Leadbelly, located in Lincoln’s Haymarket (301 N. 8th Street), offers Contemporary American Cuisine. Happy Hour is Monday - Friday from 3p-6p, Friday and Saturday 10p-close and Sunday until 5p. Theirs is a drinks only HH with $1 off tap beer, $3 Rumplemintz and Fireball shots, $1 off wells and $4 Jameson.
The interior of Leadbelly is nice. A lot of wood and a large bar with open seating. Although it has a “hipster” reputation because of their food offerings and the wait staff, every time I visit the place is filled with older couples/friends and families. It’s a little dark in here which seems to be a restaurant trend currently. The patio is nice and wraps around two sides of the restaurant.
I tried both my usual Jameson and Ginger here as well as a Jameson Pineapple. Both great drinks for $4 and they didn’t skimp on the booze so you don’t have to order more than two or three if you’re looking for a buzz.
Even though it wasn’t on special I also got an order of guacamole and chips ($5.49: includes housemade salsa and white cheddar; choice of crisp corn or flour tortillas). The chips had a nice crunch to them and tasted homemade. The white cheddar was an interesting addition, didn’t think I’d care for it at first (I’m a bit of a guacamole purist) but it was a nice, mellow addition to the flavor profile. Their appetizers are reasonably priced so I recommend trying them out, even without any discount.
I give Leadbelly 5 smiles. I’m a bit biased since I love Jameson, but their other specials cater to most bar-goers as well. Their HH is straight to the point, perfect for those days where you just need a drink or two.
