Just say you're Racist !! Walked into the place with my crew, tryna have a good Sunday night and play pool. We know the drill, go get your ID checked and reserve your table an boom done. This was our 2nd time here with the same group of people, one of my friends has a foreign ID and they told her they need too see some real form ID that they don't accept those. She had nothing else to say other than "well I don't know what else you'd want me to show because that's all I have", she then started saying something about putting their liquor license in jeopardy and that's when I intervened and said"Oh she's not drinking tonight, she's just gonna play pool" and she said it didn't matter. With no hesitation I said that's fine, thank you but we're leaving. By law nothing about having a foreign ID says it'll jeopardize their liquor license so therefore if this is how the owner of Big John's wants to be then so be it. Travelers are unfortunately not welcomed here read more

Big John's Billiards - Valid I.D. Requirements and Non acceptable I.D's - Pool Halls Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

3 people got tables before me after checking In and after waiting an hour and a half the security said he never added my name to the list and that he was just going to add me to the bottom of the list again. read more

Was told I was next on the list to get a table but then had 3 groups given a table before me. The security said they never wrote my name down after waiting an hour and a half and that he wasn't willing to do anything to fix it. read more

We love this place and its employees! Friendly, great service, pool tables are kept in good shape! Tons of fun for everyone! Fantastic place! read more

This is a great Meet Up spot to hang out with friends and play pool and games. Good drinks too. read more

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Whenever I come here with my group, it's always worth the wait time. While you're waiting, and there isn't a table go spend a few bucks and get a gag gift out of the claw machine or drink from their long bar. Every time I've gone there people have been reasonable sharing the space when your group or self gets a billiards table. read more

Poor business ethics. All public info on web page, etc. Says kids can be with parents til 9pm. We drove from Lincoln. A 2 hour round trip. In a weather advisory for a radio event. To be turned away because we had my 15year old kid. Who we just celebrated his birthday in Omaha. If you're going to advertise hours you better keep them. If they are going to change why wasn't the radio station and others informed. Why not publish them somewhere people can see them. Before driving an hour. Wouldn't even let us play pinball til the 9pm as stated in all their advertised times. You Mr owner wouldn't be happy driving 2 hours in the cold to find out the business changed their hours and policy. Poor business, poor polices, poor management. Poor security. Then to top it off kick my wife out who was on the radio station list! Wow. Do not frequent or give your hard earned money to this place. read more

If you are looking for a place for playing pool then this is the spot!! Free tables on Monday mornings, and over 20 or 30 tables to choose from. Yet to find any rude people. Not sure if they still use their grill but outside food is allowed. Bartenders are nice and drinks made great. Fun environment for responsible adults and minors. Plenty of other activities to spend the day: 10+ pinball machines, shuffleboard, soccer table, electric beer pong table, Golden Tee, several electronic poker machines, electric punch bag, and a coupe electric dart boards (no standard boards unfortunately). Great day every time read more

Had a good time there. Everybody's the counter was friendly nice pool tables. I went on Monday night when it's free pool night. That was insane. Definitely plan on going back. read more

Big John is literally a big John that boy a straight penis, the moment we stepped foot in John had a mean grin like we weren't welcome in, (we as in Hispanics). My friend had his foreign license and he refused to let him in. Not happy the way they treated my group. read more

The bartenders here are amazing, Ms Jess and Ms Emi are the best! They have really nice pool tables and a good atmosphere. You should definitely check it out if you like to play pool! read more

My homey and I visited this dive after 25 years when we used to go regularly in high school. Pretty young crowd. The waitress on Dec. 28 was rude and uninterested in people, just taking orders and moving on. How hard is it to bring a water with all the alcohol we ordered? Environment fine. Tables decent. Service seriously lacking. Hire better servers and the rating will go up. read more

Great place came here to celebrate with coworkers friendly locals and service was nice definitely recommend coming in groups pool tables and classic pinball machines. read more

Unfortunately they don't care if you are wasted they will keep serving you. I do not recommend this place to anyone.

I walked in with my girlfriend and some bartender with colored hair and tats on her chest, demands to see our IDs with out even greeting us. I say only if you ask nicely, and she says something slick in return after asking if we're playing pool. Hella RUDE. We took a piss and left. read more

So my grandpa has a pool table in his basement, the first memory I have playing pool was I was around 5 and was playing hand pool and now I go to this hall every week but recently I broke my arm so I couldn't play for a long time but today I play again. This hall is like no other, perfect staff, kind people, and a homey environment if you are touring Nebraska go to this billiard hall. read more

This place used to be alright. But it is now cash only and when the server brings you a drink for $7.70, it was apparent that it was inconvenient for her as well as myself. Now about that $7.70 drink...seriously? First it was the short glass, second it was mostly ice, third it was filled to about an inch from the rim. Horrible. This place has gone down hill pretty steadily to the point that I think it seriously needs new management or owners. I recommend checking into new pool halls. I usually would post a longer review but this place didn't leave much of a taste to waste anymore time on. They used to be busy when I came on the weekends. I was there on a Friday night and there were only 5 tables occupied and maybe 4 people at the bar. I believe the lack, and loss, of patrons should demonstrate to them that they are doing something wrong. read more

Laid-back pool hall. Huge space! They have a full bar, but recently stopped serving food...still offer chips :/ Diverse crowd, upbeat (usually 80s/90s rock) music....some arcade games, darts, etc. Pool tables are pay by the hour. My favorite thing about this place is: They Have Snooker Tables! read more

Well it appears that within one week of my last review, Big Johns decided to go cash only. Conicidence? I think not. What I find comical is that, as you can see below, about another week after that change was implemented the owner Will Prout came on here to Yelp and commented rudely on my one-star review, claiming that I was a belligerent drunk who likes to get in fights and not pay tabs. Anybody who knows me would find this comment hysterical. What you can deduct from this experience is a) Mr. Prout would rather make a change that inconveniences the customer than fix the core problem and b) he'd rather insult me on Yelp than personally thank me for shedding light on a serious problem within his business. In the midst of my official BBB complaint back in December, he actually invited me to return to Big John's. No thanks, Will, it has been well over six months and I don't miss a damn thing. read more

I like coming here, but the guy that goes table to table hustling people with cards or a game of billiards makes the building feel totally shady. Considering that gambling in Omaha is limited to keno and slot machines, I am unsure why the owners would repeatedly allow this illegal behavior. I saw that guy was up to some bullshit the minute we walked in. I guess we looked like some people to make some money off of, until I told him to walk on. I like going to Big John's, but trifling mf'ers make it not worth it. read more

Big John's is a giant pool hall that attracts a younger crowd in a meh part of Omaha. By giant, I mean there are maybe 20 pool tables that take up the most space in the venue. Add in a small bar, a greasy kitchen, a few tables, chairs, pinball and video game machines in a decor straight out of the '70s and you've got this place covered. On a recent Saturday night, Big John's was nearly empty. We ordered a couple beers for about $3 and some change each. They did have a couple craft options (namely Sonar), but the vibe of the place had me ordering Budweiser. It just felt right. They had wine, but only red. The dozen or so people there were nearly all in their early 20s. Lots of Fireball shots going around. There's also a police station across the street. Still, this fact didn't deter a bubbly-headed patron from merrily whizzing on the fence adjacent to the parking lot, bidding us adieu on our way out. read more

I have to say that I really like Big Johns. The food and bar are both great, and there are more pool tables than I think is really necessary. I will admit that I only find pool mildly entertaining, but I love going here as a bar. They have a large collection of mechanical and electronic pinball machines to entertain you all night, the specials are always good, and they always have a great selection of specials. read more

I stopped by this place because while looking for someplace to play pinball while I was staying in the area it came up. Reading the reviews I was thinking of skipping it. I was pleasantly surprised to find a clean friendly smoke free place with 15 great pinball machines all for me to play. They also had several nice pool tables and a few other games. I went 3 times in the 3 days I stayed in the area. Bar tenders were super friendly. I had a hamburger and it was way better that I thought. Give this place a chance if you want to play pool or pinball. read more

If you plan on playing pool here do not give them your I.D. I rented a table and they gave my I.D to someone else. The worst part is the guy behind the counter didn't even put any effort into finding it. They did the same thing to another person the same night. read more

Stopped here with my husband to kill time before heading to the airport in Omaha and was surprised by how big it was. It's location seems a little out of place and feels a little out of the way but if you like playing pool it's worth it. Decent tables, decent prices, great customer service and good drinks. No food though. :/ read more

There are so many tables in this joint it'll make your head spin. It's comparable to the East Coast's pool halls. BUT - there are some cons. You can't play here after "bar" hours. They close. You can't smoke here. It's across the street from a station. Parking can be awkward. The crowd is a bit young at times. There aren't many fun hustlers. Cash only. There are also some pros. Their food is really good. The prices aren't too pricey. There are some cute guys there at all times. The jukebox is full of old tunes. They have a few 21 oz cues. They have 7 1/2, 8, regulation, and snooker. read more

I have been going there since the early 90's when you could find me either there or at Ranch bowl. Back then it was hard to make Ranch Bowl look classy but they always managed. Staff has always been callous at best obnoxious at the worst. However lets not dwell on the past shall we? There's really no need. I can't say my latest experience here was quite as disastrous as some but it was pretty much what I had come to expect from the past only more so. I have to say my 14 year hiatus didn't need to be interrupted . OK not feeling terribly verbose today so lets cut to the skinny. Tables? They were level for the most part, the felt was marginal and the bumpers definitely needed to be replaced (on the three tables my group had at least) I understand it's probably tough to keep that many tables in tip top shape. They still could be better. The service was of course the standard abysmal. Not necessarily rude just inattentive. Drink selection was paltry and pours were miserly to say the least. As usual the sharks were also around, but really, they have been there ever since I can remember, they are pretty much standard denizens and don't deserve too much comment. As the options for places to play pool in Omaha have been dwindling I am still baffled by the longevity of Big Johns. FYI: This review is about a month old it was written but never posted. read more

I had a really bad experience when I went to this place. The employee that was behind the counter was drunk (which he admitted to) and was harassing me and my friend when we went to pay our bill. He asked us for the our drivers license when wanted to pay with a credit card..okay that is understandable...but then he asked us for the our driver license number. I told him that I don't have my drivers license memorized ..after which he said his drivers license out loud. We tried to complain to another guy that was there and instead he told us that he remembers his drivers license number and we should too.... later when we got upset the guy behind the counter said that he was just playing with us because he was drunk out of his mind... If you like to deal with rude and obnoxious employees.. then you might enjoy this place!! Never going back there again!! read more

Been there two times about a month apart from each other. Both times the service was terrible. The first time was an extremely dead night, maybe a total of 15 people in the entire joint. The female cashier/table clerk (heavyset blonde) was at the front desk and checked us into a table. Just after this we decided to get drinks - No bartender around for at least 8 minutes or so. (Keep in mind we were standing about 9 feet away from the table check in girl) who was seemingly busy staring at an object somewhere in space. A bald guy (apparently the manager or owner) seemed to be running stock in the back while also taking an occasional shot - but yet never offered to assist us with our order. Finally the bartender came up - gave us our drinks (don't expect cheap prices here) and we moseyed to our table. Upon going back to the bar for a refill on my pitcher... same process again. Terrible service. Second time we went to meet a friend who is a regular there. Figuring the first time was just some fluke I was actually amazed to say that we received the EXACT same service again. This night was busier and with more bar tenders, but nothing you see in a downtown club or something of the like. There were times I would be waiting for a drink and the bartenders would literally be standing there doing nothing... Waitress took forever to bring drinks back or had to come back and ask what the order was. (Then brought the wrong drink on top of it). There was one point where I sat at the bar for 15 minutes with a 20 dollar bill displayed on the counter and had not one word spoken to me. I took my 20 dollar bill and decided I was done giving them money. All in all - good tables - decent sized place - My experience with the wait service has been disastrous. I will most likely not return. read more

I've been coming up here to this bar since i was 13. My sister and brother in law knew everyone that worked there so I was able to sneak in :) teehee. But since I became of age, it's ten times better. Rock music is pretty much all they play on the juke box which is one thing I love. The drinks arn't too outrageous. With the 20 pool tables to play on, you pay hourly. Bartenders have great attitudes. And you can even play keno up here. Have you ever ordered their wings? MM yummy! Their food is pretty awesome too! Love this place. read more

Stopped by on Friday evening the 13th to shoot some pool and have some supper. The prices aren't bad and the tables are decent. The food was great. We had a couple of burgers with the works, fries and tots with chili. The chili unfortunately isn't homemade but not bad. We also had a couple of drinks, a Miller Lite and a Bloody Mary. The Bloody Mary wasn't the best I've ever had but certainly not the worst either. My only complaint is that the wait staff isn't very attentive. I had to walk up to the bar to place orders. The only time we saw a waitress was when our food and drinks were delivered. We enjoy our visit and will likely stop in again. read more

I absolutely love Big John's! I have been coming here for a long time, but have not had a chance to visit in the past couple years. I cannot understand some of the bad reviews here at all, because it is even better than I remembered and I have never ever been disappointed with anything. The staff is so friendly and cordial, the food is awesome & they bring it right to you, nice cold drinks, and the pool tables are fun and inexpensive. My boyfriend and I had a wonderful afternoon here and we will be coming back and recommending often. read more

Decent pool hall. Lots of tables. Also has shuffleboard, fooseball, pinball machines, and plastic tip dartboards. Pool tables in decent shape, better than most I've seen in the area. The markdown is because the place is cash only. read more

I've been going to Big John's for many years. The food is most excellent. Just watch a burger being made with love and you'll want one! Best pinball selection in the state. Most pool tables in one place. Good specials. Full sized (5 glasses) beer pitchers with ice chillers option. Yes, the help can be a little no nonsense, but the management is too, so bad help seems to get booted like bad customers. I think that adds to the charm, and is not a detraction. But I don't mind going to get my drink, rather than wait and complain for service. Cash only can be a problem for some, but we're all seeing more and more cash only restaurants. The credit companies want 3%+ for taking your money, which is always passed onto the customer. Not to mention the monthly fee to the owner for having credit machines. No nonsense management said f'it to that, cash only. I respect that. As the ONLY smoking bar in Omaha, the no nonsense management has declared the Omaha smoking ban unconstitutional. I respect that too. I don't smoke, but respect a business right to let people smoke. They have plentiful smoke eaters, and the smoke doesn't linger because of ample of air movement. $7 drinks are fairly common in Omaha. But a $7 drink SHOULD be strong at that price. I learned my lesson long ago: ask for a long pour (or double) with a splash of mixer. You'll get what you pay for then. Over all, a great place if you're not too uppity. Go there, eat great food, play any one of several games, drink, be merry, have a smoke! read more

This place has always had an unpleasant odor. It's very dark and normally very loud. Admittedly it's been a while since I have been here, but because of my past experiences and the comments here, as well as the owner himself slamming what sounds to be a rightfully earned negative review I'll pass on ever going here again. Then there was, or perhaps still is, the matter of the owner acting like a spoiled brat and ignoring state law by allowing smoking when the law prohibits it. Like I said, it's been a while so he may now be following the law, but I doubt it. read more

Worst excuse for a pool hall, ever. Terrible equipment that is poorly maintained. Idiot management. Crappy food. All bad

I have been a frequent patron for some time in Big Johns. I find the atmosphere very typical of a pool hall. With the exception of dog man, I have no idea why you would let that guy in your establishment unless he is selling something that you need..wink.wink...I am sick and tired of this place, they use to have one dollar and hour pool on Tues, Thurs.. and Fri... they have not had it in a while.. when you ask someone about when it will come back they will tell you that they are waiting to discover when their slow times are and they will put it back in... they have had the same people come in there for years... if you dont know now they we have to question if you are running it correctly... read more