Before you enter the Alpine Inn, the smell of grease betrays the menu: fried chicken. But while you know what dinner will be, the dinner entertainment is yet to be announced. Chunky raccoons, feral cats and curious opossums could all make an appearance to feast on your fried leftovers.
Located in North Omaha on Calhoun Road near the Missouri River, the Alpine Inn is a quirky dive renowned for their “broasted” chicken and abundant wildlife that are drawn to a free meal. The Inn is a must-visit restaurant if you are looking for a unique dining experience and have a taste for the slightly eccentric. A raccoon’s gotta eat too, right?
Guests of the Alpine Inn are treated to some of the best chicken I’ve tasted – with the option of watching Darwinism play out through the large windows with rapt attention. The menu selection consists of chicken, chicken wings or chicken livers and gizzards. After 90 years of business, the Alpine Inn knows what they do best.
Lack of décor and place settings is made up for in warm, friendly service. The restaurant is family-owned and operated, with the bartender, Diana, calling the shots, calling everyone “sweetie” and personally popping open your ice cold Coke can. My friends, who were less than enthusiastic about the nature scene, and I went on a Friday night, and the wait was described as “10-40 minutes.” We chose to sit at the bar which, fortunately for them and unfortunately for me, was out of sight of the wildlife.
The broasted chicken dinner costs $9.75 and was big enough for me to split – a large breast, leg, thigh and wing along with a cup of macaroni salad or coleslaw and homemade batter-dipped potato wedges or crinkle fries. The chicken was moist and perfectly crispy, and came with both good barbecue sauce and delicious hot sauce on the side.
If your perfect compliment to a basket of salty, fried food is a cold pitcher of beer, one is economically priced at $6 with mixed drinks at $3-5. The restaurant doesn’t take debit cards but there is an ATM available.
The Inn is nestled in the woods, but trucks and cars lining both sides of the road lure you to a spot the locals know and love. Lists for the best table of the wildlife can form – as many as 60 raccoons at a time! Diana said they are especially busy during the summer because the place is popular with boaters from the river, and children love to have birthday parties to watch the roly-poly critters. Untamed felines are all around as well since people often drop off their unwanted pets, although some are downright friendly, and the staff places alfalfa bales out for deer.
Despite the drive, the Alpine Inn is great choice for making some fun and unconventional memories while enjoying broasted chicken at its best.
* See creightonian.com for photos
* Open Mon. – Fri. 10 a.m. – 1 a.m., Sat. & Sun – 12 p.m. – 1 a.m.