While on a business trip to Omaha, I needed a place where I could work for several days outside of my 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. read more

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I came here for a poetry reading. It is a really great space for that, lots of comfortable seating options. 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. read more

The Reading Room - A place for reading! - Lounges Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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This place was a hidden gem to stop in while waiting for a friend in DT Omaha. Even if you're not a reader the vibe of it being a lounging place to actually read while sipping a drink or playing board games is fun; if you're an avid reader this is a Dream. It looks like you can even buy the books here. They also have some small bites and mocktails in addition to craft cocktails. I got their take on the old fashioned, which included orange and chocolate biscotti liqueur and cherry syrup. It was definitely more sweet than a typical old fashioned, however I enjoyed it, and it was prepared very well--spirit heavy. This was a nice sipper and service was great, no complaints! read more

The Reading Room - Marianna's marvelous old fashioned - Lounges Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

Love love love this spot! Went with a bigger group and they were so accommodate and kind to us. A cozy spot with great drinks and such a chill atmosphere. I would recommend and I am excited to go back. read more

The Reading Room - Lounges Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

I love the reading room! This place is so cool and I love the retro bar, seating, and books! I went on a Saturday morning and got a health bar coffee and an apple turnover and they were both delicious - can't beat the price either! The staff are very friendly and talkative, and I think it's very cool that they do coffee during the day and literary themed drinks at night. Will definitely be back to try out the cocktails! read more

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Enjoyed a Saturday morning at the reading room! I brought a book and a journal and had a great time. Their caramel macchiato was delicious - not too strong and not too sweet. I also tried their apple turnover and it was amazing!! It was warmed up and so tasty. It was nice and cozy in there and quiet enough to read and focus but not too quiet where that was all you could focus on. Great place to get some work done or chat with a friend! read more

The Reading Room - Caramel Macchiato - Lounges Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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Our book club had such a wonderful experience at The Reading Room. The service was absolutely top notch--our reserved table was beautifully set and ready for us upon arrival, which immediately made us feel welcomed and cared for. Walking into the space felt like stepping back in time. The stunning Art Deco design creates a truly transportive atmosphere, and learning from the owner, Sam, that it was originally a shoe store built in 1929 made it even more special. The space itself carries so much history and charm. Seating was incredibly comfortable, making it easy to settle in and stay awhile. We enjoyed a great spread of coffee drinks, cocktails, fruit, cheeses, crackers, veggies, and croissants--everything was thoughtful, and very reasonably priced. This is such a unique "third space" to gather, relax, and connect . I'll absolutely be back--for work meetings, happy hour, or simply to sip coffee and feel like a time traveler for a while. read more

The Reading Room - Lounges Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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. read more

The Reading Room - Margarita and Orchard from Literary Menu - Lounges Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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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! read more

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

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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! read more

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Reading Room offers up some of the best cocktails I've had in Omaha! Alot of the drinks are book themed which makes it even more fun. They don't stay open late - they were only open until 10pm on a recent Saturday so keep that in mind. The space, as it implies, is a large room with lots of woodwork and shelves and shelves of books lining the walls. It felt like a mixed workspace and cocktail lounge? For example a couple people were there with a laptop, but then other tables were full of groups drinking. I'd love to come back, this is a great addition to Omaha! read more

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! read more

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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 :) read more

The Reading Room - Chess set and cherry espresso martini - Lounges Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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 read more

The Reading Room - Lounges Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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The drinks were SO GOOD. And reasonably priced. The bartenders were super friendly and inviting. I went here as a stop on the book traiI will definitely be back! read more

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My husband and I are here right now. Nice laid back, fairly quiet environment. Not loud music blaring. The drinks are superb and the staff and owner are even better! Snacks look really tasty. read more

The Reading Room - Lounges Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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. read more

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One of my bucket list places to visit upon turning 21. Great cozy atmosphere that really encourages reading or studying. They also have coffee and other drinks! I enjoyed the cocktails named after literary references and liked that the seating layout gave some privacy to each nook. read more

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. read more

The Reading Room - Earl grey Tea with local honey - Lounges Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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! read more

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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! read more

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This arguably has to be one of my favorite places in Omaha! It's great to go get some work done, read a good book, or sit and relax with good company. The decor and furniture is so comfortable and inviting. The whole vibe of this place is great. Outside of that, the staff is absolutely amazing! I love the experimentation with beverages they do on occasion and I'm a willing participant in these experiments. Highly recommend read more

What a great place. The atmosphere is great. Very laid back place with great cocktails. Music isn't loud so you can easily carry on a conversation. Staff is super friendly. Highly recommended. read more

Clever cocktails, cozy seating... book trivia and plated snacks, what is not to love? Wear a t-shirt with a book on trivia night and gar a discount... lovely people running this establishment will listen to ideas for cocktail creations. Go read a tale and have a sip. read more

It felt so tranquil, the service was great, the music was nice and the drinks were tasty! Don't fear the construction, it's still quiet inside and there's parking nearby. I really enjoyed my time there and will definitely come back! read more

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. read more

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I stopped in the reading room for a coffee this morning, as it is down the street from my office. This place id adorable. I cannot get over how much of the original character of the store is still intact. I learned that it used to be a shoe store from the 1920s up until the 1990s and so many of the original aspects of the shoe store are still so prominent. I stopped in only briefly to get a coffee to go, but the seating options are so comfortable and the space is so inviting. It looked like there was a decent selection of books for sale. The space is great and the coffee was delicious, I will be back!! read more

Such a nice place! Went for coffee and a pastry yesterday with my sister. Service was great! Had a good chat with the owner. Definitely recommend. read more

It's real nice & comfy at the Reading Room! Great drinks and excellent service!! I will definitely go back. Highly recommend

This quiet reading space was a perfect afternoon stop. Since it's new, it hasn't got many children's books yet, but they made a huge effort to make it work for our family. They moved chairs around and made a space for the kids to play games. The staff was so welcoming and kind. They offered premium coffee and even made a fresh strawberry lemonade fke my daughter. read more

The Reading Room - Cold brew coffee - Lounges Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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We recently just started coming here and it's one of our most favorite spots!! Marianna is such a sweet soul and down to earth. She very helpful and attentive. Will continue to keep coming back! read more

This place is amazing!!! What a gem to have in Omaha and a great addition to the old market area. Marianna is a queen, she is absolutely the best bartender I've ever had. Drinks were great and so was the chat. 12/10 read more

The drinks are great, there's a diverse selection of cocktails to try. The curators however are the special part. We came in for the first time this week and the curator Mariana was an absolute gem. Very friendly, extremely helpful. The dynamic of this place is certainly unique and worth stopping by. read more