Wayne's New Skoo BBQ

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Wayne’s New Skoo BBQ

4865 Center Street, Omaha, NE

We

Where we went:

Barbeque sounded really good tonight. There are several chain BBQ restaurants in Omaha, but we wanted to make sure to go to a small, local, family owned BBQ joint. Due to another commitment we wanted to stay on the eastern side of town if we could. So we did a little search and discovered a small joint we had driven by on a number of occasions, but didn’t realize was there, a place called Wayne’s New Skoo BBQ on Center Street (yes, its “Skoo”).

What We Ate:

Kyle loves a good old fashioned pulled pork sandwich, so that is what he ordered. Along with pulled pork he went with the classic baked beans. Eric chose to be a little more adventurous and ordered the Carolina Pork Sandwich, a pulled pork sandwich that comes with coleslaw on top, something Kyle had never heard of before (probably because he doesn’t like coleslaw). Eric went with the house made french fries for his side.

The Food:

Kyle thought his pulled pork sandwich was really good, it was quite warm, so it must have been freshly prepared. The side of beans were okay, they didn’t seem seasoned in any particular way, but overall they were good. Eric also really enjoyed his Carolina Pork sandwich. He wasn’t entirely sure what it was going to be when he ordered it, but he appreciated the “veggie” addition with the coleslaw on top. He normally isn’t a huge coleslaw fan by itself, but as a topping to the sandwich it added some great texture and crisp freshness. Eric thought the pork, itself, was really well done. He’s not a barbecue connoisseur by any means, but it was fresh and meaty and really hit the spot.

The pulled pork in the sandwiches didn’t come with any sauce by themselves. Instead, there were a couple options of bottled barbecue sauce on a table near the register to choose from. All the options were pre-packaged bottles from a grocery store, so the BBQ isn’t house made. Eric chose a Kansas City Classic bottle to bring back to the table, which he really enjoyed. Kyle, unaware of the other options, tried the BBQ, but would have liked to have tried a different kind.

Eric also thought his side of fries was surprisingly good. They were also fresh out of the fryer, were really well seasoned, and were a very generous portion size. While part of him thinks he should have been more adventurous in his choice of side, the french fries were so good that he’s glad he went the “boring” route with them.

The Atmosphere:

This is, by far, the smallest location we have ever eaten at. With only four tables, it almost feels like you are just eating in someone’s kitchen. You can even look into the “backyard” and see the large metal smokers in a fenced in area just off the street. There were no fountain drinks, just cans, and a table next to the counter with different types of BBQ sauce, you can try.

Service:

This is clearly a family owned operation. There was only one person working the counter and kitchen while we were there tonight (and we were the only diners), though we did arrive fairly early in the evening, well before any kind of dinner rush. He took our order as soon as we arrived, got our food out to us quickly, asked how we were enjoying it, and gave us a friendly goodbye when we left. We noticed that they also had a drive up window, and signs advertising grubhub and catering options, so they must do more business outside of their dining room.

In the End:

If you like BBQ, and want to support a very small, local, family operated, restaurant, give Wayne’s New Skoo BBQ a try. I wonder if they also have a food truck, as this seems like a perfect way for them to expand their business, if they are not going to expand their dining area.