TRACKS LOUNGE
Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★★
District: Dundee
Bar fare & chicken wings
Perfect For: Casual Dining; Lunch; Takeout
Standout Dishes: Triple Crown Wings; Mango Habanero Wings; Broasted Chicken
Though it’s existed for nearly 60 years, Tracks Lounge only recently became known for its food. It’s long been one of Omaha’s famous watering holes, but the food was an afterthought.
That is, until 10-15 years ago when the restaurant began putting some real effort into its kitchen offerings. Tracks Lounge morphed from a drinkery with food as an afterthought into a dining destination.
Especially for those in search of great chicken.
There’s something magical about the fryers at Tracks, because the chicken that emerges from that oil is some of the best you’ll find in Omaha. From the large, meaty wings to the extra crispy broasted chicken, Tracks has become a poultry destination.
The bar is a tiny no-frills hole in the wall off 60th and Pine with limited seating and a small patio. The small menu is contained to bar staples like burgers, fries, wraps, and cheese curds.
But Tracks has become best known for its wings, which many swear are the best in Omaha. Two things make Tracks wings stand out immediately:
- Size: Both drums and flats are enormous and have plenty of meat. An order of 10 is easily enough to quell most appetites.
- Texture: The wings have a crispy, solid outer shell, but that frying doesn’t at all dry out the meat on the inside. The wings are juicy and tender through and through.
What really sets Tracks apart is its unique double-sauce ordering system, which allows for great customization and layering of flavors. Ordering wings at Tracks is a 3-step system. After the wings are fried, they’re:
- Coated in the hot sauce of your choosing (mild, buffalo, or hot twisted).
- Char buffed on the grill to add a smoky flavor and a great outer crust.
- Tossed in a flavor sauce (mango habanero, garlic parm, Thai peanut, etc.).
The double sauce technique creates a unique sensation; you’re first hit with the flavor of your choosing, but then the underlying heat creeps in. Each sauce tastes different when mixed with a different heat level, allowing you to play around and customize your meal.
The spice in the Mild is barely present and best allows you to focus on the flavor of the sauce. The Buffalo adds a buttery finish and a touch of heat, while the Hot Twisted will have your palate fully engulfed in flames after a few wings.
The Garlic Parmesan (especially when paired with the Buffalo) is a fan favorite for a reason, as the sauce has a buttery richness and is flowing with delicious nutty, salty parmesan. The Mango Habanero is a delightful pairing of sweet/heat, while the Thai Peanut has a sweet stickiness with a roasted peanut flavor. The Thai Sweet Chili is pretty one note with its sugary flavor, but it’s far from a bad option.
But the best of the bunch is the Triple Crown Wings, which start with the beloved Buffalo/Garlic Parmesan Base. They’re then drizzled with hot honey for a touch of sweetness and dusted with umami seasoning for a salty, bold punch. They’re arguably the best wings in Omaha.
Beloved as the wings are, the fried chicken isn’t far behind, and it’s best exemplified in the 4 Piece Chicken Dinner. Tracks broasts its chicken, essentially combining the methods of pressure frying and shallow frying, to produce a crispy outer skin that’s as salty and wonderfully seasoned as it is a pristine golden brown. The process also ensures the chicken inside is tender and juicy, as there’s not a dry bite in Tracks’ offering. And yet, there was minimal oil and grease… I won’t say I felt clean eating fried chicken (doing so would defeat the purpose), but I didn’t feel like a greasy mess, either.
A 4-piece meal comes with an enormous helping of breast, thigh, drum, and wing, making it more than a filling meal. And I can’t say enough about this seasoning: salty, savory, and with just the right amount of heat.
It’s not all about the chicken at Tracks, however; the sides are great too, far from an afterthought. The Sweet Potato fries combine a crispy exterior with creamy insides and a sweetness to counter the heavy starch. And the Coleslaw is one of the better versions you’ll find in Omaha. The mayo lends creaminess to these crisp cuts of lettuce without making the dish soggy and overly sweet like many are.
Tracks became an Omaha institution for its brews and commitment to the local horse racing scene. But its pivot to offering amazing food in recent years has endeared it to a whole new crowd, and now it serves some of the best wings and fried chicken Omaha has to offer.