Dudley's Pizza & Tavern

Located next to Aksarben Cinema in Aksarben Village, locally owned and operated Dudley’s Pizza & Tavern (2110 S 67th Street, Omaha) offers great pizza and friendly service. Happy Hour is Monday - Friday 3:00pm to 6:00 pm and Reverse HH is 9:00pm to close everyday. Specials include $1 off all draws and bottles, $3.50 well drinks, $5 8-inch one topping pizzas, half off select appetizers like fried pickles and sweet potato fries, and $3.50 wine by the glass. Daily specials include a Bloody Mary bar Sundays, Tuesday Pint Night and Tavern Trivia and Whiskey Wednesday.

The interior of Dudley’s is pretty straight forward. Sports bar feel in the bar area with tons of big screen tvs and pool tables; quieter in the dining room area. Nice selection at the bar and a patio for you to enjoy your pizza while people watching Aksarben Village goers.

I’ll let you in on a secret. I am a glutton for punishment. I know I don’t like IPAs but I keep trying to find one to change my mind. Deschutes’ Fresh Squeezed IPA ($4.85 for a 16 oz -- 6.4% ABV) did not do the trick. It was more citrusy than hoppy to my bartenders credit, but I just couldn’t do it. Thankfully she let me get another beer and didn’t charge me for the approximately six sips I took.

Boulevard’s Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale was a bit more my speed ($5.15 for a 12 oz -- 8.5% ABV). I enjoyed the citrusy grapefruit notes despite not likely actual grapefruits and the dry finish complemented the food I ordered.

I love Dudley’s pizza so I ordered an 8 inch sausage and black olive pizza ($5.75 -- additional toppings are 75 cents each). Generally I hate pizza crust but Dudley’s apparently has the magic formula that makes me eat it. Try it with the honey they leave on the table -- definitely a treat. Sometimes there’s too much cornmeal dusted on top but nothing a quick brush or shake wouldn’t fix. In the running for best personal pizzas in Omaha.

I also ordered the bacon-cheddar-loaded sticks ($4: “breadsticks” stuffed with hickory-smoked bacon, Dudley’s freshly grated cheese blend, topped with green onions and sharp Wisconsin cheddar. Served with ranch and classic red sauce). A cross between a loaf of bread and breadsticks, I expected a bit more bacon and cheese. Same dough they use for their pizzas but without the cheese and sauce, it was a bit lacking for me.

I give Dudley’s 2.5 smiles. Love their pizza but after trying two or three other menu items the pizza may be the only thing that brings me back. Would like a bigger beer selection, but thoroughly enjoy the environment and location.

Local Beer, Patio and Kitchen

Off the beaten downtown path, Local Beer, Patio and Kitchen (902 Dodge St, Omaha) is a modern bar offering elevated comfort food sourced locally and 100+ craft beers from local Nebraska and Iowa breweries. Happy Hour is Monday - Friday from 3:30 to 6:30 (excluding nights there are events downtown). Discounted starters include things from poutine, their Local burger and soft pretzels. Drafts are all discounted dependent on their starting price point ($5 and under are $3, etc.) well drinks are $3.50 and beer bottles and cans are half priced.

Local has an open floor plan where you sit yourself. Large modern fixtures stud the exposed ceilings and the centerpiece is a wrap around bar. There’s a large patio with plenty of shared seating and a cool lounge area with a life-sized Connect Four wall! The waitstaff is very helpful when trying to navigate the extensive beer list and Local’s website even has an “If, Then” section that pairs common “mainstream” favorites with their local craft counterparts.

My friend and I decided to try their Bierrocks( $1 each: beerrock version has Nebraska beef, beer-braised cabbage, onions and spices) which were mini Runza buns. I don’t really care for Runzas because at a certain point the inside of the dough is mushy, but the size here made them edible. They came with Local’s “spicy” beer cheese sauce. Nice addition that elevated these bierrocks from knock-off Runzas. Two or three would satisfy anyone’s Runza itch.  

My first drink was the Empyrean Imperial Mango IPA ($4: 16oz). I really have to stop trying to make myself like IPAs. The mango didn’t overpower the hoppiness of this beer and I just couldn’t finish. It is however, a very light beer and great for sipping on Local’s patio if you are an IPA lover or convert.

My love of potatoes wouldn’t let me skip over the waffle fry nachos ($5: Mexican chorizo, housemade pico, black olives, jalapenos, sour cream and beer cheese). The actual waffle fries were super crispy and well seasoned. Thick enough to actually support the toppings and crispy enough to emulate a chip sort of crunch. The beer cheese was a great substitute for nacho cheese, having the same amount of space while having more depth of flavor. 

I had better luck with the Peacetree Blonde Fatale ($4: 8oz). Blonde ales might be my sweet spot summer beers as they are light and refreshing and essentially hop-free (as far as distinguishable taste). This has been on the beer list my last two visits but be warned, it does change periodically. If something really catches your interest, try it right away, especially given their reasonably priced flight option.

I give Local Beer, Patio and Kitchen five smiles. I love that they incorporate Nebraska in their food and beverage offerings, the patio is nice and I have to go back to play Connect Four. They are also one of the few if not only bars downtown that have off-street parking (although it is metered, almost had it all Local).