The Omaha Lounge

I want to love this place. I do adore the idea and I will continue to support them. However it can use some work, the TVs and keno allow extra entertainment but take away from the music. The bartender was outstanding, fair prices. I’d prefer slightly craftier drinks, I felt a modern new twist on cocktails would have provided that extra boost it needs. Smoked whiskey, muddled fruits, etc, etc. I’d prefer a little more funkier but maybe Saturday was the wrong night for that. It was cool smooth jazz, I wasn’t crazy about the prerecorded background keyboards. I felt the two could have succeed on their own. Will return

A few years ago the Barker Building (1886, rebuilt 1929) on 15^th & Farnam was renovated into Apartments with ground floor retail and also gained historical status. One bay needed to be made historically accurate and the bay occupied by the Lounge, which used to be a shoe store, was chosen by the architects for this purpose. The tiles in the outdoor foyer give evidence of its history as does the second floor shoe shelves which now house their wines.
My first visit here was for the 2015 New Years Evening Celebration featuring the T, J, & T Trio. Our party arrived a little early, so we got to talk with the owner David, and hear of his venture of trying to find a bar venue for local music which finally led to this bay. There is no ‘stage’ but a section near the entrance large enough for a piano and accompaniment. There are maybe 50 spacious armchairs (I could put both my arms up and not even come close to the next person’s arms…) in twos or fours, and the bar could hold maybe 20 more patrons.
Now, I am a beer snob, but they had a nice selection of wines and martini and margarita craft cocktails. They had a very limited assortment I’d craft beers, so my first beer was a Deschutes Black Butte Porter. Again I say, I am a beer snob and like my Porters at room temperature, and mine came totally chilled, and even waiting 30 minutes for it to gain temperature flavor, it never made it. I know non beer snobs think the colder the beer the better, but even wine snobs know that temperature matters… They do not serve bar food (we did get a bowl of chex mix, which took forever to get refilled) but I did see a couple tables down get delivery from next door Pickleman’s.
I hope to return on a normal night to see what the ambience is like and experience their music venue the way they created it.

Great for a date night or afterwork dirnk The Omaha Lounge offers live jazz and blues music 7 days a week.
Quality craft cocktails, all named after Omaha things. Don’t shy away from their HH well drinks either. You’ll get a quality whiskey sour filled with Beam not Barton’s.
Interior reminds me of a scaled back Jazz Louisiana Kitchen (fitting since they are across the street from each other).
They don’t serve food there but allow you to order in from local places like 801 and Pickleman’s. Wish that option extended to Jazz, the most logical companion to a jazz and blues lounge.

A lovely, quaint, low-​lit jazz club reminiscent of yesteryear… minus the smoke :) My husband and I enjoyed several domestic beers at the happy hour price of $ 2.75, and thoroughly enjoyed the background music and Shannon, our lovely bartender. I highly recommend this place if you want a beer or cocktail and good conversation.

wow… A great, comfy, intimate lounge with great music. I bought a pizza from next door and had a drink with friends. Highly recommend it if you’re looking for a place to kick back and enjoy.

My husband travels for work and loves live music. Since he will be in and out of Omaha for the next 2 to 3 years, we were hoping that this could be his live music fix… but we will definitely not be returning to this place. We went on a Wednesday night and the place was less than half full, yet we sat at the bar where only 1 other couple was and 20 minutes later we had still yet to be acknowledged by the bartender or the bar manager. So we left. Yes we could have loudly demanded service, but my husband works too hard for his money to beg someone to take it. We simply won’t recommend this place to his co-​workers and won’t be back. There are other live music places in the area.

A Swanky lounge reminiscent of an old dusty bookstore invites you to have drinks and socialize while swooning to live music. Unfortunately on this past visit, the music started a bit behind schedule and I had to run… so no music for me :(. There is a lot of seating here and all the chairs boost a cushy armchair style, which is great if you just want to kick back and relax. It’s a nice place for uninterrupted conversation and thankfully lacking boisterous patrons.
My Moscow mules were good, better than I have had in other parts of town. The ginger beer was actually gingery and it tasted carbonated, not flat. The mint taste was subtle but present. So thumbs up on the drinks. I was not feeling adventurous this evening so that’s all I tried, but I heard from my friend the old fashioned was good too. Service was attentive without being annoying, and the gentleman serving us was very polite. There are a few liquors not available there, my other friend wanted a Pimm’s cup and they did not have any Pimms there. Drinks run $ 8-​$ 10.
I’d definitely give this another shot and come when there is music playing.

Great place for after work drinks and to listen to some good jazz. Great Bartenders who know their cocktails and very cozy surroundings.

A low key, modern-​yet-​swanky lounge in downtown Omaha featuring craft cocktails and live music seven nights a week.
Housed in an old shoe store, the Omaha Lounge takes queues from the past by using rows of old shoe racks for wine storage. That’s just cool. But beyond the nod to the past, the furniture and vibe is contemporary, with comfortable chairs offering a place to rest and hide away from the world.
I love how they have live jazz or blues seven nights a week. I would, however, like to see a monthly schedule of who’s playing on a particular night (maybe they have this now, but I didn’t see anything inside or on the web that wasn’t more than a day or two out).
I ordered an old fashioned, naturally, and the wife had a bloody mary. My Old Fashioned was good, especially since I opted to swap the house bourbon (Beam white label) for some Templeton Rye. No complaints on the bloody mary. Prices are up there, so expect to pay around $ 10 a drink with tip.
If you need a place downtown to relax, sip on a drink and listen to some music, this is your spot.

Warm and inviting. Good selection of drinks and beer. Smooth music and a comfortable vibe. Similar to a Jackson St Tavern and Wilson and Washburn love child

A wonderful place to end the day after a long week.
I would write more, but am too busy just enjoying it.

Love this place! Jazz piano on Sunday evenings with Ray Williams, and our Meet Up group have made it a regular weekly event.
Housed in the old Buck’s Shoes, the spot had been empty for years, the new owners have used the space beautifully. Lighting is just enough, service was timely.
I had a perfectly mixed martini, along with blue cheese-​stuffed olives — nice touch!
You can have food delivered from a couple area restaurants, too. What a great discovery!