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Omaha |OT| We Swear We're More Than the College World Series

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FyreWulff

Member
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The Magic City, the halfway point, the Small Town Big City, a city united in name but divided in politics, and where the fuck did East Omaha go?


Things to See and Do

Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo
The #1 Vacation destination in the United States, one of the best zoos, the largest indoor desert and largest indoor jungle. You cannot see the entire thing in a single day. I've tried like five times now. You can't do it.

Taste of Omaha (summer only)
Enjoy local and regional food and entertainment at the Omaha Waterfront

Old Market
Head near downtown to see the Old Market, a preserved section of Omaha's old meat packing district. Has dining, esoteric and family shops, cheesy clubbing and brick streets. Go in between buildings to the Old Market Alleyway to try some "secret" shops selling incense and other artistic items.

Lauritzen Gardens
The garden on the hill. Check out this peaceful scenic section of South Omaha. This is also the park where you can see two retired train engines on display - one steam, one diesel.

Durham Museum
A converted train station near downtown, on the 10th street bridge. Western heritage and other artifacts from Omaha's boom time as a railroad megacenter

Malcolm X Birthsite
A memorial-in-progress dedicated to remembering and honoring Malcolm X. Open to the public, but you currently have to call ahead. Work in progress.

Gerald R Ford Birthsite
A garden and mini-museum centered around our previous president Ford. Watch the stairs!

College World Series (summer only)
HOLY SHIT THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE FUCK I CAN'T GET DOWN THE STREET HALP



Food

I gave up on this section. Just drive around and try places lol



Public Transportation

Sadly, Omaha has almost twice the population of Des Moines but less than half the transportation options. Seriously? Anyway, you can catch the bus which will generally take you anywhere in South, North, Midtown, Benson, Carter Lake, Council Bluffs, Ralston, and some of West Omaha. Limited service to Bellevue and some of the younger suburbs. I still call it the MAT bus even though they're technically called metro now.


Biking

Omaha is in the process of building out it's biking system, starting with some scenic trails and now adding sharrows and bike lanes to existing streets. The latest expansion will be converting 24th street from L to Leavenworth to a 2-lane street with bike lanes on both sides. I'm looking forward to that, as that's a main bike route for me that I still ride on the sidewalk for because I don't want to get creamed by people doing 50 into the back of my bike.
 

lobdale

3 ft, coiled to the sky
I used to go to Saddle Creek shows at Sokol all the time back in 2003-2005. It's a neat city.
 

AlteredBeast

Fork 'em, Sparky!
Best city ever.

I will add a lot to this thread. City of my birthsite and the city where I have chosen to live.

I will help fill in the food gaps and we will give this thing some love. :)
 

mollipen

Member
I was back in Omaha the week before last for my grandmother's funeral. One of the things I did while I was home was check out the new Family Fun Center (I didn't know it had moved). My opinion after visiting? Shut the place down. It's like a dog in its last days, barely able to move or eat, only existing until life finally decides to stop being cruel and let it move on to a better life.

A few food recommendations off the top of my head. I feel kind of bad, because I wasn't really into a lot of local food until I moved out to LA.

North Omaha
Pizza Shoppe (Benson)

Downtown
King Fong

Various
Don & Millie's

Also, one of the potential subtitles you could have gone with:

Omaha |OT| Hey, is this a beloved landmark of Omaha? Let's demolish it!
 

FyreWulff

Member
I almost went with Omaha |OT| Now Annexing NeoGAF

And yeah, Family Fun Center is.. ugh. Seems they hang on purely from momentum.

I know it's a messed up thing to think, but I do take a bit of glee in how parts of taking the CWS away from Rosenblatt and South Omaha backfired on them. Turns out people don't want to go to the Old Market or the bars across the street owned by Fahey's buddies when there's thousands upon thousands of people within 3 blocks of it.
 

mr.beers

Member
I live 15 mins south of the O! and visit there a lot.

If your a golf nut there are a lot of good courses(golf nut here).

Food: Anything in the old market.

"Gamer's" is a local games shop carries old generation consoles (atari, n64, ps1, snes, nes, etc...) games/systems up to current consoles, better than gamestops.

Local college radio, 89.7 the River, that is better than any of the corporate stations.

More to add later...
 
I went to school at UNO for two years before I transferred to UNL. Good music scene with places like Sokol Auditorium, Slowdown, and Waiting Room to go see bands play.

Millard > all
 
Man. I miss Omaha. Airport is small as fuck, but the town is great.

Would always get stoked about making the two hour trip up there on a weekend.
 

Canuck76

Banned
Why the hell would anyone make this thread? I live here and i hate myself every single day

Highlights: Depressing suburban sprawl, Lamest downtown ever, A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE IS A HIGHLIGHT OF THIS TOWN THAT SAYS SOMETHING, for a city of literally a million or so there's only a handful of decent, unique restaurants, city is also practically segregated into black and white, highest rate of std's in the nation, more like a large town, but a ghetto with big city problems.

Oh well, here's for the people that suffer with me.

Cunninghams on 120th and Blondo is amazing pub food. Get the avocado chicken sandwhich.

Frank's New York Pizza on 132nd and Dodge has great lunch specials, 2 slices and a drink for like, 5 bucks.

King Kong is classic, but if you want other great Gyro's hit up Legacy gyro's on West Center and 168th, good stuff.

Fernando's is the best secret mexican food place in town, around 9 buck for whatever but you get enough food for two days. On 114th and Dodge.

Oasis is a pretty decent hookah bar downtown. Go for the pirates cove one and get an iced hose, it goes a lot easier on the lungs

Any good clubs in this city you guys have found?
 

Gallbaro

Banned
Only question that matters:

Is it an actual city? Does it have mixed residential and commercial street that people can actually live on? Or is it just a glorified office park?
 

FyreWulff

Member
Only question that matters:

Is it an actual city? Does it have mixed residential and commercial street that people can actually live on? Or is it just a glorified office park?

Yes. And yes. Almost a million people live in Omaha's metro area.

The new suburbs and developments out west tend to be glorified office parks though. I'm not worried, the city will catch up to those people anyway.

Why the hell would anyone make this thread? I live here and i hate myself every single day

Highlights: Depressing suburban sprawl, Lamest downtown ever, A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE IS A HIGHLIGHT OF THIS TOWN THAT SAYS SOMETHING, for a city of literally a million or so there's only a handful of decent, unique restaurants, city is also practically segregated into black and white, highest rate of std's in the nation, more like a large town, but a ghetto with big city problems.

The sprawl is out of the city's hands since people are expanding out into unincorporated land, the segregation is a big problem that nobody really seems interested in solving. And yes, it's frustrating that the city is so damn big but seems to not want to make that jump to being an evolved city.
 

Canuck76

Banned
Only question that matters:

Is it an actual city? Does it have mixed residential and commercial street that people can actually live on? Or is it just a glorified office park?

They're actually making a pretty valiant effort downtown to revitalize the area, and there are a ton of decent bars down there from the looks of it.

It's def a city, but essentially the city has engulfed huge communites that used to be separate such as elkhorn and papillion. So if you live out west it has a town feel.

My hate's a bit out of line, but it's a very safe city for families and young professionals that don't want to leave the midwest. It really don't get too crazy. Which i don't like but as a young(er) kid it's not really for me. OP thank you for making this thread I'll be sure to check out some places that you guys post, I'm just being emo.

Thread OT should be Omaha: Better than Lincoln
 

mr.beers

Member
Why the hell would anyone make this thread? 1. I live here and i hate myself every single day

Highlights: Depressing suburban sprawl, Lamest downtown ever, A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE IS A HIGHLIGHT OF THIS TOWN THAT SAYS SOMETHING, for a city of literally a million or so there's only a handful of decent, unique restaurants, 2. city is also practically segregated into black and white, 3. highest rate of std's in the nation, more like a large town, but a ghetto with big city problems.

Oh well, here's for the people that suffer with me.

Cunninghams on 120th and Blondo is amazing pub food. Get the avocado chicken sandwhich.

Frank's New York Pizza on 132nd and Dodge has great lunch specials, 2 slices and a drink for like, 5 bucks.

King Kong is classic, but if you want other great Gyro's hit up Legacy gyro's on West Center and 168th, good stuff.

Fernando's is the best secret mexican food place in town, around 9 buck for whatever but you get enough food for two days. On 114th and Dodge.

Oasis is a pretty decent hookah bar downtown. Go for the pirates cove one and get an iced hose, it goes a lot easier on the lungs

4. Any good clubs in this city you guys have found?


1. Its Nebraska dude, we are lucky with what we have around here Lincoln is not any better nor Des Moines.

2. Clearly North O! is African American and Hispanic South O! then Caucasian West O! but that is just how it came to be odd is it may be.

3. Forgot the STD s but yes I have heard Douglas county has the highest rate in the nation. Not 100% sure because the local news doesn't cover it for obvious reasons.

4.The Maxx is really good club focus on the lesiban/gay population but does cater to straight people Friday and Saturday, fun place for a straight man like me and I have a few gay/lesbian friends that frequent the club and love it.

Edit: Thunderstorms passing through, awesome!
 

jstevenson

Sailor Stevenson
holy hell I can't believe Omaha has it's own OT.

Born there, lived there. Good times.

This thread misses it's best restaurants though. old market can actually bring it when it comes to food.
 
Food:
Downtown= Spaghetti Works (Pasta heaven)
Elkhorn= Boyd and Charlies (Owner's of Bella Vita, right across the street, great place)
North= Alvarado's (Arizona Burrito/Super Fry... oh my)

Don't know what 48th and Center is considered=
Harkerts Bar-B-Que (oh my god if you haven't been here, their pulled pork...)

I used to go to Saddle Creek shows at Sokol all the time back in 2003-2005. It's a neat city.
The Slowdown is the best venue in the city IMO. Opened in '07 though so you missed it.
 

AlteredBeast

Fork 'em, Sparky!
Re: Oasis Hookah Bar, my buddy I used to work with owns it and does really, really well. I have not visited it for obvious reasons, but he has poured his life into that bar and it is really taking off.


For BBQ, you guys have to try Jim's Rib Haven off of 38th and Ames. Yeah, theneighborhood is super sketchy, but their sauce is absolutely amazing! Best I have ever tried. If you are a man, you will get the hot. It is VERY spicy, but VERY delicious.

I grew up right off of 48th and center and always saw that BBQ place you are talking about. Never tried it because of how crappy the building always looked. Might have to give it a try sometime whenever I am closer to midtown.
 
Welcome to Omaha. The land of sprawl, sprawl and more sprawl. Also, it's really flat.

Just kidding. Omaha isn't a bad town at all.

My wife grew up in Omaha, so we go back to visit her family a couple times a year. Even got married there back in 2006. Had our reception at the Omaha Press Club downtown. The zoo is definitely awesome, can't wait to take my daughter next time we visit.

Whenever we go out there, we always have dinner at The Greek Islands, pizza from Vals and Runzas. Lots of Runzas. All hail Runza.

Oh yeah, beer recommendations:

Lucky Bucket (La Vista)
Nebraska Brewing Company (Papillion)
Upstream (Omaha)
Empyrean (Lincoln)

Bars:
Library Pub
Krug Park
Blatt Beer and Table

We went to the Olympic Swim Trials over the summer and had beers at Blatt Beer and Table near the stadiums. Probably the best beer selection downtown aside from Old Chicago and Upstream in the Old Market. Also, you guys love your wheat beers. Being a Seattleite, that's a huge change from having at least 8 different IPAs always on tap everywhere back home.
 
You refused all of our suggestions. Omaha is decidedly not meh, as long as you arent from any sort of metropolis or mega city.

Went to the zoo, eh inside stuff was cool outside not so much, but we also have a great zoo in Columbus so maybe thats why. Old market seemed ok, went to King Kong Gyro's and Mexican place I saw on diner drives-ins and dives both were pretty good.

I'm not from a mega city, but IDK, Omaha was pretty meh overall to me.
 

see5harp

Member
I used to go to Saddle Creek shows at Sokol all the time back in 2003-2005. It's a neat city.

Same, but 5 years prior when Saddle Creek was still Saddle Creek and Conor Oberst still lived off Saddle Creek. Most of the shows were in the basement. I saw Spoon in that basement. My old friends tell me about Slowdown and some of the new stuff downtown. Dundee and parts of the city around Creighton Prep are really the only areas outside of the Old Market that seemed nice. In my last year of college I lived way out West like past 120th street and it was the shittiest experience ever. Omaha is great surrounding the downtown/midtown but the majority of the city sprawling westward is soooooo shitty.
 
Oh man, we got our own OT, craziness.

I've been living here 3 years and am still surprised at the amount of stuff to do, you just have to generally look for it.

Something that is not often mentioned, yet a blast is that Thursday Night Taco Rides on the Wabash trail from Council Bluffs to a little restaurant in Mineola, IA. Its ~20 miles round trip bike ride, with kind of an optional BYOB component.

Also, the craft beer scene is good enough to keep all, but the most hardcore beer snobs satisfied.

Food:
California Taco - Tacos
Amsterdam's - Doner Kabob
Lisa's Radial Cafe - Diner Breakfast
Stella's (Bellevue) - Burgers
Dario's Brasserie - Blue Cheese Muscles (yes, in Omaha) and Belgian Beer


Also, the Real Magic City is Minot - ND, not Omaha
 

AlteredBeast

Fork 'em, Sparky!
oh yeah, California Tacos! I am guessing that is the place bucknuticus talks about that was on Diners Drive-ins and Dives. Their California steak taco is to die for. I went there 4 times in a week once and still loved every bite.
 
Also, the craft beer scene is good enough to keep all, but the most hardcore beer snobs satisfied.

Hey now, this PNW beer snob is satisfied with the selection! Also helps that I can drive to Council Bluffs and get Bells 6-packs, which we don't get back in Seattle.

First time I visited Nebraska was for my now-wife's sister's wedding in 2004. Her dad asked me to run back to their house after the ceremony to pick some stuff up for the reception.... I got lost and ended up in Iowa. Whoops!
 
Hey now, this PNW beer snob is satisfied with the selection! Also helps that I can drive to Council Bluffs and get Bells 6-packs, which we don't get back in Seattle.

First time I visited Nebraska was for my now-wife's sister's wedding in 2004. Her dad asked me to run back to their house after the ceremony to pick some stuff up for the reception.... I got lost and ended up in Iowa. Whoops!

That's kind of what I was getting at. It's not all Bud Light, hell I can even get Ayinger Doppelbock at the UNO hockey games.


Speaking of which, UNO has had a pretty decent team the last few years, so anyone interested in NCAA hockey, or needs their hockey fix during this years NHL absence should definitely check it out.
 

AlteredBeast

Fork 'em, Sparky!
That's kind of what I was getting at. It's not all Bud Light, hell I can even get Ayinger Doppelbock at the UNO hockey games.


Speaking of which, UNO has had a pretty decent team the last few years, so anyone interested in NCAA hockey, or needs their hockey fix during this years NHL absence should definitely check it out.

UNO had a decent football program once, too. :(
 
What? No Nebraska Furniture Mart love? I remember going there growing up. They had a huge game section. I could play PS1, 3DO, CDi, Jaguar...it was awesome.
 

zomaha

Member
Great place, ate there a few years ago. Downside is that their beer is ridiculously overpriced.

Dundee is the one Omaha neighborhood I'd actually live in.

lol there are plenty of neighborhoods like dundee that aren't in the suburbs, midtown is chock full of good neighborhoods
 
lol there are plenty of neighborhoods like dundee that aren't in the suburbs, midtown is chock full of good neighborhoods

Midtown is nice, they've done a good job in the last year or so, but I love the vibe of Dundee and bars, restaurants nearby. We're not leaving Seattle, so it doesn't really matter.
 

OnkelC

Hail to the Chef
fun fact: Omaha and Minneapolis are the two cities I'd like to visit on my first USA round trip sometime in the unspecified future.
 
Ha, an Omaha OT, love it!

Mostly born/raised here and here currently.

I think Maria's in Ralston is deserving of a best Mexican (TexMex) mention. Also, Mama's Pizza (Saddlecreek or West) is great too!

What about the steaks.

Surprising lack of steak discussion in here. If you are talking Omaha Steaks the company, they are just meh to okay. For actual steak joints though, I love me some Brother Sebastians. The Drover is another great one.


Also, I love the Minot, ND shout out earlier. Great city as well, lived there for a few years when I was younger. Omaha wins that one though :)
 

see5harp

Member
The Drover is the shit. I went to this really nice place in The Old Market once too. What about that weird family steakhouse type place that was in About Schmidt. My buddy from Omaha took me there one time and we had prime rib. The best show I ever went to was in 2001 or so. It was at the Jocelyn near Creighton where Conor oberst, Jim james, and m ward played accoustic. That was like a decade before their album finally came out and was really at the peak (or close to) of the Bright Eyes/My Morning Jacket years.

EDIT: I remembering bars and dives people used to go to. I remember this place right off Saddle Creek that used to serve champagne on tap. I think a lot of Saddle Creek's stable used to frequent that spot. I lived above the Orpheum and I also remember walking around the corner to go to this awesome book store/record shop called The Antiquarium (something like that). I have a lot of good memories of Omaha.
 

AlteredBeast

Fork 'em, Sparky!
The Drover is the shit. I went to this really nice place in The Old Market once too. What about that weird family steakhouse type place that was in About Schmidt. My buddy from Omaha took me there one time and we had prime rib. The best show I ever went to was in 2001 or so. It was at the Jocelyn near Creighton where Conor oberst, Jim james, and m ward played accoustic. That was like a decade before their album finally came out and was really at the peak (or close to) of the Bright Eyes/My Morning Jacket years.

EDIT: I remembering bars and dives people used to go to. I remember this place right off Saddle Creek that used to serve champagne on tap. I think a lot of Saddle Creek's stable used to frequent that spot. I lived above the Orpheum and I also remember walking around the corner to go to this awesome book store/record shop called The Antiquarium (something like that). I have a lot of good memories of Omaha.

Yeah, I used to get books and records at the Antiquarium all the time, sadly, the book part moved out to Lousville or whatever a while back and now the records store is closing, too.

BTW, Mama's Pizza is terrible and bland. One thing Omaha knows well is food, but do not trust the Omaha pizza places, them, Big Fred's, and La Casa are all terrible, no matter what everyone tells you!
 
The Drover is the shit. I went to this really nice place in The Old Market once too. What about that weird family steakhouse type place that was in About Schmidt. My buddy from Omaha took me there one time and we had prime rib. The best show I ever went to was in 2001 or so. It was at the Jocelyn near Creighton where Conor oberst, Jim james, and m ward played accoustic. That was like a decade before their album finally came out and was really at the peak (or close to) of the Bright Eyes/My Morning Jacket years.

EDIT: I remembering bars and dives people used to go to. I remember this place right off Saddle Creek that used to serve champagne on tap. I think a lot of Saddle Creek's stable used to frequent that spot. I lived above the Orpheum and I also remember walking around the corner to go to this awesome book store/record shop called The Antiquarium (something like that). I have a lot of good memories of Omaha.

The good 'ol Homy Inn.
 
Yeah, I used to get books and records at the Antiquarium all the time, sadly, the book part moved out to Lousville or whatever a while back and now the records store is closing, too.

BTW, Mama's Pizza is terrible and bland. One thing Omaha knows well is food, but do not trust the Omaha pizza places, them, Big Fred's, and La Casa are all terrible, no matter what everyone tells you!

You sir are a liar and are not to be trusted. I don't care for the other two you noted, but Mama's is greatness I tells ya.

Edit - Of course I keeeed, opinions and whatnot :)

Also, on the topic of pizza I would be remiss to not suggest Zio's. But not just for the pizza, try the chicken pesto. Their pizza is solid though.

I've never actually had the chicken pesto, but Zio's has some horribly bad TV commercial where they suggest it and I love laughing at it
 

Canuck76

Banned
Yeah, I used to get books and records at the Antiquarium all the time, sadly, the book part moved out to Lousville or whatever a while back and now the records store is closing, too.

BTW, Mama's Pizza is terrible and bland. One thing Omaha knows well is food, but do not trust the Omaha pizza places, them, Big Fred's, and La Casa are all terrible, no matter what everyone tells you!

Mama's Pizza is some of the crappiest pizza ever. Me and my family went there once and will never go again. We were literally just joking about going back there yesterday, hahaha. Zio's is pretty frigging good though

Also i know the kid that was in the new york zios commercial. You got to get to zios!
 
My wife has fond childhood memories of Big Fred's, but I've never been impressed. Zios is good and Valentinos isn't bad for what it is.
 

Palmer_v1

Member
I'm not a native, but I've lived in Omaha and Lincoln for the last 6 years or so. Great area! Not enough red N's in the OP.

p.s. I need to get a board game group going in Lincoln. Any takers?
 
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