Either you were born in Omaha or have lived here for the past few years. Either way, you are 21 now, and you know next to nothing about what Omaha has to offer in terms of bars.
Lucky for you, I spent my spring break bar hopping, asking each bartender what other bars he or she likes in town.
I traveled the city and narrowed it down to six bars that seem to have perfected one aspect of the bar experience. So grab a designated driver and enjoy.
Go to the Crightonian Facebook to tell us what your favorite bar is and why.
Best drink
The Mai Tai Lounge
7215 Blondo St.
Tell an Omaha-born professor that you are going to the Mai Tai Lounge and you’ll get one of two reactions: “That place is still around?” or, even better, “Do they still have that two-drink maximum?”
Well, profs, yes and yes. The Mai Tai Lounge (located underneath Mt. Fugi restaurant) is still in business. And, from the looks of it, probably unchanged since my parents partied here. Better yet, they still have their famous XXX drink list, which has a two-drink maximum. In my opinion, one drink is enough.
Let’s start with the drinks. Best drink is the Zombie ($7.25), made with rum, 151 and juice.
Luckily, the 151 taste is lost in the fruitiness. It’s delicious, it’s colorful and worth the warning. That is not to say that the Mai Tai’s namesake should be forgotten. This drink tops the XXX list as well it should. If you are one to enjoy the taste of liquor, hardly shielded, this is for you. While it’s made with fruit juice, the rum taste pours through. In reality, the Mai Tai is probably a safer drink than the Zombie because you are well aware of how much you are actually drinking.
For those more fearful, there are PG (non-alcoholic), PG-13 and R sections, which have no maximums. I must admit, after one zombie, I spent the rest of the evening enjoying non-alcoholic daiquiries, which were a nice break for my taste buds (and my liver).
But the drinks are only part of the charm. The motif is really a trip. Start with the windows behind the bar that are fish tanks with colorful fish floating around. The bar is assembled with bamboo poles, and the bright red carpet makes this place totally tiki.
Cash or $20 minimun charge
Cheapest beer in town
Welcome Inn Tavern
2332 S. 24th St.
Daily 75 cent draws. Sure, it’s PBR, but we’re college students, so who cares? Anyone who drives down South 24th Street after dark has surely seen its neon sign, a red flickering neon circle, like a beacon to thirsty passersby.
If the sign draws you in, you won’t be disappointed. It’s filled by usuals, rowdy bartenders and empty pool tables (which are free twice a week).
But the best part, by far, are the first two creatures to welcome you to the Welcome Inn. Two dogs, one a German Sheperd, sniff those who walk in the front door, for what, I don’t know — or don’t want to. They meander the bar sniffing and re-sniffing, accepting a pat on the head.
What could be better than cheap (and I mean CHEAP) beer, cheerful clientele, free pool and canine company to pass an evening?
Cash Only
Best bar tender
Josephine’s Cozy Corner
2201 Pierce St.
Frank Rizzuto. Anyone who goes to Josephine’s will remember Frank. Maybe it’s the decades of practice as Josephine’s only bartender or his training as an actor. Either way, he has a personality that surely comes out of a movie. Think of any film where some wearied traveler enters a bar and orders a drink. By the end of that drink, it seems like the traveler and bartender are old pals, the bartender offering advice and swapping stories. Well that’s Frank, and it’s no act. By the end of the night, you’re old friends and he remembers you the next time you come in.
Speaking of drinks, he has a specialty or two. Ask for a Sweet Tart ($4.50). Its ingredients are secret, and its color looks like something from a nuclear power plant, but it tastes like candy. Frank said he used to serve it as a shot, but patrons liked it so much, the drink kept getting bigger.
Josephine’s is located nearly in a residential neighborhood on a corner hard to find unless you were looking for it, but when you find it, Josephine’s is worth the search. In one corner, a jukebox has nearly 100 CDs from Beastie Boys to Janis Joplin and dozens of hits or misses in between. In another corner is a pinball machine and the other is pool table.
It’s the perfect neighborhood bar to become a regular in.
So pay a few bucks to hear the “Pulp Fiction” soundtrack on the jukebox, order a beer and get to know Frank.
Cash Only
Most colorful clientele
Old Settlers Headquarters
5250 S. 21st St.
I walked in a complete stranger, and a generation younger than the patrons. After an hour, I was striking up conversations and making friends. By the time I was ready to leave I was making jokes like we were old pals.
They have two beers ($2.25) on tap, and tons of space for a 21st birthday. They also serve food, which I have come to realize is a necessity.
You’ll notice one thing walking in the door. The bar looks ancient. The wooden wall behind the proper bar is towering and beautiful. It looks like it belongs in the Western Heritage Museum rather than a dive bar. Supposedly it’s been in that location since the late 1800s and stands proudly today.
Cash only
Best atmosphere
Homey Inn
1510 N. Saddle Creek Road
Almost everyone in Omaha turning 21 has made the classic newbie mistake at the Homey Inn. Ordering a pitcher of champagne on tap and a bag of hot popcorn to soak it up. While the idea sounds like a swell one (maybe it doesn’t), the effects are nauseating. Literally.
But after making that one mistake, going back to the Homey is worthwhile. It’s filled with college students and old regulars. Everyone is ready to strike up a conversation.
As far as atmosphere, start with the looks. Just pulling up, the building looks like it was built by a person nostalgic for the frontier days.
Inside, the walls are covered with old newspapers and cigarette cases. Depending on which booth you can snag, you’ll either be sitting under a wall of Elvis or Beatles memorabilia. I’d recommend the King’s booth, but that’s just me. There is also a deer head dressed in a wig.
The tables are covered in old baseball cards. There’s less than a dozen tables in the joint, so they clearly weren’t anticipating its popularity. Other than popcorn, try the warm peanuts served in dog food bowls. This is a classic bar food with a college dive bar twist.
For such a quaint place with home-style looks, they have quite a diverse selection, besides the champagne. This is not only a good place to try out for a 21st birthday, it’s an Omaha tradition and an absolute must for bar hoppers.
Cash or charge
Most beers on tap
The Brass Monkey
5611 S. 36th St.
Thirty-eight taps, to be exact, and eight more on the way, plus more than 100 beers (around $3.00) to choose from.
While I’m not positive it is the most taps in town, it is by far enough, and it’s worth the jaunt down the Interstate to get there.
It’s a toss up between the Brass Monkey and the Crescent Moon (3578 Farnam Street) as far as selection both have a lot, but the Brass Monkey has something the Moon seems to lack: atmosphere and space.
Any given night at the Crescent Moon, it’s loud and packed with the college crowd.
At the Brass Monkey there is space to meet neighborhood locals and beer connoisseurs coming from all over to review new beers.
If you’re not a beer snob, you can enjoy the big screen and four smaller screens that turn this place from beer haven to sports bar.
The bartenders are fun, energetic and have time to get to know the crowd. They get to know you and offer incentive to try all 36 beers: the Mug Club. Drink 36 beers (you can drink the same one over and over or try them all) and get a free mug. After that, they refill the mug at happy hour prices any time.
Besides that, I have two words: beer pong. Thursdays and Sundays offer beer pong for those practicing for house party tournaments.Cash or charge