Tavern On the Square

the bartender and bouncer were both very rude. used to be my favorite bar but with their new workers we will not be back. be nicer to patrons and you’ll get more business. i cannot believe the way we were spoken to. thank you jjs for always being accepting no matter what you look like. edit: and if the managements replies are any testament to how they treat their customers you can see why one would say their employees are rude.

They kicked me out of their outside area all because I put my head down onto the table. They said “I can’t have people sleeping in here this is a bar.” I told them I was not sleeping and that I was calling someone and showed them my phone which showed me waiting for someone to pick up and they still proceeded to tell me I had to leave. I did nothing wrong. All I did was lay my head down on the table literally. Wasn’t sleeping and proved that. Still kicked me out. In a rude way not to mention. Seemed like they were trying to put on a show for the other people there. I am a 24 year old female and I was there by myself and I was already having a hard day and then they did this to me. Will never go there again. Edit: now they replied and said they need to protect their business? And it’s a rule to not lay your head on a table at a bar? For less than a minute? Even after I proved I was not sleeping and I was calling someone? Not to mention the way they kicked me out purposely trying to embarrass me in front of everyone. This place is despicable. If you haven’t already look at the other 1 star reviews because it speaks for itself. 0 stars if I could. Absolutely disgusting how they reply to people that are just speaking the truth also. Horrible business and I will be posting on the bad business page I’m in too.

Tavern on the Square is the perfect Haymarket bar. If you ever find yourself in Lincoln and see the recommendations to "check out the Haymarket" and want the atmosphere of what it's all about here, Tavern on the Square is the place to go. Stop in for a quick one on a quiet Sunday or grab one last drink before you get a ride home on your day off. Tavern is the place to do so. In my experience, the staff will treat you with as much respect as you give them (because apparently they rub some people the wrong way). They are all fantastic people if you spend the time and talk to them. I cannot recommend this bar enough!

Always love going to The Tavern! Great drinks, great atmosphere. It also has an amazing outdoor patio and they have outdoor games set up. Definitely the place to go.

Visiting from Dallas and this place didn’t disappoint. The drinks were great and strong, the people and bartender were all super hospitable. There’s a Cheers poster in the bathroom and this place lives up to the reference! I even got a little bonus…got to flip a coin with the bartender for a chance at half off my tab and i won the coin toss!

We were in Lincoln for a get-away and were so happy we stopped in for happy hour! We were greeted by Christian with a big smile, positive attitude, and was a lot of fun! He seemed to like his job and was very good at what he does! Then when changing shifts, his co-worker, Mike, came in and he was wonderful too...even taking the time to make sure that Christian got the tips from the people he had waited on before Mike took over. I hope management recognizes these great bartenders, because good help is hard to find! I also was very impressed that this business had a woman's rest room and made the other restroom be a male or female restroom. Because it is just a one room restroom, this takes care of the long line often at the woman's room and also makes it easy for anyone that is transgender. I love that this option is here. Keep up the good work. We will absolutely be back!!!!

Do yourself a favor and go fall in love at Tav. Fall in love with the courtyard during golden hour, one or all of the various leagues (darts, bags, pitch, bop-it), a friendly "corner" regular, Ernie, flip night, dog lovers, cheese balls, reasonably priced and generously poured bevys. Get to know your friends better and meet new people who appreciate a warm Nebraska summer evening. Say hi to Christian (unless you aren't ready to fall in love, because you might). Tavern is the place to know the real Haymarket community. Don't sleep on The Other Room. Don't sleep anywhere. It's unlawful to sleep at a bar. 10 out of 10. Will always return.

If I could give negative stars I would. It is always so disappointing when a seemingly good night gets ruined by poor judgement and management. My sister and I were out with a group of friends celebrating the end of the school year at TOTS. When an incident occurred with another guest and things suddenly escalated. Our party was told to “get the hell out” by workers Mikey Suliman, Will Wilson and John Derr. Will also forcefully grabbed my other sister who was not drinking but just trying to help my older sister (who the incident occurred to) calm down. It was clear to us that the workers had befriended the other party who started the issue (might I add) to which they never felt the need to kick them out. This paints a very bad picture for TOTS because now you have white workers forcing the black people to leave and not doing the same to the other party who were just as guilty. In terms of justice and fairness, this was handled extremely poorly. No matter what side of the story you hear or know if both parties are causing a ruckus everyone should leave. Point blank period. After leaving we returned to hopefully speak to the manager or owner. I was able to talk to Ernie and help him understand the situation regardless of what side of the story he knows or believes. The right thing to do is to treat both sides how you are going to treat the other. I am extremely disappointed that this is the type of reputation that TOTS wants to carry and have. As an establishment you should be better. I hope each individual gets the training they need to better handle this type of situation as well as learn to treat ALL peoples with the respect that they rightfully deserve. May you be better TOTS.

Some girlfriends and I hung out here after a recent Nebraska game. I loved the outdoor space- very charming, easy to find a table and even available benches. It was a gorgeous night so it was great being outside. The place was busy but we had no issues getting drinks in a timely manner. They also had a food vendor in the courtyard selling hot dogs and pretzels. I recommend stopping by!

My sister, who was the only Black woman in the space at the time, accidentally bumped into another guest who was wearing a medical boot. She immediately apologized several times with genuine care and concern. Instead of accepting the apology or simply walking away, the woman responded harshly, telling my sister to "get out of my face." That interaction alone left my sister feeling deeply uncomfortable and targeted. Feeling shaken and outnumbered, she called me and our other sisters for support. When we arrived to understand what had happened, we were calm and simply trying to get the full story. That's when things took a turn for the worse. The woman's boyfriend looked right at one of the workers and said, "get these f***ers out of here." Moments later, an employee named William Wilson grabbed my arm so aggressively that he left a bruise. He physically pushed us out--me, my sisters, and even some of our friends and coworkers who had nothing to do with the incident. Eleven of us were thrown out without anyone asking for our side of the story. Meanwhile, the woman and her group, who were loud, aggressive, and clearly at the center of the confrontation, were allowed to stay. They continued drinking, playing games, and enjoying their night like nothing had happened. It's hard not to see the racial bias in how everything was handled. We were treated like a problem, not like people. We weren't heard, we weren't respected, and we were physically harmed and humiliated just for standing up for our sister and trying to understand what was going on.

Friendly vibes in a prime spot--easy to swing by, hard to leave. The courtyard is hands-down one of the coolest locations in town, especially when the weather's nice. They've always got something going on--leagues, pop-ups--you name it. Feels like the kind of place where you could show up solo once and be a regular by the end of the week.

Great bar....we were greeted by Christian with a huge smile, positive, attitude, and fun personality! Mike came in later for shift exchange and really cared about making sure that Christian, his co-worker, got his well-deserved tips before he left. They really were a great couple of employees! Also, I applaud the management that made a very smart and important decision to their 1 stall bathrooms. They had a woman's restroom and turned what would normally be the "men's" restroom into a male or female restroom. The restroom is just a one room bathroom and by making it a "male or female" bathroom instead of just "male" this helps with the lines that form for the woman's restroom and also makes anyone that is transgender comfortable too. I love that they did this! We will surely be back that next time we are in Lincoln!

Great place in Lincoln's Haymarket area for enjoying drinks on the patio. We were here for a tailgate on a warm day and appreciated the plentiful shade. They had tall-boy domestic beer available for sale on the patio, along with a projection TV for the game. Inside, a no-nonsense bartender efficiently serves up mixed drinks and local canned beers at reasonable prices. Vibe is local and unpretentious. No food as far as I could tell.

Big fan of the atmosphere at Tavern, but try to come in on the wrong night and you're greeted by a power-tripping door guy. Pretty weird way to treat some folks just trying to celebrate their friends' wedding.

If I could give negative stars I would. It is always so disappointing when a seemingly good night gets ruined by poor judgement and management. My sister and I were out with a group of friends celebrating the end of the school year at TOS. When an incident occurred with another guest and things suddenly escalated. Our party was told to "get the hell out" by workers Mikey Suliman, Will Wilson and John Derr. Will also forcefully grabbed my other sister who was not drinking but just trying to help my older sister (who the incident occurred to) calm down. It was clear to us that the workers had befriended the other party who started the issue (might I add) to which they never felt the need to kick them out. This paints a very bad picture for TOS because now you have white workers forcing the black people to leave and not doing the same to the other party who were just as guilty. In terms of justice and fairness, this was handled extremely poorly. No matter what side of the story you hear or no if both parties are causing a ruckus everyone should leave. Point blank period. After leaving we returned to hopefully speak to the manager or owner. I was able to talk to Ernie and help him understand the situation regardless of what side of the story he knows or believes. The right thing to do is to treat both sides how you are going to treat the other. I am extremely disappointed that this is the type of reputation that TOS wants to carry and have. As an establishment you should be better. I hope each individual gets the training they need to better handle this type of situation as well as learn to treat ALL peoples with the respect that they rightfully deserve. May you be better TOS.

Great atmosphere, good location, bartenders are so so much. Mikey just needs to be gone.

Really chill environment and not very loud or wild. staff was nice and respectful. Always have a good time when I go here

Tried taking people from out of town to show them a good time on a Wednesday afternoon, have had good experiences in the past. After waiting in line for awhile, which is very understandable and ok, after several groups showed up and got their drinks right away when we were waiting to order, and asked if there was an order or process to ordering. The bartender resorted to saying "I don't want to serve you" instead of just simply helping us. Not a good look, hope others don't get this experience

Great outdoor seating. Drinks are great price and fun games. Has some outdoor games and fire pits. Great chaits.

I very much enjoy this bar. The beer garden (court yard) is beautiful during the day but even more enchanting at night. You will definitely want to check out their Brunch on the Square during summer and fall (I think)! So, I suggest liking them on Facebook for more details on the Yummy food, music and drinks. I would say my favorite night to visit is Sunday as they have flip night. That's where they flip a coin and you have the chance to get your tab half off if you correctly call what side the coin lands on! Um...Heck ya! This place is even pup friendly. I don't have a dog myself but I love giving all the little cuties some pets and scratches. There are also games like bags, life sized connect four and family feud for your amusement. Oh and I noticed the other day that there is even a secure charging station for customers phones, which will be really handy for me during game days! My phone always dies while I'm tailgating. Overall, I enjoy the crowd that frequents this place and the staff. If you haven't been in yet, do yourself a favor and stop by, it's a must try! I do have an all time favorite bar in this same neighborhood that I've been loyal too for nearly two decades now but the Tavern is the only bar that ever gets me to venture away from my "home base" bar and that says A LOT!

Fun outdoor Seating and Games and fire pits Loved sitting here with friends. I will stop in again

Some people will probably think this is a ridiculous complaint, but this place over pours their cocktails. When I order a vodka soda and you charge me for a double without asking if I want a double, that's obnoxious. I don't want to get so drunk I can't walk and I shouldn't have to tell the bartender to not put more vodka in my drink when the pint glass is over half full already. On top of that I shouldn't have him laugh at me when I tell him no more like I couldn't handle it. I don't want to have to handle drinking a bad, improperly mixed, over poured drink. How about you guys invest in some standard pour bar glasses and ditch the pint pours every time. The patio is nice but really all those Adirondack chairs are insanely uncomfortable. The crowd isn't great. I wouldn't come back on my own accord. UPDATE: Matt T responded over a year later and immediately spelled my name wrong. Didn't acknowledge that I was overcharged and didn't get what I asked for. I hope this place gets ticketed for over serving. I have been bartending for close to a decade and I know most people prefer a well balanced cocktail over a booze filled nightmare anyway. As a business who is also invested in the Other Room, they should know the difference between a well mixed cocktail that is alcohol heavy and a bad vodka soda because it's alcohol heavy. Dropping more money on something doesn't always mean it's better. Their response did not help me to ever want to return to this establishment.

I imagine this place is quite the crush on football Saturdays, but on a recent, unseasonably cool Friday evening in the summer, it was not at all busy. While the cozy, clean interior has a nice ambience, what makes this place stand out is the back patio. Fountain in the middle, little seatings areas disbursed throughout a private-seeming courtyard (private seeming, because the courtyard is shared by many businesses), it's a great place to grab a beer with friends and engage in relaxed conversation after a hard day at the hipster office. They have a decent selection of beers in bottles and cans plus a decent liquor selection for folks who prefer an adult cocktail. With one person working this particular evening, its an exercise in patience - something we can all use a little bit more of in our fast-food, instant gratification society. Grab a beer. Settle into your chair. Relax.

Easily the best bar in the Haymarket and maybe Lincoln. I'm not sure who may have rated this lower than a 4, but I'm sorry to say they're sadly mistaken. Do yourself a favor and check this place out - preferably when you can take advantage of the outside area

Love this place! Great outdoor seating and atmosphere! Love going on Sundays for flip-night!

Tavern is hands down my favorite bar. They're beer garden is HUGE. Have a pup? You can take them here! Sunday Funday is my favorite night, flip night.

Tavern on the Square is in the old Crescent Moon building. The Tavern is a bit more laid back than most places on O street. And in my opinion, the courtyard behind the bar is the most beautiful space in Lincoln. It is small and intimate. There are just a few tables which are surrounded by trees, white lights enclosed by historic brick buildings. The best part about the Tavern is the dress code: No Afflication and No Tap Out so save your fancy shirts for O street ;)

I went to Tavern on the Square for the first time Saturday night with some friends. It seems to be a good crowd; more young professionals than underage college students. I really liked the courtyard area in the back, which makes for great summer drinking. I'll be back.

The Tavern is my favorite bar in Lincoln because there is a fabulous beer selection and the bartenders are friendly. This bar has a good vibe and great music. Check it out!

Quaint patio with a great group of patrons and staff. Inside or outside is the place to be. If the Tavern is wrong, I don't want to be right!

This place started out as a rather chill place back in the summer of 2010. Since then, it has turned into the destination for kids who graduate from UNL, stay in Lincoln, and evolve from the O Street scene. The sorority girls who pack that place now are newly-minted graduates of The Rail. The place can sometimes fill up quickly and further patrons are denied entry. This is not a bad thing for the folks already inside, however, as it increases the possibility of getting a drink from the bar. It is arguably the best place to drink outside in Lincoln (in the brick courtyard).

My boyfriend and I were at Tavern on Saturday and the bartenders would not help us. We stood at the bar for 15 minutes. They looked at us and kept helping everyone around us. We ended up leaving because we couldn't get any service.

The courtyard is a nice venue if the weather is reasonable. Mature crowd with some people watching opportunities if one is so inclined. The courtyard is attached some good options for entertainment and food. Really enjoyed the laid back atmosphere and a good evening overall.

Hands down the best bar in Lincoln! The courtyard area is a great area to hang out with outdoor games for everyone. My boyfriend loves to play baggo while my girlfriends and I played Connect Four. Good specials and friendly bartenders. It's a great neighborhood bar tucked in the Lincoln Haymarket!

Love going to this bar during the week and Sunday for flip night. The courtyard is the best place to sit back and have a beer! Only downfall is sometimes the bartenders put off the vibe they are more supreme than you and serve the regulars before you.

Definitely my kind of bar. The Moscow mule was on point and the courtyard is very cool during the day and at night. Only thing I didn't like was the one person bathroom, but that's not a big deal.

This place is AMAZING! It's such a family vibe and you'll feel like a regular in no time. I especially love the tradition where you leave a message for the bar's friendly ghost named MAGS in his Christmas stocking . If you are able to stop by make sure to leave a love note for him. The staff says it will bring you good luck!!!!

If there were more stars I'd give them to this bar.... and a cookie... and a high five... and an Oscar

We were treated very rude here....don't waste your time or $$'s at this hole in the wall bar.

Love being outside in the summer, it was quiet when we went but it was a week day. I just really enjoy the location and the drinks of course.