LAZLO'S BREWERY & GRILL
Hoppen Hierarchy:★★⭑
District: Southwest Omaha; Lincoln
Brewpub with American Comfort Food
Perfect For: Casual Dining; Lunch; Happy Hour; Date Night; Drinks
Standout Dishes: BBQ Chicken Lavosh; Kabobs; Prime Rib Enchiladas
When Lazlo’s Brewery and Grill first opened in 1991, its owners never could have predicted the unprecedented success that followed. The brewpub has become a staple in Lincoln and is arguably the Haymarket area’s most iconic restaurant. It became so popular that two more locations popped up in South Lincoln and Omaha, and it spawned a sister restaurant, Fireworks, in 2002. The Empyrean Brewing Company, Lazlo’s in-house brewery, is one of Nebraska’s most well-known local breweries.
It all started at the corner of 7th and N St. in the Haymarket, and the original has been nothing short of excellent in my several visits there. The interior is friendly and cozy and, when the weather allows, the outdoor patio is a great spot to enjoy an afternoon/evening.
The menu is an eclectic gathering of creative comfort food with a modern flair. Diners can choose from steaks, seafood, burgers, sandwiches, ribs, chicken, and more. Each item is marked on the menu with one of the eight core Empyrean beers (the brewery has several seasonal and small batch recipes as well). As a big fan of IPAs, I find the Watch Man IPA to be a bit underwhelming, but most of the brews are quite good. The most popular are the Burning Skye Scottish Ale and the Long Route Peanut Butter Porter, a malty concoction that somehow infuses the flavor of a chocolate peanut butter cup into a beer.
Everything I’ve tried on the menu is great, but the lavosh dishes in particular stand out. The thin unleavened crust produces a cracker-like consistency after being baked. Lazlo’s serves up lavoshes the size of manhole covers. The dish is perfect for sharing on a date or as an appetizer between a group of friends–or if you’re particularly hungry or in love with food like myself, you can take one down all by yourself. The cracker crust is to light and airy that it doesn’t weigh down the dish. It provides a hint of floury flavor and a touch of sweetness but lets the toppings stand out.
The real winner is the BBQ Chicken Lavosh, which combines a sweet, tangy sauce with healthy chunks of savory chicken, bright red onions, fresh jalapeños, and cheddar cheese. The Voodoo Chicken Lavosh is good as well, though I would prefer the “Voodoo sauce”, which is intended to be spicy, to have a bit more kick. But when topped with some Cholula hot sauce, this makes for an excellent meal.
The burgers, which are ground in-house daily from USDA Choice beef, are all delicious. The patties, which are around eight ounces, pack a punch of salty, fatty flavor that make all great burgers sing. The meat itself is so good, it can overwhelm the toppings at times.
The fries, however, are a major bummer. They’re overly starchy and salty and honestly don’t have much flavor.
The steaks and seafood are both excellent, as are the kabobs, which combine either chicken or steak with a skewer of fresh vegetables over a hearty bed of mixed rice. Don’t sleep on the prime rib enchiladas. The meat is incredibly flavorful and tender, and it pairs well with the cheddar and monterey jack cheeses. A pork green chili sauce provides just the right amount of spice to tie the dish together.
There’s a reason Lazlo’s has become synonymous with Lincoln dining. It’s not perfect, as some of the dishes are rather expensive and the service can be a bit hit or miss. But I have yet to have a bad visit, and most have been standout. Whether you’re looking for a nice date night, a sit-down restaurant for a group of friends or just a happy hour spot for a few cold ones, Lazlo’s has you covered.