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1922 chophouse with a throwback feel highlighting Midwest beef, including steaks aged on-site.
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Reviews — 8
Another Fun Dinner at Johnny’s from the Wine People
This visit was on a Tuesday and as always the food was great and the wine was fun.
This particular night, the four of us had rather different meals. One had a sea food dish that was not only very good but unusual for Omaha’s famous steak house. One stayed with a very enjoyable stake instead of her old standard …. Prime Rib. Two of us had one of my favorites, which is the Delta Catfish. I had the soup for an appetizer while the others all stuck with the salads. As always the chef’s soup was great. Two saved room for ice cream with chocolate sauce but I was way beyond full. The waitress was very attentive as was the rest of the staff.
Wine lovers love Johnny’s. Two nights a week they have Wine Specials; one allowing free corkage and the other 1/2 priced wine all night. That is not to mention twice a month Johnny’s has Wine Tastings that are not only fun but educational. On top of all this Johnny’s has a nice Wine List ranging from exquisite to affordable.
As for the last few decades, we will be back soon.
This visit was on a Tuesday and as always the food was great and the wine was fun.
This particular night, the four of us had rather different meals. One had a sea food dish that was not only very good but unusual for Omaha’s famous steak house. One stayed with a very enjoyable stake instead of her old standard …. Prime Rib. Two of us had one of my favorites, which is the Delta Catfish. I had the soup for an appetizer while the others all stuck with the salads. As always the chef’s soup was great. Two saved room for ice cream with chocolate sauce but I was way beyond full. The waitress was very attentive as was the rest of the staff.
Wine lovers love Johnny’s. Two nights a week they have Wine Specials; one allowing free corkage and the other 1/2 priced wine all night. That is not to mention twice a month Johnny’s has Wine Tastings that are not only fun but educational. On top of all this Johnny’s has a nice Wine List ranging from exquisite to affordable.
As for the last few decades, we will be back soon.
Feels like the owners have given up.
This was a first visit for both my wife and I. We're both in our 40's and walking in made us very nostalgic of childhood "fancy" steakhouses. It was very clean and a wonderful, slightly dark moody atmosphere for a friday dinner date. We were very excited as we sat down to enjoy one of Omaha's oldest steakhouses.
Unfortunately, our titillation was short lived. Other than our wonderful server, the experience was lackluster at best. The most edible element was the french onion soup. It was a bit sweet for my taste, but overall pretty good. My wife's salad was drowning in dressing that tasted..ok. Then the main courses arrived. Ribeye with "cowboy" mashed potatoes and petite filet with steamed veggies. Originally from Texas, steak is a staple at home and out. I do not think I have ever encountered a worse piece of meat anywhere. The "filet" was fatty and stringy, making it difficult to cut. The ribeye looked and chewed like leather. Neither had any hint of seasoning, and I could not muster enough strength to chew more than 2 bites. I even paid extra to get some of the "cowboy butter"(billed as butter with bacon, jalepeño, and blue cheese), but even that had only the slightest hint of bacon and no cheese or jalepeño. My potatoes had the texture/flavor of instant, the tiniest bit of the "cowboy" butter made no difference on the palate. My wife's steamed veggies seemed to have come directly from a microwave steamer bag, with just as much flavor.
I think the worst/most interesting part was the response when I mentioned my steak was inedible. Our server offered to replace it, and encouraged the prime rib because it would be "faster." I lost all trust, so I opted not to accept a replacement and it was removed from our bill. The notable part was that the server did not seem surprised nor concerned by my displeasure. When no manager/owner came by to verify/apologize, I arrived at the conclusion stated first in this review. I can't imagine how any manager/owner with any level of passion could sit idly by and serve food at such a shockingly low standard. It is very sad to see a place with such great history, nostalgia, and potential to be wasted.
On a side note, as we arrived there was someone feeding stray cats on the sidewalk leading to the building. We could smell the wet cat food walking into the restaurant. Probably should have given us pause, or perhaps a bit of warning. 🤷
This was a first visit for both my wife and I. We're both in our 40's and walking in made us very nostalgic of childhood "fancy" steakhouses. It was very clean and a wonderful, slightly dark moody atmosphere for a friday dinner date. We were very excited as we sat down to enjoy one of Omaha's oldest steakhouses.
Unfortunately, our titillation was short lived. Other than our wonderful server, the experience was lackluster at best. The most edible element was the french onion soup. It was a bit sweet for my taste, but overall pretty good. My wife's salad was drowning in dressing that tasted..ok. Then the main courses arrived. Ribeye with "cowboy" mashed potatoes and petite filet with steamed veggies. Originally from Texas, steak is a staple at home and out. I do not think I have ever encountered a worse piece of meat anywhere. The "filet" was fatty and stringy, making it difficult to cut. The ribeye looked and chewed like leather. Neither had any hint of seasoning, and I could not muster enough strength to chew more than 2 bites. I even paid extra to get some of the "cowboy butter"(billed as butter with bacon, jalepeño, and blue cheese), but even that had only the slightest hint of bacon and no cheese or jalepeño. My potatoes had the texture/flavor of instant, the tiniest bit of the "cowboy" butter made no difference on the palate. My wife's steamed veggies seemed to have come directly from a microwave steamer bag, with just as much flavor.
I think the worst/most interesting part was the response when I mentioned my steak was inedible. Our server offered to replace it, and encouraged the prime rib because it would be "faster." I lost all trust, so I opted not to accept a replacement and it was removed from our bill. The notable part was that the server did not seem surprised nor concerned by my displeasure. When no manager/owner came by to verify/apologize, I arrived at the conclusion stated first in this review. I can't imagine how any manager/owner with any level of passion could sit idly by and serve food at such a shockingly low standard. It is very sad to see a place with such great history, nostalgia, and potential to be wasted.
On a side note, as we arrived there was someone feeding stray cats on the sidewalk leading to the building. We could smell the wet cat food walking into the restaurant. Probably should have given us pause, or perhaps a bit of warning. 🤷
Husband and I had dinner last night. We were seated right away, which was nice on a Friday night. My husband inquired about having his porterhouse blackened, waitress said no problem. I ordered the 11oz prime rib. When we were served, we were both very underwhelmed. My husband inquired if his was actually blackened, and waitress said I think so?? My prime rib was the most hideous cut I have ever seen. Absolutely no flavor, I even tried dipping in the mushroom gravy, but just no flavor to anything. My loaded baked potato was a small potato with a black rotten spot, and some bacon and way over cooked cheese. My husband liked his hash browns. We eat beef out all the time, but what we received was mediocre at best. Much better options available to drop over $100 on dinner.
My server Susie was great. But the food was gross. I ordered the luncheon steak and there was this weird gravy. I guess it was supposed to be a red wine reduction? Well there were mushrooms in it that were pungent , and tasted weird. That sauce was too much in volume and bitter flavor. It would have been better with plain meat , grilled and A1 sauce. Anything better than that weird burgundy color gravy.
Also the meat, rubbery, like there was too much tenderizer on it. I ordered medium rare, with emphasis on more rare than medium, and it was very medium. Blah. It was just heated up meat. It was a lean cut , which would have been better not cooked as long. High heat char on the outside is better. Then it came with powder mash potatoes that had a different gravy on it. They were inedible.
The house salad was fresh lettuce. The house dressing was great. I had pumpkin creme brulee which was mid. Tasted good but I'm tired of typing out this review.
This place made me think of Gordon Ramsay kitchen nightmares the entire time.
Also the meat, rubbery, like there was too much tenderizer on it. I ordered medium rare, with emphasis on more rare than medium, and it was very medium. Blah. It was just heated up meat. It was a lean cut , which would have been better not cooked as long. High heat char on the outside is better. Then it came with powder mash potatoes that had a different gravy on it. They were inedible.
The house salad was fresh lettuce. The house dressing was great. I had pumpkin creme brulee which was mid. Tasted good but I'm tired of typing out this review.
This place made me think of Gordon Ramsay kitchen nightmares the entire time.
EXPERIENCE OVERALL
Went here on our last night in Omaha and we will definitely visit again some time in the future! The atmosphere was amazing, straight out of the 70s! The restaurant itself is over 101 years old and started by the current owners grandfather, so you know they must be doing something right.
FOOD
The food was good overall. I loved my French onion soup that came with my steak and they have good rolls with butter they serve to the table. They also have good kid options for dinner. I will say the only reason I couldn't give them 5 stars was the actual steak itself! Very surprising I know. 😮 So my wife and I both order the Omaha Strip Steak cooked medium. Both steaks came out very rare in the middle (not just some blood, but purple and squishy), that is not what we call medium in Oklahoma. We both sent the steaks back and they both came back still under cooked. I believe they just judge the "degree of doneness" differently due to their long history, with the stockyards being literally out the back of the restaurant and going for miles back in the early 1900s. All that being said, I believe they are the pros and I will try a steak less done than I am used to next time and I can't wait to go again. 😊
Went here on our last night in Omaha and we will definitely visit again some time in the future! The atmosphere was amazing, straight out of the 70s! The restaurant itself is over 101 years old and started by the current owners grandfather, so you know they must be doing something right.
FOOD
The food was good overall. I loved my French onion soup that came with my steak and they have good rolls with butter they serve to the table. They also have good kid options for dinner. I will say the only reason I couldn't give them 5 stars was the actual steak itself! Very surprising I know. 😮 So my wife and I both order the Omaha Strip Steak cooked medium. Both steaks came out very rare in the middle (not just some blood, but purple and squishy), that is not what we call medium in Oklahoma. We both sent the steaks back and they both came back still under cooked. I believe they just judge the "degree of doneness" differently due to their long history, with the stockyards being literally out the back of the restaurant and going for miles back in the early 1900s. All that being said, I believe they are the pros and I will try a steak less done than I am used to next time and I can't wait to go again. 😊
Bread was fabulous. Salad was awesome and the 9oz FIlet Mignon was so tender and nice . The waitress Ivy was also very polite and very nice.
First off, my family has been coming to Johnnys since 1972 - and long before that when I was a little girl. On this visit I give Johnny’s a 3 based only on the delicious cottage cheese appetizer and pleasant wait staff. Otherwise it would be a 1 for flavor and overall taste. I ordered the 6oz fillet cooked medium, which was overcooked and without flavor. It was barely 3/4” thick. It was more like a piece of sirloin. The vegetable side of broccoli, cauliflower and carrot was frozen and unflavored. Our waitress was very apologetic and comped my meal which was appreciated. The mushroom gravy was lumpy and pretty much disgusting. My husband had the fried shrimp - which was so-so It would be nice if it was butterflied. We were offered a complimentary dessert, but honestly after the tasteless meal, no thank you.
