Nicola's is a wonderful, close Italian restaurant with devotion to authenticity. I was here with my family and we all had a great time. I would recommend smaller parties though. Service was great and food was exceptional. Try the Italian or French soda! My spinach ravioli was tasteful! read more

Nicola's - Ravioli Di Spinaci - Italian Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

Finally went here during the College World Series outstanding!!! The service and the food were excellent. Just like homemade. Ate outside cute patio with trees and tables perfect setup read more

My Grandma always said you can tell everything about a restaurant by just their salads.... Well It is very true here and from the salad on through your meal it just gets better and better. The salads are served with perfect pieces of greens that seem to be each one hand selected and individually placed. With nice diced tomato and a good shaved parmesan. The pasta's are divine. The sauces wonderful and the service is great! Its a quaint little space that is quiet and can easily remind you of a New York neighborhood restaurant. They also have a fabulous patio for the summer months A nice menu that covers all the bases and is not crazy large. The prices are also very reasonable. Nicola's is in my top 3 Italian spots of Omaha read more

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I really like this place. Nice ambiance and great spaghetti. Will return!! Drinks are a little not good.

Easily the closest Italian food I've had to the real thing since I was in Italy. I feel like I'm back in Florence eating here! The wine list is great, food is outstanding and moderately priced, and the service we had (waiters name was Tyler) was wonderful! So glad to have a taste of Italy so close to home! read more

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I've been twice for this Old Market spot, once for the most fun evening of wine with a group of 10 of my tribe of girlfriends and once for lunch with my 20-something foodie friend. Both times, witty and attentive servers. The food was gourmet Italian and the wine list extensive. The portions were pretty large- we took to go containers from lunch! Great spot. read more

Nicola's - Tomato bisque lunch - Italian Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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Recently went here with a guest in town. We were looking for GOOD, authentic Italian food....but we not so authentic that you can't pronounce the items on the menu. We made reservations for 3 @7pm on Valentine's Day and were able to get in. Located right in the old market. The actual eating area is very small, maybe 10 tables. Bar seats 3. Interior- Very cool shiplap wood lines the back wall of the bar, and all of the exposed brick throughout the restaurant really give these place a great atmosphere. The only thing that MIGHT be problematic is that one of the tables is RIGHT by the front door, if you end up there you're catching the draft from the people walking in and out all night (if it's winter time you might want to call ahead and see if you can make sure you don't get stuck there) FOOD- we started off with a antipasto appetizer. It was not a salad but a type of Italian pass dish. I attached a picture with this so take a look at that to see what it is. Either way it was awesome and I highly suggest you start with that. If you have more than 4 people I might consider getting a few. I went with three people so there are the three dishes we ordered: 1. Spaghetti and Bolognese- This was the dish I had. I wanted something simple and easy. The sauce to pasta ratio was PERFECT. The sauce itself was not a traditional red sauce you'd expect with a bolognese but it had great flavor. Would order again!! 2. Tortellini Alfredo- By far the BEST dish. I only had one bite but it was awesome!!! 3. Tortellini with red sauce- This dish was..... okay. Very watery and bland sauce. Tortellini's were good though! Wouldn't recommend. Overall had a good experience. The food was good, great cocktails, cool atmosphere and they treated us well. This would be a great 1st date kinda place too because you are waking distance from all the bars right in old market. Would highly recommend as top Italian in Omaha. read more

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Wow just wow! Hands down some of the best ragu I have ever put in my mouth! We even asked for extra on the side to dip our bread in. The canoli were pipped fresh to order so they were crunchie, as they should be! You have got to check this place out if you are in Ohama. read more

One of our favorite places to dine in Omaha. Always delicious and consistent. The staff is top notch and knowledgeable. Enjoy the patio area for cute and quaint ambience. Highly recommend! read more

Nicola's - Spaghetti Alla Carbonara and Ravioli Al Aragosta with shrimp. - Italian Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

An absolute MUST go to in Omaha If there were more than 5 stars I wouldn't even hesitate to give 'em Family business done right The bruschetta was delicious, over heard that the bread is freshly made in-house The spicy Ragu was addicting I couldn't stop despite how full I was Our waitress (I think Kayla was her name) was outrageous & very quick on her feet. She definitely gets shit done around there Loved seeing who looked like the owner be very involved, taking tables and managing the phones Lots of love & passion going on in this restaurant and you can taste it!! Highly, highly recommend read more

We were in town and on a whim decided to give it a go. We had three separate entrees, all equally amazing. It's difficult to replicate this sort of quality. Just banging all around. Think we had an Alfredo, tortellin with meatballsi, and the pesto Alfredo. All equally delicious, and actually worked even better together. Thank you to the staff, it was an amazing experience. read more

We had dinner here the other night for my Fiancé's 30th birthday and while it started off a little rocky it ended up being a nice dinner thanks to extra effort from our server. I called several weeks ahead and made reservations and inquired about gluten free options. They assured me I would be able to get gf pasta as well as having several other menu options to choose from. We were seated at a small table against the wall shortly after arriving. It is a very small restaurant with only one little room that has cute decorations. Being small it definitely has an intimate feel but the tables are pretty close so there isn't a ton of space and privacy. Our server was very nice and energetic. He seemed really frazzled when I asked about gluten and didn't have any idea what I could have. After about 30 minutes back and forth between the kitchen we found something that would work. At first I was told the red sauces all had gluten, then the kitchen changed their mind and the sauce was okay but none of the dishes on the menu were because all the red sauces had meatballs or something else with gluten, all white sauce was out. So if you have a gluten allergy and come here they will provide you with pasta but they have no on-menu sauce to put on it.. Hmm.. So after a significant apology from our server and an acknowledgement that the staff is really not certain about gluten, they offered to make me a special red sauce. The pasta ended up being delicious and my fiancé enjoyed his pasta with a pesto cream sauce. They were very nice and comp'd my second glass of wine. Overall I really enjoyed the food once I got it and while it's clear the restaurant needs to help out their employees and do some more education on gf, the server and kitchen really went above and beyond to make something special for me and to make up for all the confusion on a very important celebratory dinner night. Price is reasonable and portions are a good size. read more

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Don't let the cozy interior fool you, this is some of the best Italian food I've had. The menu looked so amazing it was almost impossible to decide. read more

Good food and variety but a bit overpriced. Service was friendly. Interior isn't really decorated but seating area was clean. read more

Nicola's - Italian Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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I loved this place so much. The service was wonderful and the food came out hot and fast. I had the Fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp and my mother had the lobster ravioli! Both delicious. My favorite spot in Omaha!! read more

Nicola's - Fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp - Italian Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

Selfishly, I've hesitated writing this review because I want to keep this gem of a restaurant to myself. We've been going here for over 15 years. The food, service, and atmosphere are all top notch. The food is amazingly tasty. My favorites are the lasagna and bolognese. My wife's favorite is the chicken marsala. Thankfully Nicola's has made it through the Covid craziness. We're so glad as they're one of our favorite places to go for date nights and celebration dinners. read more

In town for business and stumbled upon this cute place in old Market in DT Omaha. Food and service was great. Good vibe! Will definitely visit again when I'm in town! read more

I got the Spaghetti Aglio & Olio and my friend got the Penne al Ragu, and we both absolutely loved it. It was a delightful meal and experience. Very glad we came! read more

Horrible treatment by the owner. We drone forty miles for him to tell us they couldn't serve us. They had tables available and were able to seat a party of 7, but not the two of us. Rather than saying they would love to seat us, but wanted us to be aware they were short staffed and it would be slow, he refused to seat us. He was rude, sarcastic, and did nothing to help. I have never been treated like this. Never again. read more

On a warm summer night, the patio outside is divine. The light is sultry, glowing, romantic. The food is comfort-Italian, so if you're in the mood for that sort of thing you really can't go wrong, and the energy is all retro. I'm a big fan of ambiance. Nicola's nails the energy and feel and sense of what I look for in a restaurant. When you're there, you feel like you're visiting someone's personal residence. The service is, generally speaking, very good. When I left the other day, no fewer than 4 people smiled and said "Thanks for coming in!" - as a business owner, I can say definitively that having a culture like that takes work and the right mix of personalities. Will sometimes there be failings? Of course. But this place is delightful to me, and I can't wait to come back. read more

Nicola's - Italian Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

This is a fantastic gem of an Italian restaurant. Found it on Maps and decided to give it a go. Glad we did! The food is delicious and the service is great. I had the lemon cream salmon. Terrific. John let us try some hand rolled meatballs. Wow! Spaghetti and meatballs for me next trip! Highly recommended. read more

We walk in with our 17 month old and are promptly told they do not have high chairs or booster seats. I ask if they are family friendly and the hostess said yes. We choose to sit outside since it was nice and shaded (and my toddler can walk around if she so chooses). I am subtracting a star for no booster or high chair. To me there is no reason to not have them in this day and age if in fact a restaurant allows families. Moving on. The waiter is nice and friendly and was very accommodating read more

The salmon was great service and there Alfredo was excellent you can tell it's authentic straight from the soul read more

Nicola's - Salmon and chicken Alfredo with shrimp - Italian Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

This restaurant was small and uncomfortably warm. The waiter we had was quite aloof and condescending, never asked if we wanted desert or coffee just put the bill on the table. The food was adequate but not worth the price. Overall very disappointed in the service provided. This was our first and will be our last visit to this establishment. read more

We used to love this restaurant. But we will never go back. We had just ordered dessert, which was delivered with our bill. Before I had 3 bites, the proprietor came and asked to collect the bill. He needed the table, he said, his next reservation was waiting! Here's a tip: if you "need" the table, don't sell dessert and then lurk. Or, offer to comp the dessert, package it up and apologize profusely for your inability to manage reservations. No apology, just "I've been running this restaurant 19 years and I know what I'm doing"!? Most outrageous experience in a restaurant ever. Never going back. read more

I have always wanted to try this location, while an out of state co-worker was in town we decided to give this place a try. The entire encounter at this establishment was strange, from the time we walked in, our service, the food, odd to say the least. We walked into the restaurant (only had two tables of people when we got there) where three people were standing behind the bar (standing, not working) my co-worker and I both greeted the staff and we were met with stares and silence. Finally one of the three employees asked how many of us there would be. We decided to sit outside, our sever seemed awkward, maybe he was not normally a server. He wore gloves, however did not wear a mask while approaching us, but did stand at least 12 ft away from our table while interacting with us. Which was so strange. He would bring our items to our table without a mask on, so I don't understand what the point was I guess. Some employees were wearing masks others were not. Anyway on to the food, we ordered the bruschetta which was nothing special. Tasted like canned tomatoes, old sub par mozzarella, and the Parmesan tasted like it came from those green shakers from the grocery store. My co-worker and I both had a side salad which I barely took two bites of, the salad was soaked in a sweet somewhat flavorless dressing. It was soggy wet spinach that tasted mostly like wet dirt. I ordered a veggie panini, which was hot on the outside but all of the veggies on the inside were ice cold. I ate half before I couldn't bring myself to try to finish it. My co worker also got the tomato bisque and she said her soup wasn't anything special it tasted like it came from a can. Neither of us finished our meals and decided to leave. We ended up spending $40 between the two of us and we're pretty disappointed and dissatisfied. I am disappointed I have seen great reviews of this place, I was expecting so much more. I gave two stars because I'm sure this place could potentially be lovely, but that was not portrayed during our visit. read more

I've never left Nicola's dissatisfied. I always have a difficult time deciding what dish to eat but without question I ALWAYS get a cannoli afterwards! read more

Nicola's - Italian Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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It is a small space inside but has big charm and flavors. I sat at the bar since I was a single. The menu had a lot of classic Italian choices. Justin was my server and he was very nice; however, since all the servers were at the bar and at tables they were stretched thin on time. The food here is fresh and excellent. I started with the Bruschetta which had very fresh tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella which I like a lot. I had a glass of Cabernet along with my Portobello Mushroom Ravioli entree. It had a very good ragu sauce and a couple great meatballs. I can see why this place gets so busy. I look forward to try more of the menu. read more

Nicola's - Manhattan cocktail (off the menu) - Italian Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

Nicola's is another Old Market staple that lives by their reputation. I think their menu and food is Ok. We have caught them on good days, so, so days, and mediocre days. This last time it was just so, so. For example, when you serve the bruschetta appetizer you really should toast the bread. Like most restaurants in this range the goal is to get you in and out. Some people like that, so be prepared to pace your service staff. read more

Nicola's is a small Italian restaurant that's right off of 13th st. It has a lovely aroma, and a staff that's very knowledgable and enthusiastic. Their bar area is a little crowded but worth it due to the meals. My wife and I didn't have to wait because we made reservations. Our waitress introduced herself, established rapport and gave us water In a timely fashion. I chose the Nikki club which is chicken breast, bacon, mozzarella, tomato and pesto between ciabatta bread. They execute it to perfection and my wife's favorite Italian wedding soup is always fantastic. We've been here multiple times and it's always perfect. This is our go to Italian restaurant. Tip: make a reservation because it's a small restaurant and the wait may be long because it's a dining experience. read more

Nicola's - Nikki club - Italian Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

My recent dining experience at Nicola's left me with mixed emotions. I can't think of another Italian restaurant I like more... some equally, but as far as a stand out place for Italian in Omaha, I'm not sure this is it. All the items we ordered definitely met my expectations, but nothing exceeded them or surprised me. Everything was fresh and delicious, but as I write this I don't feel the immediate urge to go back. Interpret that as you will. I can't necessarily recommend the dirty martini, but the wine selection (which we moved on to later) is very reasonably priced. Skipped dessert in favor of walking over to Delice but now I wish I would have tried the tiramisu. I'll definitely be back to eat here again, I'm just not necessarily in a rush. read more

The chicken fettuccine Alfredo was exactly what I was looking for. We also ordered the Mediterranean lasagna, my boyfriend ate every last bite. We frequently order takeout and I appreciated how simple it was to place an order. Our order was ready right when they said and the staff was really friendly also. Very much looking forward to dining on the patio with a glass of wine when the weather improves! read more

Clemenza ALMOST had it right...you leave the gun and the canoli, ESPECIALLY if you also have a slice of Nicola's lemon cake and can only take one. This is my umpteenth visit to this nice, quaint, and enjoyable restaurant in Downtown Omaha. From the first time until now, every meal and visit has been just what is needed at the end of a long day. The portions are generous and flavorful; The staff is friendly and attentive; The patio (when open) is relaxed; The prices are right. The desserts are FANTASTIC! My ONLY complaint- they should do lunch! Support a local business and great folks-Stop in!! read more

Locally owned with the owners a part of the action. My wife and I were told to try here for a date night and obliged. The patio on a summer night makes this a great atmosphere with the instrumental music in the background. Be warned, as it sits on the corner you will hear all the hot rodders and crotch rockets that drive by that get stopped at 13th. We started the night with a couple drinks, a glass of Moscato and a Bellini (you get your choice of Peach or Strawberry). The Bellini is marketed well, as most of the menu, but nothing to write home about. Get a drink you like that you know or drill the server so you know what you're getting. For our appetizer, we selected the Antipasto Italiano. Its what you would expect from the description, prepared in 4 servings. The only disappointment was the description of "bruschetta." With this establishment, I think its fair to day there are two standards or levels of interpretation. The appetizer bruschetta is what most other areas serve, diced tomato and care put into the dish, while what's included with this dish is a slice of bread, with sliced tomato and grated Parmesan cheese. The menu also makes mention of the bread being toasted on a panini press. This might be true for the appetizer but not for what's served with the appetizer or your meal. The meals came with a complimentary Italian salad. The dressing that is include is sweeter than tangy and was done quite well. If you're the type that likes fresh cracked pepper with your salad, keep dreaming. As for the meal, I had the Tortellini al Formaggio & Prosciutto (14.95). The description that they provide and is spot on. it was full of flavor, but not overbearing. The sauce is rich but not heavy. For me, this was a total slam dunk and very much worth the price you were paying for. My wife had the Spaghetti Aglio & Olio and added the shrimp. The add on price might feel excessive, but these are butterflied shrimp and are far from wimpy. This dish is also true to the description. For the lighter eater or more calorie conscious, this is a great go to. If we were to do it again, I think both of us would have switched dishes, say chicken breast instead of shrimp. We ended the night with dessert, a favorite of ours is a cannoli. For a Saturday night, I was very disappointed to hear that the vanilla was out so we had to settle for chocolate. It was rich and large in serving size. After having a meal like this, one is plenty to share between two adults. Service is the other component that made this such a mediocre experience. The only positive was the attitude of our server and that was even at half effort. When asking for food quality, it was after a bite in and he was never to be seen again. I really think the pitfall is due to the management or leadership of the restaurant. They deliver high quality food, but getting people through is another opportunity. Granted it is said labeled as a "leisurely" experience, I felt this was a cover for pitfalls. Seating for this establishment is 1/3 inside and 2/3 outside. One of the owners was serving tables while the other was manning the register. I was initially offended when the male owner, I say that because he introduced himself as Nicola's husband to another party, checked in with another table to clear the table of dirty trays, that he didn't have the courtesy to see how my meal was or how my wife and I were doing considering he was serving the table next to us until I realized he had his own bank of patrons to take care of. Maybe it was a staffing emergency or unforeseen call-ins that created this shortage, one can only know. I'd be more willing to accept that, but when there are 6 servers/runners standing around and a guy wearing a chef's coat, in plain sight as you walk in the front door, eating a popsicle, I think there's room for improvement. All in all, the food is as competitive as any other in the market, but I think a lot of that credit goes to a strong team in the back of the house, which definitely makes this worthy of trying. This is especially true if you're the type that isn't fond of getting a highly priced dish only to be able to eat half of it or less and take the rest room, which we all know doesn't taste as good as it did when you were at the restaurant. The front of the house is what will keep me avoiding this place for awhile. read more

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The food here is so fresh! You can tell they put the time and effort into making things by hand. The ravioli is to die for including the meatballs. My husband got the lobster ravioli and the cheesecake-and he talks about it non stop. I highly recommend, but please make a reservation. read more

Walk into a small eatery in Rome, smell the spice from the kitchen, the just sliced bread, and feel the friendly atmosphere...Open your eyes...you're in Nicola's in the Old Market, Omaha, Nebraska . The lasagna is out of this world and served with a meatball or two on the side. Salads are fresh and bright with excellent homemade house dressing or your choice of course. Every entre I have eaten there has been outstanding. And the help? Wonderful...Nicole, the owner, has been there in the kitchen or checking my satisfaction with the food each visit. It can't get better than this. Everything is put together in a small kitchen, just like home, and has an authentic look, smell and taste. There are many fine Italian restaurants in Omaha but for me; Nicolas is the BEST. read more

Mama Mia let's MANGA (Italian for EAT). This may be the closest real Italian I have had anywhere in the US. My husband and I split a Portabella Mushroom Ravioli and the lemon cake. The entree came with salad and bruschetta. It was plenty for two. The staff was fantastic and you could tell by their warmth to most guests that there are a TON of regulars. My biggest suggestion, book a reservation and come hungry. Fantastico! read more

I was really excited to try this restaurant. The menu looked tasty and the pictures as well. I called twice to try and reserve a time for dinner for a bachelorette party and both times the hostess said that a manager would call me back. I am not sure if the hostess is incompetent or the manager but I never received a call back. A simple call back would have been great customer service, which this restaurant is obviously lacking. In reply, not sure who you called but it definitely was not me. read more

Food was great! Had lasagne and loved it! Large enough portion to spit. They serve two meatballs, and a salad with the entree. Service was lacking. Not very attentive. Water was never refilled though my glass was empty. We got there at 8:55 and were told the kitchen was closing in 5 minutes. read more

We stayed in Omaha for a few days while seeing some of the sites and we were looking for a good, local italian place. The food was great and we weren't disappointed. read more

Nicola's - Italian Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska