Johnny's Cafe
Best Steakhouse in Omaha · NE
Omaha's original steakhouse
Johnny's Cafe is Omaha's original steakhouse, opened in 1922 by Frank Kawa at the gates of the old South Omaha stockyards to feed the cattlemen and packers. Slow-roasted prime rib and hand-cut, corn-fed steaks are still the heart of the menu, served under a neon steer sign in a room little changed in a century.
Family-owned for four generations and a cameo in the film 'About Schmidt,' Johnny's is a genuine relic of Omaha's meatpacking heyday — the city's steakhouse of record.
Customers said it first.
A Centurion Award verifies the public record that’s already there. Read the reviews yourself on the platforms below.
Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.
Why this business cleared the bar.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. Founding cohort: evaluated in 2026 on public evidence available then, labeled 2025. Selection follows the published criteria; Johnny's Cafe met them on that evidence. The business can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
- ✓Years in operation. Operating in Omaha since 1922 — 103 years of continuous business.
- ✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Omaha.
- ✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: Omaha has kept Johnny's Cafe busy for 103 years.
- ✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Omaha regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
- ✓Recognition in the local community. Named best steakhouse in Omaha for 2025 for a century of steaks served beside the old stockyards by the same family since 1922.
The specific data behind this award, and the exact thresholds, stay internal so the standard can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. Own this business? Claim the listing to manage it, or ask us to remove it.
Award record
2025 Centurion Award
Best Steakhouse in Omaha Omaha, NE · Awarded under the 2025 evaluationVisit Johnny's Cafe
The details, verified.
Clean, checkable facts about Johnny's Cafe.
- Legal / trading name
- Johnny's Cafe
- Category
- Restaurant
- Founded
- 1922, Omaha, NE
- Location
- Omaha, NE
- Centurion Award
- Best Steakhouse in Omaha — 2025
- Record last verified
- July 2026
A signal you can check.
This is a dated award record published by The Centurion Awards after reviewing public evidence for Johnny's Cafe against the 2025 criteria for its market and category. The business did not have to apply for this page to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. The criteria are public. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. If an award stops holding up, we may revoke it. For anything current, like hours or bookings, go straight to the business itself.
Frequently asked questions.
What is Johnny's Cafe?
Founded in 1922 at the gates of the Omaha stockyards, Johnny's is the city's oldest steakhouse, still family-run.
Is Johnny's Cafe award-winning?
Yes — Johnny's Cafe is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Steakhouse in Omaha, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best steakhouse in Omaha for 2025 for a century of steaks served beside the old stockyards by the same family since 1922.
Where is Johnny's Cafe?
Johnny's Cafe is in Omaha, NE.
Run a business like this one?
If you’ve put in the years, you may already qualify. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.