Nicola's Italian Wine & Fare

Very good food and the people are very friendly! Nice atmosphere! We will be back! (Forgot to take a picture to start with, we were very hungry! But we absolutely cleaned our plates!!)

I love this place! I waited 2 years to be able to visit again, and I couldn't be happier. The owner has been my waiter each visit and he's super friendly and very helpful. 1000 gold stars if I could.

We got dinner to go. This pasta was $24.95. Tortellini and prosciutto that was the same quality I could have made at home from a frozen package and a jar of sauce for $5 cost $24.95 for a portion size smaller than my hand. We also got the panini pollo for $13.95 that was the blandest chicken I’ve ever had. Complete waste of money.

We had the most incredible service at Nicola’s. Our meal was very appreciated and flavorful. We loved that John, aka. Mr. Nicola, was able to give us wine recommendations for each plate and to tell us the story of how Nicola’s started 23 years ago! We could really tell why they’ve stayed in business so long. We arrived later in the evening and our meal ended past closing time. John was so accommodating and assured us we were no inconveniencing him (though we definitely were!) We had some delicious lemon cake that was so subtle and fresh tasting. I had lobster ravioli that was tender as can be. Again. I cannot stress the superiority of service we received. So kind, so yummy, we adored our time here!

I simply adore this little dependable Italian restaurant! They make all their own pasta from scratch with imported amazing flour. It’s nothing like the grains grown in the US and treated with glyphosate and depleted of nutrition that turns to glue in the intestinal tract. I’m gluten free and able to eat the pasta here without hesitation.

We had the privilege of visiting Nicola’s on my birthday, and absolutely loved it. I got the tortellini with homemade meatballs, and my husband got the meat pizza, Both which were absolutely delicious paired with a glass of Cabernet and an Old Fashioned. The interior only has about 10 tables so do recommend making a reservation. However, their patio is very large and very cool, so we are excited to go back when the weather is warmer! We also got to speak with John, one of the owners, and learn more about their story and lastly, we got to savor a piece of lemon cake, which was SO delicious. Highly recommend and we can’t wait to go back!

Food and drink was excellent. They stayed open late until the last minute to let us enjoy their beautiful patio. Service was beyond.

Good quality food with generous portions at a reasonable price. The service was friendly and fast. I recommend calling for reservations prior coming as this is a small venue. Unfortunately I had to mark them down one star for atmosphere. (it was 77° inside restaurant on a warm sunny day, when I asked my waiter about it, he said that it’s normally warmer when the patio doors open ) obviously this is an easy fix to get that extra star. On a whole, it was a great experience eating here and I would come back again.

My two girlfriends and I had an amazing night at Nicola's! I ordered the shrimp and lobster ravioli with the additional shrimp (worth it!). 10/10 for me. The pasta also comes with a small yummy salad. We ate outside on a beautiful night. All staff were busting their tails to provide great service. At the end of the night, we had the pleasure of meeting Nicola herself. She is an absolute gem. She went out of her way to write down several restaurants/attractions she thought we should visit while in town. Furthermore, she brought us THREE free desserts that she had made herself! They were all three wonderful. Fun fact she told us, Lynn Painter (popular YA romance author) has eaten at restaurant and named one of her book characters after Nicola's daughter. Lynn Painter has two characters go on a date at Nicola's and share her favorite vanilla lemon cake.

It's been years since we've been here but tonight the weather was too good not to try and sit on their patio. Such a cool spot. There aren't many shaded patios in downtown Omaha so Nicola's has the ambiance that can't be beat. We enjoyed our food and the service was great despite them having a full house.

After attending a baseball game we wanted Italian and Nicola's was about a 20 minute walk from Charles Schwab field. Off we went - to the Old Market district! We made a quick reservation so we were seated very quickly. The server provided some good recommendations and shared about the menu. We didn't have to wait long for our drinks, salads and bread. Our party of 6 enjoyed our entrees. Portions were good, not too small or big.

We got food to go and it was delicious! It is a little pricey but so worth it. Pictured is the shimp scampi ravioli with added shrimp. It is so yummy (sorry, I forgot to take a pic before I took a bite). It has a hint of lemon to it and plenty of sauce. My hubby got the bolgonese and my son got the lasagna. They both loved it. We have eaten here before and the patio is beautiful. We have always had great service also.

It's been awhile since I visited an Italian restaurant and I would say this is one of the freshly made authentic Italian food. The pizza, especially is good. It is topped with pesto sauce, artichoke, olives and shrimp and the shrimp is very fresh. The taste is great and honestly, if I were to come back, I might pick this again. My friend had the aglio olio and she said it was good. The only drawback is that the price is a lil on the higher side. The service is okay.

Wonderful atmosphere and delicious Italian. Nice outdoor seating on a weather perfect day. Great service and wine selection.

Nothing beats sitting on a patio with good weather and a refreshing bottle of wine. I did the spaghetti alla carbonara and oh my, it was good. The bad news is the tiramisu was the worst i've ever had. Pretty much inedible

Date night of the month and we of course waited till the last day of the month, We had reservations for New Years Eve, we got the last reservation at 7:30pm, showed up 15 minutes early and was still able to sit us down right away! I didn't know how small it was 10 tables and 4 seats at the bar! Everything was great, atmosphere, service, food and wine! Parking is your typical downtown parking, meters and what not!

Nicola's is a true gem in Omaha! Being from Omaha, l surprisingly have never been here until today. The food was outstanding -- full of flavor, beautifully presented, and clearly made with care. The atmosphere is warm and inviting (especially the back patio), and the service is top-notch. Nicola's personal touch and passion for great dining really shines through. Highly recommend for anyone looking for an unforgettable meal whether it's a date night, birthday celebration, or just in a the mood to leave the house. You will not be disappointed with this hidden gem.

I live by a "I'll try anything twice" mindset, and I'm SO glad we tried Nicola's again. I had the tortellini formaggio with prosciutto, and it was once again incredible. My boyfriend had the pesto fettuccine, and I was envious of his meal. The pesto was deliciously creamy and the portion was large. We finished our meal with a raspberry cheesecake and basically had to roll ourselves all the way home. I can't wait to come back in the spring and sit on the patio!

1st time trying Nicola's.... And we will definitely be going back. The wait staff were amazing, the food was superb and sitting out on the patio on a summer evening made it all a wonderful night. Definitely one to try!

I went to Nicola's for the first time on my birthday for my birthday dinner. I had made a reservation beforehand over the phone which was an easy process! They had a lot of options on their dinner menu, but ultimately I got the fettuccine al salmon which was tasty! The service was great when we first arrived when they had just opened at 5PM and no one else was there. But as it picked up, the service became not as attentive and was good but not great. We sat on the outdoor patio which was really nice! There's a lot more space sitting outside instead of sitting inside. I think this would be a 5 star experience if we had better service and it felt more special for a birthday dinner. I would definitely come back especially when it is warm outside to sit on the patio. I love the trees and the lights! They also have a good selection of drink options. My fiancé got the chicken alfredo and would definitely come back! I would come back too.

This place was amazing! It's the perfect small little authentic Italian place. It's small so definitely make reservations. We were lucky enough to snag two seats at the bar, but don't count on that. To drink, I had a Bellini and it was tasty and refreshing. For dinner I had the Lemon Cream al Salmon Fettuccine and it was to die for, SO GOOD! Perfectly creamy and the salmon was cooked perfectly too. My date had the Spaghetti Alla Bolognese and that was also really good. With each dish you get a small side salad and two little bruschetta/bread pieces. I was stuffed by the end! The waiters were all so attentive and very kind. I would highly recommend this place!

Italian food at its best! First thing you notice when you walk in is how intimate the space is, it has an old school vibe where you can feel the history even though I am not sure how long has it been open. The pasta is so flavorful and the charcuterie was delicious. The waitress and staff we easygoing and paid attention and answered any question we had. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a chill place to have dinner at.

Nicola's is my "go to" place whenever I'm in town and desire a fantastic Italian meal together with a quaint, inviting atmosphere..., which translates to "always". Plus, their quality cuisine, delectable dishes, and varied wine/cocktail menu won't break the bank, yet it will certainly make a palate pleasing "deposit" on one's taste buds. Don't forget the luscious and light Lemon Cake, a staple signature of the Nicola's experience.

Came to Nicola's for a girls night. It was super tough to find a reservation, so I got excited thinking this would be a life changing meal. We arrived at 5:30 and the restaurant itself is cozy and cute. We ordered a martini (would not recommend) and some wine (great wine list). We ordered the prosciutto e melon and buratta to start, both fantastic. What bummed me out is I ordered the Penne Al Ragu at the recommendation of the waitress and it wasn't anything special. To be honest, it tasted like something I could get anywhere my girl friends ordered the gnocchi special and it was INCREDIBLE!

Great service and delicious, authentic Italian cuisine. The perfect, small wine bar vibe.

My husband and I went here for his birthday and it was just wonderful! We were sat right away and had such great service. The drinks and food are so delicious, you can't make a bad choice. We plan on going back soon!

Such a fun Italian spot for date night. Tons of wines and drinks to enjoy. Get like we were in a real Italian resteraunt in Italy. Staff was very friendly!

My husband and I came here for a Saturday date night dinner. Since it's summer, we had to sit outside on the patio! The patio area is lovely, the only downfall was being shed on by all the trees. It's a little secluded even for being downtown, but we could still feel the buzz of downtown nightlife. We both got pasta dishes and a side salad. The salad was really good, the pasta on the other hand, was fairly bland. It wasn't bad by any means, but it also wasn't very good, it was just...dough and sauce. The bruschetta appetizers were fantastic, though! I got an aperol spritz, which was good, no complaints. The wait time was a little long at the end of the meal, which is very European. I only wish the food would have been better so we'd want to return, but the food quality vs the price point isn't quite worth going back for the food. Perhaps for drinks!

Decent atmosphere but my food came out a little cold. Enjoyed the app we had and I tried my husbands carbonara which was really good. Will probs get those next time.

We had a girls trip weekend and ate at Nicola's Saturday night. It was the BEST ITALIAN restaurant I have ever eaten at, and I travel quite a bit. We ate out in the courtyard at night and it was so pretty with the lights. The server was so friendly and helpful, and patient. Food was amazing, I sampled my mother in law and sister in laws plates as well. Hands down the best place to get Italian and I'll be back!

Stopped in on a Tuesday night - very attentive staff and was sat right away. Tried the wine recommendation (Pinot noir) and enjoyed it. The salad that came with the dinner had a delicious dressing! It had a good flavor and amount, but it didn't make it slimy. For dinner I had the portobello ravioli with meatballs in ragu sauce - absolutely delicious. And a please surprise was the bruschetta that came with the dish. Will definitely be back.

We were in Omaha at my brothers condo and he mentioned this place. Boy, I am so glad he mentioned it. We were very pleasantly impressed. Loved the close feel of this place. Thankfully we called ahead for a reservation. This place couldn't take walk ins that night as they had every table booked. We see why with the absolutely amazing fresh foods!! This is one of the best Italian restaurants we have ever eaten within the US. This place will not disappoint. The owners were amazing and took care of everyone, quickly, professionally and efficiently. We didnt wait long at all for our foods or drinks. BRAVO!!!!

Absolutely delicious. I was here in Omaha for a brief time but after going here once, I plotted my time to return before departure. The service is friendly with this low key vibe that they know their food is incredible. Every single bite had me going.... Mmmmmmm

This was my first time a Nicola's. It your looking for a cute Italian spot, this is it. They have a variety of wine selection and authentic Italian dishes. I was extremely excited to try the Pasta Carbonara, and it was delicious. My boyfriend got the Tortellini Ragu and he really enjoyed it. Each pasta dish comes with a side salad and two bruchetta toast. The space is small, I recommend getting there just before the dinner crowd.

I love supporting family owned businesses! The service was awesome. They were so friendly. I eat healthy and ordered the salmon with veggies and it was super tasty. The wine selection by the glass was good and they had a decent amount of Italians. I would come here again with family and try some of the other dishes.

I'm so happy we finally got to experience Nicola's! The inside was small and intimate. Be sure to call for a reservation. We were able to get a table on the tree covered patio. The service is very attentive and courteous. Dinner was amazing, and the lemon cake is to die for.

Never disappointed. Fettuccine El Salmone is smoky flavor perfectly mixed with lemon and creamy fettuccine.

Our 1st time here. All seating is outdoors on their tree covered patio. I called for RSVP, but was told 1st come, 1st served & open at 5 on Saturday. We arrived at 5:10 & it was 1/2 full. We quickly looked over the menu & made our choices: Cheese Ravioli, Penne Ragu & Thorn Merlot. We were able to give a spicy heat level to our meals that made it just the way we like it! Dinner meals come with a side salad & bread. Great homemade Italian salad dressing made the salad flavorful & Prisoner wine is fabulous with this dinner. We both got hearty meatballs with our pasta & if you haven't tried them you should. I've added Nicola's to my list of favorite Italian food in town!

Excellent service and they were super busy with minimal staff but the wait staff knew what they were doing and how to pay attention to their customers. Beautiful site to sit outside and fresh and delicious food. Recommend to skip the martinis as they were warm and served in wine tumblers and portions seemed smaller than if served in martini glasses.

First time here. All the dishes in a party of four were wonderful. Chicken Marsala was especially fine. Nicola (herself) is a dream. We will go back

Finally went here during the College World Series outstanding!!! The service and the food were excellent. Just like homemade. Ate outside cute patio with trees and tables perfect setup

Great food. Service was super slow. We weren't in a hurry so we didn't let it ruin a good meal with friends. We've dined here many times over the years and the food really is consistently great. On our recent visit, I tried the Creamy Pesto Fettuccine with shrimp and my husband had the Tortellini Al Formaggio & Prosciutto - an all time favorite dish that one of us gets almost every time. Our meals were great. The food is fresh and flavorful. We haven't been in awhile so it was especially nice. Highly recommend reservations, especially if it's nice out and you want to sit on the patio. They have a really nice, laid back patio area. The inside seating is nice as well and has a more cozy ambiance.

This is our second visit and is unbelievablely worse than the first. We got ushered outside bt one person, who told us someone else would seat us, so we were left standing around for a few minutes outside until someone else came out, sat us and took off without asking for a drink order. We then waited more than five minutes to order drinks. Never got refills. Other tables heard about specials; we did not. People who sat down after we ordered our beer got their wine first. Food took forever, which they warn you about because it's made "fresh." After we got our app and our salads, and quite a long time after having ordered, the waiter came over to confirm what I had ordered and had gotten it wrong. After waiting forever again, we got food that was cold. Had to ask three times for refills and finally gave up. Our pasta was described as having a "bit of a kick" and was inedibly spicy (and we are from Texas). We pointed out the giant, raging ant pile near our feet several times and no one cared. Literally told us that someone had sprayed for bugs earlier but "must have just made them mad" and then did nothing else. Nothing here is very good, lots of things are very bad.

The service was fabulous, and the food good. Maybe it was the heat in the restaurant, maybe it was the style of the food, but I wouldn't go back.

This place is my first Italian restaurant in downtown Omaha. I ordered Lemon Cream al Salmon Fettuccine , Portobello Ravioli and Antipasto Italiano and they're very good. There is only one waitress but we didn't wait for long for the food to serve. The place is small but pretty good atmosphere.

Nicola's is a wonderful, close Italian restaurant with devotion to authenticity. I was here with my family and we all had a great time. I would recommend smaller parties though. Service was great and food was exceptional. Try the Italian or French soda! My spinach ravioli was tasteful!

I really like this place. Nice ambiance and great spaghetti. Will return!! Drinks are a little not good.

One of our favorite places to dine in Omaha. Always delicious and consistent. The staff is top notch and knowledgeable. Enjoy the patio area for cute and quaint ambience. Highly recommend!

An absolute MUST go to in Omaha If there were more than 5 stars I wouldn't even hesitate to give 'em Family business done right The bruschetta was delicious, over heard that the bread is freshly made in-house The spicy Ragu was addicting I couldn't stop despite how full I was Our waitress (I think Kayla was her name) was outrageous & very quick on her feet. She definitely gets shit done around there Loved seeing who looked like the owner be very involved, taking tables and managing the phones Lots of love & passion going on in this restaurant and you can taste it!! Highly, highly recommend

My Grandma always said you can tell everything about a restaurant by just their salads.... Well It is very true here and from the salad on through your meal it just gets better and better. The salads are served with perfect pieces of greens that seem to be each one hand selected and individually placed. With nice diced tomato and a good shaved parmesan. The pasta's are divine. The sauces wonderful and the service is great! Its a quaint little space that is quiet and can easily remind you of a New York neighborhood restaurant. They also have a fabulous patio for the summer months A nice menu that covers all the bases and is not crazy large. The prices are also very reasonable. Nicola's is in my top 3 Italian spots of Omaha

Easily the closest Italian food I've had to the real thing since I was in Italy. I feel like I'm back in Florence eating here! The wine list is great, food is outstanding and moderately priced, and the service we had (waiters name was Tyler) was wonderful! So glad to have a taste of Italy so close to home!

I've been twice for this Old Market spot, once for the most fun evening of wine with a group of 10 of my tribe of girlfriends and once for lunch with my 20-something foodie friend. Both times, witty and attentive servers. The food was gourmet Italian and the wine list extensive. The portions were pretty large- we took to go containers from lunch! Great spot.

Recently went here with a guest in town. We were looking for GOOD, authentic Italian food....but we not so authentic that you can't pronounce the items on the menu. We made reservations for 3 @7pm on Valentine's Day and were able to get in. Located right in the old market. The actual eating area is very small, maybe 10 tables. Bar seats 3. Interior- Very cool shiplap wood lines the back wall of the bar, and all of the exposed brick throughout the restaurant really give these place a great atmosphere. The only thing that MIGHT be problematic is that one of the tables is RIGHT by the front door, if you end up there you're catching the draft from the people walking in and out all night (if it's winter time you might want to call ahead and see if you can make sure you don't get stuck there) FOOD- we started off with a antipasto appetizer. It was not a salad but a type of Italian pass dish. I attached a picture with this so take a look at that to see what it is. Either way it was awesome and I highly suggest you start with that. If you have more than 4 people I might consider getting a few. I went with three people so there are the three dishes we ordered: 1. Spaghetti and Bolognese- This was the dish I had. I wanted something simple and easy. The sauce to pasta ratio was PERFECT. The sauce itself was not a traditional red sauce you'd expect with a bolognese but it had great flavor. Would order again!! 2. Tortellini Alfredo- By far the BEST dish. I only had one bite but it was awesome!!! 3. Tortellini with red sauce- This dish was..... okay. Very watery and bland sauce. Tortellini's were good though! Wouldn't recommend. Overall had a good experience. The food was good, great cocktails, cool atmosphere and they treated us well. This would be a great 1st date kinda place too because you are waking distance from all the bars right in old market. Would highly recommend as top Italian in Omaha.

Wow just wow! Hands down some of the best ragu I have ever put in my mouth! We even asked for extra on the side to dip our bread in. The canoli were pipped fresh to order so they were crunchie, as they should be! You have got to check this place out if you are in Ohama.

Don't let the cozy interior fool you, this is some of the best Italian food I've had. The menu looked so amazing it was almost impossible to decide.

We were in town and on a whim decided to give it a go. We had three separate entrees, all equally amazing. It's difficult to replicate this sort of quality. Just banging all around. Think we had an Alfredo, tortellin with meatballsi, and the pesto Alfredo. All equally delicious, and actually worked even better together. Thank you to the staff, it was an amazing experience.

We had dinner here the other night for my Fiancé's 30th birthday and while it started off a little rocky it ended up being a nice dinner thanks to extra effort from our server. I called several weeks ahead and made reservations and inquired about gluten free options. They assured me I would be able to get gf pasta as well as having several other menu options to choose from. We were seated at a small table against the wall shortly after arriving. It is a very small restaurant with only one little room that has cute decorations. Being small it definitely has an intimate feel but the tables are pretty close so there isn't a ton of space and privacy. Our server was very nice and energetic. He seemed really frazzled when I asked about gluten and didn't have any idea what I could have. After about 30 minutes back and forth between the kitchen we found something that would work. At first I was told the red sauces all had gluten, then the kitchen changed their mind and the sauce was okay but none of the dishes on the menu were because all the red sauces had meatballs or something else with gluten, all white sauce was out. So if you have a gluten allergy and come here they will provide you with pasta but they have no on-menu sauce to put on it.. Hmm.. So after a significant apology from our server and an acknowledgement that the staff is really not certain about gluten, they offered to make me a special red sauce. The pasta ended up being delicious and my fiancé enjoyed his pasta with a pesto cream sauce. They were very nice and comp'd my second glass of wine. Overall I really enjoyed the food once I got it and while it's clear the restaurant needs to help out their employees and do some more education on gf, the server and kitchen really went above and beyond to make something special for me and to make up for all the confusion on a very important celebratory dinner night. Price is reasonable and portions are a good size.