Food was great, bathrooms, tables, chairs, lighting, was atrocious. Please, please, you have a great product, time to focus on ambiance, a level patio, straight tables and chairs, great lighting. Lite the trees, it would be beautiful. If you want great food, this is a good restaurant. But they could be much better with a bit of design help.
Fantastic really enjoyed the salads and the lasagna the service was prompt and receptive. Got in quickly and the food was hot and delicious and moderately priced.
Stumbled across Nicola's while at the Old Market and looking for somewhere different to eat and I am so glad I did. I have since been back many times and taken friends. Great food, great drinks, great desserts and excellent service.
Delicious appetizers, pasta, and wine. Definitely need to call ahead for a reservation, especially in the winter when they lose their patio seating. Also enjoyed the chocolate canoli, but surely there's a way to prepare it without it looking like fluffy poo piped into a canoli shell!
Went to Nicola's on Thursday night before the opera. It was our first time there. Excellent food and service. We will be back. Highly recommend.
Karrie Nixon was right. Kevin was our waiter tonight. He was was very polite and full of information about the wines, foods and desserts. We were not rushed on anything. It was better than my wife and I expected. I had the penne al pollo and my wife had the meat lasagna. This was one of the best meals we have had in our 39yrs of marriage. Kevin was a great person to work with us. Oh yes. don't forget the lemon cream cake.
Two of us went on a Saturday night in December . Made a reservation (you will need a reservation). We still had to wait about 10 minutes but that was no problem. It's very small but not cramped. Intimate. Not pretentious. Absolutely delicious. We ordered the bruschetta as an appetizer. Our waitress was great. She let us know that our dishes would come with 2 pieces of bruschetta in case we didn't want too much as an appetizer. We got it anyway and glad if it. The appetizer bruschetta is different than included with meal.
We ordered the portobello ravioli with meatballs and the fettuccine Alfredo with chicken. We nearly licked our plates, this food was so damned good. Can't wait to go back in warm weather to enjoy the patio.
Small, quaint restaurant. Excellent service. The food was delicious. I recommend the lasagna. My wife had the creamy pesto fettuccine with chicken. She loved it. We will definitely eat here again
Marty and Karen. Enjoyed an excellent meal at Nicola's this evening. Food is made to order, delicious and fairly priced. Our waiter was Adam who was knowledgable about all the dishes, attentive and his suggestions were perfect for us. If you want very good food served in a quaint setting by a staff who seems to want you to be totally satisfied, go to Nicola's. I am already looking forward to our next visit!
This is a small quiet little restaurant that has that Italian feel the moment you walk through the front door. The salad was excellent and was followed by the lemon cream salmon fettuccine. The salmon was lightly done, perfectly seasoned. The pasta carried the lemon flavor.
I would define tilt recommend this restaurant.
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Omaha's best patio dining. Nicola's is a quaint little Italian restaurant. The interior is small, but attractive. But for me, the time to eat here is when the weather is warm and a nice breeze is blowing. Fully two thirds of the restaurant's capacity is outside, on their shady, spacious patio.
The menu is fairly compact, but there is something on it for everyone. Daily specials are usually offered as well. The food ranges from pretty good to very good. I don't recommend the pizza. The toppings are fine, but the crust is too thick and doughy for my tastes. However the various bruschetta offerings are very, very good, as are most of the pasta items. Desserts -- if you manage to save room-- are also very popular.
The wine list has lots to choose from, whether you simply want a nice glass, or decide to indulge on something more pricy. A full bar is offered.
Service is friendly, and generally prompt, although when the patio gets busy service times can lag. Fortunately the patio is great for both conversation as well as people watching.
Food: B+
Atmosphere: A
Service: B+
Menu Sophistication: B+
Value: B+
My wife and I read the reviews in urban spoon and decided we would try this restaraunt. We travel extensively and this place is a must go. The homemade meatballs and arrabiatta sauce are
some of the best outside of Italy. My wife had the carbonara which was equally great. Lemon cake can't be beat. We sat at the bar and got to talk to john one of the owners. He is very nice and very informative. When in Omaha don't pass this up!
Absolutely awesome. The lasagna and the spaghetti carbonara were excellent. The best we have had outside Italy.
Oh yeah!. Went there with my hubby today without a reservation and we were pleasantly surprised to get serviced. We sat at the bar and received service from the owner herself. She went out of her way to make us feel welcomed and she was determined to make sure we could eat an awesome meal and make our 7:30 show. We frequent the place several times a year and find it worth the hassle of finding parking in the old market. Please try the chicken Alfredo!
Real Italian. I had the Spinach Ravioli because I was looking for a lighter fare. All the ingredients are fresh, the sauce was fabulous. The best I have ever eaten. We went on a weeknight in freezing weather without reservations. The place is not big but it was full so we were fortunate. Make sure and make a reservation.
Excellent Food & Service. Last night my friend and I went out to dinner. She said the food was good and I should try it. It was a small little place ,but it was pretty cozy. We happened to get seated right away because people were getting up to leave. We ended up ordering the bruschetta, spinach ravioli, tortellini with prosciutto. All the food was excellent! Plus it was nice to talk with the owner. Even though they were super busy, she still made time to talk with us. Service was awesome. I will be going back here really soon.
Spicy Meatball. I had the Penne al Ragu with a spicy meatball. The salad was light and good. The meatball and pasta were rather good. Service was good. Heavy meal, but I would recommend this place.
My husband and I had such a wonderful experience at Nicolas! The food was delicious, the atmosphere was quaint and the service was kind and attentive. We even got a chance to chat with Nicola herself! The food was a perfect amount. The dessert was to DIE for (we had Italian lemon cake, not on the menu but is often there). I would strongly recommend this restaurant.
This charming little place never disappoints. Thoughtful dishes prepared with TLC. Cozy european-style atmosphere with a great patio.
Gustatory. Delightful, intimate, good menu, and attentive service.
Lauren Eats Everything
+4.5
The tiramisu is out of this world! It is big enough to share, but you won't want to.
Pleasant surprise. Fabulous food and service without the pretentious atmosphere. Would gladly go back on our next visit to Omaha.
Service was slow. But we were late diners. Incredible food. We had Soup and salad, antipasto, lobster ravioli, And portabello ravioli with meatballs. All were top notch. Now that we have
Found Nicolas's we will be back.
Superb. The five Old Market restaurants we tried while in Omaha were all very good, but this was the best. The food was truly incredible. The service was outstanding as well. Lobster ravioli was perfect. The waiter put us onto a fine wine without upwelling us.
Cannot say enough good things. Our service was great, the atmosphere was nice, prices were more than reasonable and food was excellent. My boyfriend ordered the lasagne which was great and I had the tortellini with formaggio and proscuttio which was the clear favorite. It seems like most pasta at most restaurants is one in the same but the tortellini here was better than i've had, and i've had A LOT of pasta in my lifetime. Would def recommend and will def return.
So delicious! Tortellini with ragu sauce was homemade and absolutely wonderful! Will definitely be going back
Manga!. With a menu full of stuffed pastas , your best choice would be the Spaghetti Bolognese. A hearty portion and full of flavor!
Everything tasted so fresh and authentic! I was very impressed. My hubby and I were on a date and ate on the patio, it is so charming and romantic.
An Old Market Gem. My first visit to Nicola's featured prompt service and delicious, not too heavy Italian fare. At this time of year, outdoor seating isn't an option and the interior is fairly cramped but that is my only complaint. Prices are very reasonable and a decent wine/cocktail selection is available. I'll be back for more.
YUM. I've eaten here several times and it's fast becoming my favorite little Italian place! Every time I come I'm always torn the menu has so many appetizing things. This last time I had the shrimp scampi ravioli special with jumbo shrimp. My husband went for the spaghetti and bolognese sauce. I have to say this place has the BEST BEST spaghetti EVER. I ended up switching half way with my husband half way through dinner bc I couldn't stop stealing bites off his plate. Their Italian wedding soup is pretty knock your socks off good. Everything has great flavor - I'm never disappointed. We came at 6 pm - no reservation but they still fit us in. Service was fast and friendly and the waitress recommended a nice wine for our meal.
Nicola's now my to go place whenever I have a hankering for spaghetti and meat sauce.
Great food at a very reasonable price. Friendly service. Neat outdoor patio. Lunch specials are great.
This is by far the most authentic italian in the city! Ive been to every pop spot intown. I have lived in italian neighborhoods for much of my life and love this place! I bring parties in all the time and have for years! They are wonderful, always impress my guests, and keep me coming back for more. Wine selection is nice but like most eateries, a lil expensive.
As you might surmise, Nicola's is an Italian restaurant, and one more in the vein of American-Italian than Rustico-Italian (beans bread beans and more beans). The place is just the right size, small and quaint. Let's discuss the things I didn't like first
Such a nice place. Love the patio. The service is great and everyone working here is so friendly. The food….oh so so good. Raviolis are so well made and delicious. The pasta amazing. And the sauces, I’m obsessed with, I wanted to lick my plate😂. Good selection of wine and drinks. The cocktail menu is very fun and authentic. Worth a stop, great for a date night. Bruschetta is very delicious, great addition to any meal.
I have gone to Nicola’s every week for the past two years. The food is consistently amazing! I have never had anything on the menu that I didn’t love. Best Italian in Omaha!
We enjoyed our quite Tuesday evening dinner. Despite it being Tuesday Nicolas was still pleasantly busy. This is a small family owned business, so there was a smaller staff. The food was delicious and freshly made with delicious ingredients. It was a little more pricy that I had originally thought, but the freshness of the ingredients and dish was worth the little extra cost. The tiramisu, like everything else, is homemade with a lovely spong cake instead of lady fingers.
Went to dinner with a friend, this is one of her favorite places to dine. The establishment offers inside and patio dining. We opted to eat outside as it was a beautiful day. We had wine and brushetta to start. I ate Chicken Marsala, which was delicious. The sauce was amazing. My friend had a dish with olives, dried tomatoes, and lightly seasoned spaghetti noodles. Overall a great experience.
A wonderful "scratch kitchen" meal. A group loved the red and white sauces. But for me, the meatballs are the game changer! They are the best! Hopefully, you can save room for a dessert. We had the tiramisu and the Italian lemon cake. Both were delicious. We will be back to try the cheesecake and chocolate torte.
My first time here. The service and food were great. The outdoor patio looks awesome but it wasn't open when I visited. Great looking menu with yummy sounding dishes. I have a feeling they are all very good. I'll be back and soon!
Absolutely fantastic in all aspects! Service, food and wine. I can not emphasize enough how great this place is! Totally lucky gem that we walked by and turned around for!
Update: 2.12.19 - has the bolognese for the first time, absolutely blew my mind! Also I should mention that the house salad is just fabulous! Very well balanced.
Updated: 10.6.2022 - tried some new dishes, spaghetti aglio & olio & pink lasagna. Still fab, no crumb left behind.
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Pro tip: Make sure you get reservations for this place on the weekend because it gets packed very very quickly.
This restaurant makes everything from scratch, so be prepared for a wait. The food when you do get it is great quality.
Pro tip 2: sitting at the bar has its advantages, the owners work the restaurant and Nikola is exceptionally friendly. You get more of an experience if you get the chance to speak with her.
Lemon cream al salmon Fettuccini 4 stars
The Fettuccine was delicious, but the salmon was over cooked for me. My friend prefers the salmon overcooked like that though, so depending on your preference, this might be a five-star item.
Lasagne Mediterranean 4 stars
This was a very solid lasagna entree
Spaghetti aglio plus olio 5 stars
Nicola recommended we get it with the blue cheese and it absolutely enhanced the dish for me.
All the meals come with bruschetta and salad. The bruschetta can be a skip. The pieces we had were kind of plain tasting. It's supposed to be fresh but it did feel like it might have been sitting for a bit. The salad was a very nice simple salad which we really enjoyed.
Hear me. A “must try” spot if you are anywhere in the Omaha area….and even if you’re not! We could not wait for dinner the next day to visit again and try another item on the menu while we were still in town. The food is seasoned to perfection! The service was 5 star. The owner John by far is thee best—he was so kind to take us back to our hotel there in the Old Market area as our shuttle was running behind schedule. Our waitress Alishia was very attentive—her menu recommendations were spot on. I hope to experience their patio on our next visit when the weather is warmer. It bears repeating: A “must try” spot.
⭐️Lemon Cream al Salmon Fettuccine
⭐️Italian Vegetarian Salad-Shrimp
Yum. Yum. Yum. Three total Yums! Food: covered that already. The people: friendly and fast! The space: quaint, relaxed, nice and energetic but not overbearing or “loud”. Like a casual fancy friends dinner. Three meals, two appetizers and all cooked great and presentations were like a chefs fare! I look forward to going back!
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This well-loved Omaha establishment has been at the top of my list for quite some time and we finally got the experience it Friday night.
They don’t accept reservations, so we arrived a little after 7:00pm and got our name on the list with a 45 minute wait. They said they’d call when they were ready for us, so we went down the street to Brickway Brewery & Distillery and had a couple drinks while we waited. They were right on the money when they called us, and we were seated on the patio with the rest of their guests (indoor dining wasn’t available).
We ordered drinks and split the Panino alle Polpette to start (homemade meatballs topped with ragu sauce, parmesan, and fresh parsley). This panini was PHENOMENAL. Definitely a messy one but it was so worth it. Their meatballs and ragu are out if this world!
We got house salads with our entrees. They were pretty average in my opinion. I’m more of a caesar salad girl if given the choice.
For our entrees we got the Bianco Pizza (cream sauce, pancetta bacon, grilled chicken breast, and shaved parmesan) and the Spaghetti alla Carbonara with Jumbo Shrimp (spaghetti with sautéed pancetta in a rich cream sauce with parsley and parmesan). The Bianco Pizza was so creamy and amazing. The crust was a bit thick and dense but the toppings were absolutely delicious! The pasta was definitely my favorite! The bruschetta was average (I would’ve picked a different bread option if I had the choice) but oh my gosh the creamy carbonara was heaven! I think they forgot about the jumbo shrimp I added to it bevause they came out several minutes later than the rest of our food but once added they were an excellent addition! I’d get that carbonara again and again!
For dessert we ordered the lemon cake and the tiramisu. I’ve heard a lot about the lemon cake so that was a must. Plus I’m on a huge lemon dessert kick this summer so I was really looking forward to this one. The layered cake was incredibly moist and delicious. I was a little surprised that the lemon flavor was pretty subtle. Coneflower Creamery’s Grandma Minnie’s Lemon Bar ice cream and Mary's Mountain Cookies’ iced lemon cookie still rank above this as my top two lemon desserts in Omaha! But this was a delicious ending to our meal.
Tiramisu is one of my favorite desserts of all time, so anytime I’m visiting an Italian restaurant I have to try theirs. I’ll be honest though - we were kind of let down on this one. It wasn’t a traditional tiramisu. No lady fingers and pretty heavy on the whipped cream. We only took a few bites of it because the lemon cake was better by far.
All in all we had amazing panini, pizza, and pasta choices here. That along with the great service and romantic vibe out on the old brick patio made for an incredible experience! Such a great date night spot. We’ll definitely be back again.
Absolutely Delish. Went specifically for the Bolognese. Have yet to have a restaurant that even came close to my own recipe. I was very impressed. Wonderful Flavors. The only thing I would change about it would be the noodles. They serve on Spaghetti, I feel that Linguini or even Fettucini would make it even more awesome. However, that is my personal preference and has nothing to do with the restaurant. Waiter was top Notch and walked us through the menu. I have lived in Omaha my whole life. Almost 50 years old now and so disappointed I didn't get in there sooner. This will absolutely be our go to spot. Can't wait for the spring, summer to enjoy this Gem on the patio. Thank you!
Nicola's is absolutely fantastic. They catered my company's holiday party, and the food was absolutely delicious. The owner Nicola was lovely to work with -- answered all my questions and gave recommendations -- and I was so glad to get to meet her and her family when they delivered the meal! Highly recommend them for catering, especially for groups who might need vegetarian options!
This adorable little hole-in-the-wall is a must-visit restaurant in Omaha. The food is amazing; the pasta is as rich and flavorful as what I ate in Rome. The portions are perfectly sized so that you are satisfied but still have room for one of their delicious desserts. (We had the lemon cake. Highly recommend.) Because the restaurant is so small, we couldn’t get a table until 8:30, but it was so worth the wait.
Handmade to order and one of the best patios in town. Nicola’s Italian is a true gem. As long as you are patient with getting seated, you won’t be disappointed. Love Italian? Put this on your foodie bucket list.
Decided to try out this restaurant to celebrate our five year anniversary and we were very happy we did. It’s somewhere between fancy and casual, there is very limited indoor dining, and it’s very affordable for what you get. The food and service was outstanding and the best part was the dessert!
Perfect pasta! It is so worth it. This is the second time I've eaten here and I will definitely be going back. It was recommended by a local. Everything is handmade to order, bruschetta with every plate. There is no kids menu but my children love to eat here. We always end up bringing home our leftovers. The staff is very kind and even on busy nights you feel like you are well taken care of!
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