Wooden Nickel Casino is a downtown Deadwood gambling stop in the Martin and Mason building, with slots described in directory coverage and Lee St. Station Restaurant alongside it. Its strongest appeal is combining machine play with breakfast or lunch during a downtown outing. Its main limitation is the published schedule: neither the casino nor the restaurant operates around the clock. I see it as a better fit for casual players already exploring Deadwood than travelers seeking a full-service casino resort.
Wooden Nickel Casino quick facts
| Location | Martin and Mason building, downtown Deadwood, South Dakota |
|---|---|
| Listed address | 33 Deadwood Street in Deadwood’s visitor directory; 9 Lee Street in Wanderlog. Confirm the preferred entrance. |
| Phone | 605-722-3456, published for the combined Wooden Nickel at Martin and Mason Hotel listing |
| Published casino hours | Monday through Thursday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Gaming | Slots described by a secondary directory; current machine inventory and count are not established |
| Restaurant | Lee St. Station: Thursday through Monday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.; closed Tuesday and Wednesday under the published schedule |
| Parking | Municipal free and paid options; casino-specific parking or validation is not established |
| Source collection date | October 11, 2026 |
The schedule comes from Deadwood’s Wooden Nickel visitor listing. Another directory gives earlier openings on Monday, Thursday, and Friday.
There is also a dated-hours caution: Deadwood’s Martin Mason Hotel listing presents matching hours beneath a “WINTER HOURS BEGINNING NOVEMBER 1, 2020” heading. I would call before planning an early visit or building the day around a meal.
Property overview: Wooden Nickel versus Iron Horse
I would approach Wooden Nickel as one stop in a downtown itinerary, not the centerpiece of a casino vacation. The location and adjoining breakfast-and-lunch restaurant are more useful selling points than an unconfirmed list of resort amenities.
The older Wooden Nickel and Iron Horse references need some context. The Iron Horse Inn’s history page says its hotel-lobby gaming floor was removed in spring 2022. It places Wooden Nickel Casino and Lee St. Station Restaurant in the adjacent, connected Martin and Mason building. Removing the Iron Horse lobby machines is not the same as announcing Wooden Nickel’s closure.
The visitor listing publishes casino hours, and the neighboring hotel describes Wooden Nickel as present. Those sources support describing it as listed as operating, although this guide does not include direct casino confirmation.
Slots and video poker
Slots are the clearest identified gaming attraction. Secondary directory coverage describes traditional coin-operated machines alongside newer slots, but it is not a current operator inventory. If older machines are the draw for you, confirm they are still available before making a special trip.
I would not plan around a particular slot title, denomination, or machine count. Current video poker availability and pay tables are also not established by the published information.
My usual machine-play advice applies: check the total wager, not just the denomination on the cabinet. A penny label does not necessarily mean a penny spin. If you find video poker, read the pay table, because machines with the same game name can offer different payouts.
There is no sound basis here for calling the machines loose or tight. Guest wins and losses do not establish long-term returns, and a regulatory minimum would not identify the return of the game in front of you.
Table games, poker, and sportsbook
There is no dedicated poker room or on-site sportsbook.
That is an information limitation, not confirmation that every other gaming product is absent. If tables, poker, or sports betting are essential, call first or compare other South Dakota casinos. Video poker, if available, is not a live poker room.
Hotel and accessibility considerations
Wooden Nickel is listed with Martin Mason Hotel, so calling it a casino with no lodging connection would miss the setting. However, the published information does not establish room categories, rates, resort fees, check-in times, or casino lodging packages.
The visitor listing says hotel guests retain room access through Sherman Street or Deadwood Street. Its references to staircases make specific accessibility questions worthwhile; they do not establish step-free access.
The hotel’s room page advertises Room Eleven, Eliza Current, as ADA accessible. Ask about availability and the route between the entrance, room, casino, and restaurant. An accessible-room listing does not describe every part of the building.
The neighboring Iron Horse Inn tourism listing advertises lodging and free on-site parking. Do not assume that benefit, its hotel policies, or its amenities apply to casino-only visitors at Wooden Nickel.
No casino-specific pool, spa, concert venue, or entertainment schedule is established here. Choose the setting for a downtown outing, not an assumed resort package.
Lee St. Station Restaurant
Lee St. Station is a breakfast-and-lunch option under the published schedule, not an evening dining fallback. It is listed as open Thursday through Monday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., with Tuesday and Wednesday closed. An open gaming floor does not mean an open kitchen.
Selected Google reviews reproduced on Wanderlog’s Wooden Nickel page give a mixed picture. Breakfast receives repeated praise, including favorable comments about flavor, breakfast meats, and the relaxed atmosphere. The newest displayed account, dated September 2025, is positive about the meal and self-service coffee.
Other guests describe slow service, being overlooked, or rude treatment. These accounts span different years and circumstances, including a post-marathon takeout request. They are subjective reports, not proof of how every customer is treated.
The coffee setup captures the disagreement neatly: one guest liked helping themselves, while an older reviewer considered it a drawback. An unhurried meal likewise suited one visitor and frustrated others. My takeaway is to consider it for a leisurely breakfast, but not make a tight departure schedule depend on quick service.
Current menu prices are not supplied, so older value praise is not enough to call it a bargain today. Trip.com’s restaurant listing includes outdoor seating; ask about seasonal availability rather than count on an outdoor table.
Parking, directions, and visit costs
Listings give two addresses: 33 Deadwood Street and 9 Lee Street. Both place the property downtown, but the sources do not resolve whether they identify different entrances. Call if the entrance matters for your route or mobility needs.
The city parking guide lists free parking at Sherman Street and the Welcome Center, plus paid downtown lots and paid street segments on Lee and Deadwood Streets. These are public options, not confirmed casino parking or validation arrangements.
For a short visit, I would compare walking from free parking with paying for a convenient downtown space. Published rates are $2.00 per hour on Lower Main Street and $1.00 per hour on Upper Main Street between Pine Street and Armory Street. Neither rate should be applied to Lee Street without checking the posted charge.
Parking versus trolley: an illustrative cost comparison
the calculations compare a three-hour downtown outing: Lower Main Street parking totals $6.00, while the specified Upper Main Street segment totals $3.00. Two fare-paying visitors taking one outbound and one return trolley ride each would pay $8.00.
The city trolley schedule revised April 21, 2025 lists $2.00 per person per ride. It includes Adams Museum and Sherman Street Parking Lot, but does not name Wooden Nickel as a stop. Confirm current service, stops, and the remaining walk.
Gamboool original analysis
We assembled the comparison below from published information and our calculations. These are selected examples, rather than measured gambling sessions or a representative survey.
| Detail | Published information |
|---|---|
| Wooden Nickel Casino: Published weekday casino hours | The Deadwood visitor directory lists Monday through Thursday hours as 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; these are distinct from the restaurant’s hours. |
| Wooden Nickel Casino: Published weekend casino hours | Friday and Saturday have later published closing times than Sunday; Saturday and Sunday also have earlier opening times than the listed weekday schedule. |
| Lee Street Station: Dining hours compared with casino access | The restaurant is listed as closed Tuesday and Wednesday and open Thursday through Monday for breakfast and lunch hours. Casino availability should not be treated as evidence of evening food service. |
| Wooden Nickel Casino: Directory address and contact | The Deadwood directory lists 33 Deadwood Street and 1-605-722-3456. Its address differs from Wanderlog’s Lee Street address, so visitors should confirm the preferred entrance. |
| Wooden Nickel Casino: Secondary directory address | Wanderlog lists 9 Lee Street, providing a different street address from the Deadwood visitor directory. |
| Wooden Nickel Casino and Lee St. Station Restaurant: Location relative to Iron Horse Inn | Iron Horse Inn’s own history page places the casino and breakfast-and-lunch restaurant in the adjacent, connected Martin and Mason building. |
| Iron Horse Inn: Gaming versus nongambling amenities | The operator says it removed gaming from its hotel lobby in spring 2022 and replaced it with a guest parlor. This change concerns the Iron Horse lobby, not a stated closure of Wooden Nickel in the adjacent building. |
| Martin Mason Hotel: Hotel access versus casino hours | The visitor directory says hotel guests retain room access through Sherman Street or Deadwood Street, independently of the casino’s published opening hours. It identifies the Deadwood Street staircase as easier, but does not establish step-free access. |
| Iron Horse Inn: Lodging parking amenity | The visitor directory advertises free on-site parking as an Iron Horse Inn lodging amenity. It does not establish free parking rights for casino-only visitors. |
| Downtown Deadwood street parking: Published hourly price comparison | Lower Main Street parking is $2.00 per hour, while Upper Main Street between Pine Street and Armory Street is $1.00 per hour. Neither price should be assigned to Lee Street without additional documentation. |
| Lee Street parking: Paid parking area | The city includes Lee Street between Sherman Street and Pioneer Way among its paid parking areas, but this passage does not give a Lee Street hourly rate. |
| Sherman Street Parking Lot: Free parking alternative and restrictions | The city lists free parking for vehicles, motorcycles, and RVs, with no unattached trailers or overnight camping. This is an alternative to paid downtown parking, not casino-owned parking. |
| Miller Street Parking Lot: Payment and space restrictions | This pay-by-plate lot is accessible from Lee Street, among other approaches. Some spaces are leased or dedicated to recreation-center use, so visitors should not assume every space is public. |
| Deadwood Trolley: Fare policy | The city schedule revised April 21, 2025, publishes a $2.00 fare per ride and warns that hours may change. Budget by ride rather than treating the fare as a day pass. |
| Deadwood Trolley: Seasonal service-hour comparison | The published winter Sunday-through-Thursday service window is shorter than the mid-May-through-mid-September window. Friday and Saturday hours are listed separately in both seasons. |
| Wooden Nickel dining reviews displayed by Wanderlog: Positive breakfast and atmosphere account | A displayed review attributed to Becky S, dated September 7, 2025, praises breakfast, self-service coffee, and the historic atmosphere. This is one guest account, not a verified consensus or current menu description. |
| Wooden Nickel dining reviews displayed by Wanderlog: Historical food-quality complaint | A displayed review attributed to Linn B, dated August 17, 2019, complains about breakfast quality and self-service beverages. Its age limits its usefulness for judging present service, and it contrasts with the later positive breakfast account. |
| Wooden Nickel dining reviews displayed by Wanderlog: Historical value and relaxed-service account | A displayed review attributed to Eric K, dated October 1, 2019, describes reasonable breakfast pricing and a relaxed pace of service. This supports reporting mixed individual dining experiences, but supplies no usable current menu prices. |
| Calculation | Result | Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Main Street parking for an illustrative three-hour visit | $6.00 | Use this as a parking allowance for a downtown outing, not as a Wooden Nickel parking charge. Check the space’s posted restrictions before leaving your car. |
| Upper Main Street parking for the same illustrative three-hour visit | $3.00 | Upper Main Street has the lower published hourly rate. Compare the walk and posted restrictions before choosing a space; this rate is not established for Lee Street. |
| Trolley fares for two visitors making an illustrative round trip from free parking | $8.00 | Free parking plus the trolley is not a cost-free trip. Compare the party’s fares with the parking scenarios, and confirm service hours and stops before relying on the trolley. |
Research references: deadwood.com 1, wanderlog.com, ironhorseinndeadwood.com, deadwood.com 4, cityofdeadwood.com 5, cityofdeadwood.com 6.
Method: Published inputs collected 2026-10-11. Illustrative assumptions are labeled, and the full calculation inputs remain in the saved research record. These examples support planning; they do not predict a particular session.
These are estimates based on published rates and assumed use, not Wooden Nickel fees or a complete trip budget. The useful conclusion is that free parking plus paid transportation is not automatically cheapest. In this scenario, the couple’s trolley fares exceed either parking allowance. Walking from a free lot avoids the fares if the route and conditions work for you.
Convenience, mobility, weather, and posted restrictions may matter more than the lowest dollar figure. For air travelers, Deadwood’s transportation page identifies Rapid City Regional Airport and local transport providers. No Wooden Nickel airport shuttle, transfer price, or travel time is established.
Rewards and practical visit questions
Current player-club terms are not supplied. Ask whether there is a rewards card, which games qualify, and how benefits are redeemed. A promotion is not a reason to increase your gambling budget.
If smoking rules, accessible entrances, dining access for younger guests, or a particular game will determine whether you visit, call 605-722-3456. Those property-specific policies are not established here. Bring identification, and keep gambling money separate from meals and your ride home.
Guest praise and common complaints
- Recurring praise: Breakfast, with some guests also appreciating a friendly, relaxed, historic setting.
- Recurring complaints: Restaurant attention and service pace. Older criticism also questions food freshness.
- Divided opinions: Self-service coffee and an unhurried meal appeal to some visitors and disappoint others.
- Important limitation: The displayed reviews date from 2019 through 2025 and mostly concern breakfast. They do not establish casino cleanliness, machine quality, or a representative property-wide verdict.
I give the newer positive breakfast account more relevance than an older complaint when considering dining expectations, but it does not prove consistent improvement. Repeated review text is not additional independent feedback.
Who Wooden Nickel Casino is best for
Best for: Visitors already exploring downtown Deadwood who want a slot stop, possibly paired with breakfast or lunch on a scheduled restaurant day.
Less suitable for: Travelers seeking confirmed live gaming, late-night food, extensive resort amenities, or a documented casino-hotel package.
My recommendation is modest: keep it on the list for a downtown outing, match your plans to the published hours, and confirm anything essential. A casino does not have to be a sprawling resort to be useful, but it should not be sold as one either.
Frequently asked questions
Is Wooden Nickel Casino open 24 hours?
No, not under the published directory schedule. Closing is listed at 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Call to confirm current hours.
Where is Wooden Nickel Casino in Deadwood?
It is identified in the Martin and Mason building downtown. Listings give 33 Deadwood Street and 9 Lee Street; confirm the preferred entrance if needed.
Does Wooden Nickel have poker, blackjack, or a sportsbook?
Current availability is not established by the supplied sources. Slots are the identified attraction. Call before visiting for another form of gambling.
Can you eat there in the evening?
Do not count on it. Lee St. Station is listed as closing at 2 p.m. on its operating days and remaining closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Is parking free?
The city offers free lots, including Sherman Street and the Welcome Center. Free casino-specific parking or validation is not established.
Sources and research note
The existing page’s Wooden Nickel Casino and Iron Horse Casino visitor-directory link is retained for continuity, not as the basis for the current hours or gaming-footprint discussion.
The secondary directory also identifies a Martin Mason casino and restaurant webpage. Its content and availability were not established in the supplied opened records.
This guide uses public-source material collected October 11, 2026, selected guest comments reproduced by a directory, and Gamboool’s supplied arithmetic comparisons. It is not a firsthand visit, a representative customer survey, or an exclusive underlying dataset. Hours, menus, games, and policies can change. This article is ready for the owner’s factual and editorial review; publication is a separate action.