I was impressed with my brunch at Mantra. Very nice atmosphere, attentive staff, and family friendly. They had a good variety of breakfast staples and a few sandwiches and entrees for people wanting lunch. Also, daily specials that sounded wonderful. I ordered the Artichoke Omelet it was served piping hot with the eggs cooked perfect and ingredients on top, instead of inside. It was served with a side of crispy potatoes, not fried, more of a boiled potato thrown on a griddle to crisp up and season, these were delicious. Ordered a piece of french toast ala carte for my daughter and she gobbled it up! I think it was deep fried which makes it all the more delicious, and a unique way to mix up french toast. For my omelet, french toast and coffee it was $18 plus tip, a little high for breakfast in my opinion, but this place was tasty. I will be back to try the other menu items, just not soon because it's not in my budget. Glad to see more delicious places coming to Benson!
(4)
Leila K.
I feel bad about giving Mantra only 2 stars, as they had no major issues. Still, I don't think my experience was worthy of 3 stars. I have to admit that I put more weight into the overall atmosphere and experience than the food in my reviews. I have driven by Mantra dozens of times. The cool metal canopies, LED tree and patio give the impression of a young, hip, new restaurant. So, when I walked in the door to what felt like a retirement home cafeteria, I was surprised. Note to designers: Dark orange and purple sponge painted accent walls do not feel hip or modern. The furniture also felt very cafeteria/fast food-ish. Our server didn't make the experience a joy either. Her awkward forced excitement made the whole table feel uncomfortable. She could not emphasize enough that their infused alcohol was infused, "24/7" (as opposed to 24/6 or 12/7?). The vodka? 24/7. The rum? You guessed it, 24/7. I swear she said "24/7" a dozen times. I ordered one of their specialty drinks and it was actually quite delicious (I'm assuming due to the 24/7 infusion). If you are a beer drinker, the selection is not great. It came time to order food and I ordered a turkey burger which included two of my favorite things, a pretzel bun and avocado. After trying to order fries as a side, we learned they were out. At 7:30pm on a Friday night. What? We aren't talking about the fresh fish of the day here, this is French fries. How can you be out? We had to substitute with their fresh chips which were pretty good. My turkey burger wasn't too shabby either. Everyone seemed okay with their meals, no complaints, no rave reviews. Actually, the one highlight was when someone dropped their fork and a young man was immediately at our table with another one on a little plate for him. Can we have that guy as our server? You can tell how much people enjoy a restaurant by how quickly they want to leave after finishing their food. We had arrived around 7:00pm on a Friday night to a fairly crowded restaurant and by 8:30pm it had cleared out and they were cutting servers. We asked for our check as soon as we were done. No hanging out and chatting/drinking for us. Again, I can't harp on the food as it was pretty good (minus the fries issue). It was just everything else that will make me probably never go back.
(2)
Chester V.
My wife liked the place more than myself but I just think the space is so boring and the entrances are oddly placed so getting in on a windy day made a ton of commotion and caused every guest to stare at us until we sat at the bar. Food was okay, comfort slash trying some higher end fusion, but chicken enchiladas, come on now?
(3)
Dave G.
My hubby and I went for Saturday dinner. We started with the house cabernet. Drinkable, but probably not a $20 wine even with restaurant markup. He had the chicken enchilada. He described it as "bland," "very bland," and "food for old people." I had the lamb burger. It would have been an OK burger at half the price. My side was the house cut chips, which I concluded were made from compressed dust and dirt. What little flavor they had was reminiscent of potting soil. Atmosphere was OK, service was great, but the food wasn't worth a return trip.
(2)
Laurie F.
Nice variety of gluten free food selections. The chicken enchiladas and key lime pie were wonderful. The burgers and chips were great. However, when we were there they did not have any gluten free beer which would have been nice. We will definitely go back!
(4)
April R.
So my friend has the unlucky fortune of being born on Valentines Day. She made a reservation for 10 on the silly evening. They were a little confused-why we were making a reservation for 10, NONE couples! Needless to say, she had to call back and and change the reservation for 9. The girl on the other end says "oh, I guess she managed to find a date." We showed up and they promptly announced, "oh, the singles table, right?" Jeez people, not everyone needs a date on Valetines Day. We showed up on time, to be located right in the middle of the restaurant-ha- unfortune to those around us. As the girl was taking our order, she wanted to make it VERY clear, seperate checks, are you ALONE on your check..? Good thing we are all light hearted, b/c it was getting ridiculous. I ordered the seafood bisque, which was super runny that night, but have had it before, and it was awesome-maybe just an off night. They ran out of soup bowls, but were very accomodating. I ordered the seared scallops and risotto. Cooked to perfection! My friend next to me got the steak with mashed cauliflower, which I snuck some bites of the cauliflower, and thought it was a shade better than my risotto. Good Risotto is hard to find! The birthday girl had brought cupcakes, and they gladly handed out plates and forks to us! Sweet! The manager did come out, and confiscate one of the cupcakes, which we gladly handed over :) Over all, the food was good, drinks were good, and waitress, although odd about our singleness (which half the table were couples), nice and accomodating. I have had the crab cake salad before and it was AH-AMAZING!
(4)
Merri F.
This was my 2nd visit and I am wondering why I didn't return sooner! We had a group of 6 and everyone loved their selections. The soup was cabbage blue cheese and I had a cup as my side item. This soup was a wonderful combination and I found my left over portion was even more amazing two days later. Both times we have had excellent waiters - they know the menu well and make good recommendations. Loved the mixed drink options. Chicken, catfish, BLT, salads - all creative and tasty. I had received a recommendation to try the House Cut Potato Chips with Blue Cheese Sauce - an order was plenty for our group of 6 to share and disappeared quickly. So sorry I live in KC and will have to plan my outings to this excellent restaurant.
(5)
Lisa H.
Love the atmoshpere- outside and in. The food was great. Our group had ribs, meatloaf, salmon and the seafood enchiladas. The enchiladas are amazing. Service was a little slow. The restaurant seemed average-busy for a Friday night, but it was over 20 minutes before we got our drink orders and took a while to get our servers attention for refills on drinks and water. We probably would ahve ordered another round had the server been more attentive. The espresso martini is worth a return visit. Overall, I'm sure we will be back.
(4)
Chris D.
I recently met some friends at Mantra for a Sunday brunch. We took advantage of the nice weather and started out seated on the patio sipping on Mimosas. The patio is nice with sturdy tables and chairs - not the cheap patio furniture. The patio wraps around 2 sides of the restaurant. After a couple of Mimosas we decided to eat our brunch inside. The restaurant is modern in it's decor, and makes you feel comfortable at the same time. I ordered the BLT and was blown away. It wasn't your standard BLT...it was made with peppered bacon, feta cheese and a drizzle of balsamic on a grilled focaccia bun. I was really unsure if I would like it but I love BLT's so thought I'd order it. NOT your average BLT but OMG did the flavors blend together brilliantly! Loved it...can't wait to have another. We all ordered a slice of french toast for our dessert...I do the same at Taxi's, the owner's other restaurant...and for the others at my table it was a hit. I knew it would be!! I have to say my slice of french toast was not as crunchy as Taxi's which was a little dissapointing but hopefully we just hit a not "perfect" day for french toast, but again, still enjoyed! Everyone in my party loved their food. Visit Mantra and you won't be dissapointed! Look forward to my next visit!
(5)
David E.
My girlfriend and I went here one night. We had a living socials deal and only had apps. We had 2 orders of the flatbread. It was awesome! We also had 2 different types of steamed mussels. North were very good. The place is clean and decor is modern. Location is not great but food and service makes up for it!
(4)
C.M. C.
off the beaten path, slightly west of Benson/Hipstertown, NE.
(4)
Royce M.
if you liked neon goose and taxis you will probably like this place, good bar, decent food but not that creative.
(3)
Jay R.
We ate at Mantra tonight, using a Living Social coupon. It was very good. In fact if I could give it 4.5 stars I would. Our server Riley did a really nice job and was right on in her recommendations. We started off splitting a bowl of pumpkin soup. This is the same soup the bacon wrapped scallops come in. It was perfectly textured and delicious. We had just had a pumpkin bisque at the Havana Cafe in Scottsdale last month and it was so good we almost brought a quart back with us. Now we know where to find something similar locally. I hope they add it to their permanent menu. My wife had the seafood enchilada and raved about it. My BLT was about the best I can remember, although it's not really fair to compare it to regular BLT's. It came on grilled focaccia bread with pepper bacon and a balsamic tomato glaze that reminded me of a mango salsa. Combined with feta and garlic mayonnaise, it was a subtle blend of salt, sweet and fat. The bread held everything together, neither crumbly or grease soaked. Did I mention it was delicious? I had the home-made potato chips as a side which were fine. For dessert, we had the pistachio cake french toast which I would order again. I'd probably ask for a little more maple syrup next time. This meal was a great treat after shoveling heavy snow for two hours!
(4)
Sharon R.
I come back to Omaha every 2 or 3 months to visit family. I loved finding a great place to eat right in the old neighborhood. I love the handmade chips with blue cheese for an appetizer. My favorite sandwich is the BLT. Service is great and the bartender makes a great Martini.
(5)
Cory B.
Wonderful food and the service was great. It was definitely something different
(5)
Steve K.
I have been to Mantra twice now. I would give them 5 stars on service. I also like that they have Anchor Steam on tap and serve it ice cold. I like that the menu is diverse but still not overwheliming in size. It would be a good place to go for a group that can't decide what they want. They offer meatloaf, burgers, fish and chips, and enchiladas. On my most recent trip I ordered the fish and chips and previously I have had an enchilada. I have also tried several appetizers including the lamb lollipops which are basically just lamb meatballs. Everything I ate their was good, but nothing was great. I also think that the food is priced slightly above the quality. The prices are reasonable, but I expect the food to be a little bit more interesting and memorable for the price they charge. A slight improvement in either flavoring or value could earn them a fourth star.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Audrey C.
I was impressed with my brunch at Mantra. Very nice atmosphere, attentive staff, and family friendly. They had a good variety of breakfast staples and a few sandwiches and entrees for people wanting lunch. Also, daily specials that sounded wonderful. I ordered the Artichoke Omelet it was served piping hot with the eggs cooked perfect and ingredients on top, instead of inside. It was served with a side of crispy potatoes, not fried, more of a boiled potato thrown on a griddle to crisp up and season, these were delicious. Ordered a piece of french toast ala carte for my daughter and she gobbled it up! I think it was deep fried which makes it all the more delicious, and a unique way to mix up french toast. For my omelet, french toast and coffee it was $18 plus tip, a little high for breakfast in my opinion, but this place was tasty. I will be back to try the other menu items, just not soon because it's not in my budget. Glad to see more delicious places coming to Benson!
(4)Leila K.
I feel bad about giving Mantra only 2 stars, as they had no major issues. Still, I don't think my experience was worthy of 3 stars. I have to admit that I put more weight into the overall atmosphere and experience than the food in my reviews. I have driven by Mantra dozens of times. The cool metal canopies, LED tree and patio give the impression of a young, hip, new restaurant. So, when I walked in the door to what felt like a retirement home cafeteria, I was surprised. Note to designers: Dark orange and purple sponge painted accent walls do not feel hip or modern. The furniture also felt very cafeteria/fast food-ish. Our server didn't make the experience a joy either. Her awkward forced excitement made the whole table feel uncomfortable. She could not emphasize enough that their infused alcohol was infused, "24/7" (as opposed to 24/6 or 12/7?). The vodka? 24/7. The rum? You guessed it, 24/7. I swear she said "24/7" a dozen times. I ordered one of their specialty drinks and it was actually quite delicious (I'm assuming due to the 24/7 infusion). If you are a beer drinker, the selection is not great. It came time to order food and I ordered a turkey burger which included two of my favorite things, a pretzel bun and avocado. After trying to order fries as a side, we learned they were out. At 7:30pm on a Friday night. What? We aren't talking about the fresh fish of the day here, this is French fries. How can you be out? We had to substitute with their fresh chips which were pretty good. My turkey burger wasn't too shabby either. Everyone seemed okay with their meals, no complaints, no rave reviews. Actually, the one highlight was when someone dropped their fork and a young man was immediately at our table with another one on a little plate for him. Can we have that guy as our server? You can tell how much people enjoy a restaurant by how quickly they want to leave after finishing their food. We had arrived around 7:00pm on a Friday night to a fairly crowded restaurant and by 8:30pm it had cleared out and they were cutting servers. We asked for our check as soon as we were done. No hanging out and chatting/drinking for us. Again, I can't harp on the food as it was pretty good (minus the fries issue). It was just everything else that will make me probably never go back.
(2)Chester V.
My wife liked the place more than myself but I just think the space is so boring and the entrances are oddly placed so getting in on a windy day made a ton of commotion and caused every guest to stare at us until we sat at the bar. Food was okay, comfort slash trying some higher end fusion, but chicken enchiladas, come on now?
(3)Dave G.
My hubby and I went for Saturday dinner. We started with the house cabernet. Drinkable, but probably not a $20 wine even with restaurant markup. He had the chicken enchilada. He described it as "bland," "very bland," and "food for old people." I had the lamb burger. It would have been an OK burger at half the price. My side was the house cut chips, which I concluded were made from compressed dust and dirt. What little flavor they had was reminiscent of potting soil. Atmosphere was OK, service was great, but the food wasn't worth a return trip.
(2)Laurie F.
Nice variety of gluten free food selections. The chicken enchiladas and key lime pie were wonderful. The burgers and chips were great. However, when we were there they did not have any gluten free beer which would have been nice. We will definitely go back!
(4)April R.
So my friend has the unlucky fortune of being born on Valentines Day. She made a reservation for 10 on the silly evening. They were a little confused-why we were making a reservation for 10, NONE couples! Needless to say, she had to call back and and change the reservation for 9. The girl on the other end says "oh, I guess she managed to find a date." We showed up and they promptly announced, "oh, the singles table, right?" Jeez people, not everyone needs a date on Valetines Day. We showed up on time, to be located right in the middle of the restaurant-ha- unfortune to those around us. As the girl was taking our order, she wanted to make it VERY clear, seperate checks, are you ALONE on your check..? Good thing we are all light hearted, b/c it was getting ridiculous. I ordered the seafood bisque, which was super runny that night, but have had it before, and it was awesome-maybe just an off night. They ran out of soup bowls, but were very accomodating. I ordered the seared scallops and risotto. Cooked to perfection! My friend next to me got the steak with mashed cauliflower, which I snuck some bites of the cauliflower, and thought it was a shade better than my risotto. Good Risotto is hard to find! The birthday girl had brought cupcakes, and they gladly handed out plates and forks to us! Sweet! The manager did come out, and confiscate one of the cupcakes, which we gladly handed over :) Over all, the food was good, drinks were good, and waitress, although odd about our singleness (which half the table were couples), nice and accomodating. I have had the crab cake salad before and it was AH-AMAZING!
(4)Merri F.
This was my 2nd visit and I am wondering why I didn't return sooner! We had a group of 6 and everyone loved their selections. The soup was cabbage blue cheese and I had a cup as my side item. This soup was a wonderful combination and I found my left over portion was even more amazing two days later. Both times we have had excellent waiters - they know the menu well and make good recommendations. Loved the mixed drink options. Chicken, catfish, BLT, salads - all creative and tasty. I had received a recommendation to try the House Cut Potato Chips with Blue Cheese Sauce - an order was plenty for our group of 6 to share and disappeared quickly. So sorry I live in KC and will have to plan my outings to this excellent restaurant.
(5)Lisa H.
Love the atmoshpere- outside and in. The food was great. Our group had ribs, meatloaf, salmon and the seafood enchiladas. The enchiladas are amazing. Service was a little slow. The restaurant seemed average-busy for a Friday night, but it was over 20 minutes before we got our drink orders and took a while to get our servers attention for refills on drinks and water. We probably would ahve ordered another round had the server been more attentive. The espresso martini is worth a return visit. Overall, I'm sure we will be back.
(4)Chris D.
I recently met some friends at Mantra for a Sunday brunch. We took advantage of the nice weather and started out seated on the patio sipping on Mimosas. The patio is nice with sturdy tables and chairs - not the cheap patio furniture. The patio wraps around 2 sides of the restaurant. After a couple of Mimosas we decided to eat our brunch inside. The restaurant is modern in it's decor, and makes you feel comfortable at the same time. I ordered the BLT and was blown away. It wasn't your standard BLT...it was made with peppered bacon, feta cheese and a drizzle of balsamic on a grilled focaccia bun. I was really unsure if I would like it but I love BLT's so thought I'd order it. NOT your average BLT but OMG did the flavors blend together brilliantly! Loved it...can't wait to have another. We all ordered a slice of french toast for our dessert...I do the same at Taxi's, the owner's other restaurant...and for the others at my table it was a hit. I knew it would be!! I have to say my slice of french toast was not as crunchy as Taxi's which was a little dissapointing but hopefully we just hit a not "perfect" day for french toast, but again, still enjoyed! Everyone in my party loved their food. Visit Mantra and you won't be dissapointed! Look forward to my next visit!
(5)David E.
My girlfriend and I went here one night. We had a living socials deal and only had apps. We had 2 orders of the flatbread. It was awesome! We also had 2 different types of steamed mussels. North were very good. The place is clean and decor is modern. Location is not great but food and service makes up for it!
(4)C.M. C.
off the beaten path, slightly west of Benson/Hipstertown, NE.
(4)Royce M.
if you liked neon goose and taxis you will probably like this place, good bar, decent food but not that creative.
(3)Jay R.
We ate at Mantra tonight, using a Living Social coupon. It was very good. In fact if I could give it 4.5 stars I would. Our server Riley did a really nice job and was right on in her recommendations. We started off splitting a bowl of pumpkin soup. This is the same soup the bacon wrapped scallops come in. It was perfectly textured and delicious. We had just had a pumpkin bisque at the Havana Cafe in Scottsdale last month and it was so good we almost brought a quart back with us. Now we know where to find something similar locally. I hope they add it to their permanent menu. My wife had the seafood enchilada and raved about it. My BLT was about the best I can remember, although it's not really fair to compare it to regular BLT's. It came on grilled focaccia bread with pepper bacon and a balsamic tomato glaze that reminded me of a mango salsa. Combined with feta and garlic mayonnaise, it was a subtle blend of salt, sweet and fat. The bread held everything together, neither crumbly or grease soaked. Did I mention it was delicious? I had the home-made potato chips as a side which were fine. For dessert, we had the pistachio cake french toast which I would order again. I'd probably ask for a little more maple syrup next time. This meal was a great treat after shoveling heavy snow for two hours!
(4)Sharon R.
I come back to Omaha every 2 or 3 months to visit family. I loved finding a great place to eat right in the old neighborhood. I love the handmade chips with blue cheese for an appetizer. My favorite sandwich is the BLT. Service is great and the bartender makes a great Martini.
(5)Cory B.
Wonderful food and the service was great. It was definitely something different
(5)Steve K.
I have been to Mantra twice now. I would give them 5 stars on service. I also like that they have Anchor Steam on tap and serve it ice cold. I like that the menu is diverse but still not overwheliming in size. It would be a good place to go for a group that can't decide what they want. They offer meatloaf, burgers, fish and chips, and enchiladas. On my most recent trip I ordered the fish and chips and previously I have had an enchilada. I have also tried several appetizers including the lamb lollipops which are basically just lamb meatballs. Everything I ate their was good, but nothing was great. I also think that the food is priced slightly above the quality. The prices are reasonable, but I expect the food to be a little bit more interesting and memorable for the price they charge. A slight improvement in either flavoring or value could earn them a fourth star.
(3)