Old Market (Omaha) Travel Guide - Free

Explore Old Market in Omaha with Evendo's free guide. Find the best shops, historic streets, restaurants, and gems on web or mobile.

Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play
Old Market
Old Market photo 2
Old Market photo 3
All photos

Old Market Omaha blends cobbled streets, restored warehouses, galleries, live music, independent shops and acclaimed dining in Nebraska’s historic downtown.

Warehouse Streets and Historic Character

Old Market occupies a compact part of downtown Omaha where late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century commercial buildings frame cobbled streets, narrow passages and richly textured façades. The district grew around the city’s wholesale and warehouse economy, particularly its connections with the railroads and the Missouri River, and many former warehouses now contain restaurants, galleries, bars, boutiques and apartments. Its recognised historic area is centred on streets such as Howard, Harney and Jackson between roughly 10th and 13th Streets, although the visitor experience naturally spills into adjacent downtown blocks.
Read more about Old Market

Art, Food and Everyday Street Life

Old Market is Omaha’s most concentrated setting for independent dining and evening activity. At street level, visitors find long-established restaurants including M’s Pub, La Buvette and V. Mertz alongside contemporary kitchens, cafés, bakeries and bars. The Old Market Passageway adds a distinctive pedestrian route through the district, while galleries and small shops occupy many of the restored buildings. The neighbourhood’s character changes through the day: quieter mornings suit architectural walks and coffee, afternoons bring browsing and dining, and evenings fill the streets with restaurant-goers, music and theatre audiences.

A Compact Base for Downtown Omaha

The district lies close to the Gene Leahy Mall, the Omaha RiverFront and the Durham Museum, though these attractions are immediately outside or beyond Old Market’s historic core rather than part of every definition of the neighbourhood. The area is easy to explore on foot, but its uneven cobbles and older pavements require care. Public art, seasonal markets and nearby venues such as the Holland Performing Arts Center make Old Market a useful base for understanding how Omaha’s historic commercial centre has been adapted for contemporary urban life.

Best attractions in Old Market

Old Market’s principal attraction is the district itself: a walkable collection of brick warehouses, cast-iron details, cobbled lanes and restored storefronts that reveal Omaha’s former wholesale centre. The Old Market Passageway offers a narrow pedestrian route through the historic fabric, with public art, small businesses and changing views of the surrounding buildings. Galleries and cultural spaces provide reasons to look beyond restaurant windows, while the nearby Gene Leahy Mall and Omaha RiverFront extend the outing towards landscaped public space and the Missouri River. The Durham Museum, housed in the former Union Station just south of the district, is nearby rather than within every recognised boundary of Old Market and offers a useful context for understanding Omaha’s regional history. Seasonal activity, including the Old Market Farmers’ Market, adds a different perspective on the neighbourhood’s streets and commercial life.

Show more attractions

Best landmarks in Old Market

The Old Market Historic District is the neighbourhood’s defining landmark, not because of one monumental building but because of its unusually coherent collection of commercial architecture from Omaha’s wholesale era. Brick façades, loading entrances, large upper-storey windows, cast-iron elements and cobbled streets preserve the visual language of a district built for storage, trade and distribution. The Old Market Passageway is a smaller but distinctive urban feature, threading between buildings and revealing how the area’s former service routes have been adapted for pedestrians. The district’s significance lies in this relationship between buildings and street pattern: together they document Omaha’s growth as a rail-connected commercial city. The nearby Durham Museum and Union Station are important related landmarks south of Old Market, but they should be understood as adjacent to the historic district rather than automatically counted within it.

Show more landmarks

Explore Old Market on the map

A handpicked selection of must-see spots in Old Market, mapped for you.

Best restaurants in Old Market

Old Market contains one of Omaha’s most concentrated selections of independent and destination dining, spread through converted warehouses and historic storefronts rather than a single food court. Long-established names such as M’s Pub and La Buvette sit alongside restaurants including V. Mertz, Le Bouillon, Block 16, Plank Seafood Provisions and Nicola’s Italian Wine & Faire, giving the district a broad range of French, Italian, seafood, contemporary American and chef-led cooking. Cafés, bakeries, brunch venues and bars fill out the daytime and evening offer, while the surrounding streets provide a setting shaped by exposed brick, older proportions and close-set façades. Menus and businesses change, so the strongest way to read the area’s culinary identity is as a mix of established local institutions and newer independent operators rather than a single defining cuisine.

Show more restaurants

Best bars in Old Market

Old Market is more associated with restaurants, bars and live evening sociability than with a large club strip. After dark, people gather around cocktail bars, traditional pub-style venues and restaurant bars, with places such as The Dubliner, The Berry & Rye and Howie’s providing different interpretations of the district’s nightlife. The historic buildings give evenings an intimate, close-quarters atmosphere, while nearby theatres and downtown performance venues bring additional audiences into the area. Music and special events can make the streets busier, but the neighbourhood also contains residences, so noise and late-night behaviour matter on quieter side streets. Visitors seeking a full nightclub programme may need to look beyond Old Market, whereas those interested in drinks, conversation, live entertainment and a walk between venues will find the district’s scale more characteristic.

Show more bars

Best nightclubs in Old Market

Old Market is more associated with restaurants, bars and live evening sociability than with a large club strip. After dark, people gather around cocktail bars, traditional pub-style venues and restaurant bars, with places such as The Dubliner, The Berry & Rye and Howie’s providing different interpretations of the district’s nightlife. The historic buildings give evenings an intimate, close-quarters atmosphere, while nearby theatres and downtown performance venues bring additional audiences into the area. Music and special events can make the streets busier, but the neighbourhood also contains residences, so noise and late-night behaviour matter on quieter side streets. Visitors seeking a full nightclub programme may need to look beyond Old Market, whereas those interested in drinks, conversation, live entertainment and a walk between venues will find the district’s scale more characteristic.

Show more nightclubs

Best shops in Old Market

Shopping in Old Market focuses on independent businesses occupying former warehouses and street-level historic premises rather than large department stores. Visitors can browse clothing and design boutiques, galleries, gift shops, specialist retailers, books, records, jewellery and locally made goods, with the Old Market Passageway and the streets around Howard and Harney offering some of the most concentrated browsing. The district’s retail character is closely tied to its small-scale spaces and creative reuse: a single building may combine studios, shops, dining and residences. The seasonal Old Market Farmers’ Market adds regional produce, prepared food and craft-oriented stalls when it is operating, though its schedule and vendor mix vary. Shopping is best approached as part of a wider architectural walk, since the appeal is the combination of independent retail, local makers and historic surroundings rather than a single enclosed shopping centre.

Show more shops

Old Market essentials

Getting There
Old Market is in downtown Omaha, south of the central business district and close to the Missouri River. Visitors arriving by intercity bus, local bus or car can follow downtown streets towards 10th, 11th, 12th or 13th Streets; the neighbourhood is also walkable from nearby downtown hotels and the Omaha RiverFront. Omaha’s Eppley Airfield is the city’s principal airport, north-east of downtown, and visitors should check the current airport bus, taxi and rideshare options before travelling. Parking garages and surface lots are available around downtown, but cobbled streets, one-way roads and event-related demand make walking or using a verified local transport option preferable once in the district.
Getting Around
Old Market is compact and best explored on foot, with restaurants, galleries, shops and historic buildings gathered around Howard, Harney and Jackson Streets and the connecting cross-streets. The Old Market Passageway provides a pedestrian route through the district, while nearby sidewalks link it with the Gene Leahy Mall, the Omaha RiverFront and other downtown attractions. Cobblestones, kerbs and older pavements can be awkward for wheelchairs, pushchairs and wheeled luggage, so visitors should choose routes carefully and allow extra time. Cycling is possible on surrounding downtown streets, but the historic core is more comfortable at a walking pace.
Safety
Use ordinary urban precautions in Old Market, particularly when streets and restaurant terraces are busy. Keep phones, wallets and bags secure in crowds, remain alert around traffic and cycle lanes, and take care on uneven cobbles after rain or in poor light. The district is active in the evening, but visitors should still use well-lit routes and established transport arrangements when returning to accommodation elsewhere in Omaha. Event nights can bring heavier pedestrian and vehicle traffic than usual. Advice should be adjusted to current conditions, and visitors should follow directions from local authorities or venue staff during large gatherings.
Emergency Situations
In the United States, call 911 for police, fire or urgent medical assistance; the operator can send the appropriate emergency service and may provide language support. State the location as clearly as possible, using a street address, business name or visible intersection in Old Market. For non-urgent medical needs, ask accommodation staff or a pharmacist about suitable current services rather than assuming that an emergency department is within the neighbourhood. Keep identification, insurance details and essential medication information accessible, and follow instructions from emergency personnel during events, severe weather or other disruptions.
Do's and Don'ts
Respect residents and businesses when photographing Old Market’s façades, doorways and apartments, and ask before photographing people or private interiors. Keep noise down near residential entrances, particularly after restaurants and bars close, and queue considerately at popular venues and seasonal markets. Do not climb on historic structures, touch displayed artwork or obstruct narrow pavements for photographs. In restaurants and bars, tipping is customary in the United States for table service, with the exact amount depending on the service and current local practice. Treat cobbled streets as active public ways rather than outdoor stages or informal parking areas.
Local Tips
Old Market rewards an unhurried loop rather than a single main-street visit: compare the restored warehouse fronts on Howard Street with the narrower passages leading towards Harney and Jackson. The district is particularly atmospheric when galleries and shops are open in daylight, while the restaurants and bars give it a different rhythm after dark. Combine the walk with the nearby Gene Leahy Mall or riverfront, but distinguish those newer public spaces from the historic Old Market core. The seasonal farmers’ market and programmed events can alter the street scene, so check current local listings if they are central to the visit.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloHowdy[how-dee]
GoodbyeSee ya[see yuh]
YesYup[yup]
NoNah[na]
Please/You're welcomePlease/No problem[pleez/no prah-blem]
Thank youThanks[thanks]
Excuse me/SorryPardon me/My bad[par-dun me/my bad]
How are you?How ya doin'?[how yuh doin']
Fine. And you?Good. And you?[good. and yuh?]
Do you speak English?Ya speak English?[ya speak ing-lish?]
I don't understandI ain't gettin' it[I ain't get-tin' it]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseCan I check out the menu?[can I chek out the menu?]
I don't eat meatI don't do meat[I don't do meat]
Cheers!Cheers![cheers!]
I would like to pay, pleaseI wanna settle up, please[I wanna set-tle up, please]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Help![help!]
Go away!Git![git!]
Call the Police!Call the cops![call the cops!]
Call a doctor!Get a doc![get a doc!]
I'm lostI'm all turned around[I'm all turned around]
I'm illI'm feelin' under the weather[I'm feelin' under the weather]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...I wanna buy...[I wanna buy...]
I'm just lookingJust browsin'[just browsin']
How much is it?What's the damage?[what's the dam-age?]
That's too expensiveThat's steep[that's steep]
Can you lower the price?Can ya cut me a deal?[can ya cut me a deal?]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?What's the time?[what's the time?]
It's one o'clockIt's one[it's one]
Half past (10)Half ten[half ten]
MorningMornin'[mornin']
AfternoonAfternoon[afternoon]
EveningEvenin'[evenin']
YesterdayYesterdee[yesterdee]
TodayToday[today]
TomorrowTomorrer[tomorrer]
1One[one]
2Two[two]
3Three[three]
4Four[four]
5Five[five]
6Six[six]
7Seven[seven]
8Eight[eight]
9Nine[nine]
10Ten[ten]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Where's the...?[where's the...?]
What's the address?Where's it at?[where's it at?]
Can you show me (on the map)?Can ya point it out?[can ya point it out?]
When's the next (bus)?When's the next (bus)?[when's the next (bus)?]
A ticket (to ....)A ticket (to ....)[a ticket (to ....)]

History of Old Market

A Wholesale District Takes Shape

Old Market developed during Omaha’s nineteenth-century expansion as a commercial centre linked to rail transport, river trade and the city’s growing agricultural hinterland. Warehouses, wholesalers, grocers and other businesses occupied sturdy brick buildings near the tracks and the increasingly important downtown business district. Streets laid out for carts and deliveries served a working commercial area rather than a leisure destination, while the mix of storage, trade and offices gave the quarter its characteristic utilitarian architecture. The neighbourhood’s location south of the principal downtown retail streets helped preserve a concentration of older commercial structures as other parts of Omaha changed.

Warehouses After the Wholesale Era

During the twentieth century, changes in distribution, retailing and transport reduced the importance of the traditional warehouse trade. Some Old Market buildings lost their original commercial roles, and the district faced the same pressures that affected many older urban centres: demolition, vacancy and competition from newer development. Yet the buildings’ robust masonry construction, large floorplates and proximity to downtown made them adaptable. Former warehouses could accommodate studios, offices, shops and restaurants without erasing the physical evidence of the district’s commercial past.

Preservation and Urban Reuse

In the 1960s and 1970s, building owners, artists, preservationists and entrepreneurs helped redirect Old Market towards adaptive reuse. Rather than replacing the district wholesale, redevelopment increasingly worked with its brick façades, timber interiors, ironwork and street pattern. Restaurants, galleries, independent retailers and residences brought new activity to buildings that had once served wholesalers and distributors. This transition created the mixed-use character associated with Old Market today, while also beginning the wider debate common to revitalised historic districts about rising property values, commercial change and the relationship between visitor activity and everyday urban life.

Recognition as a Historic District

Old Market’s architectural concentration gained formal recognition when the Old Market Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The designation reflects the area’s collection of commercial buildings and its role in Omaha’s nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century economic development rather than a single monumental structure. Preservation has since remained central to the neighbourhood’s identity. New businesses and residential uses continue to occupy historic buildings, while nearby projects such as the downtown riverfront redevelopment have strengthened Old Market’s position within Omaha’s contemporary cultural and visitor landscape.

Old Market in Photos

Browse through our photo collection highlighting the charm and character of the destination.

0 / 0

Neighbourhoods near Old Market

The closest neighbourhoods to Old Market, if you have time for more than one stop.

Explore more

Omaha
More of the region

Explore more of Omaha

Discover Omaha: A Midwest treasure with top-rated attractions, rich history, and vibrant culture, perfect for families, nature lovers, and art enthusiasts.

Explore Omaha
The Evendo app on two phones

Your all-in-one travel companion app

Explore expert travel guides, compare and book tours, experiences, hotels, and more, all from the palm of your hand. Download now for seamless trip planning wherever your wanderlust takes you.

  • Travel guides to regions, countries, cities, landmarks and attractions worldwide
  • Photos, local tips, maps, opening hours and contact details for every place
  • Easy booking for hotels, tours, tickets and experiences
Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play
More about the Evendo app

Evendo is a 100% free travel guide app: plan a trip, find what is worth seeing and book it, all in one place.

  • Restaurants, bars, nightclubs and shops picked for every destination
  • A "Near me" view of the attractions and amenities around you
  • History and travel essentials for each country and city

From world regions down to a single landmark, every guide brings together the places to see, where to eat and drink, and where to stay, with descriptions, photos and maps to help you plan.

No in-app purchases and no hidden costs. Download Evendo and take your guides with you wherever you travel.

Get the latest from Evendo

Hand-picked travel deals, new destination guides and trip ideas, straight to your inbox.