Omaha champions the variety and quality of its restaurants and pubs, and especially late-night dining experiences. But for those unfamiliar with that nightlife, it can seem impossible to discern where one must go to experience the best of the best.

Fortunately, there are several solid options, carefully assembled and listed here for you to peruse. And should you visit, you will discover the essence of the Omaha nightlife; dining after dark.

Try one of OTH’s signature burgers, which centralizes peanut butter and jelly and is dubbed the “3150.” Photo from Facebook

Omaha Tap House

With two locations, one downtown and one in West Omaha, Omaha Tap House has something to offer an entire city that loves to eat and drink. That includes gourmet craft foods and an effervescent, revolving list of approximately 30 beers on tap for a staggering diversity of good pours. 

Both locations offer exceptional dine-in and delivery services for your leisurely eating pleasure. And if you are going for the extensive bar, you may find that you discover your new favorite drink each time you visit. And that is why they have been nominated for Reader’s Choice Best of the Big O a number of times.

Ultimately, if you seek inventive food and idyllic drinks, this is the place where your hunger and thirst can run wild. Both locations offer something slightly different and yet share those common ingredients of creativity, inspiration, and good times – all three of which have become synonymous with the Omaha Tap House brand.

Hiro 88 features $14,000 bottles of excellent wine, which would pair nicely with a rented private party room. Found on Facebook page

Hiro 88

Hiro 88 thrives in Omaha’s tight-knit community of eateries and pubs. One of the restaurant’s many notable aspects is its award-winning menu, which has resulted in Hiro 88 being voted one of the best Japanese restaurants in Omaha.

But if you are in the business of checking out their extensive selection of sake, wine, beer, and liquor, you will not be disappointed. Plus, there are two large patios for your outside drinking pleasure – because nothing is better than great drinks, patio weather, and up-scale Pan-Asian food. 

Reverse Happy Hour is another great selling point. That not only takes place variably throughout the week and all day on Sunday but it also on Friday and Saturday between 10 pm and midnight. Live up to the max with food and drinks for those two hours, and you will be glad you did.

With a slogan like “Ramen + Chill,” hip-hop blasting throughout, and innovative graffiti, Ika Ramen offers something different to Omaha.

Ika Ramen & Izakaya

With one location downtown (aka Ika San) and one in Benson (aka Ika Benson), Ika Ramen & Izakaya hardly need any introduction to those familiar with the local nightlife. Ika has essentially changed the palettes of many late-night food lovers and pub-goers as Omaha’s first ramen-devoted establishment.

And with another location on the way, rumored to be opening in Papillion this year, you can be sure that Ika Ramen is sticking to their tried-and-true recipe for success. The city’s love for late-night ramen and sushi was too great to ignore.

After all, an izakaya is Japan’s artful version of the pub – intimate and cozy, with plenty of reasons to stay, eat, and drink. Omaha’s Ika Ramen, open especially late on Friday and Saturday (until 2 am), offers an essential and championed take on such iconic establishments.

There is bound to be some excellent and potentially obscure rock music playing at any given time at the Nite Owl, for the better. Found on Facebook page

Nite Owl

Since 2014, the late-night food and drink scene has benefited from the existence of Nite Owl, whose standard for excellence shines far past the midnight hour. With a cozy, often dim-lit atmosphere, a spacious, string-lit patio, and plenty of greatness to consume, it is only too easy to see why this place has flourished.

If you are looking to dine in past midnight, flock here. Thanks to solid portion sizes, prices, and tasty contents, Nite Owl’s menu is a late-night hit. And the drink selection is quite formidable as well, with plenty of different choices to suck down among friends and friendly strangers.

If you are looking for a great place to eat and drink with style into the wee hours of the night, the Blackstone district gem is worth your time every time. The rock-and-roll atmosphere, fast service, and quality selection make Nite Owl a must-visit for any local or out-of-towner. 

The M stands for Mary’s. Found on Facebook page

M’s Pub

The landmark building at 11th and Howard that functioned for 40 years as a humble warehouse now stands tall as the magnificent, spacious, and intimate M’s Pub. This cornerstone of the Old Market has repeatedly risen from the ashes during its lifetime, surviving a 2016 fire, a devastating 2019 explosion and the most recently the COVID pandemic. But as it has for nearly 50 years, this restaurant-and-pub still offers its guests an experience akin to a European café or an old town American pub. 

The unusual, exceptional food will have you stoked to come back next time to see what the kitchen has concocted using imagination and culinary prowess. The drinks go down even smoother thanks to the service and time-machine-like atmosphere that always leaves a satisfying feeling in one’s soul upon leaving M’s Pub.

For the people who have been visiting the Old Market all their lives, this has been a source of great pride, magical conversations, and iconic eats and drinks. The amalgamation of those wonderful cosmic attributes has culminated in M’s Pub’s legendary status as a local, late-night food and drink spot, perfect for group or individual visits alike.

They do not call Crescent Moon “Omaha’s Original Ale House” for no reason, you understand. Found on Facebook page

Crescent Moon

The multiple award-winning Crescent Moon is a no-brainer for any Omaha-centric, late-night dining guide. Since 1996, Omaha has looked to the establishment for what now amounts to 75 classy beers on tap and the kitchen’s nationally famous, life-altering Ruben sandwiches for those who do not wish to take a DIY approach.

If you are in the mood for an always-friendly environment in which you never know what you will walk into, either something popping or low-key, stop in. There will be plenty of local and regional beers to drink while you wait for your tasty treats.

On top of it all, Crescent Moon is showcasing acoustic jams, for no cover, every Friday from 9 p.m. to midnight until June 11. So, if you enjoy live music of the acoustic variety, featuring some bright local acts, delightful eats, and electrifying drinks, a late Friday night visit to this place would seem to be in store.

While all food shines in the late hours, Mexican food hits different.

Victor’s Mexican Restaurant

For the last few years, Victor’s Mexican Restaurant has been growing a steady fanbase of diners who at once fell in love with the lively food, on-point service and late-night hours. If you have not experienced the joy of biting into one of its tacos, you have every reason to do so.

Victor’s is one of the best Mexican restaurants in a city where such establishments shine –– and one of the only such eateries to offer late-night, dine-in service, including many delectable food trucks.

So, if you are in South Omaha and happen to be awake, or are generally a late-night eater, stopping inside this magical haven of aromas and tastes will be a decision you will not soon regret. And the great glass-bottled soft drinks taste just a bit rustic and pair well with a classic meal.

“Tanner’s, not just another bar and grill, we’re an approach to life.” – Grandpa Tanner. Found on Facebook page.

Tanner’s Bar & Grill

The first Tanner’s Bar & Grill was born in 1985 in Lenexa, Kansas. Today, there are five locations in Omaha, making it the city with the most Tanner’s. Chances are, there is one not too far from you. And if not, you may want to make the trek to experience one of Omaha’s best neighborhood taverns.

Featuring a kitchen that is open until 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until midnight on Friday and Saturday, Tanner’s is a great option for late-night eats and drinks, especially for those living in or venturing to West Omaha. The food and drink selection, great prices and friendly service have made it incredibly popular, and Omaha’s variations of the establishment reflect that level of excellence deliciously.

TBL also features a rentable cellar that is spacious enough for any rowdy shindig. Photo found on TBL’s Facebook page.

The Burlington League

If you are a sports fan, chances are this gastropub was made to suit your atmospheric wants and needs. The Burlington League (TBL) offers a great place to unwind after a long day and has succeeded in doing so for five years.

Open until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, TBL can quell all levels of hunger, with options from light snacks to smorgasbords. There’s also an eclectic bar that features a solid list of beers on tap, including local, plus plenty of cans and bottles to keep you on your toes. It’s the kind of stuff worth podcasting about.

The Burlington League wields unique quaintness, making this fine-eating and drinking establishment another jewel in Omaha nightlife. If you are looking for a semi-late bite and drink in a refreshing and casual atmosphere, there is no place downtown quite like TBL.

Be warned: This place sometimes plays ’80s yacht rock. Photo found on Mercury’s Facebook page.

Mercury

It is hard to overlook Mercury as a late-night eatery and pub because the kitchen remains open until last call. You will likely doubly appreciate the aesthetic of this contemporary mid-century cocktail lounge if you like the classier things in life, although you may be disappointed if you assume the place has something to do with Freddie Mercury. There is no relation.

Connoisseurs of wine will rejoice at Mercury’s vast selection. And food lovers will appreciate how the food, which will satisfy, is subject to change any given day. They’ll enjoy options ranging from snacks and sandwiches to pasta and scintillating drinks.

If you find that little can compete with a craft cocktail or bubbling wine on a beautiful day, you will find great comfort perusing the menu. And with a name like Mercury, you can bet it will be an out-of-this-world experience, the kind that exists only in the late-night hours of Omaha.

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