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 record was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. 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.
The details, verified.
- 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
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.
Every award, on the record.
Each Centurion Award is its own dated annual record, and staying current means clearing the bar again each new year. The verification above is from the latest published award. Open a year for that year’s citation.
2025 Centurion Award
Best Steakhouse in Omaha Omaha, NE · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation View the 2025 award →Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. Selection is by published criteria, never for sale.
Visit Johnny's Cafe
A signal you can check.
This page is the standing record for Johnny's Cafe (2025). It was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. For hours, bookings, and live reviews, go straight to the business itself.
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 for free to manage it, correct it, or remove it. If you want the award kit (badge, certificate, and announcement), you pay after you claim. Through December 31, 2026, publishing is $99. The evaluation itself is free. The $99 covers the first year only. Renewals are $199/year. That fee never buys selection.
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.