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The Oven - Downtown, Lincoln, NE

The Oven - Downtown

4.9 (546)
$30 and under
Indian
201 N. 8th St., Lincoln, NE 68508

Make a reservation

2 people
8:30 PM
Booked 16 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Vegetarian-friendly
  • Good for groups
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!

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Indian, Wine Bar, Asian
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch: Monday - Saturday: 11:30am - 2:00pm Dinner: Sunday - Thursday: 5:30pm - 9:30pm, Friday & Saturday: 5:30pm - 10:30pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Ngawang Rinchen
  • Neighborhood
    Lincoln
  • Cross street
    P Street
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Wine

What 546 people are saying

The Oven - Downtown reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.9
4.9 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.7Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Nebraska

    Best Ambiance

  • Nebraska

    Best Value

  • Nebraska

    Healthy

  • Lincoln

    Best Overall

  • Lincoln

    Best Food

  • Lincoln

    Best Service

  • Lincoln

    Best Ambiance

  • Lincoln

    Best Value

  • Lincoln

    Good for groups

  • Lincoln

    Healthy

  • Lincoln

    Great for fine wines

  • Lincoln

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Oven - Downtown consistently delights with "amazing meals," "great food and service," and a notable "wine list." While occasional wait times can occur, patrons appreciate the "wonderful atmosphere" and "attentive staff." Frequent diners highlight the restaurant as a "favorite place" for special occasions, underscoring its reliable culinary excellence.
546 Reviews
  1. Jennifer VIP

    Chicago / Illinois13 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great cocktails, food, and service. What more could you ask for. The thali was a great choice in order to try different dishes. This would be a great location for a group as well so you can try more food!

    Is this helpful?

  2. Kristi

    Nebraska2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our waiter was great. Very helpful and attentive to our needs. Excellent service and food!

    Is this helpful?

  3. tony VIP

    Detroit / Eastern Michigan12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 28, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always an amazing meal. Service was great and the wine list is awesome

    Is this helpful?

  4. JEFF

    Nebraska1 review

    4.0

    Dined on May 17, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Great service food is wonderful. The Celler was loud we could not hear each other. Outside would have been better.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Aidan

    Nebraska1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 1, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our server was super nice and the food was super good. We ate outside, so it was a little noisy, but still comfortable. I’d definitely recommend their spinach dip, it is the best I’ve ever had.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Lyndsie

    Nebraska5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 24, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and service as always! Highly recommend!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Kristin VIP

    Nebraska15 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 5, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We love The Oven! Always great drinks, great food and great service and conversation with the bartender! (If I tried to spell his name, I wouldn’t get it right) He is so knowledgeable and friendly and always remembers our drink orders!

    Is this helpful?

  8. Karen

    Nebraska2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 5, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a great server and delicious food... there were so many of us who had gone to The Oven for dinner before seeing Parsons Dance at the Lied Center!!!

    Is this helpful?

  9. Viveca

    Atlanta2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always quality food and great service. The Lamb Korma and Mulligatawny is delicious!

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  10. Isabel

    Nebraska2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 29, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The Oven is always one of my favorite places in the Haymarket! The service was amazing especially considering how busy the dinner rush was. The only down part of the evening is our Lamb Madrases had barely any lamb and was mostly potatoes. However, our waitress and the kitchen staff handled it immediately and brought out another dish to correct it. It was deeply appreciated, 10/10

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Oven - Downtown is rated 4.9 stars by 546 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Nebraska
  4. Lincoln
  5. Lincoln

Make a reservation

2 people
8:30 PM
Booked 16 times today
Google Map for The Oven - Downtown

201 N. 8th St., Lincoln, NE 68508

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    P Street
  • Neighborhood
    Lincoln
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch: Monday - Saturday: 11:30am - 2:00pm Dinner: Sunday - Thursday: 5:30pm - 9:30pm, Friday & Saturday: 5:30pm - 10:30pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Indian, Wine Bar, Asian
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Ngawang Rinchen
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Wine
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