Indian Oven

This is the very first Indian restaurant I've ever been to and how I wish I popped my cherry somewhere else. Anywhere in Downtown Omaha is pricey but the restaurants are usually pretty good...well, this one is mid-range but the food is not good.

I got the Tandoori chicken, naan and samosa.  The naan and samosa were ok. But the Tandoori chicken was extremely dry and flavorless.  That bird was definitely dead and I could only hope it will reincarnate and get cooked properly some place where they know how to cook chicken the right way.

After that evening, I told myself not to eat Indian food ever again. That didn't happen as I've tried other Indian restaurants that I loved.

I had not been back to this restaurant for 5 years.  I was pleasantly surprised at the new bar set up and very well executed drinks.  It's a cocktail bar which is unusual for an Indian restaurant but I can't fault the service and drinks.
Now to the food, the Mulligatawny soup was nicely balanced and the server was prompt and efficient.  The Lamb Korma was well cooked and my wife had the Saag Gosht which was a bit salty but still acceptable.  
The only downside was the state of the basement.  I ventured down there to use the toilet and found an entirely unused bar and seating area.  There was cleaning products lying around all over the place with dirty cleaning rags.  The actual bar was not in use with bottles and glasses piled up.  It was not a good look for a quality restaurant.  Either use the place and utilize this lovely space or clean it up.  The toilet was pretty dire, the mens had that older roller towel on a spindle (not hygienic) and the women's light did not work.
I asked the owner on the way out why he was not using the basement, he said it's his play area whatever that means...  He was a very nice chap and his mother was very pleasant.  I was surprised they had taken the best table in the house sitting right outside by door on a busy Friday night.  He also had a table in the restaurant spread out near the bar with his laptop and paperwork, pretty unprofessional.  
I will be back again as the food is good but they could do with emphasizing this restaurant is for the clientele.

This review is for the speakeasy part of IO only.  This bartender knows what he's doing! Most of the bitters and syrups are homemade, which is pretty impressive in an of itself. The menu has the old pre-prohibition style drinks, made the way they were back then and newer modern concoctions, made up by the bartender himself. It's a cool place to enjoy a good craft cocktail or two.

Pros: homemade ingredients, bartender knows his stuff
Cons; pricey (drinks are $9-10)