DICKINSON — Recreation means different things to different people, and for some, it’s a mimosa in one hand and a plate of french toast in the other. However, Sunday brunch spots are starting to become harder to find in southwest North Dakota. However, there are still some places in the region that offer Sunday brunches. In Medora, there are multiple places to snag a bite for brunch, such as at Sheriff Bear’s Burgers and Ice Cream and the Bully Pulpit Golf Course, catered by Theodore’s Dining Room. Other area restaurants are also open on Sundays; the Smok’n Grille in Richardton is going strong and the Peacock Mercantile in Hettinger also has brunch options.
The Dickinson Press spoke with Birdies Bar and Grill in South Heart about their monthly Sunday brunch and visited Theodore’s Dining Room in Medora to review their flexible brunch options.
Birdies Bar and Grill at the Pheasant Country Golf Club in South Heart N.D.
Courtesy / Sam Goik
Birdies Bar and Grill, which is located at the Pheasant Country Golf Course in South Heart N.D., is relatively new to Sunday brunch. The team started the Sunday brunch events in October 2025 as a way to attract the weekend church crowd.
However, the brunch options are not a weekly offer. Birdies only serves them on the first Sunday of the month, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., to help build the excitement and make the workload easier on the cooking staff.
“It’s just something that is just a little bit more special and it’s just because it’s so prep intensive on our cooks, we just don’t want to stress them out especially during the golf season when we’re really busy,” Birdies Bar and Grille food and beverage manager Sam Goik said. “It’s just kind of something that we plan ahead for the month, and they have plenty of time to prepare for it.”
Birdies Bar and Grille’s bloody mary bar during Sunday brunch
Courtesy / Sam Goik
The summer is the busiest time of the year for Birdies Bar and Grill because of the golf season. The restaurant has a seasonal cooking staff that ranges from 8-10 cooks during the winter time. But once the summer hits, they double the bodies on site because they need people working the snack shacks on the course. Their cooks are mostly college students and teachers who are off in the summer.
“They’re younger, they’re eager to learn. They have a lot of ideas. … Our team is kind of a smaller team but very close. We’re like a family here,” Goik said. “When people come into Birdies, we really just kind of try and make it feel welcoming and you’re coming to a family member’s house.”
One of the challenges this year for the restaurant has been space. The facility enclosed the golf simulator, so they’ve had to set up their brunch buffet in a different location to make it accessible to everyone.
MENU
The restaurant offers a variety of options, including hearty entreés such as steak and eggs. Birdies offers a build-your-own omelet station along with a build-your-own Bloody Mary and Caesar bar during brunch.
Staple items on the breakfast menu are pancakes, breakfast burritos, and French toast. At lunch, burgers, chicken strips and steak are at the top of the most-ordered list.
WHAT I ATE
Due to the brunch being a monthly offering, it wasn’t possible for the Press to visit Birdies prior to publication. However, the steak and eggs appears to be a highlight of the menu.
POPULAR FOOD
Some of the most popular items on the Sunday brunch menu are the honey baked brisket and the Tuscan omelet. Birdies also features a French toast bake with a variety of fresh fruit options for customization.
Theodore’s Dining Room at the Rough Rider Hotel in Medora.
Jacob Cheris / The Dickinson Press
Theodore’s Dining Room, which is located at the Rough Rider Hotel in Medora, does not have a set brunch time. However, if someone wants to order brunch food during breakfast, they will make it happen. While it’s considered a fine dining establishment, the staff wanted to create a relaxed atmosphere that welcomes anyone.
“We wanted to be a destination that would be open year-round and guests could come during the summer and in the middle of winter, and get the same experience whether it be for breakfast, brunch or dinner,” Theodore’s general manager John Cox said. “Our breakfast slash brunch is an elevated brunch experience, an elevated breakfast experience, but it’s more tailored to what the guest wants when they come in a more relaxed environment, still with the same quality food.”
Theodore’s Dining Room table set up.
Jacob Cheris / The Dickinson Press
Each year, the restaurant hosts a Gospel Brunch, which runs from June 12 to Sept. 13, and a Mother’s Day brunch in the conference room. The team also plans to have a special event called “Dinner with the President”, where a world-renowned reprisor will dress up as Theodore Roosevelt and treat the audience to a T.R.-iffic experience.
“We’re here for the same thing. That’s to serve our guests, make them happy, put a smile on their face and give them an experience that they’ll remember and want to come back to,” Cox said. “That’s what we base everything off of.”
WHAT I ATE
If only it were possible to try everything on the menu. Theodore’s serves up a mean Mediterranean omelet with goat cheese, bacon, spinach and tomato. The balsamic dressing adds an excellent bit of kick to the flavor palette. Both the pancakes and scrambled eggs were top notch, too.
The Mediterranean Omelet at Theodore’s Dining Room.
Jacob Cheris / The Dickinson Press
MENU
While there are regular items on the menu every day, such as the omelets and the bison items, they offer weekly specials and are always looking to hear from the community. They’re working on a new dinner menu and just launched a brand new menu in their tavern. It’s all part of enhancing the customer experience.
“We’re constantly revolving. When it comes to breakfast and brunch, we’re constantly looking for new ways to have better dishes, to improve on the dishes that we already have, improve on the service and give the guests what they want,” Cox said. “We’re always looking for feedback and constantly progressing.”
POPULAR FOOD
Anything that is made with bison tends to be at the top of the list at Theodore’s when it comes to popularity. The Bison Benedict is a signature dish that comes with poached eggs and two sides of breakfast potatoes and a toasted English muffin.
The Hunter Signature Omelet is another staple, which is made up of bacon, sausage and shredded cheddar cheese.
Dining and Cooking