Bordered by the Missouri River and the Platte River, Omaha Nebraska has many beautiful waterfront parks. Boasting the country’s largest urban arts colony, the city has the nation's largest community playhouse, the third largest children's theater, an opera, a symphony, and a major art museum. Council Bluffs, part of the metropolitan area, is just across the Missouri River in Iowa.

With more than 1million people living within a 50-mile radius, it’s no surprise Omaha has a sizable gay community. It shows its true colors for Heartland Pride Day every June, in Omaha.

 

Getting here

Omaha’s Eppley Airfield is about 7 miles northwest of the city. Taxis, shuttle buses and the number 16 Metro bus are available to bring you downtown. Amtrak trains also stop here.

 

Getting around

Renting a car is the best way to get around. The Omaha Metro has buses to get you around on public transportation for $1.25. The Downtown Transit Center, (two blocks of 16th St between Dodge and Farnam), is the major hub for connections to most everywhere

 

Neighborhoods

All of the gay clubs are downtown, within easy walking distance of one another and there is plenty of street parking around them.

 

Media & Resources

The GLBT Center publishes the Gayzette, with area news and features. Find a fresh copy every other week in the gay clubs and other businesses in Omaha and Lincoln, or online.

Omaha Pride has an online overview of the city with ongoing events listings, and Heartland Pride is the annual June LGBT Pride Festival website.

The Reader is the local alternative weekly paper with listings, events calendar and reviews.

The Omaha World Herald website has online coverage of the city too.

Omaha Downtown covers arts/ entertainment and culture, sports, dining, nightlife, shopping, lodgings, and recreation at the heart of the city.

For map locations and website links to the businesses below, and more, see our gay Omaha listings pages.

 

Bars and Clubs

Door 19 (1901 Leavenworth St), was Connections, Omaha's only bar primarily for women.

Flixx (1019 S 10th St) video lounge, cabaret, show bar; Tuesday buck drink discount for shirtless guys, wet boxer contests, drag bingo.

The Max (1417 Jackson St), high energy multi-zone dance club, area's largest; two dance floors, beer busts, first Friday amateur strip, CW Hoedowns, weekend drag and special shows.

Omaha Mining Company/ The Run (1715 Leavenworth), gay dance club, 4pm-4pm; Country Music nights, bears' events, karaoke; no-liquor after hours 18+ dancing Friday/Saturday 1:30-4am, huge dance floor.

Side Door Lounge (3530 Leavenworth St), gay-friendly boutique nightclub, craft cocktails, performance and visual arts, live bands, open mic nights.

CLOSED: DC's Saloon (610 S. 14th St), cowboy, leather and bear bar, men-only underground bar.

 

Restaurants

801 Chop House (1403 Farnam St, Old Market), 1920's NYC-style steak house, leather booths, prime beef and seafood, wines.

Block 16 (1611 Farnam St), local source natural foods, global veggie-friendly street-style foods, beer and wine.

Dixie Quicks (157 W Broadway, Council Bluffs), home-cooked Southern comfort food, Cajun, Tex-Mex/ Southwest elements; brunch benedicts, omelets, Huevos Ranchero, flapjacks and scrambles; sandwiches, soups salads and full meal steaks, fish, chicken, pork and pastas.

Flatiron Cafe (1722 St Marys Ave), New American fine dining, theater crowd; beef, seafood, chops, good wines.

Flavors (1901 Farnam St), Indian lunch buffets, dinner, veggie or meat; chef with 30-year experience in 5-star Indian hotels.

Gerda's German Restaurant & Bakery (5180 Leavenworth St) native German recipes with southern twist, bakery, wine tastings, Oktoberfest specials, lunch and dinner daily except Sunday.

Kitchen Table (1415 Farnam St), 'slow food fast' veggie/vegan or meat meals, sandwiches, Sunday brunch; beer, wine and spirits.

La Buvette (511 S 11th St), European-style wine bar, cafe and market, small plates or entrees, gourmet deli cheeses, house charcuterie, daily fresh Parisian-style bread.

Le Voltaire (569 N 155th Plaza), French/Continental classic cuisine, 3-course bistro specials, lunch and dinner, reserve French and American wine list.

Louie M’s Burger Lust Cafe (1718 Vinton St), greasy spoon heaven, open daily classic diner, all-day breakdast, lunch and dinner.

M's Pub (422 S. 11th St) sandwiches and light fare that won’t break the budget; also steak and seafood bistro entrees, wine, lunch and dinner.

Rodeo Saloon & BBQ (164 W Broadway), gay-friendly barbeque restaurant and country-western bar in Council Bluffs; cocktails, live music, karaoke, sandwiches, dogs, ribs and brisket.

CLOSED: Blue Planet Natural Grill (6307 Center St), healthy, organic and natural fast food alternative; meat or veggie/vegan burgers/ wraps, soups, salads.

 

Film & Theater

BlueBarn Theatre at Downtown Space (614 S 11th St), passionate, provacative, professionally executed, boundary-breaking plays.

Holland Performing Arts Center (1200 Douglas St), theater productions, musicals, music concerts, dance and opera performances.

Film Streams sceens gay titles among many other films of interest, at their Ruth Sokolof Theater series, at 14th and Mike Fahey Street.

A Side Trip to Lincoln

From Omaha, Lincoln is just an hour's drive away.  The Nebraska state capital is a vibrant college town that's a lot more cosmopolitan than most people expect, and the median age here is a youthful 30.3 years. The University of Nebraska Cornhuskers football team are known far and wide.

Karma Nightclub & Cabaret (226 S. 9th Street), the city's gay/mixed dance club and show bar, replaced Club Q this past year. They feature drag cabaret shows, Thursday amateur strip contests, women's nights, 3rd Friday 19+ College Nights and various theme parties. Also NAP free HIV testing two nights each month.