Deadwood’s Saloon No. 10 is probably best known as the place where Wild Bill Hickok met his untimely demise, but it has more to offer than sawdust-covered floors, blackjack tables, photo-covered walls, and shadowy nooks for visitors in search of Ghosts of the Wild West Past.
Don’t get me wrong – all those things are really excellent reasons to visit The Ten (per local lingo). It is everything you’d expect from a place called “saloon.” I’m not even kidding about sawdust on the floor. Doesn’t get much more authentic than that.
But if you’re looking for something a bit more date-worthy, I’d like to recommend a trip upstairs where you can find one of Deadwood’s hidden gems. Dubbed “Top of the Ten,” you will find the Social Club (a smoke-free Italian restaurant – I recommend everything on the menu, especially the Alfredo) and the Wine & Martini Bar.
The Martini Bar is wonderful. It’s the sort of place I always imagined going to with my friends, but never could because there were no such places available. It has a comfy, smoke-free atmosphere with high tables and cushy chairs. In warmer months (or cold, for you hearty ones), you can sit out on the terrace and warm your toes by the fire.
And the menu, ah, the menu! I’m going to have to limit myself to discussing martinis or this post will turn into a novel. Here’s a sampling of some of my favorites: Red Hothead, Neon Martian, Dirty Beeep*, Peach Pizzaz, Raspberry Truffle, and Trixie Trollop.
The Trixie Trollop is one of my favorites, and yes, it is named for the trollop of HBO’s Deadwood fame. A bit of pineapple juice, a bit of vodka, and a bit of amaretto, and voila! Who would ever think to mix pineapple juice and amaretto? Brilliant!
If you want an extra special treat that isn’t even on the menu, ask for a Pomegranate Martini. This purple potion is just about perfect.
But beware. The greatest hazard of such tasty drinks is that you might forget how much they cost. Okay, that’s not a very responsible thing to say. There are other potential hazards, and you should always drink responsibly.
*Some martini names have been censored in case any young’uns read this blog.
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I have to recommend the Warm Apple Crisp… very tasty and quite a buzz from a single one.
Pomegranate wins hads down! But then, I am not really a martini drinker. They are just soooo tasty! I do love the atmosphere in the martini bar too, no smoke and you can actually have a conversation with other intelligent people. At least until you drink too many tasty martinis! Highly recomnmend this place!