First time visitor to Nebraska

Huskerlambs said:
kchusker_chris said:
I wouldn't drive all that way and then go to a fast food place. Nebraska has a lot more to offer than Runza and Valentinos (which I both like...but I'm in NE a little more than he is). Just my opinion though. If you're staying in Omaha then you need to get down to Old Market Friday night when you get there.
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I disagree with KC. I'm from Nebraska, but I don't live there anymore. When I come back into town, Mom meets me at the airport with a bag full of Runzas of all different varieties. Also, go to a Valentino's buffet in the restaurant, not just one kind of pizza.
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I love Val's..I really do, but an outsider (or someone who did not grow up with it) will not be impressed with it at all.

 
Joe_5700 said:
I love Val's..I really do, but an outsider (or someone who did not grow up with it) will not be impressed with it at all.
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Exactly. Valentino's has been living off its reputation and its contract with UNL for years. They're decades beyond being the restaurant that made them famous.

If you want good Italian in Lincoln, go to Vincenzo's on P Street between 8th & 9th. Heck, Macaroni Grill blows Val's away, and that's a national chain.

 
Omaha-Husker said:
kchusker_chris said:
C N Red said:
accountability said:
How's come no one ever mentions Famous Daves in these food discussions?I cant even pass within 50 miles of Lincoln or Omaha without stopping there.
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Famous Daves is pretty national. Its not just like a Nebraska area thing. It doesnt get mentioned because its not a place thats "special" to Nebraska. Like when i go to another state/town i like to eat at places that are well known there and different from any place i can eat in Nebraska. Different food and different experiences.
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Living in KC comments about Famous Dave's always shock me. My wife an I actually broke down and went there a few weeks ago because someone on this board mentioned it, and so I was telling her how all these Nebraska people rant and rave about Dave's. She'd never been, and we both went in with an open mind because we love BBQ, and while some of the sauces were unique...both decided we have about 40 BBQ joints that are better than Famous Dave's in KC. The brisket they served was similar to what you get at Cosco in the big packages. The pulled pork wasn't terriable. The ribs were. They didn't do too bad on the cornbread though - but then again it's pretty tough to screw up cornbread.
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I am always surprised that the KC BBQ culture hasn't really gotten to Omaha at all. Seriously Omaha is a bad BBQ town, there are a few alright places, but nothing close to anything KC has to offer.
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I can't believe it either. There is easily a BBQ place every few blocks in KC. I'd say my wife and I have eaten at around 30 of them - with 20 being pretty dang good. It shocks me that a list of the top 5 BBQ joints in eastern Nebraska would likely include Chili's. It's 2.5 hours up there. Not that far. The people are basically the same.

There is a little cultural divide in the backyard BBQ scene though. Granted it's been a long time since I lived there, but I think that's what people miss when they view KC. All the BBQ here is a product of the everyday joe with a smoker. Every hole in the wall with great ribs place has a photo on the wall with the owner and his buddies smoking meat in the backyard. That's where it all starts, some guy that decides he wants to turn his hobby into a job. I have a couple smokers, and a $1,000 green egg. Every neighbor has smoker. It's very different than when i lived in NE.

 
That joint I talked about up there, Phat Jack's, is originally from Kansas City. They moved up to Lincoln because we have zero BBQ scene here. They're on their way to dominating this town. On many Fridays you can find staffers from UNL getting takeout for the coaches, and several times I've seen whole coaching staffs sitting there for lunch.

 
knapplc said:
That joint I talked about up there, Phat Jack's, is originally from Kansas City. They moved up to Lincoln because we have zero BBQ scene here. They're on their way to dominating this town. On many Fridays you can find staffers from UNL getting takeout for the coaches, and several times I've seen whole coaching staffs sitting there for lunch.
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you'd have to think someone would figure it out someday. it's ripe for the picking.

 
If you're in the Haymarket and want ice cream, Ivonna Cone is freaking amazing. Lazlo's in the Haymarket is my favorite place to eat dinner.

 
It's not downtown but Fireworks is an amazing restaurant. 84th and Old Cheney. Owned by the same people as Lazlos I believe...

All this talk about BBQ is making me miss my old tailgate spot where me and my dad could throw our drum smokers out overnight and have fresh BBQ on gameday... Only thing I dislike about the journal star lot.

 
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Thanks for mentioning that Phat jacks joint. We're gonna give that a whirl tommorrow. Like I said, being from Hastings, we have NOTHING as far as decent bbq goes, so Famous Dave's was always the benefit of that, and I have never had a bad experience there, but there's also really nothing for comparison either. We always park in the North bottoms, so this place location wise would be even better yet.

As far as KC goes, isnt that the bbq capital of the world anyway? When I used to hit Chiefs game a few years back we'd alway intend on hitting one, but never get around to it.

 
accountability said:
Thanks for mentioning that Phat jacks joint. We're gonna give that a whirl tommorrow. Like I said, being from Hastings, we have NOTHING as far as decent bbq goes, so Famous Dave's was always the benefit of that, and I have never had a bad experience there, but there's also really nothing for comparison either. We always park in the North bottoms, so this place location wise would be even better yet.

As far as KC goes, isnt that the bbq capital of the world anyway? When I used to hit Chiefs game a few years back we'd alway intend on hitting one, but never get around to it.
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I'm from KC, and we like to claim it is the best BBQ in the nation. I honestly think it is. However, it is a different kind of BBQ than: Memphis, Texas, Carolina, etc. To each his own.

I'm partial to the original Arthur Bryants.

 
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I kinda want some BBQ now. Too bad our only BBQ place in town sucks now that my uncle isn't running it lol

 
Lyons - I love it. The have roasted red potatoes that are amazing with a prime rib. They also have one of the best mojitos in town IMO and they have a very nice heated outdoor patio that is enclosed. Very similar to Lazlos but a little nicer... You should definitely give it a shot.

 
grahm3 said:
Better get there early if you want the burnt ends, they go quick.
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you know it's decent bbq when they run out of things. also, if you don't see/smell smoke, it isn't bbq. there's a few joints around here where you drive in from the back. no wood stacked up, no smoker...no idea where the bbq came from. not sure if famous dave's smokes the meat there or not. there are some exceptions like Jack Stack BBQ here in KC that use natural gas - but there is still wood stacked outside because I think they start w/ a smoke, then finish with gas. best beans in KC. Pretty solid brisket. Best KC BBQ is Oklahoma Joes. Lawrence has Biggs BBQ - my favorite sauce and some pretty good pulled pork.

 
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