Well, it’s weird that I can’t find any online pics of this place since it’s both world famous and amazing in appearance. Maybe I can scan a pic of ours soon. I felt obliged to list this link anyway. I’ve always considered OYB to be a proponent of “local spirit” good eats. But we haven’t traveled much lately and I’ve neglected this aspect. Urban areas have their food well taken care of. In a way. Rural areas probably actually have the best food but they’re not part of common “eats” knowledge. Occasional roadfood celebrations will mention them, quirky listings, too, but otherwise they’re kinda left hung out to dry. Oh, their locals take care of them plenty good, we can hope. But a little outside help can’t hurt. Word deserves to spread.
The Stern’s “Roadfood.com” and Road Food books are great and have put us on to many great places. But they can only cover a few signature stand-outs. Their website could do more, but the last I checked they were still playing it close: a few standouts per state.
I would’ve been happier than a clam if anyone had taken up my call via the Local Spirit listings for each state to put up mentions of their favorite places. In the previous incarnation of the OYB Forums we had about 50 listings, which is pretty good. I thought this new set-up would race on past that. Instead, nada.
As a start for making up for that shortcoming, I’m putting up a couple eats listings today.
JOHNNY’S OF OMAHA FOR STEAK.
That’s all you have to know. If you’re driving through. Don’t. Stop. Go have a great steak the old fashioned way.
OK, it’s not like it used to be, but still.
We’re talking black leather upholstery, black lacquered tables, some red here and there and 70’s chandeliers. Dark and cool. Go there. Hang out.
It’s just a minute off I-80. You deserve the break. Right by the old stockyards. We heard lots of cows bellering as we walked from the parking lot. They said the stockyards aren’t there anymore, but that’s nuts. There were lots of cows around. Some yards must be there.
These folks even bottle some of their fave red wines in Methuselahs. They were even affordable. I’ve never seen a big bottle go cheap, but if you had a few couples at a table this is the way to go. Go big. Well, 3 liters anyway. Maybe that isn’t even a Methuselah. I like to think it is. OK, whups, it’s a Jeroboam. Still nice. I’ve never seen that at a restaurant before. I recall them being $75 each, but my memory is rusty.
I appreciated reading the captioned photos on the way to the men’s room about how steaks used to be made. Dry aged. At any proud steak house. It was the only way.
And did you know that the Ribeye is the most flavorful steak? It helps to know these things. I asked the meat girl at a local family meat store what her favorite cut was and she said Ribeye. They have the most fat. Marbled throughout. It’s where the flavor is. I took her at her word and she was right. You can risk it. Every now and then.
So stop at Johnny’s in Omaha and go for it and get a ribeye and a jeroboam and tell me about it. Post it up on our communal OYB forum, why not. Start a trend.
https://johnnyscafe.com/
