When we visited Omaha Kebabs on a Saturday afternoon for lunch, there were no customers in the small dining room, so we enjoyed personalized attention from the server. We noticed signage stating that this restaurant opened in 2021, which seemed like a gutsy time to open a restaurant. If they could manage to succeed in opening a restaurant during a pandemic, we figured they must be doing something right.

We weren’t disappointed. All the food we tried at Omaha Kebabs had vibrant flavor and was delicious. 

We started with the hummus plate, which featured a generous helping of hummus alongside soft, warm pita bread wedges. We tore into that hummus plate and didn’t stop until the pita bread was gone, at which point we started eating the hummus with spoons.

When our server came to collect our appetizer plates, he suggested we keep leftover hummus at the table because it’s good with the kebab meat. He was right, and the little hummus we had left was gone before the meal was done. 

Photo by Bill Sitzmann

My daughter ordered a Greek salad and added the chicken kebab. The presentation was pretty—the vibrant salad bordered by chicken kebab. The portion was too big for her to finish, but someone with a hearty appetite could probably rip through it entirely.

Her friend ordered the pork loin kebabs, which were served over a bed of rice with a green salad. He remarked how the kebab meat was evenly cooked and maintained juiciness even at the ends. 

My husband ordered the lamb chops, which he described as “juicy and succulent.” His lamb chops were also served over a bed of rice with a green salad on the side, which he liked, but he was most impressed with the lamb.

Photo by Bill Sitzmann    

I ordered the falafel burger, which featured a falafel patty, pickles, onions, a generous slab of tomato, lettuce, and tahini sauce. The burger was served with a green salad with a heavy dose of lemon vinegar dressing. The heavy amount of dressing on my salad was the only thing I would change with all the food I encountered.

The falafel burger had a thick patty that was nicely complemented by the tahini sauce. When the server brought it over, he paused and asked if I knew the falafel burger didn’t have meat. Apparently, some previous guests were upset that the falafel burger didn’t have a beef patty, whereas I would have been upset had there been a beef patty on my falafel burger. 

Our server was very welcoming. He brought us over a small plate of something I can only describe as a bulgur tabbouleh, which he urged us to try on our salads. The lemon-infused dish isn’t on the menu—at least that’s what he told us when he brought it over—so I’m not entirely sure of the dish’s name. Regardless, it was delicious and had a fresh and vibrant taste. 

The server kept our water glasses full and when my husband ordered a coffee, he gave him a thorough tutorial on the sweetness levels he could request. My husband wound up ordering a coffee with a sweetness level of 5, which turned out to be sweet, but not too sweet. If you’ve never had Armenian coffee, you might think this coffee is too strong—but if you’re a coffee connoisseur, you’ll probably enjoy the experience of slowly sipping a cup. 

Photo by Bill Sitzmann    

 My husband paired the coffee with a serving of baklava, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I don’t typically like baklava because every time I’ve eaten it, I’ve found it too sweet, but this baklava I liked. The flavor was balanced and the sweetness didn’t overpower. My daughter and her friend shared a serving of baklava and it was gone before I realized they’d even started eating.

The vanilla ice cream had a naturally fresh flavor and featured a honey drizzle. The pairing of baklava and vanilla ice cream made for a scrumptious ending to a satisfying meal.

We felt welcomed and appreciated as guests. I don’t know if this place gets packed during peak hours, but I imagine it might. I can only guess that the service is still impressive when the tables fill up.

We’ll absolutely return to Omaha Kebabs when we have a craving for some delicious Armenian food because Omaha Kebabs is doing something right. 

Visit omahakebabs.com for more information.