1814 N 144th Street
Stonehenge Center
Omaha, Nebraska 68154
402-493-4743
The Railcar has a great happy hour for a few reasons: #1 the start and end times of 3:30 to 6:30 are perfect, #2 happy hour is offered everyday! #3 the food and drinks are fantastic. But they do have one drawback that really gets under my skin: happy hour is offered in the bar area only. I get why establishments have this rule; however, if I’m coming in to spend money, why should the deals end a few feet short of the bar? Thankfully, my drinking buddy and I arrived early on a Thursday and snagged a table in the bar area. We were greeted by the bartender, Brian, who promptly brought us menus and water. Because Drinking Buddy and I take happy hour seriously, we were early—like ten minutes early, we were happy to peruse the menu until happy hour officially began, but Brian was accommodating and said that while the food specials didn’t start until 3:30, he could get us some drinks. Obviously Brian knows happy hour. Brian gets it. I was loving Brian.
Being a bourbon gal, the first drink I chose was the Black Manhattan. The drink was well-executed as the flavors of the ingredients were not watered, but better enhanced by the delicate shards of ice floating on top of the drink. The Manhattan was garnished with a cherry and orange rind and this particular cocktail is a great option for someone who appreciates a less sweet Manhattan.
Next boozy beverage on deck was the Tito’s Moscow mule. Delicious! This was a sweet follow up to the tart Black Manhattan and the flavor of the mint was refreshing as we moved into our food selection.
Drinking Buddy, a Bloody Mary freak, decided to order what seems to be the Railcar’s house Bloody Mary, the Rocket. Having previously brunched at the Railcar (check out brunch too, seriously), Drinking Buddy had enjoyed another variety of the Railcar’s Bloody Mary selection. However, in her opinion, the Rocket fell short of the other cocktails she had enjoyed at brunch. Drinking Buddy’s complaint about this drink was that it tasted like spaghetti sauce; she finished this drink without a complaint to Brian, but decided to switch to PBR for the remainder of happy hour.
Drinking Buddy and I ordered four food items from the happy hour menu: Korean popcorn chicken, Railcar truffle fries, Cajun flatbread, and pretzel crusted jisa cheese curds. All of the food was very tasty and hit the spot after a few cocktails, but the way some of the items were presented caused the sauce or oil to settle and congeal at the bottom of the plate, making the last bites of these snackies a little less enjoyable than the first servings.
The Korean Popcorn Chicken and Railcar Truffle Fries 
Cajun Flatbread 
Pretzel Crusted Jisa Cheese Curds 
The Railcar’s Happy Hour Food Menu
The ambiance of the Railcar is that of a sophisticated eatery without being pretentious. With that expectation being set, the restrooms in this establishment could do with an upgrade to keep up with the rest of the vibe. Please understand, the restroom was not dirty, just unkempt. A little paint and sprucing up would bring the restrooms up the standards of the rest of the building.
The women’s restroom. Peeling wallpaper around the sink. 
Could someone tidy up the soap dispenser? 
Chipped paint in the stall–kinda like a dive bar restroom
Throughout the entirety of happy hour, Brian did an excellent job serving the bar area by himself. Drinking Buddy and I were never without full water glasses and Brian’s timing regarding ordering food or another round was always spot on. The great service Brian provided us extended to all the other patrons as everyone appeared to be having an enjoyable evening and frequently took a moment to engage Brian in conversation.
Overall, the Railcar’s happy hour is three hours well spent. The food choices and drink selections are on point, the service was great and the atmosphere is enjoyable. While there were a few bumps on the train ride that was happy hour, the Railcar did stay on track.
