I co-coach my school’s trial advocacy team, and the team is off next week to Omaha, Nebraska for the regional competition being held at Creighton Law School. No one on the team, however, has a great deal of familiarity with Omaha beyond this Times article. Anyone have some good recommendations on restaurants or other ways to spend time around mock trials in Omaha?
Posted by Brooks Holland on February 8, 2008 at 06:46 PM
Comments
For cheaper italian, hit Zio’s in Old Market. Great pizza.
There’s an art museum in Omaha that is work seeing if you want (need?) to stay inside. Check the specific touring exhibit that is there to see if it merits a special trip.
In general, Old Market is where you want to spend your time. There are good restaurants but also some cool stores to check out.
When I first went there, I had low expectations for Omaha, but I have to be fair and say that it exceeded them significantly. Oh, and I met my wife on that trip.
Posted by: AJ in Denver | Feb 10, 2008 12:48:44 PM
Gorat’s for steak (tell them Berkshire Hathaway sent you)
Bohemian Cafe (Get the liver dumpling soup)
Goldberg’s on Dodge for a hamburger
Old Market Places (in no order): Indian Oven Upstream Brewing Company M’s Pub The French Cafe ($) The Paxton Chop House ($) Jobber’s Canyon Restaurant & Brewery Delice European Bakery & Cafe (get a coffee and a baked good there)
Regarding Runza, it is a fast-food place. I find it vile but many many people love it.
Posted by: Omaha | Feb 9, 2008 1:02:00 PM
Oh, and Boy’s Town. Pay homage to Father Flanagan (or Spencer Tracy).
Posted by: Jeff Lipshaw | Feb 9, 2008 12:53:33 PM
I just remembered also there was this mammoth Italian steakhouse called Cascio’s that was very good. And apparently The French Cafe is still there. It is in the Old Market referred to above.
You could also shop at Borsheim’s.
It’s probably not there any more, but I used to run by it in the morning and it cracked me up – a place called Shiksa’s Deli, which had a sign out front with the face of a blond freckle faced girl.
Posted by: Jeff Lipshaw | Feb 9, 2008 12:52:21 PM
If you feel like Lithuanian/German fast food, I recommend stopping by a Runza while you’re there. While I don’t eat them (I hate cabbage), everyone else on my team loved them. Trips to Nebraska were always known as Runs for the Runzas.
Posted by: abbamouse | Feb 9, 2008 6:57:14 AM
How exciting! I grew up in Omaha and am there now, as my mom just had surgery. Do go to the Old Market, but also head to Dundee (go west on Dodge, turn right on 50th, park when you see restaurants), the up-and-coming neighborhood that happens to be where my mom and Warren Buffett live. (No, we are not billionaires; Buffett lives in a pretty regular house.) For a nice dinner eat at Marks, http://www.marksindundee.com/. For hanging out, drinks, and bar food, the Dundee Dell, http://www.dundeedell.com/. The Dell claims to have the largest selection of single-malt scotch anywhere in the U.S., possibly anywhere in the world outside Scotland. Check the website for tastings an other events. South Omaha has a sizeable community of immigrants from Mexico, so there are several Mexican restaurants. Head south on 20th or 24th.
I’ve heard the playhouse, http://www.omahaplayhouse.com/, is great but haven’t been since the Rocky Horror Picture Show in high school.
The zoo (south, by the baseball stadium) is awesome, http://www.omahazoo.com/, and if you’re bringing kids along the children’s museum (downtown) is pretty good, http://www.ocm.org/. And yes, SAC is still there, has a museum, and gives tours, http://www.strategicairandspace.com/general/general.htm.
Posted by: Jennifer Hendricks | Feb 9, 2008 2:07:41 AM
Le Cafe de Paris sounds like the kind of place Bud Trillin used to warn about
Posted by: keith talent | Feb 9, 2008 1:29:17 AM
Oh! Now I remember. Warren Buffett goes to Gorat’s, which is nothing like Le Cafe de Paris.
Posted by: Liz Glazer | Feb 8, 2008 9:51:09 PM
The Old Market is (kind of) fun. In addition, this restaurant (which may or may not be where Warren Buffett dines, but is where any politician passing through Omaha makes sure to go) is amazing: http://www.mytravelguide.com/restaurants/profile-30715405-United_States_Nebraska_Omaha_Le_Cafe_De_Paris.html. It’s called Le Cafe de Paris, and it is phenomenal. I used to hang with some Omaha locals, and this is definitely my best Omaha tip. The restaurant is *VERY* expensive (even by New York standards), and is a bit off the beaten path.
Posted by: Liz Glazer | Feb 8, 2008 9:49:19 PM
If you have any hockey fans in your group, Nebraska-Omaha has a home series against Bowling Green–some CCHA league action–that weekend.
Posted by: CL | Feb 8, 2008 9:11:15 PM
I haven’t been in Omaha in a long time, but I spent a lot of time there once. There was a restaurant downtown called The French Cafe that was good. Also, there are a number of steakhouses, including the one Warren Buffett frequents but I can’t remember offhand its name.
Unfortunately, I can’t recall any other ways of spending quality free time in Omaha. Horse racing at Ak-Sar-Ben? A winter visit to Rosenblatt Stadium, the home of the College World Series? Is the Strategic Air Command still based there? Does it give tours?
Posted by: Jeff Lipshaw | Feb 8, 2008 7:17:42 PM