BEATNIK'S

Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★

Bodega-style sandwich shop w/ salads

Standout Dishes: Tuna Club; Frenchie Club

You won’t find many restaurants in Omaha with less frills than Beatnik’s. This tiny sandwich/salad shop in minimal on decor, seating, and any pomp or circumstance.

But, for the most part, the options here aren’t light on flavor. What appear to be pretty simple sandwiches stand out much more than first meets the eye.

Opened by some of the brilliant minds behind Saddle Creek Breakfast Club, one of Omaha’s best breakfast restaurants, Beatnik’s takes a simpler approach. With a very small bay inside Countryside Village and just a few tables, it’s intended to be mostly a grab-and-go, similar to a New York-style bodega. Alongside a compact menu of salads and sandwiches are baskets of fruit, snacks, goodies, and drinks. It’s a perfect lunch break/post-school hangout for students at Westside High School across the street.

Or for an avid sandwich lover, because the team at Beatnik’s clearly has an ability to construct some upper tier sandwiches.

There are six sandwiches on the full-time menu, all of which are a play off a familiar sandwich, but with a bit of a twist. There are nods to Italian grinders, chicken salad sandwiches, and the traditional club. But the star of the show is one who’s name brings to mind a classic sandwich but serves something completely different.

When one sees “tuna” and “sandwich” together on a menu, the first thought, usually, is a tuna salad sandwich. But Beatnik’s takes your expectations and flips them right on their head, instead delivering a stunning combination of sushi and a club sandwich.

The ahi tuna is so fresh, fatty, and meaty it could be on a tuna counter tomorrow and no one would blink. Beatnik’s sears the tuna to give it a nice crust, but leaves the middle raw, allowing you to fully experience the tuna’s fleshy goodness and natural sweetness.

Avocado brings creaminess, the tomatoes and lettuce add freshness, and bacon is bacon—it’s always a welcome addition. But the wasabi mayo adds an undercurrent of vegetal spice.

The toasted wheat is the only letdown on this sandwich, as it adds little flavor or texture. A better bread would make this an elite sandwich, but it’s still tasty as is.

Beatnik’s subs in a different carb on its other take on the club sandwich, and the change makes a big difference. A flaky, layered croissant serves at the base for the Frenchie Club, a combination of turkey, ham, bacon, and veggies. The meats are tasty, but it’s the richness from the butter in the croissant and a thick schmear of mayo that bring the heat to this sandwich.

Good as some of the options are, the Ham Slam falls a bit flat. There’s not much ham present, as the protein is completely drowned out by the hearty baguette. And the honey dijoinnaise doesn’t bring enough sweetness to help power up the ham.

There are no such stumbles in Beatnik’s salad lineup. Each massive bowl is loaded with interesting ingredients, and one could easily make two meals out of these if they so pleased. I’m no salad connoisseur, but the Tuna Nicoise Salad is one of the better I’ve had in Omaha. Seared ahi tuna, tender, buttery potatoes, rotini pasta, kalamata olives, and tomatoes join lettuce and a punchy, vibrant house vinaigrette to make a wonderful salad.

The Village Greek Salad has a wonderful saltiness, as heaping helpings of feta and kalamata olives bring a brilliant salinity to fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and banana peppers. Beatnik’s doesn’t offer a Greek dressing, which would be one of the few improvements one could make on this salad, but it’s solid as is.

Every sandwich needs a good side, and Beatnik’s doesn’t miss a beat with its add-ons. Niki’s Pasta Salad is the standout, as the noodles are well-cooked and the veggies taste fresh, and the zesty Italian vinaigrette has a welcome pop of spice. The Chilled Pesto Tortellini could use a bit more salt, but pasta is chewy and cheesy, the pesto is bright, and the olives add that briny pop.

I’ll be honest; when I first heard that a bodega-style concept was opening in Countryside Village, I was a bit skeptical. A New York street corner and calm, peaceful Central Omaha couldn’t be more different, but when I realized the team behind SCBC was driving the idea, my confidence returned. That kitchen pumps out nothing but hits, and that’s mostly what they’ve achieved at Beatnik’s.

Is every sandwich perfect? Not quite, but if you’re looking for a quick, quality meal in just a few minutes, this is an excellent spot.