The Sydney is a fun, divey bar in Benson with cheap but good drinks. We happened to go on a karaoke night and it made our night even better. Such a fun crowd and really good vibes! The staff was nice and kept things moving, even when it got a little busy. Seating can be a bit limited, but there's still enough space to hang out and enjoy the night. Overall, a solid bar! Definitely a good spot if you're looking for something casual and fun. read more

The Sydney - Lounges Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

The Sydney is a great little divey bar in Benson. It's a little toward the "end" of the Benson strip, but it's definitely worth making your way down to check it out if you're a fan of a more classic bar atmosphere. They have tons of stuff going on like bands, comedy shows, and used to have trivia but I don't know if they do anymore - and the bartenders have always been great. There is always something fun happening there, even if it's just a plain old bar night. The drinks are served cold and crisp, and best of all - it's way less expensive than some other bars in the Benson area. A great place for a cheap beer and the best people! read more

See all

Everybody in every form never age is here. No judgement no one looking at you like you are crazy and the music is fire. You NEED to check this place out. read more

The Sydney - people sitting at a bar - Lounges Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

Man, I love this place. Sort of divey, but in a cool grungy artsy sort of way, as you'd expect in Benson. Queer safe space. Lots of great underground local musicians, comics, and visual artists show off their talents here. Cheap drinks. Bartenders treat everyone like they're a regular, not just because most of the crowd ARE regulars. I don't go here nearly enough, and somehow it always feels like I've been there a million times. read more

A cool neighborhood rock 'n' roll bar with colorful regulars and friendly bartenders. Also a good place to catch a local band and hangout on their outdoor smoke deck/beer garden between sets. The space is long and cavernous, with a bar up front and tables, chairs, a pool table and a small stage in the back. The building has to be at least 100 years old, definitely adding a sense of historical charm. While I might prefer a couple other Benson bars over the Sydney, I've always had a good time here. Maybe I need to make the trek to the far east side of the Benson strip more often, eh? read more

The Sydney is a rad bar in Benson, with an awesome "mom" bartender as she called herself taking care of everyone! They have a great beer selection, cheap shots (2 dollar Sake shots) and its a cool bar to hang in! I played a show there last night and Adam who did sound did a killer job, and they even had a screen for my projector so I didn't have to bring in my own! Bathrooms were good, little outdoor back patio for smokers, and after the concert stopped it went into Karaoke and you know we had to stay around for a song or two of that! All in all great bar, great staff, and a fun night! read more

The Sydney - Lounges Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

See all

It's always someone's birthday at the Sydney. Hadn't been back here since it was Mick's, but I'd say it still carries on in the same vibe of the previous acoustic live music venue. As others have stated, bartenders were friendly and attentive, plus this is the spot for the Omaha Roller Girls after-parties. So what we originally planned to be a couple of drinks turned into a 'close down the bar' scenerio after I got over the fear that they were going to beat me up, and I started asking lots of questions about the fine art of derby. Finally, trust me when I say that they don't skimp on the good stuff in the mixed drinks here. Two Bombay G&T's later, I totally forgot about my previous mission of getting to Alvarado's... and it takes a lot for me to forget about food. read more

It was a dark and stormy night when I walked into The Sydney. The hipper-than-thou crowd will claim ownership and knowledge of this old neighborhood pub, of course, but it is still thought of as one of "Benson's better kept secrets," according to bartender and manager David Davis who wasted no time in getting to know me when I sidled up and asked him what kind of bar The Sydney is.    The Sydney is hidden in plain view on the north side and east end of Maple. The lights aren't so bright here and the bar hoppers don't wander in looking like they just came from a job interview. It's Benson Good Weird and punk nice inside as opposed to fresh lacquer, Eternity for Men and new money nice. The Sydney's patrons aren't there to impress or demonstrate, just chill, play pool and hear a good local band. Any well-behaved patron can grab a spot at the bar and feel like part of the hood without getting lost in the shuffle. "We get more of the neighborhood regulars and locals in the service industry," Davis said. "We don't get as much of the tourist business other bars in this area get." I like to roll with a partner on reviews, but going it alone is a great way for a well-dressed, gregarious and approachable young man like myself to find out just how gracious, neighborly and welcoming any given bar and it's patrons can be. For much as every small town claims to be friendly, so too does every bar. It took me no time at all to make friends with a regular called Alex Young, a Bensonite car salesman who pushes Hyundais in Council Bluffs. As the owner of Korean vehicles since '02, I got to gabbing about dependable (if not sexy) cars. It was also Sydney regular Mr. Young who introduced me to Mr. Davis. It was Mr. Davis who recommended I try the Wasatch Brewery Blueberry Hefeweizen draw. That was a good call. Though not as fruity as the name suggests, it did have some nice citrus high notes and a clean finish. In addition to the Wasatch Blueberry Hefeweizen, The Sydney has on tap Angry Orchard Crisp Apple, Rolling Rock, Budweiser, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Guinness Stout, Deschutes Hop Slice Summer Ale and Swivelhead Red IPA. These are bound to change with the season as are The Sydney's wide array of craft bottles and cans. In addition to cool locals, The Sydney sports three TVs, a jukebox, pool, local art and a classic piece of Americana, a Phillips 66 gas station sign that takes you right back to the '70s if you really want it to. There is a covered beer garden out back in which smokers stay dry and puffing away. Happy hours are 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily and feature $1 off well drinks and tap beers. There is free pool all day every Sunday and live music Fridays and Saturdays. Mondays mean $1 Pabst Blue Ribbon draws. Rolling Rock draws are $2 daily from open to close. Specials are bound to change so sign up for The Sydney's newsletter through thesydneybenson.com. read more

what a fun bar in benson. Has all kind of types in it. From the young hipster. to the older construction worker. to me the most interesting man in the world. It has a great feel to it that only an old benson spot can. The prices are wonderful seeing as all around things are going trendy upscale crafted pricey route. 2 dollar sydney shots. The bartender was very knowledgeable on his drinks. prompt with his service, friendly. and kept the bar very clean. Stop in for a drink some time, a game of pool, or play some pinball you will enjoy it read more

The Sydney isn't the popular or trendy bar you might think it is being that it's in Benson. And that's not a complaint. Being that it's located on the east end of the Benson strip, many people don't know it's there. And that keeps it from being overcrowded or pretentious. The beer selection is decent, and everything I had was priced well. There seems to be a fair selection of seating arrangements including at the bar, high top tables, and low tables in the rear by the stage. Speaking of the stage, the setup of the building makes for having shows that don't pack the house slightly awkward. Those there for the entertainment naturally gather around the stage, where those who are there for other reasons will tend to mingle closer to the bar. If it's not a decently attended show, this results in a bit of a no man's land between the two spaces. This is not a reflection on the establishment at all. Merely an observation of my last visit. That said, I do plan to return. read more

Not a bad hangout. I like the Sydney, but my brain always has to re-adjust as I remember it when it used to be Mick's. The latter was a little more upscale, and the Sydney has some 'diviness' to it. I don't mean that in a bad way, having been there a few times, the drinks were decent and the staff friendly. Nothing pretentious here, show up, grab a drink and enjoy yourself! read more

The Sydney - Back door - Lounges Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

See all

Benson rock and roll bar...great staff and strong drinks. Seen a lot of great bands here...but also fun for Pub Quiz and other events. Also a good place for the locals to spend some time. A Benson bar with no gimmick. read more

The Sydney - Lounges Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

Loud. Friendly staff. Ok beer selection. Worth checking out, but one should be aware of the decibels in this joint. I couldn't hear myself think in there and that is a problem considering my lack of ability thinking when the world is still. read more

Great drinks and great atmosphere, though a little intimidating (I don't really go out to bars so I'm completely lost when it comes to visiting them). My drinks were really good and were made of pretty quality stuff which I appreciate. The staff, the few times I interacted with them, seemed pretty laid back. One thing, though - since they have live bands playing a lot of evenings it is definitely NOT the place you want to go if you wanna hold a conversation with your friends or fellow bar patrons! We ended up leaving because the band playing was way too loud for the relatively small space they were playing in and it was getting hard to even yell over it to each other. Not the lounge's fault, but something to keep in mind if that's not what you want from a place to get drinks. read more

My boyfriend and I just relocated to Benson from California and have made this bar our local favorite. Even if you don't live in Benson, it's worth the drive. The bartenders are unpretentious and super friendly and they always seem to remember us. They also have great deals throughout the week for happy hour. The Pizza Shoppe is just a few doors down too which is super convenient after too many PBRs. read more

I'm the boyfriend Michelle G. was talking about. The Sydney is great; cheap beer, friendly bartenders, it's clean, it's big. I could go on and on. The new back patio is a nice feature for the smokers. They are really booking some great shows there, both local and national acts. read more

Best bar I know and all of the bartenders kick ass. Also, drinks don't cost an arm and a leg. Lots of fun and character.

My favorite bar in Benson. I only visit a couple times a year but when I do I always stop at The Sydney. The bartenders are awesome, drinks are reasonable, there are bands alot and the sound is good. I guess I mainly like it cause I can sit there and not worry about some random dude trying to hit on me and enjoy my wifi. I've had some good times there! read more

I always enjoy going to the Sydney, if I'm out in benson I usually make it a stop. The people are always friendly, and usually very interesting. They have a small stage in the back that has live music and I like their deck in the back, there's always a party on the deck! Every time I've been here it's always very chill and I always have an enjoyable time, I'm sure I'll be back next time I'm hopping around the benson bars! read more

The Sydney is located at what used to be Mick's in the downtown area of Benson. I obviously don't know for certain, but my best guess is that Mick's couldn't remain a profitable business because their service was so crappy. I was pleasantly surprised to see this has changed along with the change in management and the name. Oh, and they'll definitely be considered for a coveted spot on the next Benson Pub Crawl. read more

An easy place to make your own personal spot. Relaxed vibe, perhaps a bit hipster, but without being trendy. Back porch on which to smoke - very nice. Excellent comedy nights - even when the comedians are green. A great, neighborhood spot that's sometimes crazy busy, sometimes extremely mellow, always a chill time. read more

Went there for Bar Trivia. Something I hadn't done before and I really liked it! It was a nice way to get a small group together; learn a little bit; discuss a little bit and have some brews! The yelp check in perk is great! I wouldn't say the service here is the best but this is a dive bar in benson so your expectations shouldn't be too high. They do have a pretty decent draft and bottle beer selection. The bartender will let you sample a draft option if you are undecided. There are some cute and cozy booths as well as high tables and ample bar seating so plenty of room for all! read more

I came here with friends on a recent visit to Omaha and had a great time. This reminds me slightly of Delilah's and Kuma's Corner in Chicago. The vibe was relaxed and dark. The beer selection was good. The music on the night I went was supplied by a DJ named Andrew Monson, who was playing old records of James Brown and Jackie Wilson, etc. Minus a star for my 20 minute wait in line to use the restroom- there is only one toliet for each gender, so be prepared to wait in line when the place is busy. read more

The bar itself is not a bad bar and it seems to have, and welcome, a good mix of people from the rockers to the frat boys - everyone seems to generally have a good time. The bartenders are nice but will overlook people often which started getting on my nerves. On the drinks...they do not skimp out on the alcohol which is never a bad thing. I gave it 4 out of 5 because the atmosphere seems off-putting and it hasn't made a few people I have run into feel at ease. read more

This is one of my favorite places to go in the Omaha area. Bartenders are good, vibe is chill and fun, music is getting better. I have never had a bad time in this place and is my first choice when I go out to relax with friends. It doesn't hurt that I have lots of tattoos and a beard, they fit in well here. read more

This is my home away from home. A Little, dark, comfy dive bar. heather and derek and tara are really fun bartenders. There is an awesome jukebox, a stage for shows, and super easy street parking. What else do you need? Its just on the outskirts of benson, so its a little less-known and less crowded than the other bars. I could hang out here forever and ever. read more

Derek gets me wrecked and I leave satisfied. I really only come 4 Derek as he he embodies benson

I don't get out to bars often. Busy mom of three life, it's usually just a couple times a year. I had actually never been to Benson, but ventured out with some friends, one who is a Benson regular. Our last stop of the night was to The Sydney to listen to Soul Society play Vinyl soul tracks. Maybe it was an off night, but this was my least favorite stop in Benson. It was not overly busy, but busy enough that I had a hell of a time worming my way in to get a drink at the bar, the dance floor area would have been fun, but there was groups of people standing and talking making it hard to find a place to dance, the bathroom line at times stretched all the way onto the dance floor, there is a lot of back and forth traffic from the outdoor smoke area, and very little places to get out of the way of it. I found myself relocating often to try to find a place that "worked" for us without getting knocked into, stepped on, etc.... the one thing i liked is that it is a VERY diverse crowd, all walks of life, so I didn't feel a bit out of place. I would try The Sydney again, but probably not seek it out for a night out. read more

my favorite bar in the city - we are regulars because it's cheap drinks, awesome staff and a lot of fun events!