Ragu? I ordered the shortrib ragu with paparadella, which ought to be somewhat Italian, but I was tempted to ask for sour cream after my first bite. It was Beef Stranganoff with a little extra tomato. And the gravy was that corn starch-thickened stuff from a '70s supper club instead of a sauce built up from simmering. On the other hand, the beer was excellent and my husband's pork tenderloin sandwich was very good. We'll go back. read more

Like many of the other people who have written reviews about this spot, I was in town for business and wanted to try a good Omaha steak. So after checking out yelp, I though this would be a sure fire thing. I ate at the bar and ordered the chili-dusted ribeye. With steak being my favorite food, I'm pretty tough on my judging criteria. The chili dust was a nice touch that left a small tingle in my mouth. And the mayo was the only thing that actually gave this steak some favor. I'm sad to say that I was not impressed and it did not give the Omaha steak a good name. However, the roasted potatoes were quite tasty after seasoning them with a little salt and pepper. I shouldn't have expected much from a bar/restaurant. So next time I'm in Omaha, I'll have to visit an actual steakhouse to get a taste of the real Omaha steak. Sidenote: If you are looking for a place that stays open late and serves food late, this would be a nice spot. They also have drink/food specials different nights of the week. Upstream is a good place to go and have a drink with friends. read more

This was my first visit back to Upstream in a few years. The atmosphere is great and the building is in a beautiful location in the Old Market. I ordered a glass of the Merlot which was actually pretty good considering they specialize in beer. My friends also said that their Pinot Grigio was good as well! We started with the fried pickles which were superb. I ordered the blackend burger with guacamole and pepperjack cheese with a side of smashed potatoes. The burger was actually cooked the way I asked for it, which seems to be a huge accomplishment for a restaurant, so kudos to Upstream! Unfortunately, the service was incredibly below par. We were seated promptly as we had reservations (which I recommend if you go on the weekend). We also ordered fairly soon after we sat down so we didn't expect to wait an hour just to get out appetizer. In the hour we waited, we watched 4 tables be seated after us and get their drinks, appetizers, and entrees before we even got our wine. When our food was finally brought to us it was just left on the table by the waiter without him saying a word. I ended up canceling a second glass of wine I had ordered as I got my entree because I finished the entree before they even brought the glass of wine. Overall, the food was absolutely fantastic and I would go back. I would definitely go in hopes of having a different server though. read more

We went here while in town for the weekend. It was a family trip that included a trip to the zoo, but the family tradition is mom and dad pick where we eat dinner. As boring as it sounds, I was in a fish and chips mood and it was very good. My wife had a salad she described as lettuce wraps in a bowl. She liked it. The IPA was a particularly enjoyable beer that had an array of complex flavors to accompany the traditional hoppy-ness. It's a must have if you're into IPAs. My kids enjoyed their pizzas, which is what they order almost every where they go, despite our encouragement to, please, for the love of Pete, try something -- ANYTHING -- else. We'll go here again next time we're in town for sure. read more

My fiancé and I live downtown and we realized we hadn't tried this restaurant before. We walked in and the atmosphere was very elegant. I was a little worried about our seating arrangement as we were sat in a small two person table in the middle of the smaller room with two booth sections to our left and right. It felt very strange but you quickly get settled as the staff are very professional and makes the occasion feel intimate. I ordered the falafel pita wrap and it was incredible. I've never had falafel that wasn't crumbly and my dish was perfect. The falafel held together and was the perfect amount of filling! My fiancé had the guacamole burger served medium rare, he said he'd never had a burger like that before and the flavor was very intense in a good way. The food was great and the atmosphere was nice. We will definitely be coming back. read more

This was the first place we stopped in omaha during out vacation. Not only were the food and beer good, but the service at the bar was top notch. It was a friendly introduction to a city we'd not yet explored. Their suggestions of things to do were wonderful. We may go back again on this trip since the experience was so enjoyable. read more

Great place to have a group gathering in the lower level. There is a private dining area, bar complete with a separate room for the pool table. Good selection of beers and alse. I can't speak for the menu as everything was pre-arranged for us but had a good spinach artichoke dip and the steak was fine. There is also a good selection of sweet breads available for sale on the way out. read more

Went there twice on a recent trip to Omaha. First stop was for after dinner drinks. The upstairs bar was open and quick even with a full dinning area. Drinks were good and reasonable. The second trip was for dinner. The food was ok and service a little slow but it was a Monday which most restaurants understaff. We came back for the bread pudding which was very good. Great for drinks ok for food. read more

Beer review only: We were here on a lovely Saturday summer evening, and it was packed. That being said, we were only here for drinks, so we were able to grab a seat at the bar immediately. Our bartender was awesome - very hard working but also friendly. Seemed like the kind of person I would want working at my bar if I were an owner. I wish I had caught her name. The beer selection is large. My wife wanted the raspberry wheat but they didn't have it at the time, so they made her a wheat beer with strawberry puree. She thought it was okay, nothing special. I did a sampler of 4x four ounce pours for $6.00 (versus one beer @ $4.75 or so for the same 16 ounces, which seemed like a very fair price to me for sampling four different kinds). I got the IPA, Dortmunder, Milky Way Stout and Scotch Ale. None of them wowed me, unfortunately. One (I forget which - Dortmunder?) had a taste that heavily resembled malt extract, versus all-grain, which worried me. But I cannot confirm. So, service was great, food looked good, the place was clean and the atmosphere was nice. But the beer just wasn't that great. We left after our one round. read more

If I say nothing else about this restaurant, I must point out that they have pretty good root beer. The food options were a good variety basically consisting of everything from pizza to steaks and seafood. There's basically something for everyone. I tried the shrimp white pizza. It had an adequate amount of shrimp and was enough such that I didn't feel disgusting after eating the entire thing. The fish dishes looked good and may warrant a try on a future visit. I followed the pizza up with a mocha cheesecake which looked like a tiramisu. It had a strong coffee flavor and was small enough to again, not leave you feeling disgusting. Service was good. The decor is that of an upscale brewery and prices are decent (think 15-20 for a meat or seafood dish and 10 for a personal pizza). Parking entailed circling the block a few times but not too crazy. This section of town is a pretty nice area despite at this time, it's all under 2 feet of snow. read more

Really, Omaha? I had high hopes. I genuinely wanted to believe the negative reviews here were flukes. Well, they're not. Upstream just doesn't cut it. It's not exactly that there's anything specifically awful about it, it's that it's so damned stuffy. I travel a fair amount, and as a beer nerd, of course I make it a point to hit brewpubs whenever I can. I have had good beer and bad beer in countless brewpubs from Seattle to Tampa and I have NEVER encountered the level of aloof pretentiousness in a brewpub that I encountered at Upstream. Ever! Walk in the door. Glared at by hostess. "You can sit at the bar if you want. Or I can seat you." Huh? Ok, sorry, I won't bother you any further. I'll go sit at the bar. Thanks. Sit down. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait... Server appears! I've already decided what I'm eating and drinking, so I think I'm going to get to order; instead, "Oh, hey. Uh. Give me a second." Um. Ok. Eventually server reappears. "What do you want to drink?" I order some beer. It arrives. It's actually pretty decent. It is even served at the correct temperature, although I am certain it is a 12 ounce serving and not a 16 ounce pint, which is what the menu said. I have some questions about the beer and the glassware, but there is nobody to ask. I wait. Eventually the server returns to take my food order. Beer is long gone, but a refill is not offered. I don't even care at this point, I just want to eat and go. Food arrives, brought by a runner that isn't my server. It's OK. I get a steak, it's kind of overcooked and underseasoned, but whatever. The potatoes are dry but edible. I finish it and head straight to anywhere else as fast as possible. Truly, the only thing keeping this from being 1-star is the fact that the beer was actually pretty good, and that's important, but I don't see how this place can keep coasting on decent beer when the service and food are this bad. read more

This is a great brewery with fantastic food. It also happens to be located in a cool part of the city with lots of warehouses that have been converted to business and living space. I had 2 Scotch Ales which were very fresh and delicious. I washed that down with a New York strip steak. I'm in Omaha, how can I not have steak?! In true, Omaha style, the steak was prepared very well. Meat was tender, juicy, right on the money. We didn't have any problems finding parking on the street, even during dinner time. This place is worth checking out for fresh beer and good steak. read more

Really disappointing that they refuse to sit people outside on a 70 degree day. They should probably take "outdoor seating" out of their description if it's not really true. We look forward to their Mardi Gras specials all year, but we left disappointed. read more

Driving across the country there isnt much in that big flat middle section... Luckily Omaha has some decent stuff! Upstream has some pretty good beers on tap and some really great steaks on the menu. It is also in a pretty cool area with lots of old historic buildings converted into lofts/restaurants/etc...their space is one of these. The roads are even brick..fun! Unless you have a car with a stiff suspension. It was pretty busy the night we came in (weekend).. but we were able to get a small table in the bar area quickly. Unfortunately that turned out to come with really slow service. I would definitely recommend sitting at the bar itself or getting a table in the dining area. read more

This is one of my favorite eating establishments in the Old Market. Their foods are delicious and they have a great selection of micro brews and good info about them available. They did have pool tables that you could rent by the hour, but they have either reduced the number of them or removed them entirely for more table space. It is also just across the street from the location of the farmers market on Saturdays. They also have some open air tables at street level and on a terrace. read more

If you've ever eaten at one of the brewery restaurants - Rock Bottom/Hops/etc., you've pretty much eaten here. The food is good, the beers tasty, and the service prompt, but there's not much here that's unique. That being said, if you are in the mood for a pretty decent beer and some delicious eats, the Upstream fits the bill. They do get some points for having some entrees that I haven't seen elsewhere, though - the jambalaya and pot roast are both filling (overly so, even) and tasty. Give it a try if you crave the taste of hops! read more

I was going through Omaha on business and stopped here for lunch. I was VERY impressed. I had a burger which was awesome. The place had a cool atmosphere and the service was awesome! I had the home brewed root beer, which was good, but not distinct from any locally brewed root beer. Also, the french fries were OK, but it would be nice it they had a little different taste then the generic bar food french fries. Cesar salad was good also. As I said I was on business so I couldn't try a beer, so I will keep it at four stars until I get a chance at trying those! read more

This was a great place to grab lunch! My husband had the Dundee Scotch Ale, a cup of beer cheese soup, and a BBQ bacon burger. I had a root beer on tap and the falafel sandwich. The service was wonderful, we loved the food and drinks, and the rooftop seating is a great treat for a casual afternoon. We aren't locals so we can't say anything about returning or being usuals here. But we are from Chicago and can say this place would fit into Uptown quite well. read more

Upstream is a solid operation! They offer great beers brewed onsite including seasonals that are unexpected and fun. Their food is fresh and flavorful, right down to the rich and delectable desserts. What might set them apart most is their very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Upstream is a valued part of the Old Market which, as a resident, I can say without hesitation. read more

There are a lot steak places in NE this place was nice...nothing to scream writing home about. Service...very good we got seated pretty quickly and the waitress was nice even with our semi large party. The food was radically the same as any other steakhouse....the veggie sides were just average nothing special. The sameness found in many other places. They did have a nice outside area if it wasn't so cold I would have preferred to eat outside. I especially liked the screaming children and sticky tables. Nothing bad but nothing super good. Average.... read more

I've been to Upsteam a handful of times and it's a very enjoyable establishment. The facility is very classy and they even have their own brewery on site. They're spinach and artichoke dip is the best among all the others I've had. Unfortunately, they ended upo getting rid of my favorite dish, the rainbow trout and I sometimes have a hard time finding something else, as I am a highly picky eater. read more

I didn't have a meal here but I sure had to have their beer: O! Gold Light Lager beer is the lightest and freshest beer. Their American Wheat is also a light, refreshing beer with a light taste of lemon. I will come back to this establishment on my next visit from NYC. It seemed every single male staff has a beard. They appeared professional, patient, friendly, respectful and cool! The establishment has been running since 1996. It was an old fire house, then a small dinner theater and now it's a small brewery bar/restaurant. Cool, non-rowdy, chillin'-with-your-beer-or-wine type of place. read more

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I always make sure to visit upstream in the Old Market every time I'm in Omaha. Their Gouda beer cheese soup is definitely on my last meal list- a MUST get. I wish I could take home a loaf of the homeade beer bread that comes with it every time. Their burgers are good, and their spinach artichoke dip and other apps are wonderful. We ordered the need stroganoff for the first time on this visit, and it was AMAZING. Easily the best I've ever had. I always recommend this to anyone visiting the Old Market. read more

***This review is one of many from me and my fiances cross country (NY to San Diego) trip in early June 2010. I usually will not a review a place I have only been to once, but these are exceptions.*** --------- We had never been to Omaha and did not know where to go, but after a 12+ hour drive from Akron we were ready to sit down and eat. first of all, I would like to comment on how much we enjoyed downtown Omaha. It was a pleasant surprise. The people were friendly, the city was very clean and the architecture was beautiful. We were only there for about 2 hours but decided it is a place we would like to return to. On to the review. I thought this place was great, fiance thought it was fantastic. So let me tell you about what we had and how we liked it. Beer. I had a capitol pale ale and she had a raspberry lager. The pale ale was a very nice version of an American style (non west coast) pale ale, where it was well hopped, but still quite smooth. I would drink many of these beers. I am not a fan of fruit beers, but fiance loved it. She has a pretty good pallet for these beers as the ones she loves are typically ones I can tolerate. This one was unique. It did not have much of a "beer flavor", but was smooth like a beer, which is something I had not tasted before. Typically a fruit beer tastes nothing like a beer and is more like a soda and is basically undrinkable (Sam Adams Cherry Wheat), or it tastes like a beer with fruit flavor (your typical pumpkin ale). This is sort of a hybrid of both. So overall I though the beer was good, but did not have much to speak on it as a whole. Food. I had a burger that was "chili dusted with sriracha mayonnaise and Provolone cheese" and a side of mashed potatoes with chicken stock gravy. The mashed potatoes were 5 stars all the way. They were very very good. The burger was good but a bit of a disappointment, only a bit though. If I did not know it came with sriracha, I would have not tasted it, that was a bummer. The bun was great and the burger was cooked to the temperature I asked for (medium), which is always a big plus since burgers are always overcooked. Fiance had the black bean burger, also with mashed potatoes. She loved it, and I thought it was ok. It had way too much corn for my liking. That is a personal preference though. Service. The service on our one visit was very good. We had a lovely gay man as our help, I hope that his lifestyle choice in Omaha is accepted as he was very nice and quite attentive. It did appear to me that the staff fights over the outside tables since there were at leas 4 servers for 8 outdoor tables and they all had indoor tables too. All in all, I recommend this place and loved the outdoor seating. read more

By far one of my favorite restaurants in the Downtown area. The raspberry chicken is divine. Great alcohol beverages and the place is just a vibe with a great variety read more

Monday night dinner at the bar. Pleasant service and recommended a good pale ale to try. Wasn't very hungry for a heavy meal so I got a salad which was good I think it was called the Tuscany. Nice location can definitely see going here to watch a game. read more

The noise level is a huge factor here. Other than that, it's a great restaurant. If you are looking for a dive bar this is not your place. The food is presented well and the staff is great. This restaurant fits in nicely in the Old Market area. But if you want a quiet evening you better come on a slow night or after the dinner rush. read more

Not allergy friendly at all! When I notified them of my dairy allergy, instead of letting me know that my entree had dairy in it, they brought me my sandwich without the bun. Instead of offering alternatives to different entrees after complaining, they simply said they "couldn't do it" instead of offering a different side or to cook the meat in oil instead of butter. Two stars because the other person enjoyed their meal but I would say if you have an allergy or sensitivity to something, this is not the place for you. read more

The food is ok, the service is ok. I think that there are a ton of other restaurants where you can get better of both and probably save a few bucks. The menu is nice though because they cater to a variety of dietary restrictions if those are needed for your group. read more

I was passing through Omaha on a cross-country road trip and had only one night in town. Walked around a bit before settling on eating here, and wasn't disappointed. They have a wide variety of food and beer, which was rather impressive. The service was good and bartender was really friendly, I don't think my beer glass (or water glass) went empty. I figured you can't go to Omaha and not have an Omaha steak, so naturally that's what I ate. It was cooked perfectly and had good flavor, my only critique is that they should offer it without any topping (mine came with a butter-type sauce). This place is pretty big, but it was also busy so you might have to wait. However, it's worth it as the food is good and the atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable. Would definitely come here again. read more

We had a wonderful dinner. We're on vacation and getting a bit tired of standard burger joints, Upstream Brewing had lots of options. The Blonde Pizza and Pork Schnitzel were delicious. We went at the busy dinner hour so expected a wait which wasn't too long. The service was great. Definitely glad we tried this place out. read more

I appreciate Upstream's Seasonal beers. Most of the time they are something unique and the growlers are very reasonable. The standard beers are good, but I rarely order them unless the seasonal is a stout or IPA. A+ on beers, and B- on food. The pizzas used to be really good, but in recent trips they have been skimpy with toppings. My biggest gripe with Upstream is the price of food. Ten dollars for appetizers is a little steep in my opinion. The last time I was here I did have the Hummus Platter. It was a nice surprise, with in house made hummus, veggies and pita galore. Perfect pairing with the seasonal Saison we enjoyed on the upstairs patio. Just be warned, if you do sit up on the patio on a hot day, at the downtown location, you will smell the dumpster in the alley. A little unappetizing, but still a nice place to enjoy the summer months. I prefer the Downtown location to the West O one, either one won't disappoint. Cheers! read more

Third stop of the day on my tour of Omaha's craft breweries. This one was for dual reasons as I not only wanted to try more of their beers I wanted to have a nice dinner with my wife for Valentines Day. I really love this Upstream location in the Market District. Older building refurbished into a great brewpub and restaurant. This place has two levels, both levels have a bar and the top level also has a billiards area and an outside rooftop patio during the warmer months. It was very busy on a Valentine Saturday evening but luckily I had booked a reservation via Open Table a couple of weeks beforehand so I was able to skip the line. Was seated upstairs in a table right around the bar which was great because I got to see their beer chalkboard up close. Unlike some of the smaller breweries in town Upstream opts for more drinkable varieties instead of aged or higher proof stuff (although they do have some of those and apparently they don't always make the chalkboard, something I wish I would have known). The two beers I did have were palatable and worth the visit. For dinner I had a special offering for the night which was a strip steak topped with a cognac peppercorn cream sauce with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans. It was very good and the steak was cooked to a perfect medium rare. I wish it came with a slice of bread just to make sure I was able to soak up all the sauce. I was impressed, very impressed actually. Service was good, especially considering that the place was packed. Food still made it out in a timely manner and out server was attentive and never left us waiting long. Another visit to Upstream, and they hit it out of the park again. Will be coming back when I'm in the Omaha area again. read more

I've been to Upstream a few times now and have come to the conclusion that the beer is very good, but the food is merely average and in some cases, subpar. Went tonight with my family, who are from out of town. Enjoyed a large Oatmeal Stout, which was excellent. I have had this one before and enjoy it very much. Additionally, it's great to try the 4-taste and 12-taste flights of beer if you can't settle on one. Started with the spinach and artichoke dip app that is served with whole-wheat spent grain Texas toast, essentially. I enjoyed this the most of the meal. Dip had a good taste and the bread was warm. Could have used a couple more pieces of the bread. Maybe they offer that upon request? I ordered the steak Cobb salad. Comes on a bed of spinach/romaine mix with a blue cheese dressing (I subbed Ranch), boiled egg, tomatoes (I removed), garlic croutons, red onion, and blue cheese crumbles. Supposedly comes with avocado, but my salad did not have any. Both a kitchen & server error for not noticing. A Cobb salad needs bacon and avocado, neither of which my salad had. Perhaps the avocado was a result of my salad mods, but bacon is not ever an item on the salad. I will say that I enjoyed the change of pace with the addition of steak, and the ranch dressing tastes housemade. My other dinner guests ordered the pizza italiano, which I have experienced before, It's not bad, but not wow-worthy, the mac n cheese with added chicken and broccoli, and the guacamole burger (perhaps that's where my avocado went?). Pizza was enjoyed, mac n cheese needed more sauce, but the blackened chicken was excellent, and the avocado burger was given an overall assessment of "bland." Service was attentive but not engaging. Overall, stick to the typical, easy bar foods if you eat here. Pizza is not bad, especially if you can enjoy a $7 pie from 3-6 and 9-close on Wednesdays. I have previously tried the veggie pizza as well, and it is goat-cheese deliciousness. TL;DR: go for the beer, skip the food. If you're ravenous, stick with the pizza. read more

This has become a total staple as one of my go-to downtown restaurants. It has a classic downtown brew co. vibe--two levels of seating, exposed brick, and TVs to watch the big game. I always suggest this place when I suspect I'm hanging with picky eaters...EVERYONE can find something to eat here and you can't go wrong. Solid menu choices, great basic beer list, and a friendly staff. Upstream is a classic. read more

Went here the other night for a birthday dinner with friends. I chose it randomly, and in short, was not impressed with anything other than the beer. I ordered the grilled chicken penne pasta ($15). For the price, I couldve thrown a box of penne in water, added cream to tomato sauce, and thrown in some grilled chicken and red and green peppers for probably less than $4. For $15, and the waitresses quote of "her favorite thing on the menu", I expect better. Atleast she was nice enough to bring me a plate of free beer bread for my intense hangover. read more

Beautiful design, good food, great staff. Very clean. Strongly recommended. Wings and pizzas were very good.

The Upstream is a nice place to eat, nothing really stands out or sets it back from the pack but they do brew their own beer and the happy hour prices for beer and appetizers is really nice. I try and hit up the reverse happy hour now and again with good results. The wait staff is attentive and friendly, the decor and atmosphere are nice. Overall this place is as I said. OK. read more

This is a go-to place for my coworkers in Omaha, but to me, its only slightly better than meh, but primarily based on the beer. We started with some fried pickles, primarily because one of the guys in the group had never had them. Unfortunately, his first fried pickle experience was less than stellar. They do some wierd cornflake coating on them, and it was too heavy - it took away from the pickle flavor, and they were over cooked. I started with the beer and gouda soup, which they've always had on the menu for the 5 years I've been going to Omaha, and has always been yummy. For my dinner, I had the shrimp diablo linguine. It was good, but I was so full from the pickles and the soup that I took most of it back with me. The others all enjoyed their meals well enough, but the highlight of upstream is always the beer. They had an Octoberfest-type beer this time that I really enjoyed, and I also had a raspberry wheat. One of the coworkers had the sampler, which is 2 oz pours of all 12 of the beers they have at any given time. Like I said, the food is meh. The service is usually decent, and the beer is always excellent. Kick the food up a notch, and this would easily be a 4 star joint. read more

The burgers here went from being "wow the best burger I've ever had in my life" last year to "I've had better" the last time I ate there a few months back. For some reason, the burger bun has become a generic mass-produced sesame seed piece of cardboard that crumbled onto my plate due its dryness, and the burger meat looked like it was preformed in a machine, and lacked flavor and juiciness. As others have said, the beer here is good, just don't go expecting a lot out of the food. read more