Johnny’s Cafe

  4.4 – 1,130 reviews   • Steak house

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Johnny’s Café opened in 1922 as a small eight-seat saloon located next to the Omaha Stockyards. Founder, Frank Kawa, expanded the menu and footprint as the Stockyards and surrounding South Omaha community continued to grow.Jack & Tom Kawa, Frank’s sons, took ownership of the restaurant in the early 1960’s. At that time Johnny’s was open for breakfast, lunch and dinner catering to the Stockyard clientele and Omaha locals. In the 1970’s Johnny’s underwent a major transformation two years in the making. The renovation included installing the world-famous brass steer horn front doors and improving the iconic dining room mural. In the 1990’s Jack’s daughters, Kari and Sally assumed day-to-day operations as the third generation.

1922 chophouse with a throwback feel highlighting Midwest beef, including steaks aged on-site.

✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Take out ✔️Delivery Johnny's Cafe 68107

Address and Contact Information

Address: 4702 S 27th St, Omaha, NE 68107

Phone: (402) 731-4774

Website: http://www.johnnyscafe.com/

Menu Photos

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Johnny’s Cafe – South Omaha, Omaha, NE

Johnny’s Café opened in 1922 as a small eight-seat saloon located next to the Omaha Stockyards. Founder, Frank Kawa, expanded the menu and footprint.

Johnny’s Cafe | Omaha NE – Facebook

Johnny’s Cafe, Omaha. 4943 likes · 16 talking about this · 8104 were here. Omaha’s Original Steakhouse since 1922.

Steak Town USA: Omaha’s 103-year-old steakhouse boasts best …

Johnny’s Cafe, Omaha’s oldest restaurant, got a spruce-up last year when a government grant for historic restaurants allowed the Kawa family to …

Reviews

Bicky Nguyen
Old school & chic atmosphere. Friendly & warming staff. Our Server Ken(?) was AMAZING!!! Gave us all the info & history of this gorgeous establishment. Recommended many choices which we accepted all of them. Wonderful to our boys and made them feel so special.
Steak, Prime Rib, Breaded Fish & kids meals with all the sides were mouthwateringly delicious. HIGHLY recommend Johnny’s Cafe.
Omaha Steaks are truly the BEST ❤️ Will definitely stop in here on my next drive back from Canada.
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Don Dotson
Great place that has a lot of history.

They have great food and drinks are just right. After you eat (or before) you can go to the ful bar/lounge. Feels like you are stepping into the 70s.
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Tim Boukal
A unique old school steak house. This was my grandma’s favorite restaurant when I was growing up in the 1960s and I can understand why! I love meals at Johnny’s. The great lunch specials are fun, too. I’m a big guy so the chairs make me nervous, though. I always sit in a booth.
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Brandon Girmus
Johnny’s is an iconic gem that fully embodies an old school steakhouse experience. It’s a delicious time capsule that celebrates Omaha’s historical position as the country’s beef capital. Excellent food is backed up by attentive, friendly service and a retro ambience defined by dark wood and red leather seating. Our steaks were perfectly cooked and the house salad dressing was delicious. A must visit when in Omaha!
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Meganne Horrocks
Our server was wonderful. I love the ambience. I hope they never update the interior. My prime rib was perfectly cooked and the stuffed mushrooms are to die for!
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Mark Baine
We were visiting Omaha and wanted to try something local. Johnny’s Cafe caught our eye thanks to its more affordable menu—and honestly, because we hadn’t made a reservation anywhere else. For once, our lack of planning and frugality really worked in our favor.

From the outside, Johnny’s might give you pause, but once you step inside, it’s like traveling back in time—in the best way. The restaurant is over 100 years old, originally built next to the cattle stockyards, and expanded over the decades. In the early 1970s, it underwent a renovation that still defines its character today. The vibe is retro in the most authentic sense, lovingly preserved by the same family who opened it generations ago.

Truthfully, we were a little unsure at first. But our doubts quickly disappeared thanks to the superb service and warm hospitality. We were even treated to a complimentary cottage cheese-based spread for the dinner rolls —something we devoured without hesitation. We asked for the recipe, but it’s clearly a closely guarded family secret. No luck there!

Everyone at our table ordered steak, and each one was a hit. I had the T-bone, which was incredibly tender, and the rest of the group was equally pleased with their choices. The French onion soup of the day was also excellent—rich, flavorful, and something I’d happily order again.

If you go (and I really think you should), take a moment to explore the restaurant’s vintage details and strike up a conversation with Carrie (spelling might be off) about her family’s history with the place. It’s a story worth hearing—and a meal worth having.
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Lucinda Vincent
Let me jus say, I have traveled all around the world( paris, turkey, cosa rica, ny, ca, africa, etc., etc.) My home town was always Omaha Ne even though I have lived most of my life abroad and in fl. I am not a rich person, but….every once in awhile I save to have a luxury experience. I had just moved back to omaha last spring and in all my time growing up in NE I had never been to Johnnys. I gotta say, when we planned to go here I was excited but we had been exploring many eats since we had been here. My family is REALLY big on foodie experiences. I was NOT let down when I went here. We went on a Tuesday night. I had expectations but boy were they blown away! Our waiter, Kenneth, was a wealth of information about history and gave us the best service of our life! Even the owner, who was third generaion owner, cute blonde, he he, came up and made sure our experience was amazing. I think it is the upper echelon of culinary experiences you can have in omaha. It wasn’t even like a restaurant experience more than we actually felt
‘family welcomed’….like we had greeted old friends in an environment that makes you immediately relaxed and able to enjoy meals and drinks at whatever leisure you require. This place has been around for over 100 yrs….I hope it never redecorates and is around for 100 more. We will DEF be going back whenever we can and we will DEF be asking for Ken. This was our HAPPY place…..and excelled above and beyond all our expectations. A RARE experience in this day and age. Thank you for making our celebration of life in dreary times so amazing!!!! JOHNNY’S Cafe forever please!!!
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Lady’s Adventure Time
I’m giving Johnny’s Cafe a 2 due the over price and low quality of food. Where Johnny’s is located the outside smelt like manure (yes I understand they have no control of outside smell and can get over that part), the inside smelt musty (very much like a grandparents home that never opened a window). The server started off well and then went downhill, the server rushed us through our meal, also when we complained about our meal yes the reheated it but didn’t offer any type of restitution after that. The manager did come over and stated that she hopes everything looks better and walked away.

Also they do ask us if we had a reservation. So I would recommend making one.
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Roy Napora
So, I actually loved the 1970s atmosphere. Reminded me of some sort of mob movie. It was great. The prices are fair…actually better than the other steak chains out there. Food awesome BUT, the potato. I’d have given it a 5 star but cumon Johnny’s, you can get bigger potatoes. Too small. Everything else, loved it. The staff is awesome. The memorabilia on the walls inside, priceless. Just get bigger potatoes.
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Marv Ulmet
Old School, No Bull!
What a neat experience, it’s like time stood still for a moment.
If you like great food, laid back old school atmosphere, and wonderful service this is the place.
A true tribute to the Cream & Crimson Hereford from the first picture outside, through the 1,000 pound doors, and the walls.
The hostess was sweet and polite that greeted us. The lunch menu let you know this was the home of excellent vittles! This place isn’t over 100 years old, they take pride in telling you it’s a 103 years old. Johnny’s takes onion rings seriously! Not frozen, they are fresh! The Moscow Mule was spot on. The soup, it is real soup, not prepackaged. The broccoli and cheese was delicious. The perfect salad was served. The prime rib and real au jus(not the premade salty beef bouillon).
Ultimate grilled cheese, scalloped potatoes finished out our lunch.
Yum, Yum!
Real Omaha dining, not for vegetarians
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