The Michaels At the Market
1102 Harney St, Omaha, NE, 68102
The Michaels At the Market Menu
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Address :
1102 Harney St
Omaha, NE, 68102 - Phone (402) 346-1205
- Website https://www.michaelscantinaomaha.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Blair C.
Friendly staff and ok food. Salsa pretty standard. Prices are a little high considering quality of food. Not bad, but not something I'd go out of my way to visit.
(3)Ben K.
Pros: Great location Cons: Not very good food, always busy I ate at Michaels many times when I worked in O-town for two years. I went mostly because my co-workers liked going there, but I never really understood the popularity. It's similar to another Tex-Mex place in the Old Market, Julio's. It's in a great location, but other than that, the food isn't that good, it's always busy and it doesn't settle well. Maybe I'm used to Mexican in California and Texas, but last time I went when I was home to catch up with an old friend, it just wasn't good at all. If I want Mexican in Omaha, I'll hit up Cali Taco or go to South O. There are many decent places to get Mexican in South O.
(2)Jen H.
Love Michaels! We went this weekend, I had the cheese enchilada and a beef taco. Both were really good. The sauce was awesome, the ingredients were great. My boyfriend had the tamales, they were some of the best we had ever had. Flour chips & salsa were great, guac was pretty delicious. The service was great, our waitress was friendly. Prices are reasonable.
(4)Sarah G.
Jodi pretty much said it all, so I won't repeat. Just wanted to throw my metaphorical rating's hat into the ring. I'm obviously not the type of person that's being drawn to Michael's time and time again and haven't been back since it's no longer a convenience.
(2)Dylan C.
Seriously inedible enchilada. Watered down, toothless salsa. Ridiculously overpriced. The atmosphere isn't too bad, and they have a whole bunch of space, which is surprising when you consider how terrible their food is. Easily the worst downtown restaurant. If it is this place or go without... go without.
(1)George W.
The outside and inside of the place looks pretty good - almost screaming "I'm a Mexican food / Sports Bar". Plenty of big screen TVs watching the college basketball tournament. However, the burrito I ordered was pedestrian at best. It was garnished with a tomato. The salsa lacked any spark or pop, although there were three different bottles of hot sauce on the table. For the name (Michael's Cantina), I expected more. As noted by other reviewers, the service was good, and the restaurant was clean. All they need is better food. Too bad I didn't research it on Yelp before I went - I just read the other reviews, and it's like Deja vu. Bad Deja vu.
(2)Cam V.
This place used to be a lot better, at least in my memory. We went there just last labor day and I could not have been more disappointed. I ordered that huge combo plate because I was starving and anxious to dig in. The food was just bad in general. The meat in my taco honestly had the "a few days too old" smell to it. I genuinely questioned if it was safe to eat. I also ordered a side of guac to my meal thinking it would be some fresh house-made guac....yep, absolutely not! It was this gooey, slimy green stuff posing as guacamole, but tasted nothing like it. I honestly think we should've gone to Chipotle...better yet, I think I would have been happier with Taco Bell.
(2)Stephanie M.
First we got to the restaurant and the tables were not full but they made us wait 10 mins before seating us in an already empty table. It took at least another 10 mins before a server came to our table. Then, we waited 50 mins before 3 of us got our food. Needless to say, the service is awful. The food is okay.
(1)Cindy C.
Nothing wrong but nothing special. We ate enchiladas and a big chicken burrito. They were okay. The salsa was the thin kind rather than the chunky kind. The margaritas were small and okay tasting. The guacamole was okay. The flour and corn chip mix was interesting.
(3)Phil V.
I am soooo tired of reading people from Omaha bashing this place. I have been to Michael's a million times and I have never heard anyone in my party complain about anything but the fact that they are understaffed at times. The food is good and the margaritas are very good. Comments comparing it to Taco Bell are just stupid. Ok, glad I could clear that up.
(4)Lauren S.
I went there a few years back with my older sister, her three kids, and my cousin. The food was typical "Mexican". What I'm more worried about is the rudeness of the regulars, the waitress, and the register lady We had no choice to pay separate (which I know is a pain to others) but the register lady didn't have to flat out say, "considerate people don't pay separate", and than the men behind us didn't have to keep making rude comments in front of the kids. These people made us feel like outsiders because we don't go there all the time (only once). My cousin was getting pissed and (probably shouldn't have) made a comment back. The men started almost yelling at us, and following us outside in the dark parking lot. It gets better.....the WAITRESS comes out and starts yelling at us and called us skinny b's and told us to never come back. Why would I want to when you make us feel like shit for paying separate?! We had no choice!
(1)Maryann M.
I was here in August. The inside is terrific... I think it's a great place. I love the old school desks in the entrance. I want one. I ate here on my very first night EVER in Omaha. I was in love with the Old Market. My boyfriend is originally from Omaha and has been talking about this place for almost 3 years, so I was very happy to finally get to try it. That being said.... The tamales are great... tacos and enchiladas were awesome as well... Jalapeno poppers- not so much. Definitely frozen... It was very busy and the server seemed as though she was overwhelmed, but still super helpful (i think it's the people in Nebraska that are just very friendly in general... It's not like that where I'm from!).. All in all, I can't wait to go back. In the summer months.
(4)D C.
Another generic "Midwest Mexican " place. If you like la Mesa or Netties then you probably like this place. Not authentic Mexican or "Tex Mex"
(2)Rosalina R.
Whatever the opposite of a star is...is what this places deserves. That being said- this had to be hands down the most disgusting excuse for Mexican food I have ever had. I thought it was immpossible for Taco Bell, or Taco Via for that matter, to outshine a sit down restaurant, but alas it has occurred. Grossly overpriced, over processed straight from the can/freezer/vacuum sealed pouch monstrosities. I can't fathom why people actually think this crap is edible. I felt like I needed to go in for a round of colonics after this dinner. Bottom line = Worst 31.00 I have ever spent. I am still in awe that I left this place wishing I had gone to Taco Bell and ordered a chalupa instead. Could have saved myself 29.00...at least. Oh yeah and our waitress was on par with the caliber of the food.
(1)Bobby A.
I'm not sure why this place is so low ranked. I find it to be affordable and great Mexican food. Their salsa is freshly made, they have a great taco menu, and their burritos are to die for especially the extra large Sunday Brunch burrito you can order 7 days a week. I recommend you go there, get a fish bowl sized margarita, some tacos and have a good time. Adios mi Amigos.
(4)Cody C.
Being from Austin I have a certain affection for Tex-Mex thus I speak with experience in this food category. I must say if this place were in Austin I would never go back. The one redeeming quality they have is an excellent salsa. Other than it was not what I am used to having in the Tex-Mex category. The refried beans and the rice were as expected. It was the enchiladas that were more like tamales that did them in for me. My buddies at the table had soft tacos and the corn tortillas were falling apart more than normal. Average at best. If nothing will scratch the itch but Mexican food and you are downtown then this place will suffice. But don't expect a tongue slap the brains out of your head experience.
(2)Marc D.
Stopped in for lunch with a co worker. was towards the end of lunch shift and place was about 1/4 full. Promptly greeted and seated. Service was very good. Right on time with everything. The food was so so. Salsa was great. had good spice to it. really enjoyed the flavor. I had the taco and enchilada lunch special. The taco was not to bad. fried flour tortilla with average meat, lettuce, tomato, and cheese. The enchilada was not that good at all. It tasted like it has some homemade Ketchup on it. was very sweet tasting. I did not enjoy the sugar aspect of it at all. The rice and beans were decent. I did like the decor and ambiance of the restaurant. Nothing to write my mom about though.
(3)Scott B.
Absolutely the worst food I've eaten in a long while. There was not one fresh ingredient served to any of the four of us at the table. The enchilada sauce literally tasted like catsup. The service was mediocre at best. The dining area was dirty and I won't even mention the bathroom... And to top it off, I needed to stay near a bathroom throughout the next day if you get my meaning... DONT EVEN TRY IT! And in response to the comment by Brandon H, from the Mexican restaurant, I am neither a new employee, former employee, or competitor. As a matter fact I'm a pilot for an airline. Other reviews I've written for location such as Denver and Seattle in the last few months can be seen by going to my profile. Everything in this write up is absolutely true and should be taken into consideration before you ever stop in for dinner.
(1)Steph R.
Is this the best Mexican food in Omaha? Of course not, but that doesn't mean you should write it off. I enjoy eating at Michaels when I visit the Old Market. I really like the casual atmosphere, and if you get a spot by a window, it's fun to people watch. For entrees, I recommend either the tamales or grilled chipotle chicken. Both sauces have a nice sweetness to them, and I really enjoy the beans mixed with a little Chipotle Tabasco. Give it a try!
(4)Lisa P.
If I am ever having a bad day, Michael's is where I want to go. The fresh food is good and comforting. The margaritas are strong, but not too strong. The environment is homey and pleasant, and the staff is the best! Whether sitting in the dining room or at the bar, the staff is always kind and welcoming.
(5)Aynsley W.
I had heard great things about this place prior to my first experience, so I was expecting great Mexican food. I was greatly disappointed all around. I would have rather made it myself. To be hoest, I don't really have anything good to say about this restaurant.
(1)Justin T.
Been coming here for years! Love sitting at the bar and seeing staff who took the time to get to know us. Amazing food and prompt service every time. Even got to meet the real Michael a few times!!!!
(5)Jay D.
I should have known better than to come to a "Mexican" place called Michaels! I ordered the steak torta and it was just... bad! It looked like all they did was pan fry some ground beef with no seasoning (not even salt!) and served it on a bun with lettuce, tomato onions and avocado on the side. The server was totally receptive and offered another dish but I politely refused. The place looks fun and thought it had potential for maybe margaritas, but judging off that one torta, I won't be coming back.
(2)Megan P.
I have fond, but maybe over-inflated, memories of going to Michael's as a kid and with my friends during high school, but the cantina doesn't hold up these days. My fiance and I grabbed a quick dinner there about a month ago; we hadn't been there in nearly two years because of an awful service experience, but were willing to give it another go. I don't know why we expected any better. It was a Tuesday night, not busy at all, but it took our server more than 15 minutes to greet us and grab our drink order. We ordered the South of the Border Combination Platter (sampling of bean dip, guacamole, chili con queso and salsa) to start the meal. Despite running out of and waiting several minutes for more chips, the platter was the highlight of the meal. I ordered a chicken enchilada with a side of rice for my entree. The chicken was dry and bland. My fiance ordered the fish taco, which he seemed to enjoy. I'm always empathetic toward wait staff, but it's difficult when service is routinely bad. Drinks/chips aren't refilled in a timely manner and friendliness doesn't seem to exist. We won't be back.
(1)Jocelyn C.
Save yourself. Just say NO to this restaurant. I did not choose this place willingly, but the group was starving and impatient. First off, $5.99 for "chips & salsa." They bring you corn and flour chips, pico and wing sauce in a squirt bottle. The pico wasn't even good. Bland tomatoes, no acid, no spice. I ordered a combo with a taco and an enchilada. Taco was good with ground beef and fried flour shell, but basically any Mexican restaurant can do this. The enchilada was a form of culinary failure that I have never experienced. It was square in shape, but not to the effect that it was pulled out of a pan of homemade goodness. It looked and tasted like a microwave piece of mush. Service was stand-offish and lacked friendliness. We also had 18% gratuity added to our party of 6 which is typical of most restaurants, and truly most of our bad experience was attributed to the food not the service.
(1)Trey M.
Ok, so the owner shows up, I am outside smoking, and he drives a Lexus, so I am like, dang, this place has gotta be good. He even gave me a card for a margarita or appetizer.. Thought that was very cool as I was waiting for friends. So, I get inside, and the place is fairly busy. It's like a Old Chicago atmosphere, minus the Italian food. Unfortunately, despite the hospitality of the owner, the margarita was sub par, the food was taco bell quality, and although the prices were low, it was twice as much as taco bell, and the food was the same. So, the owner was cool. The staff was cool. The menu, food, and drinks, FAIL.
(2)Trish G.
Great food, fantastic service, comfortable atmosphere, and reasonable prices. Good choice for eating out in the Old Market!
(5)Chase I.
I've never had good food, nor bad food here. They're almost always good for an available table downtown, though. So, my friends and I sometimes stumble in. Note that they ARE pricey! Avoid the appetizer dips, they really add a lot to your ticket! Overall, not terrible, but the price brings it down to a "3" for me.
(3)Nancy H.
This place has great food and really good margarita's. You can't go wrong! We go at least once a month. The atmosphere is good also.
(5)Michael P.
Read some of the reviews about this place. Authentic!! You guys are smoking crack. Taco Bell is more authentic!! Had the grilled pepper steak, should be shoe leather with ketchup. Rice and beans where bland, the only thing good was the Tecate! Salsa was peppery served with Pringles like chip, and Pringles would have been better. Service was poor, waitress came by once, then it was different person every time. Wife had something with chicken...I think? If i was only going to drink beer this would be an ok place but believe me there a thousand other places i would eat before this place. The only reason we went here is because we had Pinpoint. Save yourself some money....go to Taco Bell!!!
(1)Brian B.
Had an early dinner here last Sunday, not from the area but read on the sign that they had been in business for more than 30 years so figured it had to be good. Should have read some reviews first. Our waitress was nice and quickly got our orders w/ some chips salsa and guacamole. The chips were not what I expected but ok I would go with it. The guacamole I wouldn't order again, I like my guac thicker and a little more flavor to it, this was thin and kinda bland, didn't taste fresh. Ordered enchiladas, one beef one chicken. Did not taste fresh at all kinda bland, my guess they were frozen and just being reheated. I am sure it was just an oversight but found a chicken bone in my enchilada as well. These things happen, but I think it might be indicative of what is going on in the kitchen. A lack of enthusiasm creativity and pride in what they are sending out of there. The 2 starts is basically for our waitress who was nice and attentive. I see that management likes to respond to posts here which is great. I would encourage you to get out to some of the surrounding areas and see what other restaurants are doing and tasting their food. I want you to do well but I wouldn't come back until you redid your menu and hired a new chef.
(2)Mike D.
Wow......what to say......Yet another place with so many negative reviews that I leave satisfied and impressed. So after our earlier botched attempt at the Alpine Inn (45 minutes with no service) we headed down to the Old Market to try Michael's again. Sorry, THE Michael's. Kind of unnecessary naming......But anyways... We arrived and it wasn't too busy, everyone was still at the game during this time (it was very busy when we were leaving). We were seated immediately and had chips and salsa in several minutes. The salsa is actually pretty awesome. Normally I eat at places like El Dorado, Taqueria Tijuana and such. I really enjoyed the cilantro flavor and it was at the exact hotness level I enjoy. Chips were horribly salty but delicious. Salt went everywhere. I ordered the tostada + burrito combo. My brother ordered the Morning After burrito and my parents got the chimichanga and tamales del sopa. When we got our food, boy were we surprised at the portion size. The morning after burrito is insane. Easily the biggest burrito I have ever seen in person. My tostada and burrito were very good as well. The beef and bean burrito was excellent, although mostly beans. It tasted like barbacoa style beef to me and had great flavor. Sauce was sweet and spicy at the same time, and the chicken on my tostada hs good flavor but was pretty dry. Another thing I was surprised at; the beans and rice had flavor! This is only the second place I've found in all of Omaha where the beans and rice tasted like anything. It is a little expensive, but the portion size makes it worth it in my opinion. I think I will definitely be back sometime. Nice tex-mex in the Old Market. It's a great location with great food.
(4)Jessy L.
I was encouraged by the manager to write another review after he graciously sent me a gift card to try the restaurant again and hope for better service. We tried the restaurant again and, I'm sorry dear manager, but it still was a let down. I appreciate you sending me a gift card. That was incredible! But I feel like in order for you to start getting better reviews, you're going to need a better staff and some tastier food. We went on a Friday night and the place was pretty busy. Our waitress was nice but the girl had a memory of a goldfish and we had to explain to her that my boyfriend and I didn't want to share 1 water. We, in fact, wanted our own water. What?! I didn't even know how to react in that situation. Maybe she was having a bad day. I got the taco salad and my boyfriend got a couple different tacos. He said his were okay. Bland but not horrible. My taco salad looked like they opened up a bag of Dole lettuce with the carrots and purple weird things in it and dumped that into the stale shell. It wasn't good. Don & Millie's taco salads are 10x better than that. We gave it another shot. We won't be back.
(3)Barb L.
Service here was great. Loved our waitress and had a great time chatting with her. We grew up in Phoenix so we are very particular about our Mexican food. We went in not expecting to be wowed by the food and we werent. Typical Midwestern pedestrian attempt at Mexican food. The chips were good. The beans were super lumpy. Best thing on the menu for us was Pacifico on tap. We will be back just for that.
(3)B J.
Delicious tacos , great service , cheap and strong margaritas. How is this not your spot ?!
(5)Larry S.
Went on a Sunday for dinner. Wasn't very crowded and we were seated right away. The waitress came to table got drink orders and came back. She was very helpful with answering questions about the menu. I ordered the burritos and the sauce that came with it was sweet and when I mean sweet it was worse than ketchup sweet. This is where we seemed to have disappeared from the staff. We tried to get some salsa which was good from the waitress or anyone else for that matter. We finally got the waitress and she walked by our table several times before she actually brought the salsa. Once we dumped it on it helped the sweetness. Just have never tasted a sauce like this before. Myself and one of the friends with me travel all over the country and have never tasted it like this before. Just don't think I would ever go back based on the fall off service and lack of service at the end.
(2)Vanessa M.
I probably won't be back. Everyone was friendly. We got seated promptly. It was a Sunday around 1 pm during the summer arts festival so I expected it to be busy it wasn't busy at all it was maybe half full. Once we were seated we did have to wait but it wasn't too bad. We ordered chili con queso for our appetizer. As soon as we got it it was obvious it had been setting out for a while, it had a thick film layer over the top. The taste was good but it was just too thick and I felt like I had to take a drink after every bite. They did bring us free salsa it was alright. Our food came out pretty quickly I ordered 2 original tacos with no lettuce or tomato and I asked for a side of sour cream with rice on the side. They didn't bring me the sour cream I ordered nor was it already on the taco I didn't specify what I wanted and the waitress didn't come around for quite a while so I ate my rice first. The rice tasted dry and there we're hard chunks of dried out stuck together rice in it . We had some queso left from the appetizer and I mixed some of that it in and it made it taste much better and not so dry. Finally our waitress came by asked if everything tasted ok she didn't even stop she just kept walking while she asked so I had to stop her to ask for the sour cream. Finally I got it so I put it on my tacos and they were OK, I could tell right away they were really greasy and then when I had about half of my first taco left I noticed it was dripping grease and I squeezed it lightly and grease just ran out of it. My second taco was the same way I had half of my second taco left before I decided I couldn't eat any more grease. My friend ordered the the rolled up tacos I can't remember the name but he ate one and did not like it. His came with rice and beans as well and he did not like either. When we left be both had a sick/bloated gross feeling. 3 hours later and I still felt like that.
(2)Larry M.
Slow service, mediocre food. Next time I will check reviews no matter the hurry. All the bad reviews are accurate. Avoid
(1)Megan H.
It gets even worse. In response to my previous review which I think is a fair, straightforward, and rather objective summary of my experience at Michaels that could have been used to better their service, I got a long, angry diatribe from the general manager. It was a completely unprofessional essay that got personal. Apparently, I couldn't have possibly not enjoyed the food and service.
(1)Joel H.
Somewhere between two and three stars. Server was perfectly nice, I was seated quickly and food arrived in a reasonable time. I had chicken fajitas and, while they weren't BAD, they just weren't particularly good. Vegetables were grilled well, but chicken was too dry and there was way too much oil. Nothing really tasted too fresh. Menu has a lot of deep fried stuff. They could use a menu do-over. There's probably potential to make this place pretty decent but they need to rethink their cooking. Oh, and the tortilla chips were soggy. That was a first.
(3)Angela K.
After living in Phoenix for ten years, we came home knowing that authentic, good tasting Mexican food was going to be hard to come by. And we were right...until we found Michael's on the Market. First, in terms of authenticity, Michael's food is pretty close. Little things like the rice (too dry) and the margaritas (menu suggests blended--no self-respecting Mexican food lover drinks blended margaritas--drink them on the rocks or put your skirt on and go home) keep it from the coveted five stars. In terms of taste, the food we had was really good. I ordered the chicken enchilada and rice a la carte. It was delicious. I like a fair amount of heat in my Mexican food and this was a bit too mild for my tastes. My only quibble for my food was the enchilada sauce was a tad on the thin side. Again, my experience with enchilada sauce is that has the consistency of a nice tomato sauce. This was definitely not that. Now, if that is a taste issue or an with entity issue, I will you decide. My rice, as mentioned above, was dry. There just is no way around that. Rice should be moist and fluffy. Sadly, this rice was neither one of those. But it did have some cursory pieces of tomato and peppers but not enough to make it really good. But, it is rice, so unless that it is absolutely the ONLY thing on the menu that you will eat, it probably will not ruin your day or meal. My husband had the chicken torta (aka chicken sandwich) and fries. He polished off his meal without any comment. I assume that is because he was too busy snarfing it down. It was a medium size skinless breast with char marks and everything. It was served with your typical dressings like lettuce and tomato. But it also came with three beautiful slices of avocado. The fries were real potato fries, like Wendy's fries before they screwed theirs up, alas opposed to wimpy shoestring fries. My daughter had the chicken tacos. Here is where Michael's made us happy. The flour tortilla was fried into a lovely golden pocket of taco happiness. Raw shells, unlike raw cookie dough, is NOT infinitely better than its cooked version. The tacos were a wonderful size, about 10 inches, and filled with nicely seasoned chicken, lettuce and tomato. She tried some of my rice and agreed that it missed the mark. My other daughter had the chicken quesadilla. Again, a good portion filled with chicken and cheese and a side of guacamole. I wish I could tell you how yummy that guac was but, alas, daughter #2 gobbled it up before I could try it. Her meal came with a side. She tried the salad. It was basically iceberg lettuce with cheese and tomatoes. Very nondescript and very non-Mexican. But it's salad. Take it or leave it. I ordered a strawberry margarita with the well tequila, blended per the menu's suggestion. I was already wearing a skirt so I felt ok about following the menu's suggestion. To be fair, the menu explains that they "free pour" the margaritas and blending helps smooth out potency the tequila. I love "free pours". But, again, why would you order a margarita if you did not want that kiss of tequila in your first sip. Another authenticity holler of delight was that margaritas can be delivered in a glass or in a pitcher. Because you know, margaritas are much better when they are shared. The menu also explains that they have an extensive tequila selection. Next time we go, I will try something more than the generic version in my margarita on the rocks. We noshed on the complimentary corn chips and salsa. The salsa was lacking the heat we like in our Mexican food but it was not bland by any definition. I imagine we could have had refills on chips. But, as it was, the basket we had for the four of us adult eaters was exactly the right amount. How lovely is it that you never run out of chips. I am pretty jazzed about trying the flour chips next time. The service was great. We had less than an hour to eat because our daughter was traveling and we needed to get her to the airport. We were seated, orders taken, food served and consumed in less than an hour on a Wednesday evening. I am going to pretend that we could go at a more leisurely pace if we had the time. Our four meals, margarita, drinks and tip was less than $45. Not bad at all. For some reason that escapes me completely, La Mesa seems to be the favorite of a lot of Omahans. You all need to step away from the La Mesa kook-aid. Michael's is far and away superior. (Technically, Michael's menu seems to be more of a Northern Mexican menu and La Mesa and central/Southern. Even with that distinction, Michael's is markedly better.) Do not believe me? Go try it for yourself. Just leave the skirt at home.
(4)Matthew O.
Probably more like 1.5 stars. Adequate service. No issues there. Food wasn't disgusting and silverware wasn't dirty or anything like that. Went here for lunch because my wife really likes Mexican....I don't care for it because I feel like it's one of the easiest foods to make with cheap, not fresh ingredients and still make people think they're eating something good. And Michaels, to me, is just another retread of that. Had two chicken enchiladas with rice and refried beans. It's pretty hard for me to like this stuff in the first place, but I did have some pretty good Mexican food experiences in SoCal to compare it with, so I feel like I've earned the right to some harsher criticism. This? Chicken in a corn tortilla (I think it was corn) covered in a mild, bland, flavorless red sauce and then covered in a synthetic yellow cheese. Rice that tasted like the charred, burned insides of the salamander oven it was heated up in. Refried beans covered in some more yellow cheese that looked less appetizing than everything else on the plate. Mozza-something as an appetizer? Deep fried mozzarella cheese wedges with their "red sauce" to dip them in. Edible but nothing memorable. Probably just something pulled out of a plastic bag with other frozen, ready to fry wedges just like it. Lose the TVs and the kitschy sports bar atmosphere and serve fresh, authentic, made-that-day Mexican food and you'll see a real turnaround at this tired Old Market eatery. Don't bother with this place until then.
(1)Erin O.
I couldn't decide what to eat for lunch so Michael's was it... unfortunately. I feel horrible for my mother because it was her treat. Pretty disappointing. I don't expect too much out of Mexican food in the Omaha area and this joint gets plopped onto the list of restaurants serving unappetizing Mexican food. "Fine Mexican Food" is what they advertise but it's not what you get. Service was good, the place was clean. For the amount of food you receive, the lunch menu is of good value if you're looking to get full. I had a cheese enchilada that tasted like something I would have whipped up in my own kitchen with packaged tortillas and packaged cheese. Their appetizer of Mozzatillas (?) was very disappointing; fried cheese bites out of a frozen goods package served with their homemade hot sauce. And I share the sentiment of a recent reviewer: "Lose the TVs and the kitschy sports bar atmosphere and serve fresh, authentic, made that day Mexican food and you'll see a real turnaround at this tired Old Market eatery." I will not visit again. Sorry, Mom, that my choice was horrible and you had to pay for it.
(2)Joshua L.
Had the classic Taco and Mahi Taco. Both were pretty awesome for their price. Great bathroom, very clean. Steady service. Would go again.
(4)Rachel E.
Terrible food. There were no complimentary chips and salsa. My quesadilla didn't come with sour cream or guac. They only had half of their beers in stock. This is not a vegetarian friendly spot.
(1)Evelyn M.
I bought a living social deal with the intention of using it for dinner with a group of friends. after my purchase, I read the reviews of the restaurant and was quite nervous to try to use the voucher. many of the reviews of the restaurant were negative, and a few of them mentioned the living social voucher. I arrived at the restaurant on a Friday evening and was promptly greeted by two hostesses. They were friendly and showed me to the table where my friends were sitting. The server (who was blonde, I cannot remember her name) took my drink order right away. She checked back with us to see if we were ready to order, and when we were not at the moment, she patiently waited for us and promptly took our orders when we finally were ready. Food came out, most of us had tacos, everything looked great. My tacos were delicious, and no one in my party had any complaints about their meal. The server was very attentive, kind and patient with our party of 6. She accepted our living social voucher with no hesitation. It was a very nice evening. I would dine at the restaurant again as well as recommend it to friends. It is a shame there are so many negative reviews, because my experience was opposite of that.
(4)Alex P.
We went there back in July. The place is run down and the food is awful. Service is bad...and you have to get up and find someone to let them know you're ready to leave and need your check. We will never come back.
(1)Lori B.
This is a place I love to visit when I come back to Omaha. I crave the bean dip and flour chips and margaritas. The tacos are good too. Not exactly Mexican food, but I like it nonetheless. Kinda surprised at the horrible reviews, but I haven't eaten there in a year. Still...I've always been a fan and still am. See you in November, Michaels!
(4)Patrick W.
Had the taco pizza as an appetizer and it was just ok. It's similar to what they offer at Taco Bell (fried tortilla with meat, cheese, onions, peppers, black olives). It would have been better if the shell had been crispy rather than soggy. The other drawback was that it took 10 minutes for our server to come over to order drinks. Don't go to Michael's expecting great food or you'll be disappointed. If you expect decent food and a great location to people watch, you'll be satisfied.
(2)Ramon T.
I will never forget this place. Absolutely, without a single doubt in my mind, one of the worst Mexican restaurants I have ever gone to in my life. Someone please explain to me how you'll have "CHILE" con cheso, with no chiles? That's just cheso! It wasn't even nacho cheese, just melted down Velveeta cheese in a bowl. And that was just for starters... I ordered the food with somewhat of a Spanish accent and the poor girl didn't know what the heck I was talking about! I can go on but I'll stop there. And if you want real Mexican food in Omaha, you should stop where you are, and consider not going to this place.
(1)Jason G.
was looking for a different Mexican food joint and stumbled across the Michaels...sat at the bar and was served by bartender Amy...very nice woman who was forthcoming with tips when asked...had the #14 which was a giant breakfast burrito consisting of scrambled eggs, cross cut taters, rice and refried beans...enjoyed it immensely but wished it had more eggs in it and even though I was able to get sour cream on the side, I think it would have improved the burrito to have had it inside...also had a mango margarita which was pretty good, though I think I'll stick with strawberry next time since I find the taste more agreeable...kind of on the spendy side but not too bad...didn't have chips and salsa complimentary which bugged me a bit...all in all a decent place to eat but nothing extraordinary...
(3)Brian S.
OK so I live in Vegas and my expectations for clubs might be higher than normal but.. This seemed like I was in someone basement. Like a residential party or something a Frat would throw. However, I kind of liked it with the band and such but honestly not really somewhere I would clamor to see again.. Drink prices were cheap.. 3 for $15.. which was great.. but.. not much for atmosphere
(2)Dylan G.
Just awful. An abomination to Mexican food. I honestly would recommend Taco Bell... ugh, even Taco JOHN'S... before sending someone into this place. Have you ever noticed that a good indicator of a place that serves decent ethnic food is the presence of people of that ethnicity dining in the restaurant? Next time you're in this joint, notice your surroundings. I remember coming here as a kid and liking it, but kids are dumb and not to be trusted when it comes to food. I have to believe, for my parents' sake (my mother is a great cook), that the quality has just declined over the years. When people call this place "middle of the road," I have to wonder if they mean that the food tastes like it was just scraped off a highway. Awful. You'll find better tacos with more trustworthy ingredients out of a midnight taco truck on 24th street, and I mean that 100%. I can't think of worse Mexican food in this town (and before you out-of-towners scoff at me for that statement, Omaha has a significant Hispanic population and TONS of great Mexican food). Seriously, just head south on 24th street. Once you hit L, take your pick. Incredible food at a much better price will be your reward.
(1)Mark V.
I was sorely disappointed with the food here, and would agree that Taco Bell is probably a better option. I went here at the recommendation of my hotel's front desk staff - guess I won't be asking them for any more advice! I had the taco and enchilada platter (greasy taco, bone dry chicken enchilada made slightly better by healthy doses of what the Michael's staff refer to as "taco sauce"...) with refried beans (no doubt served warm from the five gallon bulk food can...) and the mexican rice (I've had better out of a rice-o-roni box). Server was very friendly and nice, but appeared to be the only one working - not the only one present, mind you, the only one WORKING (as in, the others seemed to enjoy watching my girl run around like a chicken with it's head cut off...). As a result, she was distracted from her most important job - serving me! Ha! I would not be able to recommend this place to any but the most desperate diner, which should never be the case as there are perfectly suitable options in close proximity.
(1)John M.
Kick ass chicken tacos. Home made shells. Great fresh salsa! Nice staff.
(3)k m.
I admit, the food is sub-par. I go for the happy hour because the prickly pear margarita for $2.50 at happy hour is GOOD! Order some half price appetizers to go with it and enjoy it for what it is....a good cheap happy hour margarita joint at a good location.
(3)Danny A.
After drinking one dollar cans of High Life (only the finest) at the Underground we stopped in here for something. We ended up ordering some Dos Equis (not $1), bean dip and the Potato Nachos. We all agreed that the potato nachos were positively the best thing in the world on a Friday night at 11:30. Our waitress/bartender was very pleasant. She was probably bored because the place was empty. I've heard mixed reviews on the rest of the menu so proceed with caution or just stick with the nachos.
(4)Ryan t.
For some strange reason that I can't quite put my finger on, I have completely different standards for what I eat for lunch vs. dinner. Michael's is a case in point. While I would probably never consider eating here for dinner or when I was craving Mexican food, the close proximity to my place of employment combined with suspiciously fast service and affordable specials make this a perfectly acceptable place to grab lunch. Two of their lunch specials are pretty excellent: the tacos al pastor and chipotle steak. Say what you want about the authenticity, but someone who works here knows how to do pork al pastor, which is a massively unappreciated and underutilized method of cooking pork. Despite what you might think from reading some reviewers who use their reviews as a platform to attempt to prove their hipster cred or bash a city they no longer live in, Omaha has some pretty fantastic restaurants. Michael's doesn't fall into that category, but that doesn't make it evil or uncool. For every Flatiron, there are at least 10 Taco Bells, and who can afford to eat at the Flatiron every night?
(3)Jen E.
Two Words: Stay Away!! Our group decided to eat here after a nearby restaurant we were going to dine at wasn't open yet. Boy was that a mistake! We were a group of 8 people and the server offered to split our checks (into three) which was nice but it would have been fine as one. When taking our order (as she called us "Group 3"), instead of coming to our side of the table, she decided to yell from the other end, and mind you it was quite loud in there. Normally when I go to a Mexican restaurant, I'm excited for some chips and salsa to start off. You have to order that as an appetizer as this does not come complimentary. They try to offer different dips to try instead. They should offer the salsa complimentary as most Mexican restaurants do and then try to up sell on the bean dip or any other option to add on. We were all pretty hungry upon coming to the restaurant and I ordered the same choice (#5 with chicken) except someone from "Group 2" ordered it with beef. When our server gave us our dishes, she switched them by accident. She then offered all of us sour cream for our meals (out of plastic packages) which I decided to put on my tacos - not knowing I had the wrong order in front of me yet. She then left and came back several minutes later. As we tried to explain I had the wrong order and had already put sour cream in mine (which the person from "Group 2" can't stand) and couldn't just switch our plates, she said she would take his back but the kitchen was backed up. So meanwhile, we're all eating our dishes as he has to wait several minutes just to make 2 tacos. I just kept mine even though it was wrong as I was too hungry to care at that point. The food was below average for the price and our group tried several different items and nobody was impressed. Half of the restaurant was empty so it's quite obvious the staff can't handle larger groups. After I started to feel frustrated, I asked for our checks. We also had a plane to catch that afternoon and hadn't planned on spending the remaining hours of our free time, waiting at a restaurant. She explained she had to assist the other larger group first and then she would help us. 20 minutes goes by and I ask the hostess, who was sitting at the front doing nothing, for the manager. She eventually comes out, was very unprofessional and rude as I explained we just needed to get our checks. She said they do NOT have a computer system there and everything needs to be done manually. I questioned if she could assist with that but was curious why only our waitress can total the receipts. The icing on the cake was when we received our receipts on tiny yellow postage notes. Just the subtotal plus tax and 17% gratuity since there was 8 of us. (I wish I could upload a photo as I thought we were being pranked.) I have no idea if we were charged correctly but at that point, we all just wanted to get out of there STAT!! Based on reading other reviews, I can't imagine this restaurant being able to survive for much longer. This statement appears on the website (We became famous for offering some of the best Mexican food anywhere - period!) and is absolutely without a doubt false advertising!
(1)Jennifer C.
First time I've been to a Mexican restaurant and chips and salsa don't come out automatically. I was told they would be $4.99. I ordered the taco platter. It comes with rice and beans. It was average at best. The tacos were decent but rice and beans not so much. Chances are slim that I'll be back.
(2)C. T.
The food we ordered was good to very good. It is a little expensive for what you get. This was the only mexican food restaurant that I have ever been to that does not serve you complimentary chips and salsa. Given the price, you think they would. I wouldn't go out of my way to go there, but if you are shopping in Old Market, it is worth going to.
(3)Anne M.
Bean taco was good. Chicken enchiladas I had needed some help. Will return again for sure, it was likely not normal for Michael's.
(3)Alex T.
For the record, i never give a 5 star rating, but this place comes really darn close. Especially if it is the linch hour and Suzie is your waitress. If you even want to illustrate to a new hire how to provide excellent service, Suzie is the one to watch. Literally she runs around to take of her customers. Literally RUNS! Its crazy, sometimes it looks like she is working the whole room. Not to take away from her supporting cast, but we have never had a bad meal here, especially over a time-sensitive work lunch. Give it a go, Suzie works so hard, she may burn the calories you are consuming for you.
(4)Ian P.
As per a normal Californians review of Mexican elsewhere....better than normal! Still not what we crave but very good service and food isn't bad. In fact the regular house margaritas are perfect. Not bad Omaha!
(4)Robin B.
As posted by the general manager, I do not have an issue with anyone at this restaurant because I do not live in the state. It is sad how Brandon, the general manager, has to make things up to try and hide the bad service at this restaurant. It is also sad that Brandon has to lash out over bad reviews instead of fixing the problems.
(1)Ali L.
Why didn't I check the reviews before eating here? We had a BOGO deal, but the food was pretty awful. Service was awesome and the bartender was a doll, but I definitely wouldn't come back here. They also advertise the best margaritas in town, and they are pretty awful too. I'm gonna say it again - Awful.
(2)Matt Y.
Really good place to go for the lunch special. Good food reasonable price and the server we always get Suzie is awesome!
(4)Jamie B.
Good margaritas. Good service. Clean and reasonably priced. What more could you need? When I'm going Mexican I'm not shooting for the stars. Usually one is just looking for a good drink and a little spice. The fajitas were plentiful (huge!) and of the 7 of us we all enjoyed our dishes- enchiladas, tacos, chips and guac, cheese, bean dip among many other things. No complaints. We ate here regularly about 5 years ago when we lived in the Old Market. Food is still good, happy not much has changed!
(4)