ABOUT DAN HOPPEN

Why isn’t ___ on the list?

This is by far the most common question I’m asked. People frequently want to know if I’ve been to a particular restaurant or why I haven’t posted a review on it. Simple answer: there are hundreds of restaurants in Omaha, and it’s nearly impossible to get to them all. I typically eat out 2-3 times a week, and while I try to get to as many new places as I can, there are just so many, and I enjoy going back to my favorites. Plus, I like to visit a restaurant at least 2-3 times to get a sense of a restaurant’s menu and consistency, making the process of writing reviews slower.

There are many, many restaurants that I’ve been to and haven’t officially reviewed (yet), and I’m constantly adding to the list. Feel free to send me any recommendations and I’ll do my best to get to them.

Who made you the authority on Omaha restaurants?

No one, and I don’t claim to be. I’m just a guy with who loves food and loves to write, and this site combines those two loves. People have come to respect my opinion on social media and from my takes in radio interviews, and no one else has put in the effort I have to create a resource like this site for Omaha diners. But I am by no means an expert.

We all have different opinions when it comes to food. What might be delicious to me could be disgusting to you, and vice versa. There is, in my opinion, no way to be a true expert on food, because we all like different things. My advice to you: read my reviews and look at the photos, then make your own judgement on whether you want to visit a particular restaurant or not. You might think I’m a monster for ranking Nocturnal Eats over Dinker’s. Neither you or I are wrong. We just think differently, and that’s OK.

Why just Omaha?

I don’t doubt that there are great restaurants all over Nebraska, and I’ve done my best to put some options from Lincoln, Bellevue, and other cities on this site. But I’m not paid to do this and it’s not my full-time job. Unless I have a specific reason to be there, I’m probably not going to review a restaurant that’s hundreds of miles away. I wish I could, and maybe someday this becomes more than a side hustle. But I have limited time and resources. And, as previously stated, I have plenty of spots just in Omaha left to try. 

Do you eat for free?

I do not. I’ve established relationships with many local chefs over the years and consider some friends. Occasionally someone will throw in a side dish or dessert for free. But, to remain objective, I always pay for my meals. 

Why aren’t you fat?

The popular saying goes, “Never trust a skinny chef.” I would love to see people who believe that turn down a meal from Bobby Flay, Richard Blais, or Stephanie Izard. Regardless, that line of thinking is commonly extended to me: how can I be trusted as a food expert when I’m so thin?

At 6-foot-6 and about 185 pounds, I’m admittedly on the skinny side, but my weight does not affect my tastebuds. I’m more than happy to indulge with an enormous plate of barbecue or a sloppy burger once or twice a week, but I eat very clean the rest of the time and exercise daily. If you can’t trust my food opinions because I can run a seven-minute mile, that’s your prerogative. I just don’t agree with it.