

A Midwest staple since 1988, The Oven is a renowned spot for authentic Northern Indian cuisine with an unmatched dining experience. Visit The Oven Downtown in the Historic Haymarket or opt for the scenic patio views of The Oven East. Honored since 2009 for Best of Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator, The Oven is known for serving premier wine from across the world. Whether you’re enjoying a relaxed meal or sipping wine on a patio at sunset, The Oven blends tradition, flavor, and atmosphere for the perfect fine dining experience.
Refined Indian restaurant pairing traditional cuisine with a wine & beer selection.
Hours
| Thursday | 11:30 AM–2 PM, 5–9 PM |
| Friday | 11:30 AM–2 PM, 5–10 PM |
| Saturday | 11:30 AM–2 PM, 5–10 PM |
| Sunday | 5–9 PM |
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 11:30 AM–2 PM, 5–9 PM |
| Wednesday | 11:30 AM–2 PM, 5–9 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 201 N 8th St #117, Lincoln, NE 68508
Phone: (402) 475-6118
Website: https://theoven-lincoln.com/
Menu Photos
Photo Gallery
Related Web Results
The Oven – Lincoln
The Oven – Downtown Restaurant – Lincoln, NE | OpenTable
The Oven Indian Cuisine – Facebook
Reviews
Downtown at a regular stop The Oven. You can usually get a table as a walk-in but made a reservation just in case. Our server let us know he was brand spanking new… first day on his own I believe! Speaking of new, I’m not sure if it was also the bartenders first week. It took 15 minutes for me to get a Diet Coke and a whopping 32 minutes for my husband’s glass of Cabernet to hit the bar. There were other patrons around us inquiring about their drinks as well. It was quite lengthy and frustrating. Anyhoo…
We tend to go a bit overboard on starters here. Veggie Samosas for me and a Naan buffet. Garlic, Paneer Kulcha (fresh cheese), Spinach Bread, and Kabuli (raisins and cashews). The lady chef that helped deliver them to our table wanted to know if we were trying out things for the first time. I’m like No, this is just how we are . She seemed surprised but tickled by it.
I went with the Chana Masala as a main. It’s different here but I really like it. It comes with fried Batura bread but I like it with the Garlic Naan also. My husband likes to burn his face off with Lamb Vindaloo. He ordered extra meat and that bowl was practically overflowing! Got the Onion and Chili plate to mix in. This is definitely one of his favorites!
As is often the case we pretty much cleared out the dining room. Our server Mariano, while very new, was quite attentive and easy to talk to. The lovely lady from the kitchen earlier checked on us again to make sure everything was to our liking. I had to get some Kheer (rice pudding) to go. Can’t go wrong with a Lincoln staple!
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Also, super lovely waiting staff, although very obvious they did not understand at a slightly deeper level the basic culinary cultures of the subcontinent. For example, my dish came with “soup” which was explained as lentil based soup. When I asked “So it’s just dal, right?” Poor chap looked like I had just spoken Ancient Greek to him. Turns out it WAS just dal and no sane Indian has it as a soup. It is mixed in with rice, dipped in naan etc etc. Anyway, without hopefully sounding too patronizing, I applaud the effort.
Much cheaper than crazy prices of the big cities in the US where I reside. But luckily for me, my wife is a Michelin starred Indian chef.
10/5 for wine, for sure.
Now, unfortunately, I can’t say the same about the food. The chicken was a little dry. The appetizers did not feel freshly made and definitely lacked flavor.
It feels like one of those restaurants that received great ratings and press reviews 10+ years ago but since then… either owners changed or they slowly got comfortable.
Service was good nonetheless.
Negatives: Most of our dishes were over salted and under spiced. I don’t mean heat (also very mild) but the flavors that give Indian food that beautiful diversity and depth, fresh ginger and garlic, coriander, cumin, tumeric, garam masala, cardamom… The vegetarian Thali plate had 4 tomato sauces (masala?) which tasted identical except for the vegetables added to each.
The garlic naan was just covered in garlic powder instead of fresh garlic and was also very salty.
I know this review sounds harsh and there were parts of the meal that were fine as long as your not expecting authentic Indian. This felt more like Indian fusion.
However, the food fell far short of expectations. The dish I ordered lacked flavor and didn’t resemble authentic Indian cuisine at all.
Overall, the experience was underwhelming, especially given the hype. If you’re looking for genuine Indian flavors, this might not be the best choice.