The Most Delectable Dive Bars in Omaha

Homy Inn

★★★★☆ 4.3 (101) • $

"If I had to describe a quintessential dive bar, this would be it. However, it isn't that run down, dirty vibe that one may expect from a dive. In addition to the friendly staff, they have cheap and varied beer (many craft beer options), a few kinds of champagne on tap (I was recommended a mix of strawberry/dry which I thought was solid) and a popcorn machine that gets you your salty fix. I generally love bars that have popcorn so maybe I'm a bit biased.The crowd is varied, it can get busy, but if I need a relatively chill place to meet up with some friends, I'd recommend the Homy Inn."

Poop Deck Bar

★★★★☆ 4.2 (20) • $

"Nothing bad to be said about this cozy neighborhood dive with an infamous name. I came here for the first time in over 10 years and, from what I remember, not much has changed. You have a pool table, bar, barstools and a few hightop tables and chairs. Plus a smoking deck on the side. I guess you can't call yourself the Poop Deck without and an actual deck. Mix in a remarkably friendly blue collar after work crowd, and you have a nice bar to wash away the worries of the day.There's a decent selection of beer. As I walked up to the bar, I noticed a "cash only" sign with an arrow pointing to the ATM. Luckily, I rolled in with Mike S., who smartly brought some cash and spotted me for an Anchor Steam on tap. (Thanks Mike, I owe you a beer.)It's also worth noting that the Poop Deck opens at 6 a.m. and supposedly has a dedicated third shift following."

Rose & Crown Pub

★★★★☆ 4.4 (26) • $

"Rose & Crown is a pub I randomly wind up at every once in a while. Yes, the patio out back is among the best in the city. Yes, the bartenders are uber friendly and hospitable. Yes it's kind of a $hithole, but in a good way. Come here for stiff pours and cheap beer ($2 cans of Busch all day, every day). If you're extra brave, attempt to find the restroom in the basement. It's quite the adventure, especially when you start to realize you're in the nether regions of an old mortuary. Creepy!Whether you're a dad who simply can't bear one more second at the nearby children's museum, or a couple of party-seeking college students, you'll feel right at home at the Rose & Crown. Not sure when I'll be back, but I I know it'll happen eventually."

The Sociable Inn

★★★★☆ 4 (5) • $

"Trivia is a amazing good time. Come with a team or come alone and be put on a team. Share your knowledge with your team, win drinking prizes, get in a good laugh, make new friends."

Jerry’s Bar

★★★★★ 4.6 (26) • $

"You know it's a good dive when the hours are 7am-2am daily. Makes me think of the early dedicated drinkers on Bourbon Street in NOLA, but way less gross. Fun!I love Jerry's (aka Bar J's) classic interior--the perfect mix of retro and dive. The vintage red and white leather seats, beer signs, and lighting are a treat. The bartenders are always efficient and accommodating. You can indulge in libations from a cheap tap beer to an old fashioned. Gotta love that they have parking and some snacks for purchase too! In addition to any ol' night we've been here to grab drinks, we've also stopped in during a football game and they had a generous, free potluck array. I also hear have a dedicated video game night on Monday (ask them about it). TL;DR As far as small-biz watering holes go, this perfectly has everything you want, nothing more nothing less."

Alderman's Bar

★★★★☆ 4 (30) • $

"Alderman's is a dimly lit dive during the day/evening and, for whatever reason, a karaoke hotspot for local scenesters on the weekends. But first and foremost, Alderman's is a old man bar complete with plenty of old men and old man beers on tap. We're talking Hamm's, Coors Light/Bud Light/Miller Lite, etc.During my visit, the bartender was pushing $2 tallboys of Busch Light. So I had a Blue Yummy, sure. Then I found out that 16 oz. cans of Hamm's were also $2. Cool. THEN I found out that a pint of Hamm's on tap was only $1.50. Weird pricing system, but oh well. Alderman's also has plenty fancy beer options (in bottles) for the snooty drinkers out there. Must be for the karaoke crowd on the weekends.In all, a classic dive complete with rowdy locals and cheap prices."

Forgot Store

★★★★☆ 4.3 (23) • $

"Junior's Forgot Store is a great, local (somewhat hidden) gem and the "new" home of the original Anchor Inn Watermelon! The atmosphere and food are great and truly hard to beat. The pizza is a definite must, as is the Sunday broasted chicken special. The prime rib pocket and prime rib they've had on special were also excellent. The Forgot Store is the only place I've ever ordered prime rib as rare and it was actually just that, and with great flavor! There's too many great things on the menu to mention them all. We've never had a bad meal or a bad time at Junior's Forgot Store and we enjoy stopping in when we can."

O'leaver's Pub

★★★★☆ 3.8 (41) • $

"O'leaver's is the kind of place you just have to go experience for yourself to understand what everyone is raving about. (& I recommend that you do just that.)The interior is kind of small, especially if it's a really busy night, but it feels less like a crowded dive bar & more like an intimate Omaha scene where (for the most part) everyone's just happy to be. The beer garden out back is definitely my favorite aspect of the bar/venue. If the weather is nice & the crowd size is large enough, they have a full bar outside that they'll stick a bartender behind. This is especially nice if the crowd inside is too thick to easily order a drink. The "garden" has an enormous sitting & lounging area all beneath draped soft-white lights & enclosed on all sides, creating the illusion that you're secluded from the bustling side streets & the noise of the city. They also have an impressive list of bands that have played on their small but efficient stage."

Aussie's Pub

★★★★☆ 4.1 (8) • $$

"A decent neighborhood pub. It's spacious, dark and cozy. If you're drinking alone, you can watch the fish in the giant fish tank behind the bar. If you're with a group, you can spread out at a table or gather around one of the pool tables. Don't forget to pump your jams out of the jukebox.I've been here twice in the last few months and both experiences were similar. Pop in because I'm close, grab a beer and decide to leave shortly thereafter because there's not much to brag about in the drink department. You have Budweiser, Bud Light and Bud Select on tap. Plus a Coors Light and whatever leftover Sam Adams seasonal. Budweiser it is? Dang.On a positive note, this would be a perfect place to hole yourself up in and drink away your sorrows for months on end -- no one would ever suspect to find you here. I think that's what the old guy at the bar next to me was doing."

Harry's Wonder Bar

★★★★☆ 4.4 (19) • $

"This might just be the ultimate Dive bar experience in Lincoln! And it's not that Divey! It's just old and bad ass! This is the type of place I would hang if I lived here! Full of regulars, drinking 2 dollar buds, watching the little league world series on the little tv's above the bar, playing pool at 2pm, eating free popcorn or hell they have Frozen Pizza's as well! The bartenders were awesome, providing a new frosty mug for ever 2 dollar bud draft you buy and trust me they go down quick when they are that cold! If you are making the treck across the lands searching for the ultimate dive bar's in the USA, you should totally stop here and pull of a bar seat! Loved this place!"

The Elbow Room

★★★★☆ 3.6 (18) • $

"A classic, divey bar located on the southeast corner of 50th and Center streets. First off, don't try going in the front door. It won't open. That means you need to go in the back, which is fine because that's where the parking is.As you enter, there's a little game area with a dusty arcade machine and a broken chair. Not a bad sign, in my opinion. Keep going and you'll find the bar. There are plenty of big TVs showing all the big games. There are also plenty of tables and chairs to spread out and chat with your buds. Behind the bar you'll find all your staples, Miller Lite, Bud Light and even a few crafts, both local and beyond, all on tap. Pint prices are ~$4 a pop, so pretty average there.Go ahead and order a pizza from Picasso's next door and lay low for a while. You'll enjoy yourself. At least I did."

The Hot Mess

★★★☆☆ 2.7 (14) • $$

"Definitely a dive bar. I dont care for untrained dogs that lick you while you are trying to enjoy a beer. I will say the glassware is clean. The beer line up was nearly all bitter IPAs. The service was good."

The Neighber's

★★★★☆ 3.9 (28) • $

"This place was actually nicer than I expected. They have a decent selection of beers and alcohol and reasonable prices. Good variety of TVs, pool tables and overall clean and cozy."

Bucky Dexter's

★★★★☆ 4 (7)

"Great local dive bar - Nate the owner is great and the service from the bartenders is spot on. Sam!!!! She is a rock star!!! Fun funny and great Stop in for darts, drinks and a feel like the old school Cheer's where everyone knows your name!!!"

White House Bar & Grill

★★★★★ 4.6 (13)

"Great place if youre in the mood for a dive bar. The bartenders are always nice, and a lot of the regulars seem to know each other which is fun. They have some TVs for watching sports, darts and a juke box, all which makes for a great dive bar. They also have pretty good wings if you get hungry. I'm always comfortable sitting at the bar drinking a beer, and I always feel welcome there!"

Hard Luck Saloon

★★★★☆ 3.8 (4) • $

"Came here for a night out with friends. Free pool! Good price on drinks! Service is pretty good. Clean bathrooms and clean establishment. It's a nice neighborhood dive. They have a dart board too. They seem to be very supportive of the local business. I would come visit again! Love a local dive!"

The Clubhouse Lounge

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (3)

"I have been here a hand full of times. Service is always great. It's a small bar and grill with lots of sitting. We decided to eat somewhere new and knew they had food but had yet to try. Not sure why we waited so long. Food was GREAT. I mean people tell you all the time and you never know but they were right. We went in a Saturday around 4:30. Maybe 6 people in there at the time. We ordered pretzel bites with cheese. The cheese was like a nacho beer cheese, wow great flavor. The basket of pretzel bites was Full. Not just 8 pretzels bites like most places. I had a steak philly and husband has a burger. Both were really good. The fries were the thing that blew us away. They were crispy and lots of seasoning. Just the way we like them. We will be back again!!"

Side Tracked

★★★★☆ 4 (1) • $

"Due to the extreme darkness a good picture could not be obtained either outside or inside. It was very dark inside this really good dive bar. Friendly people, good music, cheap drinks.This bar's most prominent feature was a large Hamm's Bear inside the front window. Officially the bar's name is "Sidetracked Again". We asked the bartender why it was called "Sidetracked Again". "'Sidetracked' comes from being next to the railroad tracks," he said. "We used to be on the other side, but the city closed us down because they said they needed to build a store there. So then we moved over here and now we're 'Sidetracked Again'."This was my favorite bar in Creston."

The Drinkery

★★★★☆ 3.6 (7) • $

"The Drinkery! Good ol' Dr. Jack's. I have been coming through the side doors here since coming back to Omaha. they have a DJ that will play almost anything you want to hear. They got rid of big buck hunter which is a stupid game anyways. They have pool tables and Giant Jenga.My favorite thing is the $1 mystery beer. It could be absolute shit, or it could be the last bit of a great keg. that's the fun!Minus a 1/2 star for the stripper pole, though."

Tam O'shanter Restaurant & Pub

★★★★☆ 3.5 (46) • $$

"I went to The Tam yesterday with my daughter. It's probably been five years or more since I've been, and I was hoping it would live up to my memory. Did it!The inside is nothing like you expect from the outside. It's nice and clean and has a great atmosphere. The waitress was friendly and checked on us just the right amount to make sure we always had what we needed without being a bothersome presence. Perfect service. Then the Burger, one of the places that knows exactly how to execute on a delicious burger. They have a big menu with lots of options that always look tantalizing, but I keep going back to their various burgers because they do them so well I can't imagine straying from what I know would be perfection. I have probably tried most of their burgers over the years but the patty melt and the blue cheeseburger are the standouts in my opinion. They also have really good fries. I'm sure they're just frozen box store fries, but they cook them perfectly and have a great seasoning salt for them.Justin, all around great experience that over the decades of intermittent visits stays consistently wonderful every time. A solid addition to your roster if it's not already on there."

Village Bar

★★★★☆ 4.4 (19) • $

"What a great little dive bar tucked away in tiny downtown Ralston. I stopped in on a Friday afternoon to wind down from the work week. While it was still plenty bright outside, you get sucked into the cave-like darkness of the Village Bar as soon as you walk in. A good sign? Yes, indeed.The place wasn't crowded, so I grabbed a seat at the bar and ordered an Octoberfest, which was on special for $2. Then the coolest thing happened. They don't have a traditional tap line here. Instead there's this beer device that I think they found in the future (see my pic). Essentially, they serve the tap beer in disposable plastic cups with a hole in the bottom held shut by a magnet. To fill your cup, the bartender simply plops the cup's hole over a little machine that fills 'er up from the bottom up. There is a little novelty the first time you see this in action, so enjoy it.While they have your typical selection of domestics here, the Village also touts some great craft beer, from seasonals to go-to IPAs. They even had Sam Adam's Rebel IPA in 16 oz. tall boys. Awesome! Not a bad selection of bourbons and ryes as well.The bathroom was small, dingy and, but the looks of it, should've been dirty. But actually it was quite clean. Plenty of tissue, soap and paper towels to keep you feeling fresh enough for another round or two.Another thing I loved about the Village Bar is the fact they have games. From a tabletop Pac-Man to a claw machine where you can fish out stuffed animals. It's a great place to go when you feel like an adult who wants to feel like a kid for a few minutes."

VIP Lounge

★★★★☆ 4.2 (10) • $

"You know all of those sayings about why we shouldn't make assumptions or judge books by the covers? I'm pretty sure these sayings weren't referring to bars, but in the case of VIP Lounge, the sayings are all true.If you're a regular driver on the 90th Street route to-and-from home to school/store/church/work, then you've likely noticed the VIP sign and, on occasion, the group of smokers chatting outside of the lounge (post smoking ordinances, of course). With a small parking lot always full of cars, I'm not sure why I've never stopped in...but heck, on a random Thursday night of we wanted to give it a go.As you'd expect, cozy vintage feel with the low lounge chairs on casters, your bartender is your waitress and folks are not afraid to start up a conversation across the room. The scent of popcorn permeates the air which, actually, is a welcome help yourself snack after a couple of cocktails and random chatter with the folks you came with and customers at the neighboring table.While you can certainly wet your whistle with a cold Busch Lite, I opted for a Tito's martini up with blue cheese stuffed olives. Served super-chilled in a standard martini glass (thank goodness - those retro hipster 2oz glasses literally make me a bit batty), our "let's stop for one drink" turned into a "WTF it's been close to three hours of making friends with strangers" kinda night. Super-friendly bartender and patrons, we had more than a few chuckles at the expense of all.I totally understand the 5-star rating, but secretly hope you ignore this review. Now that I've discovered this place, I'm SO visiting again, but would hate to not get swivel chair."

Olde Towne Tavern

★★★★☆ 3.9 (7) • $

"My wife and I had dinner and wanted to find a 'hidden gem' of a bar in Bellevue. We decided on Olde Towne Tavern, which is on Mission Ave. in East Bellevue.We walked in and quickly found a table. There were a few rather intoxicated gentlemen sitting at the bar that were still getting served, which never makes sense to me. I stood at the bar and it took the bartender a while to see us to get us our drinks. This bar definitely caters to it's regulars. The bartender was okay. He wasn't necessarily rude, but wasn't nice either.My wife and I grabbed beers so it's kind of hard to mess that up. I grabbed a Infusion Brewery Vanilla Bean on tap and a Best Hard Cherry Soda in a bottle. The beer on tap was cold as ice, very refreshing. They had a lot of craft beers here, which was very surprising. A glass of the Vanilla Bean was $4 and a bottle of the Hard Cherry Soda was $4, (it was supposed to be $3 but they charged me incorrectly).My wife went up to get a second round and one of the drunk guys was kind of giving her a hard time so I got up and asked my wife to sit down so she didn't have to deal with that. If a woman can't even feel comfortable, or safe, at a bar, then there's an issue in my opinion. And while I was up there, it took the bartender a while to get to me as he was serving the regulars who came up to the bar AFTER I got there.All in all, the prices were good, the beer was good, but the slowness of service, catering to the regulars, and the over-serving of some of the patrons turns me off from this bar. I doubt my wife and I will go back."

Blind Dave's Bar

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (18) • $

"This is a dive bar's dive bar. It's very dark inside, and the "patio" out back doesn't have much going for it except as a refuge for smokers. It seemed strange to find a place this sketchy in Millard, but if you are looking for a spot to go hide from your significant other for an afternoon, you'd be hard pressed to find anything more suitable."

The Nifty

★★★★☆ 4 (15) • $

"The Nifty is a nice, little neighborhood bar on the east end of Benson. You'll find day drinking regulars draining pitches of domestic beer by themselves or chatting with each other outside under in the covered smoking patio which is heated in the winter.On the inside, the Nifty is floor-to-ceiling beige wood paneling, giving a warm alternative to the gray busy streets and used car lots that surround the building. The TVs show sports, unless it's 4:30, then it's Jeopardy time.The drinks at the Nifty range from bottom of the barrel spirits to streamlined favorites to IPAs and top shelf Scotch. The bartender told us they rarely sell any of the top shelf stuff, but they like to stock it anyway (the Nifty shares the same owner as swank Old Market spot Havana Garage).The Nifty can maybe hold 30 people comfortably, but could squeeze in 50 or more on a busy night. The Nifty also hosts the occasional special event and concert. Get there for nice change of pace from Benson's Maple Street drag."

George's Tavern

★★★☆☆ 3 (4)

"Interesting dive bar! The bartender was really friendly. There is a nice selection of alcohol and beer. Also, they have a pool table, and a few gambling machines."

Pop's Place Bar

★★★★☆ 4 (6) • $

"came here Saturday night with a couple friends...fairly small on the inside, and a bit out of the way, but the bartender was very friendly and they served what I like...Prices seemed reasonable...Strikes me as very much a locals place, which can be a bit intimidating when first going...but if you live in the area and like a good, solid dive/locals bar, stop in..."

Report In Pub

★★★★☆ 4 (114) • $

"This place is a brunch classic! The food is hearty and comforting. They have a huge selection of drinks on tap and monthly specials. The brunch menu on the weekends is too good, the steak and eggs are the best in town. They season them perfectly and cooked expertly. It's a great place to watch Saturday/Sunday football games. There are plenty of servers walking around to grab their attention. The mimosas and bloody Mary's are one of a kind"