Diners' Choice: Neighborhood gem restaurants in Lincoln

OpenTable

Updated April 05, 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are the best neighborhood gems 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!

Venue Restaurant & Lounge

4.7

4.7 (2121)

$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

John

Dined 3 days ago

The service was excellent and the food tasty and appealing, even at the busiest time of the evening.

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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

Kathi

Dined on Mar 29, 2025

The Oven rarely disappoints and our visit this time was a good one. Food was delicious and came out in a timely manner after ordering. Tables are packed together fairly tightly and the noise level made it hard to hear at times. But our server was attentive and quick to respond to any requests.

Green Gateau

4.7

4.7 (794)

$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

Larry

Dined 1 day ago

We were seated in a secluded area where it was quiet and we could visit. Our wait person, Payton, was excellent and made us feel welcome. The food was amazing: Brie en croute appetizer, trout and shrimp special was delicious, followed by a new dessert, tiramisu cheesecake which was the best. All in all, a perfect dining experience which I highly recommend.

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Piedmont Bistro by Venue

4.7

4.7 (1680)

$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

Mitch

Dined 7 days ago

This is a great place to try for a lunch or brunch!! Dining room is bright, service was well done and food was excellent.

JTK Cuisine & Cocktails

4.6

4.6 (705)

$31 to $50

Contemporary French / American

Lincoln

About the restaurant

JTK is an upscale restaurant located in the Historic Haymarket where we strive to be a truly unique restaurant for the City of Lincoln. Our goal is to provide our guests the ultimate dining experience through exceptional food, superior service and an award winning wine list.

Top review

Eric

Dined on Apr 5, 2025

JTK has great food and drinks, and very good service. The decor is nice, but it seems too bright. The ambiance could use something…maybe darken the room and add candles to the tables?

Florio's Italian Steakhouse & Lounge

4.6

4.6 (168)

$30 and under

Italian

Lincoln

About the restaurant

We have your favorite Italian dishes cooked to order with fresh ingredients paired with a great selection of imported Italian wines to be enjoyed in a comfortable relaxing atmosphere with the people that care about you. A meal everyone will remember!

Top review

Betsy

Dined on Apr 2, 2025

It was very busy and it took a very long time to get through the entire wine tasting. Our waitress was great and very sweet, but may help to cycle through the wines a bit more quickly.

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Experience

Aprils 3rd Wine Tasting

Experience

August 7th Wine Tasting

Experience

December 4th Wine Tasting

Single Barrel

4.4

4.4 (561)

$31 to $50

Steakhouse

Lincoln

About the restaurant

The Single Barrel: A Nebraska Steakhouse and Bourbon Bar!

The Single Barrel is now located inside Graduate Hotel in Downtown Lincoln Nebraska! Same great Steaks and Bourbon as before...just a block West of our "old" location! Now serving a breakfast buffet 7 days a week!

The Single Barrel Bourbon Bar, honored by the Bourbon Review as one of the 100 Best Bourbon Bars in America, offers over 100 different bourbons and whiskies from around the world. We also serve expertly crafted classic cocktails and all of your favorite Nebraska brews!

We have plenty of space to accommodate large events, from receptions to company parties. For more information on bookings and events, email inquiries to info@thesinglebarrel.com or visit thesinglebarrel.com for information about upcoming events.

Top review

Rebecca

Dined 3 days ago

Josh was amazing and very attentive. The food was great, and when we asked for the bill, it was delivered on the spot.

Granite City Food & Brewery - Lincoln

4.4

4.4 (532)

$30 and under

American

Lincoln

About the restaurant

With its warm, inviting, and modern design, Granite City Food & Brewery’s expansive interior features a spacious and comfortable dining room, four-sided modern, full-service bar, as well as an outdoor patio. The on-site brewery, with award-winning hand-crafted micro-brews, is visible from the main dining and bar areas. The restaurant also showcases an open kitchen featuring chef developed, handcrafted made-from-scratch cuisine, including innovative signature entrees, flatbreads and more.

Granite City Food & Brewery’s signature brews, which are made on-site, include The Duke (Pale Ale), The Bennie (Bock), The Northern (American Style Light Lager) and The Stout. Seasonal brews are featured throughout the year.

Happy Hour is offered Monday-Friday, 3-6pm & 9-close.

Top review

Jeff

Dined on Apr 4, 2025

Great food at a fair price. Excellent service by Gresham.

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Experience

Mother's Day Brunch Buffet

HopCat - Lincoln, NE

4.2

4.2 (47)

$30 and under

American

Lincoln

About the restaurant

Our first foray into Nebraska is located near the Pinnacle Bank Arena in West Haymarket. We're not a sports bar, but we love sports. Want to watch the game? We've got you covered with 52-inch TVs viewable from most seats. Don't want to watch the game? That's cool too. We keep our music on (almost) all the time. Husker games are the big exception to that rule.

HopCat was founded on the principles of bringing local craft beer a bit closer to the communities we love. We’re known for our award-wining Cosmik fries, which are beer battered, sprinkled with our signature cracked black pepper seasoning, and served with a side of warm cheese sauce. From burgers to tacos, our menu offers a range of delicious options.

We live the craft lifestyle - beer, cocktails and even craft food made from scratch. With a dedication to local breweries, sustainability and community engagement, HopCat offers craft beer and great food in a vibrant atmosphere for an inclusive, unforgettable

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on Mar 9, 2025

Our Server LEVI did an EXCELLENT job once our Reservation Seating was made. She made great Menu Selections & provided great Follow-up with Drinks/Condiments & Billing. Give this Star Sunday Morning Employee a 💰Raise 😎😎

Zipline Tap and Grill

4.2

4.2 (67)

$30 and under

American

Lincoln

About the restaurant

Now Open in Fallbrook! Lunch, Dinner, Bar and Lounge.

Top review

Johanna

Dined on Mar 2, 2025

Very good experience. New management is doing a great job.