DINKER'S BAR & GRILL
Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★⭑
District: Midtown
Old-School Burgers
Perfect For: Lunch; Casual Dining
Standout Dishes: Bacon Cheeseburger; Onion Rings; Haystack Burger
There are lots of fantastic gourmet burgers in Omaha. These restaurants employ smash patties, creative aiolis, and artisan buns to redefine what a cheeseburger can be.
That’s not Dinker’s Bar & Grill. Not by a long shot, and nor should it be.
Great as innovation is, there’s something to be said about cooking an excellent burger with minimal toppings and high-quality ingredients. When you crave that burger, Dinkers is your spot in Omaha.
Opened in 1965, Dinker’s is a small, neighborhood bar just off the Martha St exit of I-80. It proudly hangs a sign that declares it serves Omaha’s best burger, a claim many restaurants would make. But Dinker’s has a legitimate argument—it’s burgers have stood the test of time, satisfying appetites and packing the joint for almost 60 years.
Everything about Dinker’s screams “dive bar”. It has no parking lot, takes cash only and has no hostess or waiters/waitresses. Diners seat themselves, get drinks at the bar, and order their meal at the back counter.
The menu has steaks, salads, chicken, and various sandwiches, but most visitors come for the burgers. Many burger joints these days dabble in the extreme, hunting for Instagram photos with crazy condiments and enormous portions. While Dinker’s offers 14 different burgers, the toppings are pretty tame. The restaurant prefers to let its beef do the talking rather than drowning it out with other flavors.
And that’s a smart move. Dinker’s 7-ounce patties are seasoned brilliantly, and their time on the flattop gives them a nice crispy crust. The patties are full of hearty, beefy flavor, and Dinkers is wise not to cover up this meat with a host of sauces and toppings.
Even when toppings are added, Dinkers keeps it relatively simple, prioritizing high-quality ingredients that make sense together rather than the latest chasing the latest Instagram sensation. To give you some examples:
- Bacon Cheeseburger: Nothing crazy here, but everything is executed well. The bacon isn’t overly crispy, but it bursts with salty, fatty flavor that makes bacon so beloved. Gooey American cheese brings a mild creaminess, and mayo add moisture.
- Haystack Burger: Honey-smoked ham brings saltiness with a touch of sugar, and the fried egg gives the burger an earthy flavor and crispy bits at the egg’s edges.
- Patty Melt: Just an excellent representation of the classic sandwich, with sweet sauteed onion and gobs of melty Swiss cheese.
But no burger exemplifies Dinker’s more than the Ultimate Triple Decker Dinker Burger, a three-patty colossus topped with bacon, raw and sauteed onions, tomatoes, lettuce and a touch of mayo. There’s so much beef on this mountain, and it makes the dish an absolute home run. Just make sure you have the paramedics on speed dial.
Most burgers are served on a grilled Rotella’s bun that’s pillowy soft but holds together, even under the triple-decker. The bottom bun soaks up all the flavor from the juices and grease of the patty without becoming mushy.
The sides are a bit more hit and miss than their burger brethren. The highlight are the Onion Rings, though they’re unlike any other in Omaha. They won’t win any beauty pageants; most restaurants serve crispy onion rings with thick batter. These are limp and have a very uneven batter coating, but you don’t care what they look like once you dig in. The sweetness of the onion balances the savory, salty breading so well that it’s hard not to keep shoveling these into your mouth.
The French Fries are fine, but nothing to write home about. They’re fried to a good crispy texture, but they’re rather bland.
No sports bar worth its salt can exclude wings from its menu, and like the burgers, Dinkers chooses to stay simple. There are no garlic parmesan or sweet teriyaki sauces; it’s just classic buffalo, and it works. The sauce has a buttery, mild heat, and though the wings are on the small side, they have a crispy exterior and moist insides.
The vibe inside the bar is laid back and offers no frills. Take your credit card elsewhere; Dinkers is cash only (there is an ATM in the back). You’ll place your order at the counter, and the cashier isn’t going to smile as she takes it. If you want a drink, you need to get up and visit the bar to get one—water or alcohol—and get it yourself.
But that’s part of Dinkers’ appeal. It doesn’t try to keep up with the new, trendy burger joints with funky toppings and uptempo vibes. Instead, it focuses on what’s made it an Omaha institution for generations: great, simple burgers and that diner charm.
If you’re looking for wagyu beef burgers, creative toppings, and Instagram-worthy sides, Dinkers isn’t that. But if you just want an excellent burger in a low-key setting… well, there’s a reason this place has been a city favorite for 6 decades.