Diners' Choice: Best Overall restaurants in Lincoln

OpenTable

Updated April 05, 2025

Looking for the best overall restaurants in Lincoln? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Blue Sushi Sake Grill - Haymarket

4.8

4.8 (123)

$30 and under

Sushi

Lincoln

About the restaurant

Blue Sushi Sake Grill unites creative ingredients with energetic vibes, premium cold sake with happy moments to give you a fresh and fun new way to experience sushi. Our sushi and grill menus allow you to explore your sushi favorites in new and unexpected ways. We like to say that sushi is for sharing, and our menu encourages it. Order a spread of all your maki, nigiri and sashimi favs from the sushi bar, and throw in a few orders of starters from the grill. We'll stagger your plates so you can savor it all bite-by-bite, and maximize the sushi experience you've been craving all week. If you're not sure where to start, tour the menu during Happy Hour, where all our guest favorites — from our sushi, grill and drink menus — are available at an amazing value. We offer Happy Hour every day of the week at Blue Sushi Sake Grill!

Top review

KerryVIP

Dined on Apr 14, 2025

Food seemed a little off. Not exactly sure how to completely explain it, but it was happy hour and I wonder if the food maybe wasn't as fresh? Service and afmosphere still top notch, as usual.

Green Gateau

4.8

4.8 (809)

$30 and under

American

Lincoln

About the restaurant

The Green Gateau is an upper-scale neighborhood restaurant that has been in operation for over 25 years in the heart of downtown Lincoln. We have combined a European atmosphere with American contemporary cuisine to create a casual, yet refined feeling with delicious flavors.

Owners Eric and Cristi are proud to serve their award winning desserts, fresh seafood, and Nebraska Wagyu beef. This is just a fraction of the comprehensive menu that is sure to satisfy. We are also proud to source local and organic produce, dairy, meat, and wine.

The Green Gateau is a consistent winner of Lincoln's Choice 'Best Brunch', and offers brunch from 8-3 on both Saturday and Sunday.

The Green Gateau boasts one of the most comprehensive wine selections in Nebraska, and is annually voted a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence winner.

Top review

Leslie

Dined 2 days ago

This was the most delicious meal I have eaten at a restaurant in quite some time. Superb.

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4.8

4.8 (542)

$30 and under

Indian

Lincoln

About the restaurant

The first Oven Restaurant, located in the heart of downtown Lincoln, has been around since 1988 and owned/operated by a dedicated family of chefs who have been creating Indian cuisine for over twenty seven years. The Oven Restaurants specialize in Northern Indian Cuisine which is known for its rich colors, flavor profiles and a unique style of cooking in a clay oven, called the Tandoor. Chicken, shrimp and lamb marinate for several hours in a yogurt and spice mixture and placed on skewers while various breads are being hand made by our chefs fresh each day. The skewers and breads are then placed in the tandoor over an open flame where breads are cooked to perfection and the rich flavors are sealed in to ensure tenderness and quality of the meat. Whether you enjoy the historic Haymarket atmosphere to the relaxed vibe of the Cellar, we have what you want!

Top review

Lyndsie

Dined 3 days ago

Great food and service as always! Highly recommend!

The Oven - East

4.7

4.7 (271)

$30 and under

Indian

Lincoln

About the restaurant

The Oven Restaurants specialize in Northern Indian Cuisine which is known for its rich colors, flavor profiles and a unique style of cooking in a clay oven, called the Tandoor. Chicken, shrimp and lamb marinate for several hours in a yogurt and spice mixture and placed on skewers while various breads are being hand made by our chefs fresh each day. The skewers and breads are then placed in the tandoor over an open flame where breads are cooked to perfection and the rich flavors are sealed in to ensure tenderness and quality of the meat. Over the last several years, the Oven Restaurants has expanded to two other locations and added space to the lower level of the Haymarket location. Whether you enjoy the historic Haymarket atmosphere and relaxed vibe of the Cellar, the beautiful sunsets and outdoor patio of the Oven East, or you’re in Omaha for the night to try Himalayas, there are many ways to sample the cuisine of India!

Top review

Larry

Dined 7 days ago

This is a favorite every time we visit Lincoln. We’ve found that the “south” version is just as good as Haymarket with a brighter, more open feel. The food is excellent. The menu is isbig and diverse.We haven’t worked our way through yet. The mulligatawny soup alone is worth a visit. The garlic Nan is another delicious standout. We find the spice level is genetically mild and often ask for a little hotter.

Koen Japanese BBQ & Sushi

4.7

4.7 (324)

$30 and under

Japanese

Lincoln

About the restaurant

Welcome to KOEN, a unique Japanese BBQ and Sushi experience! Sharing a meal has always been a cultural cornerstone that brings people together from all walks of life. KOEN in Japanese simply means, “A gathering place” where creating lasting memories with family, friends, and loved ones is built right into your table, literally!

KOEN is the only restaurant in Lincoln, NE where you can enjoy authentic Japanese BBQ flavors pre-marinated and brought to you plated and ready to grill to your liking. Every guest becomes a world-class chef with personal smoke-less grills built right into each table. Specially designed ventilation systems pull smoke away and vent completely outside, so you can relax in a clean and healthy atmosphere. And if family style grilling isn’t your goal, come in and relax with an Asian inspired cocktail, partake in daily happy hour specials, or order fresh-made sushi for dine in or carry out. Online ordering is also available.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 2 days ago

Our waitress was not very attentive. We ordered a platter that was supposed to come with soup and cheesecake and she never brought the soup and we had to ask for our cheesecake. We also ordered jalapeño poppers, which she also forgot to bring, but remembered and they were delivered cold on the outside and lukewarm in the middle. Our bill was $135 before tax or tip, and the service did not meet my expectations for the amount of money we spent. The food quality was amazing though.

Piedmont Bistro by Venue

4.7

4.7 (1685)

$30 and under

Breakfast

Lincoln

About the restaurant

With amazing people, astonishing local food, and outstanding service, the Piedmont Bistro by Venue is the neighborhood favorite you can trust and love. Serving everything from breakfast and brunch to lunch and dinner, step inside our welcoming dining room or join us in our full service bar for a genuine neighborhood experience.

Top review

Joe

Dined 2 days ago

We really enjoy coming here when we are in Lincoln. The food and the service has always been excellent.

Venue Restaurant & Lounge

4.7

4.7 (2126)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Lincoln

About the restaurant

Venue Restaurant & Lounge is a full-service restaurant in Lincoln, NE. We specialize in affordable quick-service lunches while presenting a fine dining chef-inspired dinner service. Join us and our Executive Chef Geoff Wendland for Lincoln's best steaks, delicious seafood, fresh salads, appetizers, pizzas and more. With desserts prepared by our Pastry Chef Linda Erhart and steaks hand-cut in-house by our butcher Jesse Laney. We also offer Catering and Event Services with a large variety of delicious items for any event from an intimate wedding reception to a glamorous business dinner. We have your event venue covered with our selection of 5 private dining rooms, as well as two downtown ballrooms with the Jasmine Room and the Scottish Rite Ballroom.

Top review

Nancy

Dined 5 days ago

Exceptional lunch! The chicken salad sandwich, seafood bisque, and salad combo was delicious! Our server Sam was friendly and provided great service. We’ll be back often.

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4.7

4.7 (459)

$30 and under

Sushi

Lincoln

About the restaurant

Hiro 88 is an up-scale Pan-Asian restaurant on Lincoln's new Canopy Street in the Hay Market. Serving some of Lincoln's best sushi along with award winning Chinese food we have something for everyone's palate. We offer an extensive selection of sake, wine, beer and liquor. We can accommodate up to 25 guests in our private room and have experience with events ranging from rehearsal dinners to pharmaceutical presentations. In addition to our dining room and lounge we also have two large patios. Both Patios have full dinner and drink service.

Top review

LisaS

Dined on Mar 16, 2025

Delicious sushi! Asian Short Ribs appetizer was sooooo good! Melt in your mouth tender and flavorful. Spider Roll and West Coast are our 2 favorite sushi rolls

Blue Orchid Thai

4.5

4.5 (221)

$30 and under

Thai

Lincoln

About the restaurant

High-ceilinged establishment with a patio & cocktails serving classic eats & vegetarian options.

Top review

Carol

Dined on Apr 19, 2025

Mostly good. Wish there had been notice of the very limited parking ( about 4 spaces behind). It’s much easier to find street parking than to negotiate that narrow space that empties into the one-way maze that is downtown LNK. Menu item “3/4 lb Alaskan King Crab with fried rice “ disappointed: crabmeat was minced and buried within the mammoth mound of fried rice. Hard to imagine it was 3/4 lbs. Other entrees were excellent; for most people just an appetizer would be enough.

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