Re: UNO '13-'14 Season Thread: Barnstorming Through a New League and Raising a New Ba
I'll be going to Omaha for hockey when UMD visits in January. My buddy will be booking a room soon and what places would one suggest that are within walking distance of the arena? We don't mind a bit of a hike to save a little dough.
What places have good food? and what bars are a must drink at before and after the games on each night? Obviously I'm asking for places that are within that downtown area that are within walking distance of the rink.
The arena is contiguous with the Hilton and connected via skywalk. There are 4 other hotels along Cuming Street (could a town with a street with
that name be all bad?) to the North of the arena that are reasonable walking distance, a Fairfield, a Holiday Inn, a Homewood suites and a Hampton Inn. I don't know anything about room costs here but I bet the Hilton isn't a LOT more expensive than any of these. There are other hotels in the Old Market to the south of the arena as well, among them, the Embassy Suites.
Bars in the area I know are frequented by UNO fans before the game are Blatt, D.J.'s Dugout (local chain), Goodnights, Union Pizza and Sports Bar, and the Old Mattress Factory. All are walking distance and in sight of the arena. After the game, I can't really say. I live so far from the arena (in the Omaha suburb of Papillion) that we don't hang out after games downtown as we are looking at a 25 minute drive home.
FYI, the bars can stay open until 2:00 in Omaha. Not all do, though.
Goodnights serves pizza, only, and my wife and I honestly feel that it is easily among the best pizza in the city and we go there the most just because of that fact. I think I've mentioned before to you that my wife is chef, is a graduate of Johnson & Wales culinary school, and was the director of a culinary school herself, so, our food tastes are probably a bit different than most. The other places are bar food places. At Union, the pizza there is very, very average. Blatt serves very upscale bar food and my wife is a friend of the chef there so that's another place to consider. We won't even bother with the Mattress Factory. The food is crummy, we think. It's worth noting that North Dakota fans rented the place out for the outdoor game weekend here this past February. My wife and I laughed about that one since the food isn't very good. We figured their standards aren't every high. Then, they were all so drunk the whole weekend, we figured they probably didn't notice. The Blue Line Club has events at D.J.'s fairly regularly, but, again, my wife and I think the food there sucks. I have never even set foot in this particular D.J.'s location.
Union is located in the lobby of the Holiday Inn and they run a free shuttle to UNO games. If the weather is really cold, we go there just for that reason. And, it beats 8 bucks to park at the arena in their lots. Peripherally, you can find places that charge 5 bucks and freebie on-street parking is not at all impossible to find, either, particularly if you arrive fairly early.
Another thing to consider is the Midtown Crossing area as far as eating is concerned. Don't know about lodging around there. They run freebie shuttles to UNO games from there as well. This is a couple miles west of downtown, though. The restaurant quality and selection there blows away anything in close proximity to the arena, though. We sometimes eat there at Cantina Laredo and take Midtown's game shuttle.
http://www.midtowncrossing.com/
Last I'd mention is something new. Rick's Boatyard & Cafe, which is between the arena and the river immediately behind (east) of the arena has been reopened under new name and management in the past two weeks as Storz Trophy Room Grill & Brewery. The city actually owns this facility. This is where we are going for at least one of the UMD games, which are the next home games on UNO's schedule. Storz was an Omaha/Midwest beer brand back in the day. Storz is to Omaha as Fitger's is to Duluth:
http://www.omaha.com/article/20131115/GO/131119119#.UpYYqieJ4lQ
My guess is that because it's new, people will gravitate there, at least, for awhile.
But, I don't think you're going to find a place or atmosphere here that rivals that of the Curling Club, for example, in Duluth. If that kind of "hockey atmosphere" exists at any eatery or bar in that area I have yet to see it. You'll see a a fair number of UNO jerseys in any of the places mentioned, pregame, but it is nothing like the sea-of-maroon-and-gold-beer-drinking-crowd that greets one at similar places up there.
You'll find very happening places in the Old Market, post game, but, it isn't going to be because of the hockey crowd. And, there are too many down there to even name them all. They are so close, you can just walk from place to place.
