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    The Reading Room

    4.9 (24 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

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    Recommended Reviews - The Reading Room

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    Margarita and Orchard from Literary Menu
    Julia Y.

    The Reading Room is a newly opened bar downtown and absolutely worth a visit. The vibe itself makes me feel like I'm in Beauty and the Beast but I also have a bar. The literary cocktails are absolutely amazing and it was so hard to decide what to have. I ended up going with the margarita that had strawberry and jalapeno and it was absolutely to die for. The jalapeno flavor was very fresh, fresh and not a synthetic syrup taste. My partner got the orchard and said he was feeling the alcohol very quickly but when I took a sip I thought it was a great balance of sweetness to the strength of the alcohol. I was personally here for a local author event and I love that this bar supports its community, local authors and artists. This space feels incredibly welcoming, very well put together. The service was thoughtful and quick and I will definitely be going back.

    Catch 22
    Sondra Z.

    Absolutely adore this place! The drinks were delicious with fun author inspired names, staff were helpful, and the decor is delightful

    Michelle M.

    I had such a great first experience here! I came with a friend and we enjoyed time talking, sipping a great drink, and even had their fruit and cheese plates. We had to sneak in a couple fudge macarons too, which were just okay. I absolutely loved the cherry espresso martini though! The server recommended chocolate liqueur to make it more of a chocolate covered cherry flavor, excellent suggestion! My friend recommended the jalapeño margarita, but she said Marianna can make great custom drinks. They have coffee drinks and mocktails if you don't want a cocktail or wine. The vibes are incredible, it's such a quaint, cozy, and welcoming spot. They have lots of little sitting areas, comfy chairs, nice lighting, and an overall cozy atmosphere. They have books for sale and blind dates with a book, or bring your own!

    Maddy V.

    I love the ambiance and energy of the Reading Room and highly recommend it as a great study spot or place to catch up with friends or a good book! The interior has a distinct vintage library vibe which is very cute, and a ton of seating to accommodate any needs! My boyfriend and I opted for the literary cocktails, and they were very good and the bartender was very sweet and helpful. I have also gotten mocktails and the cheesecake bites here, which was amazing and I was able to complete an essay! I will definitely be returning!

    Michaela B.

    This place is a must visit! If you love books and drinks this is the place to be! The look of this place is absolutely astounding! The owner also let us know that this place used to be a shoe shop back in the day. Knowing that it's a historical building makes it all the better If you need a chill place to read your book or if you need a place to study I'd recommend here any time! I can't wait to go back

    Menu
    Cheryl W.

    This place is super cute. It's perfect for studying or holding a book club. They also have their own book club! They have a few different events that occur monthly. I got the bronté brew (vanilla honey latte). The presentation was gorgeous, but the drink was alright. It wasn't very flavorful. I'd love to return and try something else as I'm sure I can find a drink I love. Staff were suuuuper kind. Everyone was so friendly and helpful. They offer alcoholic beverages as well, so perhaps I'll try that next! The only issue is the parking which is at no fault of The Reading Room. It took us quite some time to find parking, so if you plan on meeting a friend or group here, I recommend you come early! We were able to find an open ParkOmaha spot a few blocks down and paid $2 for two hour parking which isn't bad at all. All in all, I would definitely return as I love the vibes of this place so much.

    The Great Gatsby cocktail
    Heidi G.

    What an awesome place! We held a book club meeting here, and it was the perfect setting. The decor is on point (I especially love the Underwood typewriter), and the drinks are delicious. I recommend the Great Gatsby cocktail. Love to see the awesome selection of mocktails too. Service was good too, and it was cool to learn about the history of the location. We will definitely be back!

    Chess set and cherry espresso martini
    Shauna T.

    So cozy and cute! We loved visiting on Valentine's Day. We started with a coffee (cold brew and drip) and while it wasn't the best, it was pleasant and accompanied the good vibes. Next I got the cherry espresso martini that was on their valentines menu and it was SO good!! A creamy espresso martini with a hint of cherry. We really enjoyed playing a couple games of chess here and relaxing! I will be back, but with a book :)

    Earl grey Tea with local honey
    Lee Ling C.

    The ambience is nice and it's very good for a quiet hangout place. The owner is friendly and down to earth. There are outlets for laptops so if you're interested in working while you were there, there's an option for it. There are a limited selection of drinks and snacks, seats and also books. I would suggest to bring your own book should you're planning to visit.

    Bar area
    Dillon G.

    Great new concept downtown! Reading lounge to drop in and enjoy a quiet space away from the hustle and bustle. Drop in rate is $6 cover for the first two hours. No required purchase. Great selection of drinks, cocktails, mocktails, teas and coffee. A few small selection of local tea and coffee. Local shop with friendly owner Sam!

    Ria H.

    This is a very unique and outstanding establishment. The concept is that this is primarily a space to enjoy reading and there is an extensive drink (cocktails, beer, wine, mocktails, and teas/coffee) and small plates menu. What makes The Reading Room special is not only that it is woman-owned (Sam is very friendly!), but that it is housed in a building that has been around since the 1920s and the lounge aesthetic is complete with leather couches, local coffees and teas, and books to borrow while here and purchase. I got the Pride and Prosecco cocktail which was refreshing and light. My husband got a black cinnamon tea. Both were great. Come check this place out if you want a quiet spot to read, enjoy some nice "me time," or just soak in the vibe of a warm and classy Reading Room in a historic building!

    Chocolate croissant
    Debi B.

    This is an amazing hidden gem! I can't believe I hadn't found it sooner, because I'm always looking for special places that are cozy and inviting; that makes you feel welcome and special. This place does all of those things and more. This has a real feel of a library or a study that you would sit in and just relax and enjoy a good book. And they do have books that you can read, books that you can buy, and special events that promote reading and literature. And this isn't just a simple coffee shop, it does have coffee and it also has tea, wine, specialty drinks, (alcoholic and non) and also amazing fruit plates/platters and cheese plates/platters and olive plates. We tried the cheese platter and the fruit platter and they were fabulous. Everything was reasonably priced. The owner, Sam, is so sweet and the other gals that work there are so nice and answered all of our questions and took care of us so well. They have a book club you can join and if you do you get 15% off your book purchases. They also gave my friend a discount because he was a veteran. If you haven't been here, you need to brave the downtown construction craziness and visit this very unique & amazing place. There is meter parking right out front and meter parking is only $1 an hour.

    Cold brew coffee

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    Ask the Community - The Reading Room

    Review Highlights - The Reading Room

    My friend recommended the jalapeño margarita, but she said Marianna can make great custom drinks.

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    It's my third or fourth time visiting this lounge. Always a mellow experience in this lounge bar…read more Artsy modern decor give it that "the fact that I'm here makes me cool" vibe. The drinks were SO GOOD that I forgot to take a pic because I sucked it down like I hadn't had water all day. The apps...yum. Tube in croquettes were my favorite! You can rent the lounge space and/or the outdoor space for a private event the floor to ceiling windows open to extend the indoors outdoor. They have built in TVs in a grotto style patio with more lounge seating. There is a bar indoors and one on the patio. I've seen live bands play outside during a cocktail reception and the energy is contagious. A must see intimate venue.

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    The Reading Room - lounges - Updated May 2026

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