Jason W.
Yelp
I don't often do review updates, but I've been here enough and enough has changed so that I probably should. I'm going to polish up my original review.
Oh, Neighber's. Where to begin with you?
First of all, I'm not positive, but I think the place was named after someone's last name, which would explain the spelling. At least, I'm pretty sure I've heard that during one of my drunken nights there.
This bar... is unique. Sure, you may go there on a slow night and just sit around by yourself, wondering what you could have done differently in your life, and what it was you did to end up here - but that's any dive.
This is my default, go-to bar, for whatever that's worth.
Most of the bartenders are pleasant and chatty enough to keep things from being dull.
The bar opens early - I wanna say at 6 AM. I think that's specifically for people coming off of graveyards, which is much appreciated after a long night at the office, though most of the people I've seen come in that early are nurses and the like from the hospital. It's also kinda neat to walk into a bar and see a bunch of people in scrubs downing beers.
They've done some minor updating - new TVs, tables, chairs, etc., and the place feels a lot cleaner than it used to. Make no mistake, it's still a small neighborhood bar with that divey feel that 4 out of 5 doctors recommend.
There's an ATM, though they now take cards as well. You've got your other standard perks: Keno, pool, darts, jukebox, and beer garden. The jukebox is just about always playing here, though I hate the new one because it's a pain in the ass to find the one-credit songs. The dart board is used much, much more than it was years ago, and like most of the other bar darts in Omaha, it's electronic (for any dart shooters reading this). Don't play the claw machine; Whoever runs that thing needs to tighten the claw big-time.
The pool tables are easily the main attraction. There are plenty of nights in which the "quarters on the rail" system is abandoned in favor of the chalkboard, due to so many people wanting to play. On most nights, it's super easy to get a game going, and most of the regular shooters are friendly and easy to strike up conversations with. You may be a terrible player or a great shot, but nobody's going to judge you either way. My only gripe is that the tables are not as meticulously maintained as they used to be. They're not bad tables, mind you, they're simply not outstanding any longer.
What really makes this bar, though is the diversity. You'll see everything from hard-up alcoholics and dopers to the occasional medical specialist and lawyer. It's not hard to find a good conversation or to even make a friend or two.
Due to the location and the diversity, over the years I've seen fights, lots of bare tits, breakups, hookups, drama, forged friendships, and all kinds of stuff here. I've only started to think the place was getting dull once or twice, and right after, some random, weird, crazy thing will happen that keeps me interested.
After moving back about a year ago, I can say that there isn't much craziness here any longer (which can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on where you're at in life, and which medications you take). The trade-off is that the weeknights aren't as dead as they used to be, or as slow as many other bars in the area. As a guy that doesn't like being in a completely dead bar, I won't hesitate to swing by around 9 or 10 on a weeknight because there are usually people there, if not the random large crowd.
This is definitely a place worth checking out once or twice - especially if you're looking for a regular joint to call home. After a few nights of drinking here, you'll have a few new bar buddies.
The reviewers that gave low ratings should really go back and try it again. I doubt they'd believe it was the same bar.
In summary, whether you're the shy type, a social butterfly, a pool player, or simply a people watcher, this bar has got a little of something for everyone, and there's definitely a good "neighborhood bar" vibe going on most of the time. On a good night, it's a great mixture of cozy and party, and I generally feel at home here.