801 Grill

Saturday, August 18, 2018

801 Grill

10387 Pacific Street, Omaha, NE

Where we went:

Happy Birthday to you! Today was Eric’s Birthday (well technically it was the following day, but we celebrated it early), so we had to go somewhere special. Eric chose 801 Grill located in One Pacific Place. 801 Grill is a sister restaurant to 801 Chophouse located downtown. With 10 people going for dinner, we attempted to make reservations around 7:00 pm or so. Unfortunately, 801 Grill is so popular, the only time we were able to get reservations was at 9:00 pm, far later then we wanted to eat. So we decided, since they also take walk-ins, to just walk in. We were able to get a table right away at 5:30pm, though we did have to sit at a group of high top tables in the bar, which was fine by us.

What we Eat:

Eric went all out for his Birthday, he was torn between several menu items. In the end he was so intrigued by the Heirloom Carrots dish that he went with that. However, the steaks all sounded amazing, so he got the Black Angus Teriyaki Skewers appetizer to get his meat fix. Kyle started out with a glass as Moscato, then had the Salmon Dinner, which featured a thick cut of fresh salmon, fingerling potatoes and steamed asparagus. Our other guests had a series of delicious items, but there were far too many to relay here. Being his birthday, Eric ended his meal with a delicious, and large, slice of their raspberry cheesecake. For drinks, Kyle had a glass of Moscato while Eric had multiple cocktails, all excellent!

The Food:

The food at 801 Grill was phenomenal. Kyle’s salmon was so fresh and seasoned to perfection. There was also a light cream sauce on the place that added an extra delight to the meal. Our dinner companions all had nothing but the highest reviews for their meals as well. Eric’s steak skewers were juicy and tender and definitely hit the spot for his meat craving. His Heirloom Carrots were also very good, however the carrots were crunchier than he was expecting, perhaps even underdone for being roasted carrots. The flavor, however, was unique and interesting, and when paired with the quinoa and the goat cheese and beet puree, and it was magic in his mouth. The cheesecake was also exceptional. It wasn’t too sweet or rich, and was the perfect way to cap off a delicious dinner.

The Atmosphere:

801 Grill is the highest end restaurant we have dined at so far, and it showed. The green walls, wood paneling, polished bar and decorative chandeliers gave this restaurant a high end feel. Despite the high end feel, it is still a comfortable dining location, with no dress code and sports on the TV’s at the bar.

The Service:

Despite being a large walk in group, we received the same high level of service that one would expect at a restaurant such as this. The waitress didn’t miss a beet and made sure our glasses were always full. She didn’t seem concerned at all that we sat around for a period of time before we ordered, waiting for the last of our party to arrive, and got everyone’s orders perfect.

In the End:

801 Grill is a wonderful place to go for a special occasion. The food is fresh, and service was excellent, and the location is convenient no matter where about in Omaha you are at. The only thing to keep in mind is the price, the menu prices reflected the quality of the food. So, although we do want to come back, it will be for a special occasion, and not just a normal night on the town.

BONUS!

After dinner the group kept the birthday celebration going by heading downtown to Laka Lono, a new, underground, rum bar in the Old Market. Laka Lono is a tiki bar, complete with all the tropical, Polynesian decor. However, unlike other tiki bars, this was not tacky, but quite interesting. Kyle had the You VooDoo rum drink while Eric whetted his whistle with multiple, highly flavorful beverages. He had a few too much to drink, so he can’t remember what he had, but it was his birthday, so we can’t blame him for that!

Laka Lono offers a full run menu, outlining how and wear the rums are made, and why they are special, but by far, everyone's favorite drink was one that, when ordered there are sound effects and even a fire lit over the drink!

All in all, an excellent night, happy birthday Eric!