City: Custer, SD

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (605) 673-3051

Address: 537 Mount Rushmore Rd.

Description: This small, slightly cramped bar seems like a good place to make friends, and apparently Australians think so, too. According to the owner/bartender, A.J.’s and Crazy Horse Memorial are the only two Custer listings in a US travel guide published Down Under. (He got his hearsay information from an Aussie patron who made it a point to stop in one summer.) This is a strictly casual place where 30-somethings sit and shoot the breeze while downing a few beers of the domestic variety. Happy hour, which occurs between 11 a.m. and noon on Sun in addition to weekday evenings, could be a good time to study the shelves full of slow-pitch softball trophies garnered by teams the saloon has sponsored. Having done that, you’re ready to turn to the pool table, listen to the stereo, or watch sports on TV. During the summer you can sip a brew or play horseshoes in the beer garden out back. If you’re looking for a pool tournament or other games, check with the bartender for the schedule.