If you like small, close-knit, working-class, neighborhood, Irish-American bars as much as (if not more than) I do, then you should check out The Leavenworth. Situated amidst a few other mid-century remnants along Leavenworth Street between UNMC to the East and Saddle Creek to the West, The Leavenworth is a gem. About the size of a double wide trailer (not counting the "employees only" areas), The Leavenworth is the sort of place where like-minded day drinkers can have a relaxing beer or six without the judgmental, sideways glances of the puritanical masses harshing their mellow.
Outside there is plenty of parking and a beautiful mural on the side of my the bar worth studying in the daylight.
Inside, the place feels like a slice of the early 70s. The best seats are at the bar. A couple tables in the back seemed pretty isolating unless playing pool or darts.
I rolled in and started with an Omaha Brickway Brewery Small Batch Blood Orange Hefeweizen suggested by the bartender, the only woman in the bar at that early hour. The hefeweizen was a refreshing change from the usual Shock Top with an orange slice floating in it. The blood orange leant the right note to this delicious German-style wheat beer. My escort for this daylight adventure was local historian Ryan Roenfeld, whose latest book from Arcadia Press, "Wicked Omaha," focuses on Hell's Half Acre, the city's seedy 19th century red light district. As an administrator of the wildly popular Facebook nostalgia page, "Forgotten Omaha," his insights into how Americans entertain themselves are invaluable. The historian ordered a New Belgium Clutch Sour Stout which certainly had the sour part down. A good one-off drink, but I wouldn't want a night of nothing else.
Other draft choices included Dean's Brewing Company, Shock Top Twisted Pretzel Wheat, Guinness, Isolation Ale by Odell Brewing Co. as well as Dean's Holiday Spice Ale, Peanut Butter Stout, and Vanilla Bean Blonde Ale from Infusion in Benson.
The best part of this trip to The Leavenworth was, for me, showing up just in time for Jeopardy. Everyone watches and shouts out the answer while only casually keeping track of who dominates, which is lucky for me and the historian. This is not a dumb crowd. The competition was stiff.
The Leavenworth has chips and hot peanuts to snack on, but another selling point to this bar is it's location next to Broncos. No time was wasted after our beers heading straight over for Double Pony Burgers and homemade fries.
Crowd composition varies by day and time, but older male regulars make up the day shift with college students and professionals squeezing in later on. The wall art would suggest liberals in attendance should have a really, really good sense of humor about things.
Happy Hour is from noon to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and features specials on domestic drafts and well drinks (subject to change). $2.50 tallboys of Pabst Blue Ribbon are fairly standard on Tuesdays. read more
