Omaha Driver Entertainment Guide

Located at 8930 S. 137th Circle, is The Courts Volleyball Training Center. The facility provides both introductory and advanced volleyball training classes; but is generally geared for the training of young athletes between the ages of  8 through 14. The Courts coaching staff has a high level of experience playing and/or coaching the sport, and several have professional coaching certifications.  The Courts training session content, schedule and associated fees vary. However, the classes are generally held on Friday and Sunday evenings. If you have a child that is interested in developing their skills for participation in competitive club or school volleyball, The Courts may be the right place to get them started. If you’d like to meet the coaches and see the facility, contact Ron Hoffman at (402) 850-3105 or via email at: ronvbhoffman@cox.net. Happy Motoring!

Located at 319 N. 78th Street, the Brazen Head is an authentic Irish-style pub in the middle Omaha. Surprisingly, Brazen Head is located in a strip mall just north of Dodge Street. With lots of wood paneling, booths, tables and stools, the Brazen Head’s decor certainly has an Irish feel to it.  The Reuben sandwiches and the fish and chips at the Brazen Head are pretty good. And, if you’re looking for a casual after work gathering spot, to have a pint of Guinness, the Brazen Head may be the right place. On Thursday nights, most drinks are $1, and as a result the place gets very busy. Brazen Head is open Monday through Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m, and on Sundays from noon to 11:00 p.m.  Give it a try and Happy Motoring!

Located at 5305 S 138th Street in Millard, is Millard Express – Burger Detour.  A family owned burger joint, with drive-thru take out service only, Burger Detour serves breakfast and  lunch daily. In my opinion, Burger Detour’s hamburgers are pretty middle of the road, but a cut above the well known fast food chains.  The restaurant serves 1/4 lb., 1/2 lb., and 3/4 lb. burgers, your way. They also have pork tenderloins, onion rings, fries, chili, and other traditional fast food menu items. The restaurant serves french toast, ham & egg sandwiches, breakfast burritos, and eggs Benedict items on their breakfast menu. Open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. Try it when you’re in Millard, and Happy Motoring!

Located in the L Street Marketplace, at 12330 K Plaza, is Smashburger® restaurant. One evening, my wife and I visited Smashburger because several of our friends had recommended it. We both ordered the 1/3 lb. “classic smashburger” from the menu. I had the applewood smoked bacon added to mine. My wife had regular fries with her meal, and I had a chocolate shake made with Häagen-Dazs ice cream (I just couldn’t resist). The smashburgers were really juicy. However, I wish I had ordered mine without the “mayo-like” smash sauce. The pickles, lettuce, tomatoes and onions were fresh. Overall our meal was good, but pricey. I’m told that the Smashdogs are really good; perhaps we’ll try those on our next visit. The search for Omaha’s best burger continues… Happy Motoring!

Located at 106 S. Galvin Road, at the top of the hill leading into Bellevue, is Stella’s Bar and Grill. Stella’s hamburgers are well-known and popular throughout the Omaha metro, having been voted the city’s best in 2008. Uniquely, the hamburgers are served on paper napkins. The diner, having undergone recent renovations, was cozy and clean. I ordered a cheeseburger with bacon and a side of french fries. Even though it was the lunch hour, and the place was packed, the service was prompt and friendly. My meal was a delight. The cheeseburger had a high “Wow” factor. I had to contort my mouth to take a bite. The bun was thicker than I like, and there was no choice of cheeses; otherwise, terrific! The french fries were made from fresh potatoes, just the way my mother used to make them; greasy and great. Our service men and women at Offutt are lucky to have a place like Stella’s so near to the base. Stop in and enjoy… Happy Motoring!

Located at 1620 South 10th Street, Cascio’s Steak House has been one of Omaha’s  favorite steak restaurants, since 1946. In addition to great steaks and chops, Cascio’s menu includes fresh seafood and Italian fare.  The Marco Polo linguine dish is one of my personal favorites. Cascio’s is a terrific place to eat on Thanksgiving Day, if you don’t feel like cooking. They serve a traditional turkey dinner with dressing and all of the trimmings. Cascio’s also has several spacious party rooms and can accommodate party sizes from 20 to 400 people. It is always a good idea to call ahead for reservations. The phone number is: (402) 345-8313.  Have a blessed Thanksgiving and Happy Motoring from the Omaha Driver!

Zesto drive-in restaurants were started by an Evansville, Indiana entrepreneur in 1949 and franchised to local operators throughout the U.S.  Today, Omaha is blessed to have 3 Zesto locations. Zesto Ice Cream and Grill at 7130 N. 102nd, Zesto at 8608 N. 30th Street in Florence, and Zesto’s 3901 S. 13th Street. All of the Omaha locations sell the unique soft serve ice cream made with low fat cream that made Zesto famous. They will prepare a chocolate dip or twinkle coat (candy coated) cone for you. Zesto’s on S. 13th is the most famous of the Omaha locations, because it is a destination  frequented by College World Series fans visiting Rosenblatt Stadium. Zesto’s is said to have fantastic, but messy, hamburgers. They also have a full compliment of other menu items, including chili dogs, crinkle cut french fries, battered onion rings and the like. Eat at a Zesto when you are in one of these Omaha neighborhoods, and Happy Motoring!

Today, my wife and I stopped by the Oakview Mall Barnes & Noble bookstore, located at 3333 Oakview Drive to pick up a Christmas gift for a friend. Barnes & Noble is a great place to do holiday gift shopping because it has a large selection of new and used books, textbooks, magazines, calendars, eBooks, music, DVDs, games and toys.  The Barnes & Noble cafe’s serve Starbucks coffee. And, because they have free wi-fi connections, the cafe’s are a relaxing place to just sit, sip, and read or browse the worldwide web. Omaha has a second Barnes & Noble location at the Crossrooads Mall, 7400 Dodge Street. Both Omaha stores frequently host authors for book signing events, as well as children’s storytime reading events. Barnes & Noble also has a convenient online shopping mall, but I much prefer the relaxed in-person shopping experience you find in their stores. Enjoy the Starbucks and Happy Motoring!

Every year, the region’s largest indoor Christmas tree can be found inside the Durham Museum at Union Station, 801 S. 10th Street. The tree lighting ceremony will be held this Friday, November 27th between 4:00 p.m and 7:00 p.m. Visitors to the ceremony will enjoy live vocal music performances by Michael Walker, as well as the Heartland Harmonizers. For children and adults alike, there will be special appearances by Santa and Mrs. Claus. During the tree lighting, a collection of non-perishable food items and cash will be taken for donation to the Nebraska Food Bank. Through the holiday season, the Durham Museum will be hosting its annual Christmas concert series, as well as family visitation nights with Santa. Happy Motoring!

On Sunday, December 6th at 3:00 p.m. a free holiday concert performance of Handel’s Messiah will be held at the Holland Performing Arts Center. The Voices of Omaha, a 150 member choral group, and the Voices of Omaha Chamber Orchestra will be in concert. Performing Messiah has been an annual tradition for 41 years. If you’ve never been inside the Peter Kiewitt Concert Hall and experienced the acoustics, you should not miss the free event opportunity to experience it. You can hear a pin drop inside the hall. The Holland Performing Arts Center is located at 13th and Douglas Streets in downtown Omaha. Ticket and seating information for this and other events can be found at the Omaha Performing Arts Website. Enjoy the concert and Happy Motoring!