Omaha Driver Entertainment Guide

Located at 3223 N. 45th Street, on the Turning Point campus at Building A, is Big Mama’s Kitchen & Catering. Owned and operated by Patricia “Big Mama” Barron, the restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner for dining-in or carry-out. Featured on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives” show with Guy Fieri, Big Mama’s has a strong reputation and a strong menu to back it up. My buddy Chuol Tuach and I had breakfast at Big Mama’s. I had the “Big Mama’s Omelet” and he had the “Lake Street Special.”  Chuol loved the french toast, and my bacon omelet with fresh tomatoes, green peppers and American cheese was oh-so-tasty. After breakfast we wandered through the spacious dining area and admired the many family pictures and patron photos on the restaurant walls. Big Mama Patricia has been active helping others in the Omaha community; receiving many recognitions for her charity work.  I love this quote from her business website, “Peace begins when the hungry are fed.” Indeed. The next time we visit, we’re going to have some Big Mama’s original Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream. I’m guessing that’s a flavor we’ll not experience anywhere else. Give Big Mama’s a try. They’re open daily (closed Mondays) and their hours are listed on their website. Happy Motoring!

Located at 114th and West Center Road is the Ozark Smoked Meat Company. Ozark is a delightful little barbecue restaurant in West Omaha that serves delicious hickory smoked meats from their own smoker.  Choose a sandwich, dinner plate, or by-the-pound from their menu.  Our family enjoys the pulled pork BBQ sandwiches with the Ozark spicy potato wedges. Ozark also specializes in beef jerky. During our last visit, a customer stopped in to buy $40 worth of the jerky. Dine-in or use their catering service. It’s a nice, quick luncheon stop. Prices are available on their website. Happy Motoring!

Located at 3201 Farnam Street is Ingredient Restaurant, a recent addition to Midtown Crossing‘s growing list of business tenants. Ingredient serves gourmet pizzas, hot off the grill sandwiches, various wraps and soups.  Alternatively, customers can “create their own” salad or pizza. Guests simply complete an order card identifying their desired ingredients, and place their order.  Ingredient has several house salad dressings from which to choose.  I selected the raspberry basil vinaigrette for my salad creation. All of the toppings were fresh and the portion sizes generous. Salads are served with warm artisan bread rolls – delicious. Ingredient’s service was prompt in spite of a steady stream of lunch time visitors. In my opinion, Ingredient is going to be a stellar performer in the Omaha market. I’ll try the pizza on my next visit, but am happy to report that I now have a “favorite” salad stop in the city. Visit Ingredient on a Thursday evening before attending a Jazz on the Green concert at midtown. Happy Motoring!

Located at 5021 Underwood Street in Dundee, is Pitch Pizzaria.  Brought to Dundee by long time Omaha restaurateur, Willie Theisen, Pitch serves coal-fired oven baked pizza. At Pitch, guests can choose from a selection of signature pizzas on the menu, or one with their own choice of toppings.  My wife and I ordered the pizza and bottle of wine for $25. The pizza crust is thin, delightfully crisp, with a pleasant charcoal flavor. Otherwise, the pizza is not memorable. The seating is family-style in many areas, so do not have an expectation of privacy when you visit Pitch. If you are gregarious and seeking an open, social setting, then you will be well pleased. The service was prompt and the waitress very helpful in corking and packaging our left overs. Worth a try if you’ve never experienced coal-fired. Happy Motoring!

Located at 50th & Underwood Streets is the Dundee Dell. An Omaha icon, the Dundee Dell is well known for its Atlantic cod fish and chips.  The Dell feels just like an authentic Irish pub. You’ll be surprised by their extensive menu and strong array of domestic, imported and specialty beers.   The Dell is a quaint, yet lively, after work or school gathering spot.  The Dell now has two private party rooms for rent; supporting party sizes from 6 to 40 people. My wife and I enjoyed this poem prose from the 1939 Dundee Dell menu: “To those who can drink, yet continue to think, And pleasures Deserved glean from each; May their pleasures be many, Their sorrows not any, Life’s happiness always in reach.” Cheers, and Happy Motoring!

Located at 7425 Pacific Street is McKenna’s “Blues, Booze, and Barbecue” Restaurant. Hands down, McKenna’s is our family’s favorite Omaha barbecue restaurant. McKenna’s barbecue sauce is excellent, with a flavor that is slightly sweeter, yet more tart, than one of our other favorites K.C. Masterpiece BBQ sauce. Roger, the manager, recommends the BBQ Smoked Pork Baby Back Ribs and the BBQ Smoked Brisket from their menu. Go for the ribs. They are amazing! Most dinners come with your choice of two side dishes, plus corn on the cob, and Jalapeno cornbread with honey butter. McKenna’s is open daily for lunch and dinner, and their hours are listed on their website. Happy Motoring!

Located at 301 N. 175th Plaza in Village Pointe Shopping Center is Mimi’s Cafe.  Founded in 1978 in Anaheim, California by Arthur Simms and his family, the franchise was purchased by Bob Evans Farms, Inc. in 2004 and it now operates in 22 states.  Mimi’s is open of breakfast, lunch and dinner for upscale dining with a “French” feel.  The artwork and decor inside the dining area is interesting, and the menu extensive. My wife and I chose meals from the fixed-price, three course dinner menu.  We each had the caesar salad starter and the Salmon Hollandaise and Asparagus entree.  The meals were served with mashed potatoes. The asparagus was a little overcooked and “stringy” but the rest of the meal was quite good.  My wife had the Chocolate Mousse for dessert, while I had a Raspberry Mousse.  Mimi’s is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and until 11:00 p.m. on Friday’s and Saturday’s.  Give it a try and Happy Motoring!

Located at 7902 Towne Center Parkway (Shadowlake) in Papillion, is Fatburger.  The first Fatburger opened in 1952 in Los Angeles. Now the restaurant has franchises in 13 states. However, the Shadowlake location is the only one in Nebraska. As shown on their menu, Fatburger serves burgers as small (2.5 oz) or as large (24 oz) as you want. A photo collage of those patrons that have consumed a “Triple King”, Fatburger’s largest burger, covers the restaurant’s walls. The Fatburger menu is not complex; burgers (including veggie, chicken and turkey), hot dogs, fries, chili, onion rings, and drinks including shakes. Keeping it simple allows Fatburger to focus on speed and freshness. My wife and I enjoyed our meals at Fatburger and will return again. Open Sunday through Thursday from 11am to 9pm, and Friday and Saturday from 11am to 10pm. Give it a try and Happy Motoring!

Founded in 1962 by Lithuanian immigrants, the Lithuanian Bakery  and the Lithuanian Bakery and Cafe prepares some of the best fresh-baked sourdough, rye and pumpernickel breads in Omaha.  They also prepare tortes, kolaches and other delightful pastries. The main bakery is located at 5217 S. 33rd Street in Omaha, while their bakery and cafe (pictured at left) is located at 7427 Pacific Street. The cafe is a great place to stop for lunch or dinner, and to enjoy authentic Lithuanian fare.  The cafe also sells an assortment of imported jams, marzipan’s, and chocolates, as well as other foods and products from the Baltic region. Enjoy a knackwurst, bratwurst, or kielbasa sausage plate with potato salad and sauerkraut. I recommend the homemade lentil soup and the grilled tuna melt on sourdough rye bread. It’s excellent. Omaha has a rich cultural heritage, and its fun to experience “old country” treatment in our own back yard. Open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Give it a try and Happy Motoring!

Located at 17010 Wright Plaza (just off 168th and West Center) is Roja Mexican Grill. Voted “Best of Omaha” in 2007 and 2008 by Omaha Magazine, Roja’s has a prompt, courteous wait staff and some of the finest Tex-Mex food in Omaha. The inside of the restaurant is spacious, with high ceilings and artfully crafted metal chairs.  Small fountains of water flow through a trough that extends the length of the dining area.  Roja’s has a sizable bar stocked with over 80 different Tequila’s; and, they boast that they to have the largest Tequila selection in Nebraska.  The strawberry margarita’s are flavorful.  The meals begin with freshly heated corn chips and Roja’s house salsa. The salsa is mildly spicy hot and delicious. The menu at Roja’s has a decent selection of appetizers, soups & salads, specialties, combo platters and desserts, as well as traditional Mexican fare such as enchiladas, tacos and fajitas.  I recommend the Roja Caesar Salad and Tortilla Soup. However, be prepared to take some food home because the salad portions are enormous. Dine in or carry out.  Roja’s is open daily at 11:00 a.m. Happy Motoring!