While on a business trip to Omaha, I needed a place where I could work for several days outside of…read moremy hotel. I truly couldn't believe my luck when I found The Reading Room. This place is a spectacular little world of wonder and adventure. Over the course of my trip, I got to experience so many different sides of it. I attended an event on a Friday night, enjoyed specialty drinks, and watched a Shakespeare performance. I had so much fun! During the weekdays, I took a few meetings there while enjoying matcha and snacks. On another day, I simply came in to relax and unwind. What I loved most is that The Reading Room somehow manages to be a place for everyone. It's somewhere to meet new friends, get some work done, have a quiet moment alone, or come out and have fun at an event. Kids, adults, cocktail lovers, tea drinkers, readers, remote workers. There's a little something for everyone. And Sam, the owner, is absolutely fantastic. I was spoiled with great conversation, genuine hospitality, and impeccable service throughout my visits. I came to Omaha looking for somewhere to work and left feeling like I had discovered one of the city's hidden gems. I couldn't ask for a better place to spend my time.

I came here for a poetry reading. It is a really great space for that, lots of comfortable seating…read moreoptions. Sound was good. They have a selection of unique cocktails. I chose "Marianna's Marvelous Old Fashioned" which was delicious and also strong. Staff was really nice, and I felt comfortable there. I plan to pay attention to events here and return - or I might even just come here to read sometime and try another delicious cocktail, or maybe a mocktail, next time.

The wine selection was great and the bruschetta flight was phenomenal!…read more Went for date night and was not disappointed! Will be back again!!!

We visited Nosh before a show at Steelhouse, because it was listed on the venue's website as a…read morerestaurant in close proximity. Unfortunately, it was not the best experience. First off, the interior is pretty cute, so I will give them that. But the feng shui of the inside was not super conducive to holding a large crowd of people. Random smattering of chairs in different heights and sizes, so it can be too small for a large group and too big for a couple. There were two big shows downtown, along with the CWS people in town, so it was crazy down there. We had a reservation, but when we arrived, they sort of looked around to see if there was a seat for us (what was the purpose of the reservation?). They first were going to seat us at a low set of arm chairs with a coffee table between them. Somewhere you'd like to sit and have a drink, not a full meal over a coffee table. So then they sat us at a gigantic eight-person high top table when there were only two of us - pretty awkward. We weren't really acknowledged for the first ten minutes or so, but as I said, they were very busy. Our server was great, though, once he got to us. We decided on a few things to eat as we ordered our drinks, knowing we were on a time crunch before the show. We started with the "Devils in Disguise" deviled eggs, and those came out pretty fast and were tasty, with a nice egg base and a candied type bacon on top. They were not too big of eggs, too, so not the type you have to unhinge your jaw to eat, which I appreciated. After the deviled eggs, everything slowed down immensely. Food was coming out around us, but not ours. Large groups who came after we had been there a while, and had ordered way more than us obviously, were getting their food before us. Entree-wise, my husband wanted to try the Prime Rib, as it was the special of the evening. But our server let him know that it was cooked a little over, but in his opinion was still good, so my husband took a chance. Well, let me tell you, it was NOT good. Very dry and almost inedible. The jus that came with it did help a tad bit, but not really actually. The potatoes that came on the side of it also were literally inedible. Burnt and oily and hard, we couldn't even chew them. I had two of the Bao Buns, the Bao Chika Wowza and the Shrimply Irresistible. They were each pretty good, but a little on the spendy side for how small they were. We let our server know about my husband's prime rib being gross, and they did offer to make him anything else he wanted, but we did not have time to wait any more (since the first things we ordered took forever to come out), so he declined, and they just took it off the bill. The decor is cute and our server was nice and doing everything he could to help the situation, but overall, we left still hungry to our concert and got takeout elsewhere when we got home.

Clean, well lit, welcoming staff, and reasonable drink prices. Also have plenty of TV's for all…read morethe sports teams everyone comes to watch while drinking with friends.

Nice friendly place; Nice friendly bartenders; Excellent whiskey sours…read more Definitely recommend we will come back

The Council Bluffs 100 Block is the oldest commercial neighborhood in the metro area. Dating back…read moreto 1853, most of the block's buildings celebrated their sesquicentennial a couple of presidents ago. Omaha's first newspaper was printed on this block. This block is older than the invention of cocktails, imagine that. It was pretty rough and full of scoundrels in those halcyon days: journalists, lawyers, land speculators, railroad magnates, Abraham Lincoln. Eventually things improved as saloons, social clubs, gambling halls and bordellos moved in. Today, the 100 Block is to Council Bluffs what Buckhead is to Atlanta and a new whiskey bar called The Barrel is in the middle of it. The Barrel is a swanky, crafty, well-appointed, beautifully decorated, two-story lounge featuring cocktails made according to original recipes with top shelf brands. No mixes, no shortcuts. Every drink is a double just as our shameless forebears intended them. The interior is full of local art including the Barrel sign over the bar. It's well lit with high ceilings reflecting the warmth of the architecture and the staff.     The night I stopped in was moderately busy for a Friday night before 9 p.m. A dozen or so patrons filled the upstairs bar room before wandering downstairs to the more lounge-y Bottom of the Barrel. This is where the bands play and the furnishings swing more to the comfortable side of things. There is a bar here as well, but the craft cocktails were being made upstairs that night. So back upstairs, I asked for a recommendation to show me the takeaway, the thing I should know about The Barrel. Now normally, if a bartender recommends a whiskey sour I assume he thinks I'm in high school or doesn't want a tip, but the gregarious gent behind the bar that night was telling sincere stories, and not just with his beautiful scalp tattoos. The Whiskey Sour was a great place to start. The simple classic has been denigrated for decades by shortcuts and mixes. But this Whiskey Sour is born again hard made with Cody Road Rye, fresh lemon, egg white and love for only $8. Spectacular. And foamy. There is a literal wall of 130 whiskeys at The Barrel Each shelf is higher than the last. Your taste is limited only by your credit. Their Old Fashioned had me at spherical ice, but I intend to return for more classics (Manhattan, Negroni, Tom Collins) or clever originals (Brockway Bulldog, Baltimore Zoo or The Night is Dark and Full of Terror). And there's beer. Exile Beatnik Sour and Lagunitas IPA ($5), Burning Skye Scottish Ale, Lucky Bucket Wide Eye Coffee Stout, Millstream Pale Ale, Brickway Maple Pecan Brown Ale, Empyrean Dark Side Vanilla Porter ($4.50) and Bud Light ($3). There is live music on Fridays and Saturdays, an open jam from 4-8 Sundays followed by an open mic until close, and comedy every second Wednesday. The Bottom of the Barrel has $3 premium wells on weekends and there is never a cover. With drinks like this, it's obvious why our ancestors were so unapologetic about drinking doubles.

We visited Cumbia's without a reservation, and it was so busy inside that we ended up sitting at…read morethe bar, which turned out to be a great spot! The décor is so cool and the whole place has such a fun, lively vibe. The mojito I ordered was delicious, and all of the tapas we tried were fantastic. Our favorite was the Carnitas Bravo -- and those crispy potatoes... oh yum! We also tried the Plantenera Slider, Peruvian Ceviche, and Chicken Empanadas, and everything was delicious. The plantain chips served with the ceviche were such a smart touch and added the perfect crunch to the dish. Definitely a fun spot with great food and atmosphere!

The flavors at Cumbia hit differently from the very first bite. Every dish carries a depth and…read morewarmth that feels intentional - bold spices layered with care, fresh ingredients that shine through in every forkful, and portions that feel generous without sacrificing refinement. The kitchen clearly puts real love into the food, and you taste that in every single plate that comes to the table.The drinks were refreshing with even an impressive non-A option. The cocktails arrive beautifully presented and even better tasting - vibrant, well-balanced, and creative. The atmosphere is absolutely beautiful. With perfectly tuned lighting and immaculate decor, I enjoyed every bit of it. Highly recommend with friends or for date night!

Amazing service and ambiance. Didn't try any of the food but the drinks were amazing. Definitely…read moregoing to be returning.

Dope tiki bar in Omaha! If I'm in a new city for 48 hours, odds are I'm gonna find the tiki oasis…read more This was just what the doctor ordered. Long event day on our feet and this was the definition of an escape. The underground tiki bar might not seem like much when you're walking down the stairs to find it, but once you're inside you're transported somewhere vibrant yet relaxed all at once. Bartenders were super nice and friendly. They made awesome conversation and once they found out I was visiting, they seemed even more hospitable. Tiki drinks are known to take a few extra minutes due to the laundry list of ingredients, so the fact they took the time to get to know me really elevated the experience. For the cocktail menu, you'll find all the classics like Mai Tai, Painkiller, Saturn, etc. They also had an extensive variety of original cocktails, which I think we all opted for. Mine was called the Swamp Rattler (had to pay homage to my Florida roots) and I loved it! Vibes are on point. Place was busy at 11pm on a Thursday night. Most of us didn't realize it was closing time at midnight, and they were all so friendly about telling us to leave. Was cool that the bartenders knew all the tiki bars in Denver, too! My fave stop in Omaha, awesome spot!

As usual, Fizzy's is the spot to be! Haven't been to brunch in a while but it's a great spot -…read morewhether or not you're fully participating in the "hangover" part of brunch. I split the Thai chicken and waffles with my sister and they had some amazing flavor. Not sure why they were green but they tasted great. The side of bacon scared me at first bc of the price but it's FULLY worth it. We got a huge plate of bacon and it was cooked perfectly. The side hash brown cake thing was also amazing - crispy on the outside, soft on the inside - incredibly unique in the execution and amazing. The espresso martini affogato improves on the original martini since I like some cream in mine. Make sure to plan some time for bunch though. It was about 2 hours before we got out of there (partially bc we ordered a little staggered) but we did have a nice long wait to get any drinks or food. Vibes and music were incredible as always.

A fulfilling stop for burgers, cocktails, draft beer and boozy shakes in Little Bohemia. Watch…read moretheir socials for specials and pop-ups. We've been for steak night, which was terrific; this time we enjoyed perfect cheeseburgers with sides of Mac and cheese and Brussels sprouts. The Mac and cheese is noteworthy for its capacity to grow in volume while being consumed - a takeout box will be necessary to save the goodness for later meals. Brussels sprouts are seasoned, roasted, all the things that need to happen to turn this questionable veggie into a savory treat. Taps are varied and include local choices. Happy hour menu includes a $6 old fashioned

What a very cool place!…read more Thoughtfully curated cocktails with a flair, make sure you know where you're trying to go when you come into the liquor store. Awesome vibes, very chill lounge. Service was super attentive and thoughtful, feel free to ask for a reading light if you can't quite see all of the menu details.

Ended up here on a random Friday we were in the area and decided to stop in to check out the…read morelocation. There was a little bit of a wait about 25 minutes before we could go in to be seated. The host was very friendly and answered all of my questions while we waited to be seated inside the bar area. Upon Entry the ambiance was dim lighting and very whimsical. For me the seats are very uncomfortable and low. I really didn't like that. No back support unless you sit on the side against the wall but you are really close to other customers. It's a pretty tight nit spot. Drinks are very pretty and many options to choose from. This would be a place to go to just for the experience not necessarily for the drinks.

My boyfriend and I stopped by Catalyst after dinner nearby since it's one of the spots on our…read moremartini passport! I had been before, but it was his first time, so I was excited for him to try it. You walk in through the hotel's main entrance and the bar is tucked away in the back, which makes it feel cozy and a little private. It wasn't very busy when we went. I think this spot would be great for a date night! The bartenders were amazing. They were incredibly friendly, explained the drinks, and checked in on us throughout the night. You can tell they really care about the experience of patrons. Our espresso martinis were great and we really enjoyed them! Every time I've visited, their cocktails have been consistently good, and I love that they offer a seasonal menu to switch things up. They also have a patio that looked like it would be so nice in the summer, but it was too cold for us to sit outside this time. We both loved the decor and overall aesthetic. It feels upscale without being too intimidating, Overall, such a great experience and definitely a place we'll keep coming back to!

A very chic bar with high end cocktails. The bartender curates amazing cocktails that all taste…read moreamazing and he really knows what he's doing