O Dining & Lounge

This place is closed unfortunately. Next door is an awesome sushi place though called matsu though

I love this place and regularly eat here. Every single time I have had a great experience except for today, I am sad to say. I understand that there is an event going on in the city but I have never ever been turned away from a restaurant until today! I understand we had no reservation, but when my husband and I asked if we could get the meals to go they still said no. I still give this place 5 stars because good food and service is always offered but after not being able to eat for a few days and craving food from here to get turned down… I’m just really disappointed in today’s experience.

This was my first time in Omaha, and I’m very food particular when I’m in new surroundings. I had never had «Asian Fusion» cuisine, and this was close to the hotel. It was kind of late for dinner, so walking in, it was quiet.
The atmosphere and staff were very welcoming, and the place was nicely decorated in my opinion. Not too busy looking, but not so modern that it felt cold.
I was curious about a dish that had potato noodles. The server described it perfectly, and helped me decide on a wine to go with it. I’m one of those annoying people that ask a lot of questions, and he graciously answered them all. Hands down, the most delicious Asian-​type meal I’ve had as of yet. Every single bite was as good as the first one! My boyfriend was happy with what he had, but tasted mine and was a little envious (I tasted his and loved it, but mine won that night). My only complaint is that it wasn’t a bigger portion. The spring rolls we had as an appetizer were the best I’ve had. So fresh and flavorful that I’d have been satisfied if that was the best part of the meal. That being said…
GET THE POTATO NOODLE DISH! You’ll not be sorry. Also, for such beautifully presented food that had a high-​end feel to it, it wasn’t too pricey.
I’d make the two hour drive again just for another meal like that.

I was in Omaha last week for a conference and was lucky enough to stay next to Old Town Omaha. Many excellent choice for dining and cocktails, but one stood out among the rest. I went to O’s expecting the usual tasteless Asian Fusion Cuisine, but was pleasantly surprised. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable and the food was the real deal. Drew the bartender knew the menu from top to bottom and was able to craft a custom cocktail for me based on my request. Highly recommended for anyone looking for great Asian food in Omaha.

Thank goodness for this place. We were exhausted after a full day of Nebraska football, tail gating and traveling back from Lincoln. We found O Dining & Lounge on Unilocal and it was only a block from the Hilton Garden Inn where we were staying. We had great food (at an extremely reasonable price), excellent service and a well priced bottle of wine. It is a beautiful restaurant with a chill vibe. I highly recommend the lemon-​grass chicken prepared spicy. Delicious!

So, maybe a 3.5?
I went on a weekday evening for dinner.
It’s downtown, on one of those funky one way streets with kind of annoying parking, so be warned.
It seemed really empty in there. I think there were like three groups there – two couples and maybe one family. That made me a bit nervous – hadn’t read the reviews beforehand and was worried I had picked a real dud. What’s up with this place? Why don’t people like it?
Staff was friendly enough. And the place seemed clean. Decorations were okay, not great, but not old and dirty. Nothing really memorable about it.
Service was pretty quick – it was pretty empty, so that wasn’t too hard to do. We got the appetizers and food
Food was decent; it’s got sort of a Pan-​Asian theme. For the appetizer, we had the tofu lettuce wraps. They were pretty tasty, even without the sauces they offered. The appetizer was actually pretty good size for the price. I feel like we got a lot. So, that’s nice.
My dining partner had the pork busan. Got a «it’s pretty good» vote. I don’t eat a lot of pork, so I didn’t try it.
I love curry, so I had the chicken curry noodles. Pretty good mix of veggies and meat; although I almost wish the curry was a little spicier. It seemed toned down. Like maybe a 3? But, the portion size was pretty good – I ended up with leftovers.
So, the star or so gets deducted for needing more spice in the food and the kind of dull atmosphere (due to the emptiness).
On a side note, the music was pretty good – Death Cab for Cutie, the XX, and all of my indie favorites. So, thumbs up there.
Will go back and try something else, but maybe I’ll just get takeout and eat at home.

One I got past the front door, i was pleasantly surprised. Good service, updated dining room, trendy loft-​like feel great spring rolls. I had the pad thai (good but I was playing it safe). Nice lunch menu.

My friend and I were in need of some serious hangover cures on Sunday after a ridiculous party were we drank like we were still in our 20’s. I was really looking for some kind of kimchi ramen or a spicy seafood noodle soup. Nothing was open for lunch on Sunday so we waited until 3 for O. We were the only people in there but the host was nice and made small talk with us. Since my friend was visiting from LA I ordered the crab rangoon because she had never had one before. They were pretty standard. We both ordered the spicy seafood noodle soup and I asked mine to be extra spicy to hopefully burn away last night’s bad decisions.
The soup had good flavor and the noodles weren’t over cooked. There was plenty of seafood in the soup including mussels, shrimp and scallops but I didn’t find any squid. I wish mine had been even spicier and had more broth, but it hit the spot and started to make me feel like I hadn’t just drank all the alcohol ever made and might just be able to reclaim my place as a respectable member of society again.

I’ve eaten here numerous times and every time I’ve been extremely satisfied.
You have to order the Spring rolls!
This place is amazing.

It was my first visit to Omaha and I had NO idea what to expect. Hailing from San Francisco marks me as a foodie and I found my haven in no time. After the olympic trials, my family and I wondered down the road in search of a watering hole. Unilocal told me to go here, so I did.
First star is awarded for location. Outside seating, downtown & across the street from a huge slide in the park!
Second star is for the drinks. Affordable and EXCELLENT selection of beers & wine.
Third star is for the food. We tried every app on the menu and not one disappointed.
Fourth star is for the Service. Our server was so pleasant and so were the owners!
We liked it so much, we went back two days later for lunch. Thank you O for showing me that great things are definitely possible and expected in Omaha.

Another great O dining experience… O never disappoints me. Great service, drinks, and Asian fusion dining. This time I had their pot stickers, hot and sour soup, & potato pasta with chicken. My dining companion had the same with the Mongolian beef entrée.
Hot and sour soup was OK not great… My entrée was very tasty and I sampled the Mongolian beef and it was very well done! We requested our dishes to be spicy and they were!!! But that did not stop us from adding addiditonal chile sauce!!!
Also our martinis were bone dry as requested. I always visit the O when my travels take me to Omaha…

So, we were «those people» tonight. We brought a 2 year old and a 6 year old to an Asian fusion restaurant. Our 2 year old wanted to play with the chopsticks and make a lot of noise. I told my wife I was sure someone would be tweeting something snide about how parents shouldn’t bring their kids to places like this. But we want them to experience all types of food, and they, as well as we, loved the food we got.
We started with the lettuce wraps, which were very well made, hot, and delicious.
We then ordered the Pad Thai and a rice medley. Both were incredibly tasty, as good as any such dishes as I have ever had. Of course, this cuisine is not my «bread and butter» so to speak, so maybe my palatte is not too refined in this area. But I was certainly satisfied.
The staff was very understanding about the kids. We left a bit of a mess, but everyone loved the food, and we made sure to tip well. A nice night at O.

The food was not bad but not the best. I’ve had way better although it was satisfying and it was made fresh for us. The staff were friendly and the place looked very clean. Its definitely a restaurant that turns into a night club after a certain hour. I think that if they strictly focused on food that it would be way better quality.
We went on a Tuesday evening and there was absolutely nobody there. We had the hole dinning area to ourselves. It was a little concerning but I mentioned this to support the fact that the food was OK and not superb. Thought??? why in the hoot is this place sooo empty??? I want to believe its location…

Date night with my boyfriend usually consists of a delicious meal and a great film. On this night we chose O Dining & Lounge near the old market for some delicious grinds. We’re always scoping at some good eats on Unilocal and through word of mouth and heard good things about this place.
It’s a little be outside the old market and looks small from the outside. When we walked in it definitely had a loungey relaxing feel to it the dining area is down and to the right off the bar but sectioned off from that area. It was a welcome delight to eat at an asian restaurant with chopsticks. I have an affinity for eating with chopsticks over forks, it’s just way more comfortable for me!
Our waiter was really friendly and shared his thoughts on the dishes we each ordered. I had the Pad Thai and my boyfriend had the shrimp pasta dish. I absolutely LOVED the pad thai it was so delicious with the nutty flavor from sprinkled peanuts to the sauce throughout the dish and the sprouts for texture. The shrimp pasta dish was a wee bit spicey yet just to my bf’s liking and enough spice where I could still enjoy the shrimpy goodness of the pasta dish. The portions were pretty large so I took the rest home for my lunch the next day — still good — and was just as satisfied as I was the night before =)
I’m looking forward to trying more of their dishes and see how the renovations came along (looked like they were renovating when we stopped by). I loved that the staff took the time to say goodbye to us on our way out. All the little things matter— to me at least!
# Unilocal 365 Challenge — ⁴⁵⁄₃₆₅ (Date nights)

Always, always trust your wife. When, upon sitting down in the newly renovated, mostly empty dining room at O, my wife said, «Maybe we should go somewhere else,» I should have listened. But I didn’t. Though she sensed that the superficial changes telegraphed a deeper deterioration to the restaurant, I made the classic diner’s mistake of hoping (against all evidence) that my experience would get better. It only got worse.
The new «décor» consists of bare, blood-​red walls and reupholstered banquets. Oh, yes, and the «water feature» (angles panels of plexiglass guiding a neon illuminated sheet of water — the element frames the new «d.j. booth» and would be more at home in a club where the dancers are also employees). The bare walls feel cold, and make the room dark and small.
Despite the lack of diners, our server seemed busy, distracted. Several times he did a «drive by», a bad wait-​staff habit where the server flies by your table and yells a question over his shoulder to which he had no interest in hearing an answer. Though the staff out-​numbered the customers by 2:1, they still seemed harried and distracted — unpracticed and unprofessional.
We arrived late, I suppose (close to 9 p.m.) and toward the end of the meal, staff began clearing away tables to prepare O for the transformation from and empty restaurant into an empty night club. Our server, without explanation, brought a slice of cake to the table, on the house. I don’t know if the dessert was old and needed to be thrown out, or if our server sensed, from a distance, that we were increasingly annoyed. After the table next to ours was carted away, one of the movers, a young man dressed like the bus-​boys sat beside my wife and asked how our evening was.
Clearly, he was only interested in compliments.
He bristled when we described our preference for the previous décor. The art on the walls, the plastic plants, made the room warmer and more welcoming. He argued with us when we explained they would likely have trouble pulling off the fine-​dining/​hot nightlife fusion — after all, Tao in Las Vegas is very successful (as is the Venetian, the high-​end casino in which the Asian Fusion dance club is housed — location, location, location). The young man stated it was clear there was nothing he could do to change our mind.
And, it turns out, the casual lad was the owner, (we had to ask) and rather pleased with the changes he had made. Indeed, he was more interested in protecting his concept than addressing the poor experience of customers who used to dine at his establishment several times a year. The most important thing to this owner seemed to be to have a room that is «cool». And cool it will be, because you need to have bodies in your restaurant to make it «hot». An empty dining room on a Friday night in the Market should tell an owner everything they need to know about the success of their concept.
Finally the food. I had a Pad Thai, the wife had a seared Tuna appetizer. Each was ok. That’s it. Not terrible. Firmly middle-​of-​the-​road. About right for the price. Not as good as it once was, back when O knew what it wanted to be: a decent restaurant.
Used to like O, but won’t return until they have sorted out their identity crisis. Best of luck.

I just ate there with my wife and her visiting family on Sunday night, and had a tremendous time.
The servers was incredibly speedy and attentive, refilling our drinks almost without our noticing. When the item I wanted was unavailable, the waiter apologized and recommended a substitution that was more than satisfying. He also recommended additional vegetables for each dish that really popped. We truly had a perfect evening out, and considering that each of us was able to take a to-​go box for another meal the following day, the price is really nothing to fret about.
Full recommendation!

The best way to describe my experience at O Dining is mediocre. I stopped by for dinner on a Monday evening. Despite the fact that the restaurant was pretty empty, our service was spotty at best. (Our appetizers arrived before our drinks, and it was just all-​around strange and slow — although friendly — service.)
The food was deemed tasty by both my friend and I. I had the snow pea and asparagus stir-​fry with tofu. I ordered it «as spicy as it could be» and it came without a hint of spiciness, but it was delicious other than that.
The space is very odd. It’s trying to be up-​scale, but not quite succeeding with painted drop-​ceilings and unfinished elements on the walls.
I didn’t necessarily dislike O, but I didn’t like it either. I can’t really think of a reason I would go back.

Asian fusion somethingorother. Whatever. It is good. Very tasty in fact.
I was told the owners graduated from PF Changs. That is a good sign… take something successful and make it better.
Steamed shrimp dumplings were delicate and delicious.
Green beans and garlic were perfection.
The entrée I had was the Fusion Anthology… with a little bit of mm mm and a little bit of uh uh. Calamari, beef, mushrooms, assorted veggies and lots of flavor notes… it was name correctly.
My colleague had Orange Essence Beef… super rich.
We split a flourless chocolate torte. Buttery and super smooth.
So I loved the place. Our server was awesome. The wine list was affordable and unpretentious. The food was tasty. The location is awesome. The décor included art pieces for sale. What is not to like?

O. was a favorite when it was on Dodge due to proximity, but I don’t miss the parking hassle at all.
I’m an Asian food junkie (it’s the half Japanese in me). I love Asian food it all its forms… traditional, authentic, fusion, upscale, street food, homestyle. So, of course, O. is on my radar.
Here’s the deal with O. They have a few items that are quite lovely and should be included on the «must try at least once if not every single time list». That said, they also have items that are «avoid at all costs because it’s so NOT worth it». On the YES list: Hot & Sour soup, Rib Steak, Flamed Beef, Garlic Green Beans, Hot Braised Shrimp, Veg Stir-​Fry (with Tofu). Certain dishes, like the Black Bean dishes, are hit or miss… sometimes really delish, sometimes over flavored (which can happen with black beans).
Although O. isn’t on my regular rotation, it’s a really good downtown option. Let’s face it… the Old Market has fabu ambience, but most of the dining establishments just aren’t that great. Thank goodness O. helps redeem the OM food scene.

I normally don’t like Asian fusion. Usually, Asian fusion really means: «Let’s take this perfectly fine Asian dish and screw it up by making it supposedly more palatable for white people.» It didn’t look good when I walked in there and everyone (including the waitresses) was white. Then I saw the menu and noticed a lot of stuff was some Asian dish that was modified somehow. Not a good start.
First thing I asked the waitress was «What ethnicity are the owners»? I asked because there were some dishes on there that could potentially be authentic. Apparently, the owners are Chinese-​Korean. That allowed me to confidently order the Black Bean Noodles, since that looked like it could be one of the non-​Asian fusion dishes.
Turns out, I was right! It was a very good ja jang myun (Korean name for the dish). Much better than even the Korean restaurant in west Omaha.
I also got the spring rolls (not that good; didn’t taste super-​fresh; peanut sauce and chili sauce were kinda weird) and the hot and sour soup (pretty good, but it’s hard to screw up hot and sour soup).
If you want authentic Asian food but your not-​very-​adventurous friends are scared of it, you can come here and get either the Black Bean Noodles (ja jang myun in Korean) or Spicy Seafood Noodle Dish (jam bong in Korean), while your friends get the other stuff and everyone will be happy.