55 omaha listed
Last updated October 2026
Avoli Osteria
Dundee's Northern Italian gem — handmade pastas, grilled octopus, and a Northern-Italy-only wine list from chef Dario Schicke.
Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts
A pioneering artist residency and free contemporary art space downtown — one of the most respected programs of its kind in the country.
Benson
Omaha's music-and-beer neighborhood — a former streetcar suburb turned nightlife district along Maple Street, all dive bars, breweries, and live music.
Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting
"Woodstock for Capitalists" — tens of thousands of shareholders flood Omaha each May for Berkshire Hathaway's annual meeting and its legendary discount shopping bazaar.
Blackstone
Omaha's revitalized historic district — Farnam Street's restaurant row anchored by the landmark Cottonwood Hotel, the 1916 grande dame reborn as a Kimpton.
Block 16
The downtown lunch spot Omaha is proudest of — a tiny Farnam Street counter doing the Croque Garçon burger and duck-fat fries that earned James Beard attention.
Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge
A 3,000-foot footbridge over the Missouri River where you can stand in Nebraska and Iowa at the same time.
Borsheims
The legendary Omaha jeweler since 1870 — Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway company, with 100,000+ pieces in a 62,500-square-foot Regency showroom.
Brother Sebastian's Steakhouse & Winery
The monastery-themed steakhouse — robed servers, prime rib, and a wine list in a building that looks like a chapel. Only in Omaha.
College World Series
The NCAA baseball championship, held in Omaha every June — two weeks when the whole city becomes a baseball town.
Coneflower Creamery
Omaha's farm-to-cone ice cream shop — small-batch scoops from Nebraska dairy farms, with Blackstone Butterbrickle as the signature.
Dante Pizzeria Napoletana
Omaha's certified Neapolitan pizzeria — blistered, leopard-spotted pies from a wood-fired oven, the real VPN deal.
Dubliner Pub
The underground Irish pub off the Old Market — low ceilings, a proper Guinness pour, live music, and a 2 a.m. close every night.
Dundee
Omaha's classic streetcar neighborhood — early-1900s homes, a walkable Underwood Avenue with the city's oldest pub, and serious food credentials.
Dundee Dell
Omaha's oldest pub — 80+ years on Underwood Avenue, famous fish and chips, and one of the largest single-malt Scotch collections in America.
El Museo Latino
The first Latino art and history museum in the Midwest — exhibitions, murals, and cultural programming in the heart of South Omaha.
Film Streams' Ruth Sokolof Theater
Omaha's nonprofit arthouse cinema — first-run indies, classics, and retrospectives in a two-screen theater downtown.
Fontenelle Forest
2,100 acres of old-growth forest on the Missouri River bluffs with 24 miles of trails, a treetop boardwalk, and a raptor center.
Gorat's Steakhouse
Warren Buffett's favorite steakhouse — an Omaha institution since 1944, famous for its T-bone and its complete lack of pretension.
Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
Omaha's world-famous zoo — consistently ranked among the best on the planet — built around the world's largest indoor desert and a walk-through shark tunnel.
Holland Performing Arts Center
Omaha's premier concert hall — home of the Omaha Symphony, with acoustics that regularly land it on best-hall-in-America lists.
Hollywood Candy
The Old Market's candy wonderland — retro sweets, a 1950s diner, a vintage pinball arcade, and the largest Jelly Belly selection in Nebraska.
Hotel Indigo Omaha Downtown
A boutique hotel in a 1910s railroad-era building at 18th & Dodge — local art, skyline views, and Anna's Place speakeasy behind the lobby.
Jackson Street Booksellers
The Old Market's labyrinth of used, rare, and out-of-print books — scholarly, dense, and the kind of shop you lose an afternoon in.
Joslyn Art Museum
Nebraska's biggest art museum — a 12,000-piece collection in a landmark Art Deco building, free to visit, reopened in 2024 with a major Snøhetta-designed expansion.
Joslyn Castle & Gardens
A 1903 Scottish Baronial mansion with 35 rooms and 5.5 acres of gardens — Omaha's most romantic building, open for tours and events.
KANEKO
A downtown creative space founded by artist Jun Kaneko — part gallery, part library, part performance venue, all curiosity.
Kiewit Luminarium
A hands-on science museum on the downtown riverfront with 125 interactive exhibits — built for touching, climbing, and figuring things out.
Krug Park
Benson's beer hall named for Omaha's old amusement park — 62 drafts, a cask engine, and the city's best Bloody Mary menu.
La Buvette
The wine bar the New York Times called "charmingly un-American" — part wine shop, part grocery, all Old Market character since 1991.
Lauritzen Gardens
100 acres of botanical gardens on the Missouri River bluffs — model railroad garden, rose garden, and one of the best sunset views in Omaha.
Lisa's Radial Café
The cash-only diner with the famous pancakes — a no-frills Omaha breakfast institution where the hash browns are the main event.
Magnolia Hotel Omaha
Downtown's historic boutique hotel in the 1923 Aquila Court Building — National Register landmark, 145 rooms, and dogs stay free.
Maha Festival
Omaha's flagship music festival — one day, one stage, national headliners and local favorites on the downtown riverfront each August.
M's Pub
The Old Market institution since 1972 — lahvosh, escargot, and a dining room Omaha refused to let die after the 2016 fire.
Omaha Children's Museum
Downtown's go-to for kids under 10 — hands-on exhibits, a creative arts center, and enough to fill a whole rainy afternoon.
Omaha Farmers Market
The city's weekend ritual, May through October — Saturdays in the Old Market, Sundays in Aksarben, with 100+ local growers, bakers, and makers.
Orpheum Theater
A 1927 vaudeville palace turned Broadway touring house — ornate, enormous, and the best place in Omaha to see a big musical.
Orsi's Italian Bakery & Pizzeria
Little Italy's century-old bakery — palm-sized pizzas and twist bread from the same corner since 1919, plus an Italian deli worth the trip alone.
Pageturners Lounge
The listening room Conor Oberst opened in a former used bookstore — intimate shows, strong drinks, and Omaha music royalty in the walls.
Petrow's
The family-owned Omaha diner since 1957 — hot beef sandwiches, made-from-scratch pies, and homemade ice cream in a room that started as a gas station.
Saddle Creek Breakfast Club
The pink-dining-room breakfast spot that moved to Countryside Village — Omaha's most cheerful morning, all day.
The Boiler Room
Fine dining in a converted 1896 boiler room — a daily-changing menu, a 400-bottle wine cellar, and one of Omaha's best chefs.
The Bookworm
Omaha's independent bookstore since 1986 — family-owned, pet-friendly, 6,000 square feet of books, and the Baker's Dozen rewards program.
The Drover
The whiskey-marinated steak house — serving its signature whiskey-aged cuts since 1977, in a room that hasn't changed and shouldn't.
The Durham Museum
Omaha's history museum inside the restored 1931 Union Station — one of the finest Art Deco buildings in America, with vintage trains you can walk through.
The Grey Plume
Omaha's farm-to-table fine dining pioneer — once named the greenest restaurant in America, still the city's most thoughtful special-occasion dinner.
The Old Market
Omaha's historic warehouse district — brick streets, independent shops, galleries, and restaurants packed into a few walkable blocks downtown.
The Peregrine Omaha Downtown
Hilton's Curio Collection boutique hotel beside the WoodmenLife tower — vintage charm, a rooftop bar, and a half-mile to the Old Market.
The RiverFront
Omaha's reimagined downtown riverfront — Gene Leahy Mall, Heartland of America Park, and Lewis & Clark Landing linked by miles of trails and green space.
The Slowdown
Omaha's indie-rock headquarters — the Saddle Creek Records venue that put the city's music scene on the national map.
The Sydney
Benson's beloved dive — nightly live music, cheap drinks, a cozy back patio, and the most welcoming room on Maple Street.
The Waiting Room Lounge
Benson's beloved mid-size music room — national touring bands in an intimate space, in a building where Nirvana and Soundgarden once played.
Via Farina
Wood-fired Neapolitan pizza and handmade pasta from a James Beard-nominated chef — Omaha's best Italian date night.
Yoshitomo
Omaha's Japanese fine dining revelation — a James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurant, with an omakase counter that rivals the coasts.
Omaha FAQs
What is Omaha known for?
The Henry Doorly Zoo (routinely ranked among the world’s best), the Old Market, a legit steak-and-craft-beer scene, and the College World Series every June.
How many days do I need in Omaha?
Three days is the sweet spot: zoo day, Old Market/dining day, and a day for neighborhoods and day trips.
When should I visit Omaha?
June for the College World Series, September–October for patio weather, December for Holiday Lights.