Mai Tai Lounge

Awesome cocktails in a pretty good bar atmosphere. To be honest, the place was completely empty at 7 PM on a Thursday evening when we came in. The downstairs bar didn't look that tiki, but the drinks were great. We ended up going upstairs and ordering them with our food (see my separate review under Mt. Fuji Inn). The bartender was very friendly - actually playing the piano when we walked in - and encouraged us to do whatever we pleased.

They do have a small menu of fried Chinese appetizer staples available downstairs. On a weeknight, I would definitely recommend calling first if you plan on arriving after 9 PM, as they often close early. Definitely a unique place in the middle of Omaha.

I didn't really have a favorite bar in Omaha before I went to the Mai Tai lounge, but I damn sure have a favorite now.

There are a lot of otherwise "good" bars in this city, hell in most cities for that matter, that have for their predominant characteristic a certain unspoken pretense. These are the bars where no server is allowed to wear anything but sleek, black-on-black clothing and if one does find a married couple, it's very likely that their car keys will be in a serving bowl at a friend's house later that evening. They're fun to go to, and on occasion they employ spectacularly proficient booze-slingers, but as a whole they tend to be places you have to be in the right "mood" to enjoy. Luckily, happily, BLESSEDLY even, Mai Tai Lounge is not one such bar. This is a place where your bartender or waiter cares more about doing their job and doing it well than they do about how precisely short their dresses are or how well their just-so-unbuttoned shirt accents their ripped pecs. Employees were dressed in festive, somewhat tacky, casual clothing, customers in whatever-the-hell they felt like wearing.

Obviously, bars aren't just about what kind of people you're surrounded by, they're about BOOZE. And again, Mai Tai delivers. The XXX drinks are the best, in my humble opinion, though everything on the menu is well made, so as long as you don't pick something out of your comfort zone (grapefruit grog? no thanks) you'll be happy and on your way to a well-worth-it hangover.

I love this place, its a great place for you and your friends to get a little shlickered at! The Mai Tais are so yummy, can't even taste the alcohol. Which could ultimately be good and bad :) You're only allowed two though unless you get a cool waitress or they arn't paying attention. The cellphone service sucks though so if you plan on bringing your phone in you might as well put it away. The atmosphere makes you feel like your in the 70s which I think is pretty cool. One of my fav places!