A hidden gem in Lincoln. Â Most people do not realize they serve good and it's quality food for a bar, even if it's a lovely upscale bar. Â I recommend the Curry Chicken Quesadilla, if I'm downtown I have to stop in for one. Â I took my mother from England here for a steak one night and she loved the place. Â
Has the feel of a New York martini bar with beautiful decor and leather booths for seating. Â My wife tells me the mixed drinks are always well executed. Â The Stella on draft is always fresh also. They are also one of the only bars that serve a Moscow Mule correctly in real copper cups, very refreshing on a hot summer day. Â
Only minor gripe I have is the male bar tenders think they are a cut above everyone else and are not the most friendly or accommodating when you talk to them. Â Luckily this is made up by the good looking lady servers who are swift and friendly. Â
Lincoln needs more bars like this for the over 25 crowd. Â It's just a few blocks away from the main college bars and sitting outside in the summer is enjoyable. Â Keep up the good work Marz!
I feel like I could have just as easily titled this post Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Â I'll explain in time, but that's what my two separate experiences at Marz in Lincoln, NE have been like.
My first visit was last August, and the notes and pictures are still in my Blackberry, just waiting to get published. Â So, with a return trip to Lincoln this week I was really looking forward to visiting Marz again and having a some great cocktails and food. Â But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Marz is located in downtown Lincoln and has an incredible hip and cool vibe. Â With 20 something foot ceilings, a very long bar lines one side and cozy velour covered half circle booths run down the other side. Â With a space age decor and a comfy lounge area at the rear, and a very nifty acid jazz, chill electronic soundtrack going, I liked it as soon as I walked in the door.
During my first visit I had an ongoing conversation with the bartender who was very knowledgeable and into her craft. Â She started me with a Smokey Vesper since a James Bond flick was running on the TV over the bar. Â For my second drink I had the Martian Sunrise (pictured above), which features Cuervo, pineapple and pomegranate juices in a riff on the Tequila Sunrise. Â A strong drink with plenty of punch from the tequila it settled in nicely once some of the ice started to melt. Â Interestingly enough I also got a taste of banana from this one, and wasn't sure if it was from the drink or the banana split I had for desert!
Along with my drinks I had a dinner of the homemade mac and cheese, which was good, very good. Â All in all, my visit there last August was quite impressive. Â So when I arrived in Lincoln last night I was very much looking forward to eating and drinking there again.
Boy, what a difference 7 months makes! Â The atmosphere was just as hip, and given that it was in the 70s, the outside patio was full when I arrived around 9pm. Â Unfortunately, that's about where the goodness ended and mediocrity took over. Â I asked the bartender what he makes that's unique and his. Â His answer was pretty much a blank look and then mumbling something about their Manhattan's being good. Â OK, so he's not really a bartender into cocktails. Â I ordered a Sidecar Named Desire from the menu. Â Consisting of Raynar VSOP cognac, Cointreau and lemon juice I was surprised when it was served with a sugared rim that had been wetted with a lime wedge. Â The first two sips were overwhelmingly lime and that was spoiling the drink - not to mention that anything resembling a sidecar has no business being served in a sugared rim.
At about this time the second bartender (whose best feature, I learned, was her breasts spilling out of the top of her sundress) came over to ask how it was. Â I started to ask her about the sugared rim and her answer was that the bourbon - which prompted me to correct her to brandy, she didn't even know what was in the thing - made it strong and so they thought it should be sweetened. Â I told her the lime on the rim was too much so she offered to pour into a fresh glass, which I gladly accepted. Â As we continued talking I tried to point out that a cocktail like this is supposed to be strong. Â Her final answer was "I just do what they tell me to do." Â So, two lifeless bartenders on duty.
So, without the lime and sugar on the rim it was drinkable, but unremarkable. Â It was a bit disjointed and needed, most likely, some work on the proportions of Cointreau and lemon juice, and also, most likely, a dash of bitters.
As for my dinner, I ordered the cleverly named Moons of Pluto which were described as provolone risotto balls served with marinara sauce. Â It failed to mention that they were breaded and deep fried, which was disappointing. Â The risotto and cheese was good, and I would have enjoyed the balls if they hadn't been deep fried and just drizzled with a bit of olive oil instead. Â As for the marinara, it had the consistency and flavor of slightly thinned out tomato paste. Â Again, disappointing.
Finally, as way of adding insult to injury, there was only one dessert item available, a honey lavender creme brulee. Â I normally may have gone for it, but was dismayed by only having that one choice and passed instead.
All in all I was very disappointed by the second visit. Â When back in Lincoln down the road I may try it again in the hoped of finding the good Marz is back.
Really love coming to Marz when I'm in town. Â It's such a nice bar, but it is still affordable and (best of all) they have Hopluia on tap. Â Living in the bro-bar hellhole that is Iowa City, I enjoy a bar for grown-ups that isn't divey or snobby. Â Marz is one of those bars you can go to and feel like you are in a cool place without also feeling douchey, does that make sense?
Review Source:the food was excellent. I ordered the potato wedges with this amazing dipping sauce. The menu looked really fun and interesting. The cocktail I had was good.
Unfortunately, the staff is what lacks. I though my waitron was  depressed ......or something; either way she was not happy to see me. She actually looked a little confused. I don't blame her. All the other staffers were chatting at the bar like it was their own personal happy hour.
I am going to go back and check it out...maybe, it was just not meant to be that night. I'll give it a go again but only because the menu looks really good.
((I wish there was more tapas places like in Denver - oh well FYI, am visiting Lincoln on business))
Marz is my go-to place when I feel like splurging on fancy drinks and fancy tapas (appetizers) and food. Â It's got a nice, urban, hip and relaxed atmosphere. Â Marz is the perfect place to kick back and enjoy good friends and good conversation over innovative food and drink.
Their drink list (much like their food menu) is always changing, so it's exciting to go and see what kind of interesting cocktail combos they've got going on. Â They have delicious press drinks and they infuse a lot of their own liquor which makes their cocktails so unique. Â They are also the only place in town to get really high quality absinthe (most places just offer Lucid...yuck), so I love to go here for that. Â
On to the food.  I haven't been in love with all of the food they've had on their menu, but some of the items are incredibly delicious.  I love their steak with pomme frites that comes drizzled with a wonderful brown mushroom sauce.  I might go as far as to say that this place could be in the running for best steak in town.  I don't crave steak very often but when I do this is where I go.  They also have delicious, although incredibly bad for you, mac and cheese, as well as calamari, coconut shrimp, a burger called the Royal With Cheese ( I loved the Pulp Fiction reference and the burger is divine), and also some mini-pizzas.  That was just a few of the great entrées and tapas (appetizers) that they have on their menu. Â
I would like to warn you that the appetizer portions are pretty small.  The entrées are perfect, but the tapas are quite small and also pricey.  Be prepared to pay quite a bit, and I would suggest ordering an assortment if you're going for appetizers alone. Â
The service here can be incredibly slow, so get ready for that as well.  They get busy, and don't always keep your drinks refilled.  There have been quite a few times that I've had to go up to the bar to get another.  Not a huge deal, just something to keep in mind.  Also, the food comes out as it is prepared, so often times you'll get your entrées or tapas in courses which I really enjoy but it might confuse or put off some people.
Lincoln has a lot of great restaurants and several are faves in their own way, but Marz is a winner on many fronts and if pressed I might say, my favorite. Â I have heard others say it is the best food in town. Â It is on par with hip food/cocktail places in major metro areas, something that serves Lincoln well. Â The ambiance is well done and makes for a memorable experience.
Review Source:I love Marz and always will because of the interior. So I really hate to say this, but Oh no you didn't Marz Bar. ......
  I believe it's comon knowlege among anyone who has ever had a Moscow Mule that they must be served in a copper cup. You can taste the copper in the drink, due to the reaction with the lime juice, which is part of why it's such a delicious different drink. Well, according to Marz Bar, the copper has no reaction and it's fine for them to serve the drink in a regular glass..... This is comming from the owner straight to our table. pretty dissapointing. Espicially since we had friends from out of town with us who had never tried the drink. With out the copper, it's just not as good. If you know anything about bartending, espicially if you OWN the bar, you really should know this...And I believe they do. They had copper cups there, I saw one on the table next to us. The waitress even took our i.d.s as collateral for the very expensive cups when we ordered the drinks. They know the copper cup is key. it was our impression that they were either out of cups, of just didn't want to deal with it so they tried to play it off as though we didn't know what we were talking about, when we complained that they brought our drinks out in regular glasses. :(  What they should've done was simply offered us something else or refunded our money. VERY disapointing.
I love the menu. The curried chicken quesadillas are to die for. The stuffed grape leaves are good and so is the Greek pizza. Haven't tried the mac and cheese but the server highly recommended it, so, i;ll try it next time. The menu is made up of  mostly hors d'eouvres but they also serve a steak and seafood entree. The ambience is great. Globe balls from the Peony Park Ballroom in Omaha and good wine.
Also was lucky enough to attend an event the Marz Bar catered. They had curried meatballs, eggrolls, fruit, chicken sataay, and a wonderful dessert. Would highly recommend them as caterers.
Their food is really overpriced and so are their drinks, really. But, it's always a scene... Can be a pick-up joint, but you meet cool people there.... It's fun with it's dark atmosphere and bulging, primary colored bulbous things... (Planets?) They often try to create a sexy music atmosphere and frequently succeed.
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