BAILEY'S
Hoppen Hierarchy:★★⭑
District: Southwest Omaha
Classic Breakfast & Brunch
Perfect For: Breakfast/Brunch; Casual Dining; Lunch; Vegan Options
Standout Dishes: Porkasaurus; Corned Beef Hash; Pancakes
You need something special to stand out from the crowd of awesome breakfast spots in Omaha. 11-Worth Cafe has incredible hash browns and that classic diner vibe. Early Bird has a modern vibe and crazy pancake creations. Saddle Creek Breakfast Club‘s tiny location creates a feeling of exclusivity, and its thick-cut bacon is worthy of song.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every visit I’ve made to Bailey’s, a tiny diner near 120th and Pacific. Everything I’ve eaten is delicious, but what makes this place stand out is its challenge: a mountain of breakfast delicacies so massive it earned a prehistoric nickname, the Porkasaurus.
This monstrous plate (pictured in the header photo) is comprised of bacon, sausage patties and links, Canadian bacon, multiple ham steaks, and Andouille sausage, all loaded on top of a spread of red taters with Jack and cheddar cheese. The meal is topped off three eggs, plus a buttered biscuit and four slices of toast. It’s so legendary, it brought the TV show Man Vs. Food to Omaha to take it on.
In other words, bring your appetite. Or else.
But before I dive into the Porkasaurus experience, I want to describe Bailey’s as a whole. As (spoiler alert) delicious as the Porkasaurus is, I understand most diners won’t attempt to tame this beast.
So let’s cover the typical aspects of the restaurant before grappling with the monster.
Bailey’s has a very cozy vibe to it, absolutely perfect for the brunch crowd. The staff are all extremely helpful and friendly, and the service is pretty quick.
But it’s a small restaurant, and waits during peak brunch hours can be upwards of 45 minutes. Get there early or be prepared to wait—which if you do, that’s OK. It’s worth it.
The menu has everything a breakfast addict could want. There are traditional bacon/sausage and egg dishes, waffles, pancakes, omeletes, enchiladas, and burritos, and six different kinds of eggs Benedict. And that’s just breakfast; the lunch menu includes a number of different sandwiches, soups, and salads. The selection is diverse, and just about everything sounds amazing.
The Corned Beef Hash is one of the best dishes on the menu. The corned beef, which is cured for three days before being smoked over pecan wood, is divine. It’s the perfect combination of salt and fat, and the bed of roasted red potatoes provide the right starch to balance all the meat. The meal comes with two eggs served any style, and I’d advise sunny-side-up. The yolk spreads throughout the plate, binding the meat, potatoes, and sauteed onions into a beautifully composed dish.
Bailey’s offers a few specials each week, and as tempting as everything on the traditional menu is, these are worth looking into as well. Take, for example, the Creole Shrimp Stack. Bailey’s is a partner with Absolutely Fresh seafood, the company that sources the brilliant Shuck’s. The dish tops a bed of perfectly crispy hash browns with blackened shrimp, andouille sausage, green peppers, tomatoes, and onions. The shrimp are perfectly tender and add a solid kick of heat that ramps up the starchy potatoes. The sausage adds some brilliant spice and flavor, while the veggies bring freshness. A dash of cheese helps bring everything together, as do two sunny-side-up eggs.
If I have a complaint with Bailey’s, it’s the restaurant’s claim that it serves the best bacon in Omaha. It’s not bad bacon by any means, but it doesn’t really stand out in any way. The strips are large and perfectly crispy, but for whatever reason they lack that perfect combo of salt and fat. The flavor is rather muted, which is a disappointment.
But don’t let that temper your feelings on this restaurant. The eggs Benedict dishes are rich and delicious, the pancakes massive and fluffy, and the portion sizes are always on point. Nothing on the menu, at least what I’ve tried, is anything below above average, and most dishes are awesome.
Then there’s the Porkasaurus.
It’s a daunting foe, to be sure. The plates combined were easily 2-3 pounds, but the pursuit of glory (and an awesome T-shirt) were enough to inspire me. To be honest, I didn’t struggle too much with this challenge because everything was delicious. The meats are all perfectly cooked. The potatoes and eggs provide a nice contrast to all the protein, and the biscuit and toast allow you to create a few awesome breakfast sandwiches and steer clear of the dreaded starch wall.
I downed the monster in 18 minutes, aided by the sheer flavor of the meal and the desire to finish before my stomach realized how full it was. Every bite was a mini-masterpiece, though I didn’t eat for the next 24+ hours. Turns out two plates of meat and starch can be a bit filling.
Don’t take this challenge, lightly. The host of Man Vs. Food, Casey Webb, actually failed the challenge in 2019. It’s truly a beast.
Whether or not you’re crazy (stupid?) enough to take on the Porkasaurus, Bailey’s is well worth a visit. I rank it among the top breakfast haunts in Omaha and recommend just about anything on the menu.
And if you’re looking for a challenge, the chance to topple a wall of delicious meat, try your hand against the Porkasaurus. But bring your appetite, and then some. You’re going to need it.