Happy 2022! This is the first of many food review episodes of Real Deal Meals by FoodOmaha402 and I decided to take it to an Omaha staple…Barrett’s, or if you’re being anal the full name is Barrett’s Barleycorn Pub & Grill. This restaurant is located in midtown Omaha right off 43rd & Leavenworth and a stones throw away from the iconic neon sign of Peppi (if you're from Omaha and don’t know what restaurant I’m referring to, shame on you, but if you're from out of town the restaurant is La Casa.)
Barrett’s is a great reflection of the city of Omaha itself. The atmosphere is down to earth, friendly, and cozy. As you walk in the little kitchen is directly to your left and the cooks are always grinding away to make sure everyone’s food comes out fast and hot. If you belly up to the bar you have around 7 TVs to watch and they have several local beers on tap and plenty of liquor to choose from. They have a large outside patio and if you venture down the patio stairs you will wind up in a sand volleyball court. I sat at a table on the main floor around 11:15am to beat the rush. If you walk downstairs there is another dining area and bar.
Like I said before, Barrett’s is very down to earth and the menus are already on the table when you sit down, but I frequent here a lot so I knew I was getting the famous Chicken Philly and the Reuben (if you're from out of town, Omaha is the home of the Reuben being that it was created here.) If you’re an Omahan and didn’t know this please google other things that have come out of Omaha like Gale Sayers, Warren Buffett, Bob Gibson, just to name a few.
The food came out fairly quickly and piping hot which I was glad because the place was starting to fill up with patrons. The Chicken Philly is a sight in itself. A generous amount of chicken is stuffed into and overflowing the fresh hoagie bun and a plastic fork is stuck in the middle for when you are done with the sandwich but there is still the Chicken Philly mixture on your plate. Every time I get the Chicken Philly here I can’t believe how juicy, moist, and tender the marinated chicken is. I wish I knew the secret. The flavor is incredible and one of a kind for this type of sandwich. I feel the secret to getting this flavor is in two ingredients they use….Szechuan and cream cheese!
The Reuben is top notch here. Personally, I downgrade a Reuben if the outer bread isn’t crispy but you don’t have to worry about that at Barrett’s; perfect crisp when you bite into the sandwich. Beware, it can get a little messy due to the sauerkraut and 1000 island dressing mixed in with the corned beef but again that is why they have forks, for the drippings, right?!
For sides, I just got the potato chips that came in a bag and the french fries. Fries were crispy and hot so no complaints there. For a drink, I got the local Fairy Nectar IPA from Kros Strain Brewing. I asked for the check immediately after the meal because I didn’t want to take a nap after the huge meal. Speaking of checks, that’s the cherry on top…the price…it's so affordable.
As I was walking out the door I had quite a smirk on my face thinking how Barrett’s is such an amazing happy place where you can forget about your worries for a moment breaking bread with family, friends, or by yourself bellied up to the bar.
Thanks for reading and as always; be safe and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.
– Neal J. Bierman – FoodOmaha402.
