server's time. Karla was visibly annoyed when we needed to make any request of her, walking away while we were still talking and with even an eye roll at one point. It unfortunately put a bit of a damper on a special evening.

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.

Unacceptable Negligence and Lack of Accountability My companion was served an alcoholic beverage—discovered only after consumption—after explicitly ordering a virgin cocktail. This is not a simple mistake; it is a dangerous service failure with potential liability. I informed staff that my companion was on medication sensitive to alcohol and had never consumed alcohol previously. Management's response was wholly inadequate. The drink was replaced with only a cursory "sorry," and no further attempt was made to rectify their error. We were charged the full amount for an evening their negligence ruined. For an establishment of this supposed caliber and price point, this demonstrated a shocking lack of professionalism and concern for guest safety. We will not be returning. I emailed them in response to their response below and they never got back to me. Absolutely awful.

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.

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!!!!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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.

Nice views for sunset. Cool building history. Happy hour could be upgraded but overall the cocktails and service were fabulous

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.

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

WOW! Very impressed with this venue. Didn't expect a restaurant in a hotel to be so good. Definitely recommend.

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.

My husband and I celebrated our 50th anniversary here. When he made the reservation for us everything was set a day before we received a message stating that there was a fee of $25 to ride the elevator to the restaurant!! We were going to cancel and the woman that took our reservation said she would offer a day pass. Our waitress Carla was great very knowledgeable about the menu and all. We ordered the chefs special and it was very good, the dessert was horrible and we ended up sending it back. As we sat in our spot near a window we started looking around and noticed that this restaurant needs an update. Rickety tables and chairs. We decided to go outside and enjoy the outdoor patio and the floor tiles were cracked and uneven and the fireplace glass was burnt and all over the floor in front of it!! I really think this restaurant had wonderful ambiance at one time but it's really overdue in our opinion!! We also agreed that charging people to ride up an elevator is shooting yourselves in the foot!! We were born and raised in Rapid City and even spent our wedding night there. This makes us sad for this establishment. We hope that this review and the other one to 3 star reviews will be taken Seriously! We need a good restaurant in Rapid it's time to step up to the plate!!!

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.

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.

Ever-evolving dishes that feature locally sourced proteins and vegetables, and professional service. I only wish you didn't have to pay for a day pass to dine here.

We loved our meal but will NOT go back. The "check in" at the Alex Hotel was abysma. We had a 5:15 reservation on Thursda. We were ignored. Then told to "step aside" and "get in line" with a finger point and snap rude voice. I was very polite just asking how to get to our restaurant. Very strange and incredibly mean.

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!

The food is delicious, the owners are amazing, and the views from the patios are awesome!! Glad they revamped the Vertex with their amazing food!

Horrible service, horrible food. Took an hour to get our order. This fish was undercooked and slimy

This bar is committing fraud and it has been going on for over a year! We visited this bar on our vacation and were excited to see the city view. Although the drinks were average at best, and the bartender was inattentive, the bigger issue is that he actually changed the tip amount on our bill, hoping we would not notice. We did notice when we got home and I called the General Manager, Mitchell McKeithan. He asked me to send him an email with the details and a copy of the receipt (which I did), and he told us he would take care of it. Upon checking my visa account several days later, I noticed he added a new charge for the correct amount, but never took the original fraudulent charge off of our credit card! So we ended up getting double billed for the drinks, along with the fraudulent tip amount. I emailed Mitchell McKeithan again, and he said the Vertex Manager was supposed to have done it and he must have made an error. Again he assured me it will be fixed ASAP. Well, two weeks have passed and it's now been over two months since we originally visited the Vertex Bar, and nothing has been done. I called him and left messages, but he has not returned my calls. I was not surprised when I saw a review from James Miller one year ago, indicating that the same thing was done to him. Unfortunately this must be common practice, and many people just don't notice it. Let's just call it what it is - fraud. So disappointing. Dear Owner, we see you respond to each review. Don't bother with me unless you're going to take action on this very serious issue happening at your establishment. I have contacted our credit card company, and I will also be contacting the Better Business Bureau.

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

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.

Petite filet was top notch, service was excellent (Sam is lovely!). Very jazzed about this restaurant especially since I usually stay at the hotel for work trips. Can't wait to come back!

Pizza was delicious!!! Customer service was great! Prices awesome!!! I would definitely recommend this place and plan to come back when I'm in the area!

We had an excellent experience for our 50th Anniversary. The rooftop view is gorgeous, especially on a snowy night. I love the outdoor fire pits. The sausage appetizer is tasty with the incredible drinks. Our waiter was very attentive and accommodating.

Pricey... not much selection for the price Service was ok... they are open late on weekends

Took three phone calls to get a reservation. When we got to the restaurant we were seated in a horrible location and were like an after thought to the restaurant. After 15 minutes of seating there nobody had been to the table yet. So we left, this was the only good thing about going was not having to pay to eat at this restaurant. It bills itself as a rooftop restaurant are table looked like we were in a dungeon. The restaurant also portrays itself as a nicer restaurant however the wait staff looked liked we were at a dive bar I would stay away from this place at all cost lots of better restaurants in Rapid City. I have no idea how this place even stays open with this staff and management they have.

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.

Should have believed the reviews. We were staying at the hotel the Vertex is located for a gathering for 3 days. They did the food each night and it never got any better. The tenderloin steak was pretty good but for the price it was not. Drinks where over priced. There is a nice outside area if it is warm enough.

Being that this is one of the only spots in rapid city, South Dakota I must say I enjoyed it. This bar is located inside of a hotel on the 10th floor. To go on the 10th floor, you need valet to lead you up. Upon arrival valet was going to bring us up but a group of young ladies gave us their card to go up being that the elevator could not take a lot of people. Really love the inside and outside of this bar. Coming out of the elector there's indoor seating, and there's also outdoor seating with a fireplace and heating to warm you up. You could all go further up and basically be on the roof of the hotel. The view gets better once your on the roof. We wanted to sit outside but it was just too cold for us so we sat in side the upper rooftop area and was greeted by Alex. We initially came to order just appetizers then cruise the city to be disappointed because everything closes at 9. Nonetheless I ordered a Cherry Poppin Fiz, and Prosciutto and Arugula flatbread. 10/10! I was really nervous about the Cherry Poppin Fiz but I enjoyed the freshness of it and the taste of cherry throughout the whole drink. The flatbread surprised me. Everything about it screamed freshness and tasty seasoning. The only thing I could say about both of these items is more cherries in the drink and bigger or longer flatbread to be shared among the table. If your in the South Dakota area this is the place to dine in either with family, friends or significant other.

We stayed 4 nights at the Alex Johnson and got $30 per day for food. We decided to go to the Vertex Sky Bar for dinner. We had burgers that were dry and not good at all. However, the drinks were on point. My husband enjoyed his strong night caps, and they were able to make one of their signature cocktails into a mocktail for me. We sat on the upper deck and there was a beautiful sunset as night fell. There are heaters and a large group table with a fire. It was very evident that the locals enjoy coming here. Not for the food, but for the drinks. I will say, our service was superb, and it was clear that the staff enjoyed their jobs.

Nice atmosphere. Tasty food , but the portions are not big. Very good and polite waiters.But do not order their Napoleon cake, cuz this is not Napoleon. It is not even close to Napoleon . 3 stars for that.

4 stars for the edible offerings. 5 stars for the waiter we had. 3 stars for the prices and furniture on the patios. So uncomfortable .. the rooftop boasts a view but seriously ~not much. 0 stars for the $25 fee to ride the elevator up. The dishes are good but priced just a bit too high. We would go back to sit inside if the $25 fee is skipped.

Hostess was too busy on her phone to help with seating, but it was hopeless anyway, I've been at concerts with festival seating that had more standing room than this bar had on its terraces. Decided to wait the crowd out and after an hour was able to grab and hold a dirty table for my party of three, after another 20 minutes the overworked server at this severely understaffed bar got the table cleaned. Our server was fantastic once two hours passed and the crowd thinned down a little. The Alex Johnson Hotel advertised this bar as a reason to stay here; I think it's yet another reason to avoid the Alex Johnson's high prices and poor customer service.

Best spot in SD. The outdoor fire pits are awesome and the inside has both great atmosphere and service. I suggest trying the Pasta Florentine and ask for the Salmon to be added to it blackened! The desserts are divine too!

Stayed 4 nights at the Alex Johnson and kept saying "We have to eat at the Vertex before we leave." Glad we did. Cozy rooftop bar and restaurant with great views. My apps and dinner were great and the staff was good also.

Enjoyable experience. Sat outside and enjoyed the view, a bottle of wine. Later we came back for a nightcap and enjoyed some very nice bourbon the server recommended to us. Scenery was the reason we wanted to go and we're not sorry we did.

I have two experiences to base this on. A weekday self date, and a weekend outing with The Wife. Both were good but both were different. **Let's start by saying there's a price to pay for your experience as it's a private bar. You can stay at the hotel, be a guest of someone staying, or purchase a pass that grants access to you and five of your cohorts.** Me date was during the week and was nice, quaint, and wholesome. The clientele was older, a lot more low key, and great conversations were had by all. Weekend outing with The Wife had a more youthful presence and was filled with the cacophonous sound and restless activity that comes with such a crowd. But! To the credit of this bar at all points the bartender was on their best game. Carrying on a great banter (when able) all whilst crafting your order. The lighting and ambiance of Vertex is soothing and inviting. With deep tones and low light it helps to draw you into the experience. I can't say much about the roof top. We've stood atop the Alex Johnson, but the few visits have always been during the colder months. It is a good place to view the city, but I can't comment one way or another. There were two experiences I was able to have at Vertex. Both weeds different and both were good. Maybe when I pass through Rapid City we'll visit again and see what has become of the Sky Bar.

This place is amazing! The views from the rooftop bar are the best I saw in Rapid City. The service from the male bartender on Monday night was excellent and definitely appreciated. I ordered the Vertex Burger and fries and it was one of the best burgers I've EVER had. Thank goodness I didn't order the quinoa bowl! ;) Great experience and I'd DEFINITELY go back...the view and burger are unparalleled.

I'm going a solid 4 on this place. We met some friends for my first time to this spot. Elevator up from the hotel and they would sell me a pass for $20 ....or the hotel guest would come and get us. The guest came down to get us. We sat in the upstairs room. Atmosphere was pretty chill, clean, and laid back. There is access to the outside with plenty of warmers, a fire pit, and seating. A nice view of the city with the lights. The bar tender recommended a pineapple upside down drink for my wife. She enjoyed it and had a second. It ran $10. I'm fine with the price. I think the elevator must keep the riff Raff out. It was nice to just sit, chill, relax, and visit without power drinkers or loud obnoxious music. I enjoyed both the inside and outside roof patio. The bartender and wait staff were on point. The only issue I could see for those with mobility issues are the stairs to the upstairs patio.

Came by during our stay from Florida. Was way to cold and wet to sit outside so sat in the interior looking out over the city lights. We had Sangria and amber ale. The sangria was made in house but we found it very sour, made with Merlot, lemon, lime and orange. They offered to put sweet er in it but we passed. Would not order again. The amber ale was very good. Had to try some dessert, death by chocolate with vanilla ice cream. It is rich and can't imagine having the chocolate ice cream. The brownie and moose are coated in Chocolate shell. I would try a different one be time.

The Vibe, views and drinks are great in this rooftop bar. The food was way under par of what I expected for the price, but we complained and they credited part of the bill. I would definitely go back, but they are severely understaffed so be prepared to wait an hour or more for food that may not meet your expectations.