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SophiSticated Funk

Sophistafunk Back for Another Round

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S h o u t o m a h a . c o m • n o v 2 7 - d e c 4 , 2 0 1 4 3


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SophiSticated FunkSophistafunk Back for Another Round

By Shout Omaha Staff

Syracuse, New York musicians Jack Brown, Adam Brown and Emanual Wash-ington met in 2007 and quickly formed Sophistafunk out of a shared passion of music. Together, the band has won over crowds with a captivating stage presence and tight musicianship. Elements of old school funk and hip-hop goes into every track they create, fusing electronic dance grooves with soul and positively charged lyrics. They’ve collaborated live with ev-eryone from Bernie Worrell (Parliament/Talking Heads) to Nikki Glaspie (Beyonce/Dumpstaphunk). The band was also fea-tured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives when Gold’s restaurant and music venue, Funk n’ Waffles, was featured on the show in December 2012. Vocalist Jack Brown was kind enough to do a last minute interview to help promote Sophistafunk’s upcom-ing show with local band Funk Trek this Saturday at Slowdown.

Shout Weekly: Let’s start at the begin-

ning. When did this love affair with music begin?

Jack Brown: All three of share a com-mon love of classic funk, soul, Motown, R&B, and hip-hop. We have our parents and siblings to thank for that. Adam’s background is more Stevie Wonder, Par-liament Funkadelic, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock. Eman comes from a gospel up-bringing, but also loves Dirty South and Neo-Soul (D’Angelo, Erykah Badu). My music upbringing is eclectic: I grew up on Bob Marley, rock ‘n roll, my Dad’s Beatles (‘61-‘65) my Mom’s Beatles (‘66-‘70), and also fell in love with hip-hop by age 6. I’ve always loved lyrics, used to sit with the CD book wide open and play songs on re-peat until I knew every word. As I matured and found my voice, I started to gravitate towards activist music like Blackstar, KRS-One, Public Enemy, Gil Scott-Heron, and Rage Against the Machine. I would say the groups the three of us relate the most on are A Tribe Called Quest and The Roots, but I could probably name about 100 more.

How did Sophistafunk come to be? Sophistafunk started as a series of

house parties at Syracuse University known as Funk ‘n Waffles. Our keyboard player Adam Gold’s band would play and next to the keg would be all these crazy candy-filled waffles made of brownie bat-ter, banana bread, etc. I was an SU stu-dent at the time, producing beats and performing with a crew of talented MCs who schooled me on underground hip-hop. When Adam graduated, he turned his party idea into a music venue / res-taurant (which still exists, and has been featured on the TV show “Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives”). After a show with Method Man, my hip-hop group began teaming up with a live band. Our trumpet player used to be in Adam’s band and led us to Funk ‘n Waffles. A week before, well-known Syracuse drummer Emanuel Washing-ton played at Funk ‘n Waffles and had an instant musical connection with Adam. One after the restaurant closed, we all went down there and jammed together for a few hours. Eventually, the two other

members moved and the three of us be-gan touring heavily. At first it was mostly confined to the Northeast, but soon we found a home on the festival circuit and started playing in Michigan and Colorado. After that it was on to California, Seattle and eventually England. We’ve toured the West Coast five times (about to be six) and the UK twice in the last three years.

You’ve gained quite a following since your inception. Why do you think people love your live shows so much?

Each of us bring something unique to the table. Adam sings, beatboxes, and plays four vintage keyboards at the same time. People go crazy for his Moog synth solos. On the drums, Eman has such pocket that makes him a one-man dance party. He’s the most natural drummer I’ve ever known. My lyrics and stage presence reflect a unique style, introspective yet accessible, confident yet vulnerable, so-phisticated yet oh so funky. We pour our hearts out at every single show, no ex-ceptions, and reciprocate the love in the


room to bring people together. One thing traveling has taught us is that it doesn’t matter what city - or country - we play in. The music is universal.

How has your Syracuse background in-fluenced your musical style?

We all met in Syracuse after growing up elsewhere, and it’s not a coincidence that our music took off here. For one, Syracuse University helped land us our first huge gig with Fergie & Sean Kings-ton at the Carrier Dome in 2008, and also helped produce our first EP in 2009. Sec-ondly, there is a healthy live jam / reggae / festival scene in Upstate NY. This was the first music community that embraced us, which helped us stay far outside the typical pre-conceived boundaries of mainstream rap music. Syracuse is also a small city with a somewhat sparse mu-sic scene, so the bands that make it here have to work very hard, bring a unique quality product to the table, and get used to playing shows all out even when few people are there. Finally, our city is in close proximity to music Meccas like New York City, Boston, Burlington, Rochester, and Ithaca, to name a few.

I read you have a lot of classic hip-hop influences. I work for Chuck D and am all about the classic hip-hop. Who were/are some of your favorite artists?

KRS, Nas, Guru, OutKast, Biggie, Tu-pac, Eminem, Masta Ace, Public Enemy, Rakim, Tribe, Digable Planets, The Fu-gees, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Blackalicious, J5, recently been digging on Camp Lo, De La Soul, Souls of Mischief, and Arrested Development.

What do you like about playing Oma-ha?

We are musical brothers with the Kris Lager Band and have had the honor of performing at the last three Hullabaloo festivals. Our connection with these guys goes way beyond music, and has led to meeting a great group of people in Ne-braska. One time our van broke down on the way to Hullabaloo, and we rented a pickup truck in Missouri and still made it to our show in time! That’s love right there. Shouts to Fort La Vista.

If you could tour with anyone on the planet, who would it be and why?

First thing that comes to mind is Out-Kast, followed by Nas & Damien Marley or Atmosphere. But I do believe touring with Phish would be an incredible experience, and that their fans would appreciate us even if we are outside the box. There are so many musicians, especially MCs, I could name here. In any of these scenar-ios, the goal would be to talk music and life with the people who inspire me. I had

to chance to speak with KRS One before one of his shows, and later that night he shared the mic with me. That’s probably my favorite all-time music experience. Last year, I had a memorable conversa-tion with Coolio after we played a show together in Syracuse. He was a huge per-sonal influence when I was young and it was eye-opening to hear his thoughts on the deliberate watering down of content in mainstream music over the past few decades. My goal is to learn something from everyone I meet.

Your last album was Freedom Is, ac-cording to your website www.SOPHISTA-FUNKband.com. What’s next on the agen-da?

We will be releasing a single in early 2015. We recorded it with Joel “J-Dubby” Scanlon at Scanhope Studios in Colora-do.

What does the music you make mean to you?

Music is an analogy for life. Blend-ing genres that were once thought to be completely different is an analogy to shattering false paradigms of race, sex, class, etc. - which are exactly the themes I confront with my songwriting. Music is an extremely conducive way to discuss cultural observations, challenge societal norms, and connect with Human Beings

from all walks of life. Each of us has a very personal story and set of experienc-es that have shaped who we are. Since we’re all unique individuals, our time on Earth is very much an inward journey. But we are NOT ALONE! We are not go-ing through this in a vacuum, it’s happen-ing to all of us simultaneously. Friends and family - biological or otherwise - are people who can support and inspire us, and vice versa. They can help us through the tough times. So even though it’s this super-personal inward journey, we are all in it together - whether we want to believe that or not. The process of “waking up” is ongoing, and there are plenty of pit stops and plateaus waiting for us if we’re not mindful. Art and music have aided in the expansion of consciousness for count-less millennia. I consider myself just another voice in the long line of bards, b-boys, troubadours, thinkers, teachers, poets, philosophers, prophets, singers, sages, and shamans hoping to pass the torch to the next generation. My micro-phone is an extension of mind, body, and soul. My life is a work in progress. These songs are that journey.

Sophistafunk with Funk Trek, Novem-ber 29, at Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St., 9 p.m. Tickets are $5. Visit www.theslow-down.com for more information.


S e a s o n t i c k e t so n s a l e n o w

S h o u t o m a h a . c o m • n o v 2 7 - d e c 4 , 2 0 1 4 11CORPORATE APPROVED


“Offended!” (Tiptoeing in America) Steve Soifer, CEO of an international

support group for people with “shy blad-ders,” excoriated DirecTV in November for its series of commercials featuring Rob Lowe, whose “awkward” character in one ad stands at a urinal and says, “Fact: I can’t go with other people in the room.” Soifer says the ad ridicules a serious problem -- and compared it to “making fun” of a man missing an arm or leg.

The Power of One Sensitive Soul: (1) Lt. Col. Sherwood Baker was turned away from Adams High School in Rochester, Michigan, in September by a guard who said a school official sent word that Baker was not allowed in to discuss his daugh-ter’s class schedule until he changed to ci-vilian clothes -- because “a student” might be offended by his military uniform. (The Rochester school superintendent later apologized.) (2) The British Embassy in Washington, D.C., apologized twice in Au-gust, first a tongue-in-cheek “apology” for England’s War of 1812 attack on the White House and then for making that “apology” in the first place -- because of a backlash on Twitter from Americans complaining the jokey “apology” was “offensive.”

Bright IdeasDavid Van Vleet asked for certain sup-

posedly public records in Tacoma, Wash-ington, and was forced into federal court when the city turned him down. Van Vleet

wanted data from the city licenses of strip club employees (dancers’ stage and real names, date of birth, etc.) so that he could pray for them individually, by name, to make his appeals more effective. (In Oc-tober, Judge Ronald Leighton denied Van Vleet a temporary restraining order against the city.)

The Washington, D.C., restaurant Sec-ond State recently added an accessory to its bar menu -- “hand-cut rock,” i.e., “arti-sanal” ice, for $1 extra (but free in premium drinks). The local supplier Favourite Ice assures that its frozen water contains no calcium to cloud it and, with a heavy-duty band-saw blade, “hand-cuts” 200-to-300-pound blocks into the cubes that ultimately wind up in the glass. A Favourite Ice found-er said his frozen water resists drink-weak-ening longer than ordinary cubes do.

Ewwww -- Gross!Daniela Liverani, 24, of Edinburgh,

Scotland, and British singer Katie Melua recently survived inadvertent, grotesque ordeals hosting, respectively, a three-inch leech and a spider. The leech had found its way into Liverani’s nose during an Asian backpacking trip and had poked part-way out several times (though Liverani had as-sumed it was a nosebleed clot and “sniffed (it) back up”). When she finally saw a doc-tor in October, she said, the leech played peek-a-boo for a half-hour until the doctor grabbed it with tweezers. Melua’s tiny spi-

Lead StoryNovember is tax-publicizing season in Finland, where, starkly unlike America,

the government releases all individuals’ tax records to help build public support for the country’s vast welfare state. Thus, reported Foreign Policy magazine, Finn-ish society gets a “yearly dose of schadenfreude” ... “opening the door for a media frenzy of gossip, boasting and fingerpointing” about “fair share” and who’s more worthy. A few, however, proudly pay high Finnish taxes as a “badge of patriotism,” rejecting common tax shelters. “We’ve received a lot of help from society,” said one homegrown (and wealthy) entrepreneur, “and now it is our turn to pay back.”

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der apparently lived in her ear for a week, creating a constant “rustling” noise until her doctor vacuumed it out. She guessed that it came in through old earbud head-phones on an airline flight. (Her spokesper-son said the singer had no hard feelings and had released the spider into her gar-den.)

Chutzpah!The law finally caught up, partially, to

squatter Darrell Beatty in September, as he was charged with grand larceny for forging a deed to a home owned by Jennifer Me-rin, 70, in Laurelton, New York. However, he bailed out of jail on Oct. 22 and immediately returned to the house. In fact, Beatty’s two sons had remained “at home” even while Beatty was locked up. The home has been in Merin’s family since 1930. “Mind-bog-gling,” she said.

The Law Works in Strange Ways: (1) The Gothamist news site reported in October that bicyclist John Roemer, who was rear-ended by a driver in Brooklyn in May (and whose intensive-care bill was paid by the driver’s insurance company), is now being sued by the driver in small claims court for $2,000 damage to her car. (2) In November, a civil court in Lindau, Germany, ordered Rory Gray to pay Dr. Daniel Ubani for call-

ing Ubani “an animal” (for having injected Gray’s father with 10 times a drug’s safe dose in 2008, which led to his death). The court found the epithet unwarranted and ordered Gray to help pay Ubani’s legal ex-penses.

Well, Of Course!The owner of the world’s largest corn

maze (63 acres), at Cool Patch Pumpkins in Dixon, California, told Sacramento’s KOVR-TV in October that “several” times this season, visitors have called 911 to come get them out of the maze. Said owner Matt Cooley, “When it’s dark, all you see is corn.” (Also, two months earlier, an emer-gency crew in Braintree, England, was forced to use special equipment to find and rescue an elderly woman who had fallen while inside the 10-acre Blake House Craft Centre maze.)

Cliches Come to Life: (1) In a $460,000 police-brutality settlement with the city of Birmingham, Alabama, in October, plaintiff Anthony Warren will receive $1,000, with the rest going to his lawyers. (The un-an-gelic Anthony is serving 20 years for run-ning over an officer during a high-speed car chase in 2008; he took a beating once officers caught him.) (2) Condemned Cali-fornia inmate Steven Homick, 74, finally

scrawled note near him was three days old. Burglary charges were filed against Felyk, who has a substantial rap sheet.

UpdateThe desert sands of the Arabian Penin-

sula are fine-grained and smooth -- unable to be used in manufacturing or, especial-ly, the concrete industry, which is crucial to the massive upscale developments in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and other countries. Nor does desert sand work for beach restoration in the United States and other areas -- because it blows away so easily. The resultant “sand crisis,” with various countries bidding against Middle Easterners for the Earth’s sea sand (de-scribed in a November New York Times es-say), sounds much more severe than the first time News of the Weird mentioned (in 2007) how relatively easy it is, contrary to cliche, to sell sand to Arabs.

(Are you ready for News of the Weird Pro Edition? Every Monday at http://New-softheWeird.blogspot.com and www.Weir-dUniverse.net. Other handy addresses: [email protected], http://www.NewsoftheWeird.com, and P.O. Box 18737, Tampa FL 33679.)

took his last breath on Nov. 5 -- more than 29 years after committing the two mur-ders that put him on death row. However, Homick died of natural causes (the 65th condemned California man to go that way in the last 35 years).

Best of the Foreign Press(1) “Dwarf Stripper Gets Bride Pregnant

on Her (Bachelorette) Night” (an October report from the LasCincoDelDia website in Spain after the husband was surprised that “his” wedding-night consummation result-ed in a baby born with dwarfism). (2) “Man’s ‘Drugs Test Trick’ Foiled by Pregnancy” (a November report from Egypt’s Al-Yawm al-Sabi website on a male bus driver who tried to game a drug test by using his wife’s urine, only to inadvertently discover that he would soon become a father).

Least Competent CriminalsEmployees of the Marshalls department

store in Longmont, Colorado, said they had been hearing noises but were unable to locate the source for several days until finally, on Nov. 10, they summoned fire-fighters, who tore out an interior wall and freed a weak, injured Paul Felyk, 35, who had been trapped between that wall and an exterior wall after falling through the roof. A

s!

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top 8 concerts, family events, comedy, musicals & more

2014 Survey: omaha artiStS Now-december 31, at W. dale Clark Library, 215 S. 15th St., 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. admission is free. visit www.omahapubliclibrary.org for more information.

the Scoop: “2014 Survey: Omaha Artists” is an in-vitation to investigate Omaha’s art world with a sense of curiosity and discovery. Through a cross section of nearly 50 Omaha-based artists, the Michael Phipps Gallery is transformed into a community for artists that has never been viewed collectively. The library becomes the access point for this initiative, establishing and strengthening dialogues between the artists themselves and the larger

Omaha community. Artists are Kenneth Adkins, Travis Apel, Scott Blake, Erin Blayney, Les Bruning, Eddith Buis, Jamie Burmeister, Laura Carlson, Andrew Conzett, Mary Day, Diane Degan, Robert Dewaele, Larry Ferguson, Neil Griess, Timothy Guthrie, Jamie Hardy, Phil Hawkins, Victoria Hoyt, Nicholas Jacobsen, Alex Jochim, Heather Johanson, Susan Knight, Paul Konchagulian, Holly Kranker, Renee A. Ledesma, Reg-gie LeFlore, Caitlin Little, Rich Mansfield, Avery Mazor, Tom McCauley, John Miller, Deborah Murphy, Joshua Norton, Thomas Prinz, Kim Reid Kuhn, Sarah Rowe, Jonathan Seevers, Luke Severson, Colin Smith, Dawn Smith, Iggy Sumnik, Melvin Tingley, Daniel Toberer, Dorothy Tuma, Laurie Victor Kay, Paula Wallace, Maggie Webber, and Shea Wilkinson.

hoLiday LightS FeStivaL/CeNturyLiNk thaNkSgiviNg

LightiNg CeremoNy November 27, at gene Leahy mall, 6 p.m. admission is free. visit www.centurylinkcentero-

maha.com for more information.

The Scoop: Nothing gets Omaha charged up for the holidays quite like the annual Lighting Ceremony held on Thanks-giving evening in the Gene Leahy Mall at 14th and Farnam. Enjoy a variety of musical performances, including the choral group MasterSingers and the Jingle Bell Brass Ensemble, beginning at 5:30 p.m. At 6 p.m., Mayor Jean Stothert will lead the crowd in a countdown to the dazzling 2014 lighting display.

midtoWN CroSSiNg hoLiday LightS SpeCtaCuLar

November 22-January 1, at turner park, midtown Crossing, 7 p.m. admission is free. visit www.midtowncrossing.com for more information.

The Scoop: Midtown Crossing is thrilled to ignite the holiday season with the region’s newest highlight – the Holiday Lights Spectacular in conjunction with Miracle at Midtown, the development’s season-long celebration of togetherness and good cheer. A sight and sound experience, the likes of which Omaha has never seen before, the Holiday Lights Spectacular promises an enthusiastic, choreographed blend of light and seasonal music projected onto the Turner Park side of Midtown Crossing’s condominium buildings. The once nightly show will run approximately 20-minutes, beginning at 7 p.m., from Saturday, November 22 through Thursday, January 1, 2015. The best area to view the show is in the middle of Turner Park, facing west. Parts of the show will be visible from the promenade surrounding the park.

*If you will be arriving by bus or limousine, please contact Anna Willey, Event Coordinator (402.351.5964 or [email protected]) to arrange for parking.

‘JaNette BeCkmaN: reB-eL CuLture: LegeNdS oF hip hop aNd the go hard Boyz (harLem Bik-erS) Now-November 29, at Carver Bank, 2416 Lake St., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. admission is free. visit www.bemiscenter.org for more information.

the Scoop: Bemis Center artist-in-residence Janette Beck-man has always had a fascination with alternative music scenes and street culture. With an eye for rebel culture, she often works on city streets, particularly those of New York, her adopted home. The pho-tographs in this exhibition include some of the most iconic images ever created of the early days of hip hop—including early images of Run DMC, Big Daddy Kane, Salt-N-Pepa, and a young LL Cool J. Beckman came to New York in 1982, at a time when hip hop was in

its infancy. Beckman recalls that she “fell right into the emerging hip hop scene, trains covered in graffiti, kids with boom boxes rhyming on the subway, street vendors selling hoop earrings and mix tapes.” Beckman’s photographs are characterized by her ability to capture the raw essence of her subjects. Most recently, Beckman’s passion for street culture has led her to focus on the Harlem Go Hard Boyz dirt-bike club riders as subjects for a new body of work. Through her photographs, blending documentary honesty and formal rigor, Beckman captures the spirit and attitude that has brought the Go Hard Boyz a measure of national recognition.


entertainmentconcerts, family events, comedy, musicals & more

har mar SuperStar With the pizza uN-

dergrouNd November 28, at the Waiting room, 6212 maple St., 9 p.m. tickets are $15. visit www.onepercentproduc-

tions.com for more information.

the Scoop: Local favorite Har Mar Superstar shares a bill with Pizza Underground, a Velvet Underground par-ody band featuring Macaulay Culkin. Bye Bye 17, the new album from acclaimed singer, songwriter and performer Har Mar Superstar (aka Sean Tillmann), is out now on Cult Records. Already receiving widespread critical praise, BULLETT calls the album, “impossibly groovy and infec-tious,” while KCRW asserts, “I’d call the album a guilty pleasure but I don’t feel guilty at all. It’s just packed full of hooks.” Additionally, of the album’s first single, “Lady, You Shot Me,” Death + Taxes declares, “Har Mar Superstar returns with the song of his career,” while MTV Buzzwor-thy calls it a “Buzzworthy Obsession.”

matt Whipkey aNd BaNd November 28, at reverb Lounge, 6121 military ave., 9 p.m. admission is $7. visit www.onepercentproduc-tions.com for more informa-tion.

the Scoop: Matt Whipkey is an acclaimed singer songwriter and guitarist from Omaha, NE. Whipkey’s 2013 double album “Penny Park: Omaha, NE: Summer 1989,” is his most ambi-tious work to date. Having earned the Omaha Arts and Entertainment Awards for artist and album of the year in 2013, Whipkey’s live band features some of the city’s finest. In a town in-ternationally renowned for top tier songwriting, Whipkey balances musical execution with artis-tic instinct.

hoLiday LightS FeStivaL makiNg SpiritS Bright

hoLiday CoNCert November 27, at holland performing arts, 1200 douglas St., 7 p.m. admission is free. visit

www.omahaperformingarts.org for more information.

The Scoop: Sponsored by Cox Communications and presented at the Holland Performing Arts Center located at 13th and Douglas streets, The Making Spirits Bright Holiday Concert kicks off the Christmas season this Thurs-day. The free concert features special guest vocalist Mary Carrick accompanied by the Nebraska Wind Symphony directed by Keith Davis.

ideNtity: aN exhiBitioN oF you

November 6-January 11, at durham Western heritage museum, 801 S. 10th St., 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. tuesday thru Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. admission is

free to $9 for adults. visit www.durhammuseum.org for more information..

The Scoop: What makes you…YOU? Find out what makes you tick in Identity: An Exhibition of You, the highly entertain-ing exhibit on display this fall from Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute. This highly interactive event is kid friendly and a chance to learn.


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ARTHandmade Omaha is hosting its 3rd annual Holiday Craft Bazaar November 29th and 30th. Give the gift of shopping handmade and local this holiday season. Localmotive will be set up Saturday from noon-2 p.m.Holiday Craft Bazaar, November 29-30, at Bancroft Street Market, 2702 S. 10th St., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. Visit www.bancroftstreetmarket.com for more information. The original, site-specific exhibition “Olson Kundig: Anthology” will be on display at KANEKO from Sept. 25, 2014 through Jan. 3, 2015. Attend the KANEKO Open Space Soirée to experience the unveiling of this exhibition on Sept. 19. For more information or to register, please go to www.thekaneko.org/soiree. “Olson Kundig: Anthology,” the first comprehensive exhibition focusing on the firm’s creative process, showcases the artistic, historic, and cultural influences and design explorations that have shaped Seattle-based Olson Kundig Architects’ practice over the past five decades. Founded by Jim Olson in 1966, Olson Kundig Architects has grown from a Pacific Northwest-focused architecture firm into an international design practice based on the belief that buildings can serve as a bridge between nature, culture and people, and that inspiring surroundings have a positive effect on people’s lives. Olson Kundig: Anthology, November 26-January 3, at KANEKO, 1111 Jones St., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Visit www.thekaneko.org for more information. Born in Lincoln in 1929, Cedric Hartman is an American artist and inventor. He is known for making thoughtful, idiosyncratic work in the architectural realm – and an ever-evolving array of furniture, lighting and hardware. Hartman’s 15-person organization uses the highest quality materials to produce small editions of work for a world clientele of architects, curators, and interior designers. “These are objects of unapologetic luxury. Like couture, they are extravagant in conception and painstaking in execution,” notes architect Charles Gifford. “His architecture, furniture, and in particular, his lighting fixtures are characterized by purity, heft, and authenticity.” Hartman’s work is in the Museum of Modern Art and many private collections. Now 85 years old, he still works at his Omaha studio workshop every day. This exhibition at KANEKO will be the first time Hartman has curated a public exhibition of his work.Selected Works: Cedric Hartman, November 26-January 3, at KANEKO, 1111 Jones St., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Visit www.thekaneko.org for more information. Based in Southern California, Wallace Cunningham is an internationally recognized leader in architectural design. From small mountain cabins to urban townhouses, waterfront residences and museums, Cunningham’s structures respond poetically and functionally to the land – and to the cityscapes in which they are set. His innovative and intuitive buildings fuse minimalist refinement with bold, clean shapes that are designed to enhance the beauty of the spaces his homes occupy. Cunningham’s work reflects his belief that “buildings are not just visual…they need

brand new venue for us –Tailgaters Sports Bar (just NE of 120th & Center)! Completely renovated from its last incarnation, it’s now a great sports bar/pool hall that occasionally has live music (they’re also hosting bands this Wednesday and Friday for the holiday week, but of course our focus is Saturday night).Lemon Fresh Day, November 29, at Tailgaters Sports Bar, 120th and Center, 9 p.m. Admission is free. Visit www.lemonfreshday.com for more information. Since 1975, Mr. Toad has brought you the finest Jazz Omaha has to offer in our Library. The legendary Luigi Waites held court there for nearly 35 years until his passing in April of 2010. The gig goes on as Luigi would’ve wished, with his band “Luigi, Inc.” holding down the fort with their cool contemporary jazz. Hot Jazz with Luigi, Inc., December 2, at Mr. Toad’s, 1002 Howard St., 9 p.m. Admission is free. Visit www.mrtoadspub.com for more information. Every Tuesday at House of Loom, it’s everything you love about karaoke with the volume turned up. Don’t be afraid to go crazy: bring your own costumes, create your own choreography, bring your back up dancers or just grab some in-house props we’ll have on hand. Join the community here: http://www.facebook.com/karaoketheatre.Karaoke Theatre, December 2, at House of Loom, 1012 S. 10th St., 9 p.m. Admission is free. Visit www.houseofloom.com for more information. House of Loom has dedicated its Sunday nights and classic wood floors to all things salsa, buchata, merengue, cha-cha-cha, pachanga, and guaguanco. And to host and DJ the night, they’ve chosen long-time loom collaborator and the most charismatic, talented salsa dancer in Omaha, Mr. Blandon “Salserodalante” Joiner. Every Sunday kicks off with a salsa dance lesson for all levels of social dancers at 7 p.m., and you don’t need a partner. Dancers requested and spectators welcome as we offer fresh mint leaf in our Cuban Bacardi Mojitos. Salsa Sundays, November 30, at House of Loom, 1012 S. 10th St., 7 p.m. Tickets are $7. Visit www.houseofloom.com for more information.

BOOKS

Stop by the Echo Coffee Shop on 10th and Worthington Streets for story time every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sit back with a cup of coffee while your kids enjoy a free cookie and story. Story Time, November 29, at Echo Coffee Shop, 1502 S. 10th St., 10 a.m. Admission is free. Visit www.echocoffeeshop.com for

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shades and pimp mustaches, this nine-piece doesn’t just take the stage, they own it. Keys, percussion, deep bass, clapping, fiery guitar work and sing-along lyrics make a Satchel show one to remember. The sounds owes a nod to both George Clinton and Steely Dan, yet Satchel manages to not only wear its influences on its sleeve but to also take those influences and turn them into something unique. As far as promoting booty-shaking goes, Satchel is the undisputed local king.Satchel Grande with All Young Girls Are Machine Guns, November 29, at The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St., 9 p.m. Tickets are $7. Visit www.onepercentproductions.com for more information. For more than a decade, School of Rock has been inspiring kids to rock on stage and in life. Founded as a single school in Philadelphia, PA in 1998, School of Rock has become a growing international franchise, operating over 125 schools in the US and 4 other countries. Omaha has been open since 2011 and has served well over 300 kids in the Omaha metro area. They believe the best way to learn music is to play music. They take students from the lesson room to the stage, developing both their confidence and musicianship with programs designed for all skill levels. School of Rock teaches guitar, bass, vocals, keyboards, drums and combines weekly private music lessons and group band rehearsals to prepare students to take the stage in front of live audiences in an authentic concert setting.School of Rock, November 30, at The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St., 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $5. Visit www.onepercentproductions.com for more information. For the first time we invite one of our favorite residents, DJ SPiRALE to play a weekend slot PLUS debuting MoDuncan’s first DJ set at our space. Expect a delicious selection of house, techno, electro, and all kinds of four-on-the-floor heaters to keep that dance floor feeling right. Weekend Dance Destination, November 29, at House of Loom, 1012 S. 10th St., 10 p.m. Admission is free. Visit www.houseofloom.com for more information.

Lemon Fresh Day has only ONE SHOW this entire week, this Saturday night (11/29) at a

MUSIC

Karaoke Theatre is pleased to present “Victor Victoria Karaoke to Benefit the Benson Theatre,” a fundraising event coordinated by graduate students at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Taking place on Tuesday, December 2nd at House of Loom at 1012 S 10th St, Omaha, NE, it will go from 8:00 pm -1:00 am and will include karaoke, raffles, a prize wheel, and drink specials. Proceeds from the event will go towards the Benson Theatre’s capital campaign, which seeks to renovate the historic vaudeville theatre and create a shared community space for artistic and educational events. The theme, Victor Victoria, means that this is a night dedicated to guys singing gal’s songs and girls singing guy’s songs. Attendees are encouraged to take this further and come dressed as the opposite gender.Victor Victoria Karaoke, December 2, at Benson Theatre, 6054 Maple St., 8 p.m. Admission is free. Visit www.bensontheatre.org for more information.

The gentlemen of Satchel have long since established themselves as Omaha’s premier good time, funk, and party band. With

calendarWhat’s going on in Omaha?You’ll find out here! Submit calendar listings to [email protected]. Be sure to include NAMES, DATES, TIMES, ADDRESSES

and COSTS, and please give us AT LEAST 7 days notice. Events are included as space allows.

Satchel grandeLemon Fresh day


to radiate emotion.” “Wallace Cunningham: reality < an idea” transcends the practical limitations of architecture and captures the spirit of the creative process. This exhibition will showcase architecture unrestrained by reality. When erecting a building, one can never achieve the full idea or reach its true essence. Reality is always less than an idea.Selected Works: Wallace Cunningham, November 26-January 3, at KANEKO, 1111 Jones St., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Visit www.thekaneko.org for more information.

THEATRE

Billy McGuigan and his brothers are back! This all-request Beatles tribute show will have you dancing in the aisles and singing along to every song. Share your stories and relive your memories with your favorite Beatles songs. No two shows are the same and every show is a guaranteed exhilarating time. Yesterday and Today, December 5-31, at Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St., Show Times Vary. Ticket prices vary. Visit www.omahaplayhouse.com for more information. It just isn’t Christmas without A Christmas Carol. Experience Omaha’s favorite holiday tradition as Ebenezer Scrooge takes us on a life-changing journey filled with beautiful costumes, exquisite music, perfectly crafted sets and special effects second to none. Perfect for the whole family.A Christmas Carol, November 26-December 23, at Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St., 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $36. Visit www.omahaplayhouse.com for more information.

COMEDYIt’s a Holiday tradition, escape your family and come laugh with us once more as the Weisenheimers return for our traditional Black Saturday show! You’ve eaten all you can eat, you’ve shopped till you’re broke and watched more Football than you have all season. Now it’s time to laugh with the Weisenheimers! Join us November 29th at 8:30 pm at the Pizza Shoppe in Benson! Tickets are $10Weisenheimers, November 29, at Pizza Shoppe Collective, 6056 Maple St., 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $10. Visit www.pizzashoppecollective.com Come with your instrument and your skills to THE 402 music venue in downtown Benson any Monday night. Get your name on the list and get ready to show the world. Each artist is given a 10min slot. All ages are welcome. The 402 Arts Collective wants to provide a venue that is open to all ages, fun for the family, and is a great experience for local musicians. Their hope that seasoned artists

along with those just getting started will come share their talent for others to enjoy just for the love of the art. They only ask that you keep it clean, fun, and excellent. Open Mic Night, December 1, at 402 Collective, 6051 Maple St., 6 p.m. Admission is free. Visit www.402artscollective.org for more information. Local comedian Dusty Stahl hosts an open mic night every Wednesday. Bring your best material and come on down. Open Mic Night, December 2, at Barley Street Tavern, 2735 N. 62nd St., 10 p.m. Admission is free. Visit www.barleystreet.com for more information. Calling all quizzies and quizzettes. If you are looking for a way to cram some knowledge into your brain and cram some beer down your gullet – why not try to do both at the same time? If you would like a chance to get that beer for free along with a night of fun and facts – you should head down to the Sydney on Tuesdays. Grab a team of 5 or fewer and answer 40 fun questions for lots of opportunities to win great prizes (most of them obviously and awesomely include alcohol). Don’t mind your own quizness. Sydney Pub Quiz, December 3, at The Sydney, 5918 Maple St., 8 p.m. Admission is free. Visit www.thesydneybenson.com for more information.

SPORTS WBO Lightweight champion Terence Crawford, “the Pride of Omaha” and No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger Ray Beltran of Mexico with fight for the World Lightweight title. It will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark.World Lightweight Championships, November 29, at CenturyLink Center, 455 N. 10th St., 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $36. Visit www.centurylinkcenteromaha.com for information. Lancers vs Waterloo Black Hawks Pre-Thanksgiving Specials. Bring 5 non-perishable food items and get a $13 ticket voucher to either the December 5 or December 19 game.Lancers vs. Waterloo Black Hawks Hockey, November 26, at Ralston Arena, 7300 Q. St., 5:45 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. Ticket prices vary. Visit www.ralstonarena.com for more information.

UNO Men’s Basketball vs. Nevada Wolf Pack, $1 Suds & Dogs. Come early and hungry and join us for $1 hot dogs, PBR, and Pepsi products from 12-1 p.m. UNO’s Men’s Basketball vs. Nevada Wolf Pack, November 29, at Ralston Arena, 7300 Q St., 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Visit www.ralstonarena.com for more information.

GOING OUT? GET


s!

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Daily SpecialsTexas Hold ‘Em

@7 Thu & SunKaraoke Fri & Sat

New Menu Burger infusions and homemade pizza!! $12.00 for a 16’ Large Supreme Pizza!!

Call ahead and pick up your pizza or beer at our new Drive-Thru!! 712-366-1669


“scene” here?I think scenes suck. A homogenized

sound is boring and good for nothing except car commercials. However, I also think there are lots of great bands in Oma-ha. It’s actually pretty amazing. People are supportive, too. I didn’t see a whole lot of that back in Arizona. I’m glad to be here. People really push themselves.

I just interviewed Stephen Pope and talked about Jay a little bit. How did you guys meet and what was your reaction when you heard he had passed away?

I met Jay through my close friend Ryan Rousseau who was playing with Jay in Reatards. We were friends for a long time. I don’t have time to talk about how I feel/felt about his passing. That would take too long.

Where did the name Digital Leather come from?

Again, I think my friend Ryan Rous-seau (Reatards, Destruction Unit) coined it. There’s not a lot to it. It’s just a name. It can mean whatever you want it to mean.

What are your goals with music? Where do you want to go with it?

I have to put out records. It’s in my blood. If I don’t do it, I’d probably kill my-self and/or someone else. I am addicted to sharing my bullshit with the world. If I had a good, supportive label, that would help. But I also don’t mind bouncing around labels. I’m like a label bum bounc-ing around. I wouldn’t mind a home, but whatever.

I read it was difficult for you to adjust to having so much outside “help” from peo-ple- engineers, managers, etc. Did you feel you were giving up creative control and how did you deal with all the changes in your life?

That’s a little misconstrued. I’ve worked with an engineer one time (my friend William McDaniel) and, of course, we bumped heads from time to time, but things worked out and I never doubted his talent. I learned a lot, too. I do prefer to do all that stuff myself lately because I’m good at it.

So many artists these days are sober now, in rehab or straight edge. What’s your take on that? Do you think that idea is a bit cliche now, considering younger kids are getting addicted earlier and ear-lier in their lives? Do you feel any social responsibility as an artist?

I don’t care if someone’s a junkie or a health nut or anything in between. Every-body has his or her own journey, and it’s insane to judge anyone for that.

By Shout Omaha Staff If you missed Digital Leather’s show

with The Desaparecidos Tuesday night at The Waiting Room, that’s too bad for you. Slated as one of Omaha’s most well kept musical secrets, Digital Leather is a band you want in your life. Digital Leather is the brainchild of Arizona native Shawn Foree, a talented multi-instrumentalist with a fondness for making music in his bedroom. After all, that’s kind of where Digital Leather was born. Foree was in-trigued by the guitar as a teenager and is more or less, self-taught. With limited resources in his hometown of Yuma, his exposure to music was rather restricted. He forged ahead and eventually ended up in school at the University of Arizo-na-Tucson where it was much easier to get immersed in a music community. He managed to record three albums in a home studio, then ended up on labels such as Tic Tac Totally, Jay Reatard’s Shattered Records imprint and FDH Re-cords.

In 2009, Foree handed the reigns to Reatard to take over managing duties. He then released Warm Brother on Fat Possum Records and followed up with 4 more full-lengths, culminating with

2012’s Modern Problems. His catalog spans the spectrum. For example, the tracks “Black-ness” and “Styrofoam” couldn’t be more different from one another, but somehow he finds a way to make them clearly Digital Leather creations. “Styrofoam” swells with soaring synths while “Blackness” is more of a guitar-driven anthem that reaches outland-ish proportions. Call it New Wave synth-punk or whatever you feel like, but Foree’s venture into synthesizers is a welcome addition, es-pecially since The Faint’s Todd Fink took a hold of the keys. It’s nice to see him on stage with the rest of the guys. Digital Leather’s lat-est record, Diode, is out now. Foree took a second to answer some pressing questions.

Shout Weekly: It seems like overnight your name started popping up all over. What do you think is responsible for this surge in notoriety?

Shawn Foree: I don’t know if Digital Leath-er just sprung up out of nowhere. I’ve been doing this stuff for a while. I put out a lot of records and toured a lot, but I’ve managed to stay under the radar for the most part. Usually, when someone “discovers” Digital Leather, it seems like a sudden thing. That’s good, I think, because it causes an intimacy between the listener and the music.

When you were growing up in Yuma, Ari-zona, was it hard to get your hands on music you liked?

There were a couple of decent music stores actually, but I was poor and I stole CDs sometimes. It’s kinda like how kids steal shit off the internet now. These stores didn’t have anything too obscure, but it was better than some towns that only have a Wal-Mart or some bullshit like that.

Any particular person or experience make you want to pick up an instrument?

There are musicians in my family, but my interest was never piqued until high school. I had some friends who played instruments and I really wanted to play guitar, but I was a lefty so they taught me on their right-handed guitars. That’s why I play a guitar upside-down now. I can’t even play a left-handed guitar.

What brought you to Omaha?I don’t know if any one thing brought me

here. I think about it a lot and I can never give myself a clear answer. Maybe I’m pushing something back into my psyche. Probably am.

What do you think about the local music

spotlight

Synth city Digital Leather On the Rise


90th & Fort, Omaha Nebraska Crossing Outlet Mall, Gretna


dining nibblesKOBE STEAKHOUSE OF JAPAN. 16801 Burke 402-391-1755. Seven days. Long-running Japanese steak house of-fers healthy cuisine, entertaining chefs, reasonable prices and an attractive Regency location.

KONA GRILL. 295 N 170th St. 779-2900. Kona Grill is a sushi restaurant with lots more, including very imag-inative appetizers and entrees with Hawaiian, Chi-nese, japanese and American touches (macadamia nut chicken, satay, potstickers, steamed soybeans, saki-marinated bass, sweet chili-glazed salmon and even a meatloaf made with sweet Italian and Loui-siana sausage!). Loads of interesting dipping sauces, too, plus full sushi offerings

LONE STAR STEAKHOUSE & SALOON. 3040 S. 143rd Plaza. 333-1553. Open seven days. Last of a chain here, they do a good job with burgers and sandwiches, home-made soups and chili, sirloin and ribeye, their own salad dressings, and good service.

MAHOGANY PRIME STEAKHOUSE. 13665 California St. 445-4380. Boasting the top two per cent of Nebraska prime beef, this once very expensive spot also offers Austra-lian lobster, grilled salmon filet with capers, shrimp and crabmeat; plus lots of salads, lamb, porkchops, bacon-wrapped scallops, king crab legs and a famous house martini. Prices have moderated recently.

OMAHA CHOPHOUSE. Omaha Marriot, 10220 Regency Circle. 399-9000. This is the latest entry at Regency, which once had Allie’s and the fabulous Chardonnay fine dining restaurant. Now it’s a steak place with the usual cuts, plus seafood, fancy sandwiches, various chicken entrees, salads and a pretty extensive wine list.

OMAHA PRIME. 415 S. 11th St. in the Old Market. 341-7040. Closed Sunday. Mo Tajvar’s beautiful Old Market spot has a lovely bar area and a handsome room for his prime cuts of beef in this second floor Old Market beauty, complete with rear views of the Old Market Passageway and a smoking room behind glass. A la carte and expensive, like other “prime” beef establishments, but offering a lot of visual charm.

OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE. 7605 Cass St. 392-2212; 2414 S. 132 Street. 697-1199; 10408 S. 15th Street. 991-9275. Open seven days. From the opening of the Cass Street original, this Florida-based chain has been one of the most successful chains here. Basically an American steakhouse, it puts up an Australian façade, but the menu offers steaks, ribs and chicken plus baked pota-toes, slab fries and barbecued chicken. You can toss a shrimp or two on the Barbie, too. Omahans love them all.

PICCOLO PETE’S. 2202 S 20th St., 342-9038. In South Omaha since 1933, Picolo Pete’s is a classic Omaha Italian steakhouse, with Italian pastas to augment the steaks – plus big salads, burgers, hot roast beef, many breaded items, many fish, kids menu and even pizza. Try the chicken gizzards – folks love them. Prices are low to moderate.

PINK POODLE. 633 Old Lincoln Highway in Crescent, Iowa, just east of I-680. 545-3744. Closed Monday. The famous doll collection is gone, but lots of folks think this rustic-style atmosphere and the steak and prime rib specialties are worth the short drive. Steaks, chops, lots of seafood, gizzards and livers, and an in-expensive children’s menu.

SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE, 222 S. 15th St. 342-0077. Seven days. Across from the Public Library and very near the Holland Performing Arts Center, Sullivan’s is a handsome, friendly ’40s-style steakhouse down-

STEAK HOUSES

ANTHONY’S.. 72nd and F streets. 331-7575. Closed Sun-day. One of the old-line steakhouses, big and friendly. A good family spot. Huge menu.

BROTHER SEBASTIAN’S STEAKHOUSE AND WINERY. 1350 S. 119th St. 330-0300. Seven days. Not old and not new, this 1980s steakhouse that resembles a California monastery has a great salad bar, romantic little rooms with fireplaces and a great party room. Prices remain reasonable. CASCIO’S. 1620 S. 10th St. 345-8313. Seven days. Been here forever and still cookin.’ This venerable steak emporium has been a mainstay of the College World Series crowd. CHARLESTON’S. Just north of West Dodge Road at the Boys Town exit. 431-0023. Open seven days. Don’t let the chain ID fool you – this is a top notch restaurant – casual, with an eclectic menu that includes upscale burgers, lots of salads, fish entrees, steaks, sand-wiches, soups, ribs, crisp veggies and rich desserts – including a knockout bread pudding. Management is the key to success here. The ambience is gaslamp hideaway with a bar area popular on weekends.

THE DROVER. 2121 S. 73rd St. 391-7440. Open seven days. Tucked away on a side street, this longtime steakhouse favorite draws customers from the medi-cal neighborhood at 72nd and Mercy Road. Cozy fire-place, good service.

801 CHOP HOUSE (in the Paxton House). 1403 Farnam. 341-1222. Open seven days. Formerly the Paxton Chop House, this beautiful, masculine spot is a twin to one in Des Moines and a major draw for elegant service and classic steakhouse fare. Perfect for memo-rable occasions, but Sunday night specials are afford-able for anyone.

FLEMING’S. Next to Regency Court Shopping Center (south side). 393-0811. Open seven days. Big deal wine offerings here from climate controlled wine closets. Very attractive main dining room with some extra nooks and bar-side service, too. Char-grilled steaks are reasonably priced, with huge sides, and some major seafood offerings. Excellent service and a very nice ambience for a special evening out.

GENJI STEAK HOUSE. 14505 W Center Road. 333-8338. Popular Japanese, group-style “teppanyaki” cooking with items sliced and diced on a hot metal surface, then tossed about in entertaining ways. Very health-ful meals, with lots of protein (several kinds of beef, plus shrimp) and delicious chopped vegetables. Rea-sonably priced and fun for kids and adults alike.

JERICO’S. 11732 West Dodge Road. 496-0222. Open seven days. Longtime family-run steakhouse known for its prime rib.

JOHNNY’S CAFÈ. 4702 S. 27th St. 731-4774. Closed Sun-day. One of Omaha’s most famous steakhouses, it was opened in 1922 by the Kawa family at the stock-yards, where the family still operates it. Many loyal customers love the place for lunch or dinner.

JOHNNY’S ITALIAN STEAKHOUSE. 305 N. 170th St. in Vil-lage Pointe. 289-9210. Open seven days. Frank Sina-tra, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Dean Martin would have loved this place – tricked out like a Hollywood 1940s supper club, Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse is one of an Iowa-based chain offering Italian pasta favorites along with steaks and chops. Desserts, made on the premises, are popular.

CornerPocket

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TUESDAYWEDNESDAY

THURSDAYFRIDAY

SUNDAY

| $2 Crafts and Imports| $3 Straight shots of anything| $1 Busch Light cans| South O Happy MealShot of Blackberry Brandy and a Busch Light can for $3| $11 Domestic Buckets

DAILY SPECIALS

HAPPY HOUR 10am-6pm Daily

$250 aluminum pints$275 12oz. Bottles

4201 S 38th st Omaha, Nebraska 68107

(402) 505-7377

Mon-Sat 9am-2amSun 10am-2am

Written by Jim Delmont


dining nibblesOmaha dining scene.

THE FLATIRON CAFÈ. 17th and Howard streets. 344-3040. Closed Sunday; dinner only six days. Steve and Kath-leen Jamrozy have established the gold standard for Omaha restaurants in a lovely room in a triangle-shaped building reminiscent of old New York, com-plete with huge window walls and a tree-shaded patio. Great service, great food, very popular with Orpheum-going crowds all year.

LE VOLTAIRE. 155th Plaza at West Dodge Road (north side). 934-9374. Closed Sunday, Monday. French owner-chef Cedric Fichepain has combined Paris with Alsace in his unpretentious suburban bistro, where the menu offers what you’d expect: French onion soup, bouillabaisse, escargot, duck liver, duck confit, coq au vin, filet mignon and even crepes su-zette. Nice wine choices, good service, intimate, very reasonably priced.

LIBERTY TAVERN. In the Hilton Hotel, at 1001 Cass St., across from the Qwest Center. 998-4321. Open seven days. This fine dining restaurant now has a unique and appealing outdoor dining area, California style, that seats 80 – it’s centered on a modernist fireplace and you can order from the indoors restaurant.menu or the less expensive bar menu. The indoors area is attractively modern and has a menu reflecting the “farm to table” movement, with an emphasis on lo-cally provided items, including Iowa pork and Ne-braska chicken. Chef Michael Rhodes is doing up-scale comfort foods: corn chowder, corn fritters, sweet potato and duck hash, seafood pot pie, flatiron steak,

town featuring fine steaks and seafood, top-of-the-line martinis, and an enormous wine choice from its 15,000-bottle cellar with an hand-cut Italian stone floor.

360 STEAKHOUSE at Harrah’s, One Harrah’s Blvd., Council Bluffs, (712) 329-6000. This upscale steak-house sits at the top of Harrah’s Hotel, on the 12th floor, offering a unique view of the Omaha skyline. The menu offers elegant beef entrees, seafood (lob-ster, tiger shrimp, scallops), lots of interesting sides and salads. Private dining room available.

BOURBON BBQ & STEAK at Ameristar Casino, 2200 River Road, Council Bluffs, (712) 328-8888, has replaced the Waterfront Grill there with a menu chock with bar-becued pork and chicken items, plus some steaks, salads, sandwiches, seafood in an eclectic mix. Less high hat than its predecessor, it aims for a more regu-lar crowd, including kids.

FINE DINING

BISTRO 121. 12129 West Center Road. 697-5107. Former location of Claudia’s, this handsome spot is now Wal-ter Hecht’s new version of his Old Vienna Restaurant, a south Omaha fixture for decades. This Swiss chef offers European fare, including liver dumpling soup, escargot, mussels, Provencal shrimp, duck, lamb and veal entrees, plus risotto with grilled chicken and even Oysters Rockefeller – and you can get a New York strip steak, too. Some of the same plus excellent sandwiches, salads and soups at bargain lunch prices. Lots of California wines. Hecht is a real veteran of the

meatloaf, mac and cheese, but also elegant steak and fish entrees. The big deal dish is the imperial Wagyu beef strip steak from Blair, Neb., with Iowa Maytag blue cheese butter. Creative desserts add to the fun.

V. MERTZ. 1022 Howard St., 345-8980. V. Mertz has to be one of the two or three best restaurants in Nebraska. Irresistibly attractive at the grotto level of the Old Market Passageway, it provides a womb of old brick, wine racks, sprays of flowers and an ancient Roman style wall fountain, it is perfectly romantic, half- hid-den and mysteriously likeable. Executive Chef John Engler oversees a menu that makes the best of organic produce from nearby Crescent, Iowa, lamb, beef and seafood. Artisan cheeses are available after dinner along with some sumptuous desserts. The wine se-lection is extensive and sophisticated (a semi-finalist for wine service in the James Beard awards). V. Mertz is one of the city’s most expensive restaurants but is worth it (the tasting menu is $100).

NEIGHBORHOOD

ANCHOR INN, 5413 S. 72nd St. 402-341-1313. anchorinn-bar.com – Home of the famous watermelon – and still the best party in town – the Anchor Inn offers daily lunch specials, including the new roasted chicken! Keep an eye our for some new dinner specials in the very near future. Until then, do your stomach a favor and take it to the Anchor Inn for some of “Junior’s Jumbo Hot Wings” or the “Flour Sandbar Nachos.” And that’s just for starters. Make sure to try “Anchor Inn’s Famous 1/2 Pound Burger” or “Anchor Inn’s Famous Chicken Sandwich.”

BAILEY’S BREAKFAST AND LUNCH. 1259 S. 120th St. 932-5577. Comfort food done with flair. For breakfast; all your favorites, featuring Omaha’s finest Eggs Benedict – 6 varieties, (and Crepes, too) topped with Hollandaise made fresh every day. Come try the best bacon you will ever eat! Breakfast served all day.

And treat yourself to some of Omaha’s finest Salads, Soups, and Sandwiches, plus Chicken Fried Steak, fresh Angus burgers, and Bloody Mary’s and Mimo-sas. When is the last time you had really good Egg Salad or Chicken Salad??? Open 7 days a week 7:00 – 2:00.

BARRETT’S BARLEYCORN. 4322 Leavenworth, 558-5520. A neighborhood place with burgers, phillies and other sandwiches. Daily specials and a sports bar ambience.

BENE PIZZA AND PASTA. 12301 West Maple Road. 498-0700. Open seven days a week. Retro pizza spot with ‘70s look – sandwiches, too.

BIG FRED’S PIZZA GARDEN. 119th and Pacific streets. 333-4414. Open seven days. Hugely popular pizza joint that attracts crowds all the time, especially on week-ends. Sports bar atmosphere with lots of noise.

BILLY FROGGS. 1120 Howard St. in the Old Market. 341-4427. 8724 Dodge St. (397-5719; 84th and Giles. Open Seven days. The original on Howard Street has a very nice tree-shaded outdoor dining area and all three pull in a younger crowd for burgers, hot dogs, pub fare and a broad selection of domestic and imported beers. Good hang-out spots.

BOB MONKEY’S NOODLE ZOO. 4950 Dodge Street. 932-9971. Offbeat lunch place with soups, salads and sand-wiches.

BRAZEN HEAD IRISH PUB. 319 N. 78th St., just off West Dodge. 393-3731. Seven days. Irish pub, close to the real thing (the owners imported some parts of it from Ireland). Mixes Irish/English fare with American pub favorites. Huge beer list.

BREWBURGERS. 4629 S. 108th St. 614-7644. Lots of TVs – lives up to its name.


dining nibblesby Dr. Jeffrey DeMare, a pediatric physician, and his late partner, Eddie Vacek. Tasty, slow-cooked meats – does a lot of take-out via drive-through.

DON CARMELO’S. 2647 S. 159th Plaza (333-5256) In Rock-brook at 108th and Center Streets (933-3190); 3113 N. 120th St. (333-5256); 1024 N. 204th Ave (289-9800) New York-style pizzerias offering pizza, calzones and similar fare.

THE DUNDEE DELL. 5007 Underwood Ave. 553-9501. Seven days. Dundee classic known for its fish and chips, hot sandwiches and burgers. A neighborhood spot with a big following (especially at lunch), its bar has well over 100 imported beers plus some superb Scotch offerings.

FAMOUS DAVE’S. Several Omaha metro locations, in-cluding a new one at Eagle Run on West Maple Road. This chain BBQ spot has good basic BBQ fare, plus lots of sides, generous portions, nice atmosphere and good service.

FIREWATER GRILLE. 7007 Grover Street, in the Comfort Inn. 452-FIRE (3473). Live music and offbeat island cuisine in this Hawaiian-themed bar/restaurant at-tached to a motel.

FUDDRUCKERS. 7059 Dodge St., 556-0504. 16920 Wright Plaza #118, 932-7790. Fuddruckers boasts the “World’s Greatest Hamburgers,” and they have a big variety of them. Good spot for kids.

GOLDBERG’S GRILL & BAR. 2936 S. 132nd St., 333-1086 and

BUFFALO WILD WINGS. 48th and L streets (734-8088); 76th and Dodge streets (343-9464); 10525 S. 15th St. (991-9464); 146th Street and West Maple Road (492-9464); 4287 S. 144th St. (861-9464). Popular wing spot with lots of beer.

CAFFEINE DREAMS. 4524 Farnam St. 932-2803. Multi-lev-el outdoor seating, under the trees, is a dream here, in this ‘60s kind of coffee house. Great brew plus pas-tries, sandwiches, granola, smoothies and the like.

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY. 10120 California St. at Westroads. 393-1166. Seven days. Enormous chain restaurant done up in exotic architecture and interi-ors that resemble a British officers’ club in Egypt in the 19th century. Big operation with a huge menu: glamburgers, white chicken chili, Asian fare, fish ‘n chips, all kinds of sandwiches, soups, salads; imagi-native items mixing culinary styles – crabcake sand-wich, Cuban sandwich, stuffed mushrooms, pizza, fried zucchini, mini corndogs, steaks, beef ribs, pork chops, salmon, tuna, shrimp scampi and, of course, lots of different cheesecakes. It would take months to work your way through this menu. Good family spot.

CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE. 168th and West Dodge Road (Village Pointe). 289-4210. Outrageous Carib-bean/island décor frames a restaurant with all kinds of exotic burgers and sweet-flavored specialties and tropical drinks.

DOC & EDDIE’S BBQ. 168th and Harrison (on west side of 168th, a block north of Harrison). 895-7427. Bare bones spot where the food is everything. Established

GOLDBERG’S IN DUNDEE, 5008 Dodge St., 556-2006. Especially popular at lunch with sandwiches, soups, burgers, salads.

HARKERT’S BBQ. 4865 Center St., 554-0102. Old time and small BBQ spot favored by insiders. Hickor-smoked meats and sides. Does a lot of take-out.

JAMS. 7814 Dodge St. 399-8300. Closed Sunday. One of Omaha’s best restaurants and one of the most popu-lar. Mark Hoch’s long room with a bar is still a cool place, with an eclectic, inventive menu that changes often but always offers a two-tier selection ranging from inexpensive burgers, sandwiches and meatloaf to very original, often Southwest-inspired entrees. Great bar is a watering hole for thirtyish and fortyish singles. Not easy to get a table on weekend nights, but worth the wait.

JAZZ: A LOUISIANA KITCHEN. 1421 Farnam St. 342-3662. Now that Butsy Ledoux’s is closed there aren’t many Louisiana-style places around here, but Jazz offers a version of Cajun and Creole fare that resembles a place you might stumble into just off Bourbon Street.

JOE TESS’ PLACE. 5424 S. 24th St. 731-7278. Closed Mon-day. Oldtime neighborhood place famous for fish, fish, fish (trout, walleye, tilapia) and all fresh, plus shrimp, oysters – many fried items, with the catfish renowned, but they do steaks, chicken and other entrées on their huge menu. Chicken and fish sand-wiches galore, plus seafood stews and chowders. Lots of sides, kids’ menu. The “famous fish” is served on rye bread for $6.50. Pitchers of beer, cream cheese cakes. Big Friday night crowds. Prices are low, but cash preferred. Live fish market, lots of carryout busi-ness.

KING KONG. 4409 Dodge St., 553-3326. 5250 S. 72nd St., 932-6420. 3362 S. 13th St., 934-8988. Don’t let the name fool you – this is basically a Greek restaurant, with

excellent gyro’s, but they do burgers and phillie sand-wiches and lots more.

LA BUVETTE WINE BAR AND DELI. 511 S. 11th St. in the Old Market. 344-8627. Open seven days. Despite the lim-ited offerings, La Buvette is one of the city’s better restaurants. Technically (in France) a bistro is a wine shop that also offers food – that’s La Buvette. It is crammed with bottles of wine and you can have a ter-rific dinner consisting of only wine, fine cheeses and baguette French bread – and that’s the truth. But they do have appetizers and entrees, too: foi gras, pate’, mussels, salmon, chicken, lamb shanks, veal cheeks and other bistro fare. French doors open to make the whole place a sidewalk café.

LA MESA, 156th and Q streets; 110th and Maple streets; 84th and Tara Plaza; Hwy 370 & Fort Crook Rd, Bel-levue, and Council Bluffs (Lake Manawa Exit). Voted as Omaha’s best Mexican restaurant 8 times times in a row., La Mesa offers free chips and salsa, great portions and a fun atmosphere. The menu is broad, with everything from classics, such as burritos, fajitas, enchiladas, tacos, tamales and tostadas. Specialties include Chilaquiles Mexica-nos, the El Magnifico, Chicken Chipolte Salad and El Patron (shrimp). La Mesa offers over 100 tequilas, the largest selection in the area!

LANSKY’S PIZZA, Pasta and Philly, 4601 S. 50th St., 731-1919; 3909 Twin Creek Dr., Bellevue, 502-0555; 1131 N. Broadway, Council Bluffs, (712) 329-5400. Philly steak sandwiches and pizza – they dominate here.

LE PEEP, 2012 N. 117th Ave. 991-8222; (other locations in Pepperwood Village at 156th and West Dodge, and at 177th and West Center Road). Aneel and Hope Taj oversee three locations where everything is fresh and the huge pancakes rival those at the Market Basket (ask for pecans and bananas in yours); eggs Benedict and other egg creations are ambrosial, bacon and sau-


dining nibbleswell. Don’t forget the espresso bar and wine menu.

NEWMAN’S PASTA CAFE. 2559 S. 171st St., near West Cen-ter Road (Lakeside Plaza). 884-2420. Open seven days. Another “oodles of noodles” spot in the fast-service mode. In addition to lots of noodle dishes, you can get Thai lettuce wraps, fresh mozzarella drizzled with olive oil, Thai curry beef, chicken Flo-rentine, spicy Thai peanut noodles and cranberry spinach salad with almonds. Pastas are Asian, South-west, stroganoff, Japanese. Desserts include key lime pie, cotton candy and pastry tubes.

NICOLA’S in the Market. 13th and Jackson streets in the Old Market. 345-8466. Lunch Monday-Friday; din-ner Tuesday-Sunday. Italian meets Mediterranean at Nicola Nick’s Old Market trattoria where you can browse through a menu sporting authentic country Italian favorites: eggplant, cheeses, Italian sausage and ham ingredients, a wonderful lasagna Mediter-ranean, grilled chicken, stuffed pastas. But the star of the menu is ravioli in many tempting, delicious com-binations. Sauces here are important and the long pasta menu will intrigue. Excellent little spot with bargain prices considering the care taken in prepara-tion

NOODLES & COMPANY. 203 S. 72nd St. 393-0586 and 16920 Wright Plaza, 330-1012. Open seven days. Like New-man’s, it’s an “oodles of noodles” spot in fast-service mode (no servers). There are at least a dozen noodle dishes, plus chicken/vegetable pot stickers in a mostly Asian style but with Wisconsin macaroni and cheese, too, and some Italian pastas. Flat Tire beer is available, but few desserts.

OZONE. 7220 F St. 331-7575. Ozone offers hand-cut steaks, slow-cooked prime rib, baby back ribs, clas-sic salads, Southwest-inspired appetizers, steak and pork tenderloin sandwiches, rosemary chicken, plus live entertainment.

PETROW’S. 5914 Center St. 551-0552. Closed Sunday. Diner style restaurant in older Omaha neighborhood, Petrow’s is a legend. They offer soda fountain good-ies (old-fashioned malts and sundaes), hot sandwich-es: pork tenderloin, French dip; their own chili, liver and onions, chopped beef steak, onion rings, waffle fries, footlong hot dogs, reuben, smoked turkey melt, chicken fried steak, classic Nebraska burger; home-made pies, floats and freezes and lots more. Forget about calories here and dream your way back to the ‘60s, when it opened.

PIZZA KING. 1101 N. Broadway, Council Bluffs, (712) 323-9228; Longtime family-run spot has T-bones, a filet mignon, a NY strip and a Rib Eye, plus Alas-kan King Crab – and, of course, plenty of pizzas. Big place, reasonable prices.

PIZZA SHOPPE. 6056 Maple St. 556-9090. The mission of the Pizza Shoppe Collective is to provide a unified vehicle of expression to artists and a positive atmo-sphere of performance within the community. The Collective will host a combination of local/national concerts, gallery shows, theater performances, dance, poetry, comedy, and ethnic cuisine in an effort to sup-port the restoration of spirit within all art forms, so that we may encourage all to support each individual perspective of the human condition. And their pizza is pretty darn good, too!

QUAKER STEAK & LUBE. 3320 Mid-America Drive, Coun-cil Bluffs. 322-0101. Quaker Steak & Lube markets itself as “America’s No. 1 motor sports family restau-rant.” Buckets of chicken wings with nearly 20 differ-ent sauces – some tongue-tingling hot.

sages lean and substantial, huge list of omelets, but also lunch items, too, as they are open until 2 p.m. Great table service and high quality food.

LISA’S RADIAL CAFÈ. 817 N. 40th St. 551-2176. Open seven days for breakfast, Friday only for dinner. Lisa Schembri and family run a very special place here – a neighborhood breakfast spot that brings a touch of California to Omaha (Lisa did culinary studies there). In a very old building they offer one hundred differ-ent kinds of French toast, elegant egg dishes, every kind of pancake, a vast number of omelets, Farmer Brothers coffee and downhome cooking on Friday nights.

THE MARKET BASKET. 87th and Pacific streets in the Countryside Village Shopping Center. 397-1100. Breakfast and lunch seven days; no dinner on Mon-day. One of Omaha’s little wonder restaurants, long a favorite with the carriage trade, especially for break-fast and lunch. Liz Liakos’ place is also a bakery, with two dining rooms and she has waxed on the break-fast lunch business while also endeavoring to build up the dinner business with a succession of top notch chefs. Coffees and teas here are wunderbar, as are the pancakes, quiches, French toast, egg dishes, potato dishes, muffins, pastries and everything breakfast. Liz has homemade ice cream, elegant luncheon sand-wiches – some longtime favorites such as the Custer and the herb roast beef; marvelous salads, all kinds of sophisticated touches in soups, burgers, sides, des-serts. Chef Justen Beller does a fusion Euro-American dinner menu at bargain prices. Great Sunday brunch, too. This restful, tasteful little place would be right at home in the Fine Dining section of this publication.

MCKENNA’S BLUES, BOOZE AND BBQ. 7425 Pacific Street. 393-7427. Seven days. Opened almost twenty years ago with a Texas/Louisiana road house look and menu, McKenna’s has popular BBQ offerings that are less sweet and drippy than most (brisket, pulled chicken and pork, ribs), plus New Orleans gumbo, and great side dishes, including baked beans, a creamy red potato salad, Louisiana red beans and rice, melt-in-your-mouth cornbread and more. Good desserts, too.

M’S PUB. 422 S. 11th St. in the Old Market. 342-2550. Seven days. With La Buvette, M’s is one of the Old Market’s top neighborhood restaurants and pubs – and one of the city’s better dining spots. The bar has been hugely popular since the place was opened in 1972 (it is now run by Ron Samuelson of Vivace, with Anne Mellen). Pub fair shares the menu with excit-ing dinner specials. The Iowa grilled pork sandwich is famous as is the Omaha grilled beef sandwich. The salad, appetizer and sandwich lists go on forever and the sophisticated evening fare includes ribeye, hali-but, pastas, salmon, halibut, and duck breast, but the burger/sandwich/salads are available all day, too. This is a great place with wonderful ambience and tends to be jammed at lunch and dinner.

MILLARD ROADHOUSE. 13325 Millard Ave. 891-9292. Seven days (brunch on Sunday, too, plus lunch buffet other days). Karen Menard’s family-style restaurant favors downhome cooking (broasted chicken, chick-en-fried steaks, French dip and other hot sandwiches, roast beef Phillies, grilled cheese, liver and onions, prime rib, pork chops). Great for kids and reasonable on the pocket book.

MIMI’S CAFE. 301 N. 175th Plaza, 289-9610. A wide array of appetizers, homemade soups, unique salads and seasonal features are waiting just for you at Mimi’s. Signature sandwiches and burgers include an excel-lent Meatloaf Ciabatta sandwich and a succulent patty melt. A fish market, great steaks and chops as


dining nibblesoffer low sodium, low cholesterol and low sugar while providing complex carbohydrates and protein.

SHUCKS FISH HOUSE & OYSTER BAR. 1218 S. 119th St (402-827-4376), and also in the Shops of Legacy, SW corner of 168th & Center (402-763-1860, just north of Life-time Fitness). Open 7 days a week. Have you ever been to a fish shack on the coast? You’ll like Shucks! Open 7 days a week. Shrimp or Oyster Po’ Boys, Fried Clam Strips, Shrimp, Walleye, Calamari and Oysters (all VERY lightly breaded). Plus Crab Cakes, Clam Chowder, Gumbo, Salads and Daily Fresh Fish Specials. Featuring a large variety of Oysters on the Half Shell, shucked right in front of you. Significant Happy Hour 2-6, every day.

SPIRIT WORLD. 7517 Pacific St. 391-8680. Closed Sun-day. By far the best deli in Omaha, Spirit World is a wonderful place to wander around in, loaded as it is with imported wine, cheeses and other food items. Much of the business is take-out but there is sit-down for the terrific deli salads, sliced meats, gourmet sandwiches, soups, hot specials, cheese plates, des-serts and other goodies. A bit expensive (lots of the deli salads are $12/pound), it is worth it.

STOKES. 646 N 114th St. and 12th and Howard streets, in the Old Market, 498-0804. A Southwestern restau-rant known for imaginative mixing of styles, sauces, foods – always in an eclectic direction. Don’t expect pure mom and pop Mexican or predictable Tex-Mex. This place has a mind of its own – the enchiladas slathered with white and poblano sauces and the steak tacos are renowned. It is regularly recognized

by Wine Spectator Magazine for wine offerings and service. Lots of exotic drinks and drink specials. Nice patio at the Old Market location. The original is in Miracle Hills.

SUMMER KITCHEN CAFÈ. 1203 Cornhusker Road, Bel-levue, 291-4544. Three Omaha locations. Another Omaha restaurant-cum-bakery place for downhome family fare and lots of pies, cakes and pastries. Big on breakfast and lunch (many specials at lunchtime) and for dinner – again lots of specials (pot roast, hot turkey dinner, hot beef sandwiches, chicken specials, etc.). Great cakes, pies and breakfasts (all day).

TANNER’S BAR AND GRILL. 156th and West Maple Road. 884-5100. Open seven days. Big sports bar with burg-ers and pub food, it is famous for its “Blair wings,” a hotter version of the restaurant’s regular chicken wings. At Tanner’s they mix up five gallons of fresh salsa each day. Lots of happy hour and other drink specials

TGI FRIDAY’S (3 locations). 3636 N. 156th St. 965-8443. 17535 Gold Plaza 330-8443. 10000 California St. 390-2600. Eclectic chain restaurant that does good lunch business. Menu is all over the map: Mexican, Asian, American, Italian – potstickers to surf ‘n turf; fajitas to burgers; buffalo wings to BBQ ribs; Cobb salad to shrimp scampi; sirloin to honey mustard chicken sandwich; nachos to Cajun shrimp pasta. How can they do it all? Well, they try. Bar, reasonable prices.

UPSTREAM BREWING COMPANY. 11th and Jackson streets in the Old Market (344-0200) and 171st and West Center. 778-1161. Open seven days. Big, friendly res-taurants for family dining – the original in the Old Market is a gem, with perhaps the best bar in town. Locals own and run Upstream with meticulous atten-tion to detail. The menus are fairly imaginative de-spite all the comfort foods: pot roast, meatloaf, half-pound burger, pork schnitzel, pizza. But they can also

RICK’S CAFÈ BOATYARD. 345 Riverfront Drive (6th Street). 345-4545. Open seven days. They keep changing the name – is it Rick’s Café Boatyard or Rick’s Boatyard Café? Either way, the huge place offers a view of the Missouri River and seats as many outside as inside. This is a place for drinks, the view and lots and lots of seafood: fresh, fried, every which way. Huge menu with something for everyone.

RUBY TUESDAY. 10387 Pacific St. (One Pacific Place). Open seven days. 391-3702. Ruby’s is a chain survi-vor because of its ever-changing menus, attention to detail, good service, and an always good salad bar. The interior has been spiffed up a bit recently, but the menu remains eclectic and family-oriented. This is one of the city’s best chain restaurants.

SAM & LOUIE’S NEW YORK PIZZERIA 6920 N 102nd Circle. 445-4244; 2416 Cuming St. 884-7773; 2062 N 117th Ave. 496-7900; 7641 Cass St. 390-2911; 1125 Jackson St. 884-5757; 541 N 155th Plaza 965-3858; 2062 N 17th Ave. 496-7900. 5352 S 72nd St., Ralston 505-9200; 14208 S St. 895-0811; 607 Pinnacle Dr, Papillion. 614-0077. Open seven days. New York style pizza with hand-tossed crusts, plus a load of other items – sal-ads, Stromboli, calzones, hoagies, burgers, sandwich-es, lasagna and other pastas.

SGT. PEFFERS. 1501 N. Saddle Creek Road. 558-7717. 13760 Millard Ave. 932-6211. Authentic, old world in-gredients and techniques provide delicious traditional specialties and the unique. Sgt. Peffers offers call ahead take out service for the gourmet on the go, as well as home delivery and catering. Recipes are designed to

do raspberry-glazed chicken breast, shrimp linguini, bacon-wrapped shrimp, braised lamb shank, and smoked gouda beer soup. A fun place for lunch, din-ner or some food at the long bar.

WHEATFIELDS. One Pacific Place (1224 S. 103rd). 955-1485. Open seven days. Ron Popp started with the Garden Café operation years ago and has continued the restaurant-cum bakery concept with his very popular Wheatfields, an attractive and popular spot in One Pacific Place. The garden room is cool and nestled in greenery and the main dining room is packed most of the time. There is a huge bakery off to one side. Breakfasts are big here with all the usual egg dishes, plus casseroles, waffles, French toast, pan-cakes, fruit dishes, quiche and lots more; lunches of-fer Midwestern sandwich favorites, plus entrees with a Mitteleuropa touch (a Swiss hotel salad, fondues, Swiss baked steak, spaetzle, Alsatian baked beef), plus a cornucopia of other dishes beyond counting (honey-baked chicken, eggplant Romero, a $10 fruit bowl, untold salads with 15 homemade dressings). Dinner has a Euro touch, too, with Dusseldorf and Black Forest casseroles, halibut Lyonnaise, Swiss steak, beef and noodles, but also steaks, seafood and BBQ ribs! How they do it all, I don’t know, but their basic stuff is very good, as are the cobbler desserts, pies and cakes. On top of all this, they have nightly specials. ZIO’S PIZZERIA. 1213 Howard St. 344-2222. 7834 West Dodge Road 391-1881. 12997 West Center Road 330-1444. Usha and Daniel Sherman founded the Zio’z chain in 1985 – an instant success. The thin-crust New York style pizzas, with hand-stretched, homemade dough, have a huge range of toppings, are transfat free and use natural chicken. Pastas are fresh, some vegetarian, and offer a vast range of sauces. Hot wings, calzones and hoagies are also available. Des-serts are few but rich and tasty. These are exception-ally well run restaurants, eager to please.


bar briefsHey, bar owners, do you want your bar included here? Send a note to [email protected]

THE LAUTER TUN FINE ALES AND SPIRITS, 3309 oak view Drive #102, 402-934-6999. thelautertun.com – You’ll find a large selection of craft and import beers on tap and in bottle, as well as craft spirits from around the country. Rather have a cocktail? The lauter tun’s cocktail list uses only fresh ingredients and well crafted spirits. Choose from one of their signature drinks, or go old-school with a classic. Check out the Lauter Tun’s weekly cocktail and beer specials. And there’s live jazz and acoustic music.

ANCHOR INN, 5413 S. 72nd St. 402-341-1313. anchorinnbar.com – One word: Watermelon! It’s the famous watermelon cocktail, at the Anchor Inn, still the best party in town. You’ll find all kinds of drink specials at the anchor inn to go along with a ton of food spe-cials, including the all-you-can-eat fish fry (5-10 p.m.), which comes with fried and coleslaw ($8).

DOOR 19, 1901 Leavenworth St., 402-933-3033 – Thursdays is “Singles Night” featuring drink specials. On Fridays, it’s karaoke.

FIREWATER GRILLE, 7007 Grover St., 402-452-3473. firewater-grille.com – Located inside the Comfort Inn & Suites, the Firewater Grille has specials every night of the week – including “Monday Monday Madness,” with $2 off burgers and $7 domestic pitchers and 25-cent wings. Wednesday is “Ladies Night,” and Friday is “Luau Night.”

SPEARMINT RHINO GENTLEMEN’S CLUB, 2449 N. 13th St., Carter Lake, Completely renovated, the world-renowned Spearmint Rhino Gentlemen’s Club is now open. Look for a special deal on their ad in this week’s issue of Shout!

QUAKER STEAK & LUBE, 3220 Mid America Drive, Council

Bluffs. thelube.com – Mondays are kids eat free nights, with prizes and fun for the kids; Tuesdays are all you eat wings for $11.99; Wednesdays are bike night, with live music, a beer garden and any burger for $5.99; and Thursdays are classic car nights, with a DJ and her garden.

LA MESA, 156th and Q streets; 110th street and West maple road; Ft. Crook Road and Hwy 370, Bellevue; Lake Manawa Exit, Council Bluffs. la-mesa.com – Today, La Mesa serves over 10 locations in Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas. In addition. expansion plans for more locations are in the works. The ingredients of success for La Mesa include a stable, strong employment team which recog-nizes performance through management advancement. In fact, many of La Mesa’s employees have over 10 years of service. It’s this consistency that is reflected in every meal La Mesa serves. La Mesa’s “authentic” taste is created from family recipes made with only the freshest quality ingredients. Each location is decorated to promote a fun, colorful atmosphere and create a unique customer experience. Finally, La Mesa’s prices make it an affordable value for the entire family to enjoy. La Mesa is committed to striving for excel-lence and is annually recognized as the “Best Mexican Restaurant” in many of its markets.

HOLIDAY LOUNGE, 7846 West Dodge Road, 402-391-4442. – Where tradition meets today, the Holiday Lounge is right in the middle of Omaha, and offers DirectTV, big screens and a fun at-mosphere.

THE PIPELINE, 1300 S. 72nd St. – Hawaii’s own Pipeline beach is brought to the Omaha crowd with legendary college night and a fun bar atmosphere. The drinks are always cold and the scenery is sure to please the eyes, with burgers and Phillies cooked to order. Monday is half-priced wings! Specials every night of the week!

ARGUS 109, Carlisle Hotel, 10909 M. St. – Wednesdays offer

Happy Hour all night, no cover and $1.50 wells and $1 draws. Thursdays is Ladies Night (ladies are free, fellas, $5). There’s also a “Hot Bikini Contest” on Thursdays! On Fridays everyone free until 11 p.m., $5 after. And Saturdays are “Club Night”!

MALONEY’S, 1830 N 72nd Street, Omaha, Ne Largest Irish Whis-key selection in Omaha, 35 to choose from! 10 beers on tap and large selection of import bottles and liquor. The place to be! Great Prices, Trivia on Tuesday’s, Awesome place to watch a game or just hang out.

GLO LOUNGE, 3201 Farnam St., glomidtown.com - It’s dinner and a movie with accommodating style. Glo Lounge is new and it’s located right inside Midtown Crossing’s Cinedine Theatre. The perfect end to a first date, Glo “breaks the ice” for you with smooth drinks and a relaxing bar staff ready to meet your every need. Check them out online for additional drink and daily specials.

MARYLEBONE, 3710 Leavenworth St. – One of Omaha’s long-time popular bars is now serving lunch again, with daily specials worth checking out. The bar also has a great patio area for those who want to take their drinks outside. And for baseball fans, the Marylebone has your favorite team TV with their MLB package.

ROCK BOTTOM, 1101 Harney St., rockbottom.com – With an ideal Old Market patio that is always hopping, the Rock Bottom offers award-winning beers from across the country - all in one spot. The best part? You’ll never have to say, “I’ll take another please,” be-cause you can pour it yourself. That’s right. Their party booths are equipped with a tap just for you and your friends.

THE SYDNEY, 5918 Maple St., thesydneybenson.com – One of Benson’s most popular bars, the Sydney offers great drink specials and the best in local live music. On Mondays, the Sydney offers $1 PBRs from open to close! And on Sundays, there’s free pool from open to close! Get outside and enjoy one of those on the patio!

REHAB LOUNGE, 2615 S. 120th St., rehabomaha.com – A new lounge on the scene, Rehab offers themed nights, signature drinks,

comfortable seating, and exceptional customer service.

NORTH SHORE TAVERN, 102nd Maple St., northshoreomaha.com – Bike Night at the North Shore Tavern is back on Mondays, so bring your hog! With 16 beers on tap, foosball, darts, pool, it is a great hangout place. Especially if your are a fan of Major League Baseball. Catch all the action of MLB at North Shore.

GATOR O’MALLEY’S, 12143 W Center Road, gatoromalleys.com – Want a taste of the Down Under? Gator O’ Malley’s is the place for you. There’s a wide host of drink specials. They are open daily with late night kitchen specials and nightly entertainment options. Monday’s are “Micro Madness” with $1 off all micro beers; Thurs-day’s offers live blues music; and Fridays and Saturdays it’s the hottest bands live.

LA BUVETTE, 511 S. 11th St., labuvetteomaha.com – Another popular outdoor drinking spot for our Facebook friends, who recom-mended this Old Market staple. La Buvette is a retail wine shop, wine bar and deli with an emphasis on French wines.

CLUB O/O DINING, 1015 Farnam St., odining.com – O Dining of-fers food on the downstairs and the upper area of the restaurant is reserved for lounging, that’s where Club O comes in. Every Friday and saturday, get table service, celebrate birthdays, bachelor and bachelorette parties! Get an amazing view of the Gene Leahy Mall, too!

ROSE & CROWN, 515 S. 20th St. – Our Facebook friends highly recommended the outdoor patio at Rose & Crown. We agree – it’s a classic, complete with a seaside vibe courtesy of fish nets and other coastal garb.

EAT THE WORM, 1213 Howard St. – Feel like getting crazy? Eat the Worm is the place for you! With a tequila list extending past 75 varieties, your group is bound to get a little naughty. Divided among three styles: blanco, reposado, and añejo, the wide range of flavors are sure to meet anyone’s palate. So whether you are tasting from the bottom of the shot glass or the naval of someone intriguing, Eat


bar briefspound burgers, Big Red is taking the love of sports here in the heart-land to new levels, giving you dozens of high-def TVs, daily drink and food specials and the thrill of live ball draw keno. Plus, at many locations you will find: Sand volleyball courts and leagues, outdoor, year-round eating areas, and 14-foot super screens.

SULLIVAN’S BAR, 3926 Farnam St., sullivansbar.tripod.com – An Omaha icon since 1954, the neighborhood bar is famous for dollar pints on Mondays. Entertainment includes open mic night on Tues-days, Karaoke every thursday, dJ every saturday, and frequently scheduled live bands. Tucked away in the heart of midtown, Sul-livan’s atmosphere makes you feel right at home while enjoying a cold one.

ZIN ROOM, 316 S. 15th St., zinomaha.com - Located in the main level of the Hotel Deco, The Zin Room offers decadent food and so-phisticated customer service. Eye capturing scenery from the wait staff to the decorative elements, Zin Room is the perfect place for an after work cocktail. Two stories, the vibrant new restaurant fits the needs of both the business man to the Indie sole searching for the newest hot spot in town! It’s comfort meets style and its now right here in the heart of downtown.

AMERISPORTS BAR, 2200 River Rd., Council Bluffs, ameristar.com – Contemplating where to catch the big game? Amerisports Casino & Bar is your place! Filled with 34 flat screen monitors, and one mammoth 167’ mega-screen, you are sure to catch every sec-ond of the action. Throughout the week, live entertainment pulls in a vibrant rock and roll crowd and with Amerisports extensive menu options, you’ve practically got a full night packed. In addition to ev-erything to offer inside, Amerisports also provides free parking in the multi-story parking garage with a valet option available.

THE PENTHOUSE LOUNGE, 84th & K St., 402-331-9851, pent-houseloungeomaha.com – This cozy bar offers a variety of options to young professionals such as yourself. The Penthouse Lounge brings comfort and style to the Omaha metro region with new ho-rizons and a variety of entertainment options. With Saturdays now housing Karaoke, Penthouse is a fun and relaxing venue to enjoy great drinks and good company!

BURKE’S PUB, 6117 Maple St. – One of Benson’s popular collec-tion of bars, Burke’s offers spirits with an Irish flare. You’ll find a large selection of beer on tap, as well as a nice variety of micro brews. Feel like a game? Try Burke’s Golden Tee or Silver Strike Bowl-ing or Keno while you’re throwing one back. In addition to all these options, Burke’s brings your “Happiest Hour” seven days a week!

BUSHWACKERS, 7401 Main St. jmmbushwackers.com – From live music to dance lessons to great food and drinks, Bushwacker’s is the place to be when you want to kick up your heels and throw a few back. There’s live music every weekend, free couples dance lessons on Wednesdays and Friday night line dancing! With the feel of the South in your very own town, Bushwacker’s is a creative change of pace for everyone!

CADDY SHACK, 2076 N. 117th Ave. caddyshackinc.com – It’s bar is about as legendary as the classic “Caddy Shack” the movie. But no worries, you don’t have to have a good golf swing to be warmly welcomed here. Caddy Shack offers a large open area for games and socializing. Their drink specials are sure to blow you out of the water too! Monday’s is “Bomb” night with the chance for you to order your favorite bomb shots at a measly $3!

CALIFORNIA BAR, 510 N. 33rd St., calibaromaha.com – Estab-lished in 1937, this little gem, hides behind its simple exterior. Tar-geted towards the college crowd, California Bar makes going out affordable on the student crowd. For everyone else, California Bar hosts Happy Hour Mon-Fri from 4-6 pm and Mondays are FREE Pool day!

CANDLELIGHT, 5031 Grover St., thecandlelightlounge.com – The Candlelight Lounge is the self-described “official home of the 68 oz. Fishbowls and $1 Busch Lights.” Known for their School Daze thursdays, the candlelight has been serving up the specials for 19 years. With a huge dance floor, pool tables, darts and keno, the Candlelight has something for everyone.

the Worm is sure to facilitate bad behavior!

ENERGY SYSTEMS OVATIONS, 1200 Douglas St. - Ovations is a laid-back destination for wine, drinks and appetizers located on the first floor of the Holland Performing Arts Center. The bar is a casual gathering place before and after performances, including Omaha Performing Arts’ and Omaha Symphony events.

THE OLD MATTRESS FACTORY, 501 N. 13th St., themattomaha.com – Enjoy the new Happy Hour Specials at the Matt, which has an amazing outdoor drinking area! Every M-F from 3-6 PM and Sun-Thurs from 10PM-1AM...Happy Hour @ The Matt will make you happy! $4 Martinis, Well Cocktails and House Wine, $1 off all Tap Beers and $.75 off all Domestic Bottles.

PHOENIx FOOD & SPIRITS, 12015 Blondo St., phoenix-foodandspiritsomaha.com – Another popular choice for outdoor drinking from our Facebook friends. Live music, KENO, Golden Tee, Buck Hunter, Bowling, pool tables, dart boards, jukebox and the list keeps going! Food and drinks are plentiful as well! Sand-wiches and burgers are served daily until 10 p.m. with endless daily drink specials to swallow it all down.

SHUCK’S FISH HOUSE OYSTER BAR, 16901 Wright Plaza, 1218 S. 119th St., 19th and Leavenworth, absolutelyfresh.com – Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, Shuck’s is an ideal place to throw back and beer along with an oyster on the half shell from their broad selection.

LOUIS GRILL & BAR, 5702 N.W. Radial Highway, louisbar.com – Live goldfish races, washer tournaments and plenty of drink spe-cials. Yes you heard right! Real entertainment comes in a new form at Louis’ Grill & Bar. With authentic Chicago dogs, the food here gives you a great taste of what you’ve been missing everywhere else. A Benson staple since 1934, Louis brings new experiences to the average bar goer.

BARRETT’S BARLEYCORN PUB & GRILL, 4322 leavenworth St., barrettsomaha.com – Watch the big game (or any game!) and enjoy their great selection of cocktails and beers. While you’re at it, they’ve also got a fantastic food menu, so you can make a night of it! Enjoy the great outdoors on their wonderful patio, or get right into the action on our great sand volleyball court.

O’CONNOR’S IRISH PUB, 1217 Howard St., oconnorspub.com – established in 2003, o’connor’s is a locally owned and operated authentic Irish pub that has been the headquarters of the St. Pat-rick’s Day parade and hundreds of other local events. They take pride in serving you the best Hibernian sustenance in downtown Omaha. Go on down pull up a chair and have a Guinness with Katie and the gang.

MISTER TOAD, 10th and Howard streets, mrtoadspub.com – Since 1970, Mr. Toad has been one of the most popular Old Mar-ket bars, with arguably the most popular outdoor patio, which our Facebook friends pointed out to us in droves.

SHAMROCK’S PUB & GRILL, 5338 N. 103rd (Fort), shamrock-spubandgrillomaha.com – Enjoy live music at Shamrock’s while taking in sweet drink deals during their Happy Hour Mon.-Fri. from noon to 7 p.m. There are also food specials like the “Bucket O’ Beer” and “Basket O’ Wings” for just $20 on Sundays and Mondays! Get lucky at Shamrock’s for your next night out!

PAPA CHRIS’ CHICAGO ORIGINALS, 7024 Maple St., papachris.com – Check out Gimme Mondays for free swag and prizes. En-ter to win t-shirts, free food & drink, posters, & more. And there’s open mic Tuesdays, as well as Wednesday Game Night – FREE Wi-Fi, board games, galore, darts, beer pong, poker, and more! And Turnsday’s at Papa Chris’ – YOU get to be the DJ every Thursday night with Turnsday’s presented by Papa Chris’. Play your favorite tunes, dance to the music, vote for your favorites. Visit turntable.fm for more information.

BIG RED RESTAURANT & SPORTS BAR, bigredrestaurantand-sportsbar.com – Don’t just watch your team win ... experience the thrill of victory at Big Red Restaurant & Sports Bar. With fresh food that is made to order, including humongous fresh, never-frozen half-


bar briefsTWIN PEAKS 17330 W Center Rd., Omaha, Nebraska 68130 (402) 333-8001 Hours Mon-Sun 11AM-12AMHot Girls, Man food, Ice cold beer and all the sports you can handle, in a hearty lodge atmosphere.

THE GOOD LIFE SPORTS BAR 1203 South 180th Street |Omaha, NE 68130 Hours 11AM - 2AM (402)933-2947 formerly known as the drafthouse, under new ownership, featuring over 20 brand new flat screen TVs with the NFL, NHL and MLB ticket package good food, good times, good life!

THE HIVE ROCK CLUB & GALLERY 1207 Harney Street, Omaha, Ne., 68102 Open Everyday 3:11PM-2AM Dance Party Weekends, live music, craft drinks & loccal art

9TH STREET TAVERN & GRILL 902 Dodge St, Omaha, NE 68102 (402) 315-4301 Look no further than 9th Street Tavern and Grill with 27 tv’s for you to stay up to date on all of your sporting events. An upscale sports bar that delivers the finest service and excellent atmosphere. Drink inside or outside on the patio featuring a welcoming fire pit. Home of the Bierock!

SAINTS PUB MIDTOWN CROSSING 120 S 31st Ave, Omaha, NE 68131 (402) 932-1911 An upscale sports bar located in the Midtown Crossing mixed-use development next to the Mutual of Omaha campus. Established in 2012, Saints Pub Midtown Crossing offers a full menu, over twenty flat screen televisions and a large outdoor patio. Saints Pub Midtown Crossing is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. until 2:00 a.m.

JERRY’S BAR 6303 Military Ave, Omaha, NE 68104 (402) 553-3343 Open daily noon to midnight. Jerry’s is a neighborhood bar with a retro vibe and friendly faces behind the counter. Great prices, unique beer selection and killer cocktails! Mom alway’s said “Nothng good happen’s after midnight!”

OFFICE WEST LOUNGE 1266 S 119th Ct, Omaha, NE 68144 (402) 330-1122 A great place to meet up with coworkers after work or have a business meeting in our Jack Daniels room!

COHEN & KELLY’S LOUNGE 13075 W Center Rd, Omaha, NE Stop in for a friendly visit and enjoy our drink specials and Happy Hour.

CHROME LOUNGE 8552 Park Dr, Omaha, NE 68127 (402) 339-8660 Your place for refreshing beer, strong liquor, and great live music!

LAVISTA KENO 7101 S 84th St, La Vista, NE 68128 (402) 537-9090 lavista Keno has been in business over 20 years pro-viding Keno at the best rates in the state. With a great prices and great food and drinks from our in-house diner and bar, we provide a great atmosphere for any keno fan. We also accom-modate smokers with our in-door ventilated smoking room.

PERRY’S PLACE 9652 Mockingbird Dr, Omaha, NE 68127(402) 592-3230 Hours Food is great, service is amazing and it has such a friendly appeal. Heated smoking area, patio, pool tables & more.

BREWSKY’S Several locations in Omaha, www.brewskys.com You’ll find great outdoor patios, and an extensive line up of sorts programming.

WHISKEY TANGO 311 S. 15th Street, Omaha, Ne., 68102 (402)813-6944 Yee-haw! Get your two-step on in this upstairs country night club! Featuring LIVE country music, and dance parties on the weekends.

VARSITY SPORTS CAFE 9735 Q St, (402)339-7003, 14529 F St, (402)715-4333, 4900 Dodge St,(402)934-4989, NE Corner of 36th St & Hwy 370, (402)932-0303, Serving up the best pizza, coldest brews & sporting events at four locations near you. Hey, bar owners, do you want your bar included here? Send a note to [email protected]

CRESCENT MOON, 3578 Farnam St., Omaha, beercornerusa.com – Ever searched for the “odds” of Omaha? “Das Boot”, Hur-ricanes on tap, Belgian and German beers and a late bite to eat? Yes, Crescent Moon has it all! The three-in-one bar has one of the easiest bar crawls in the Midwest; housing the Hu-ber House, Crescent Moon, and Max & Joe’s. Tucked away in midtown, this hidden secret is a great gathering place for friends and definitely worth exploring!

HARRAH’S STIR LIVE & LOUD, 1 Harrah’s Blvd., Council Bluffs. , harrahscouncilbluffs.com – In addition to being a token of Harrah’s Casino, Stir Live & Loud hosts a wide range of local and regional talent weekend nights . From Indie to Alternative Folk Rock, Stir is one of the area’s best live music venues dur-ing the summer. Take the short drive across the border and get ready for great drinks and good music.

HOMY INN, 1510 N. Saddle Creek Rd. - Feel like being fancy? Homy Inn is infamous for their champagne on tap! This “small feel” bar offers big taste with their variety in bottled beer and eclectic crowd. In the heart of North Omaha, the Homy reaches out to its patrons with a wide range of fun activities to partake in while enjoying a cold one. Board games, peanuts, and fun music are the common threads that make this hidden secret something worth talking about.

HOOTERS, 12405 W. Center Rd. & 2910 23rd Ave., Council Bluffs – You may only think of Hooters as a place for great wings, but it turns out this dining hall has the full package. With a combination of choices for sauces, Hooters is sure to please you in more ways than one! Drinks and a friendly wait staff are more than enough reason to stick around after a long day’s work. If it’s breaded or naked, the Omaha and Council Bluffs Hooter’s Staff are sure to strip you down and meet all of your dining and drinking needs!

I DON’T CARE, 3346 N. 108th St. 402-763-2800 – The first thought after a rough day at the office is usually where is the best place to forget your worries and enjoy a stiff one. Upon walking in, the warm hospitality of bar staff actually does care as they invite you to leave your baggage at the door. Awesome drink specials and a variety of gaming units such as Golden Tee, Pool and Darts let you stick it to the boss man and say, “I Don’t Care”. Come let loose and blow off some steam in this nice little getaway.

BOGIE’S BAR & GRILL 3305 Old Maple Rd, Omaha, NE 68134 (402) 493-8000 Dance the night away on the weekends, Great food and if you need to crash there is a hotel right next door! $1 Pints on Thursday’s.

STOLI’S LOUNGE 715 N 120th St, Omaha, NE 68154 (402) 614-2662 Newly remodled, under new ownership, check out their awesome gameroom.

CHOO -CHOO BAR & GRILL 14240 U St, Omaha, NE 68137 (402) 895-6617 Hours: Mon - Thu11AM - 10:30 PM Fri - Sa-t11AM - 11PM Sun12:00 PM - 10:00 PM New Owner, Great lunch specials, Stop in and see Vicki during the day! Omaha’s Best Hot Wings, Cold Beer and Warm Friends!

FOx AND HOUND 506 N. 120th Street (402)964-9074 Oma-ha’s best spot to watch Pay Per View events! Good food and a frienly atmosphere. 36 Beers on tap, ping pong, darts and more!

ARENA SPORTS BAR & GRILL 3809 N 90th St, Omaha, NE 68134 (402) 571-2310 Hours Mon-Sat 11:00AM-2:00AM Sun 11:30 AM-2:00AM Omaha’s best live music EVERY Friday & Saturday night with NO COVER CHARGE! Enjoy the Arena’s full bar selection and huge menu while playing KENO, pickle cards, pool, darts, shuffleboard, Golden Tee, Silver Strike Bowl-ing, Buck Hunter, and Bartop Games.

WILSON & WASHBURN 1407 Harney St, Omaha, NE 68102 (402) 991-6950 Featuring 24 craft & import beers on tap, a ro-bust list of wines, scotch, and cordials, and a made from scratch kitchen, Wilson & Washburn lives up to its billing as a serious comfort station.


173rd & West Center Road

issue 5.40

Documents

rounds h o u t o

coverpickscals h o u

funk n waffles

rock n roll

local band funk

adam brown

love of classic funk

music venue