The Best of Omaha contest, sponsored by Omaha Magazine , began in the mid-80′s. It started with votes from the magazine staff, but eventually expanded to the public in 1992. Readers could vote for their favorite Omaha businesses and services on paper ballots and fax or mail them; but today, all of the voting is done electronically. By switching to online voting, the contest became more secure and added a sense of validity, allowing only one log-in per IP address during the voting period (July 1st – Sept. 30th).
As the contest gained more popularity, the categories also began to expand. There are currently 176 Best of Omaha categories with around 425,000 votes from around 20,000 voters. The five most popular categories are Grocery Store, Mexican Dining, Pizza, Bank, and Italian Dining. Most of the Best of Omaha winners don’t actually advertise with Omaha Magazine;  and since the magazine is the only sponsor with its staff calculating the results, the businesses and services nominated in the contest can’t gain any headway by advertising.
The Best of Omaha results come out every year in Omaha Magazine ‘s January/February issue with a readership over 115,000 during the two month shelf-life.
Look up previous Best of Omaha® winnersÂ
Use this search form to find a particular company.
1
1998
All-You-Can-Eat Buffet
Valentino's
1
1998
Bakery
Garden Cafe
1
1998
BBQ Restaurant
Ozark Smoked Meats
1
1998
Best-Known Omahan
Warren Buffet
1
1998
Book Store
Barnes & Noble
1
1998
Burger
Goldberg's
1
1998
Car Wash
V.I.P.
1
1998
CDs & Tapes
Buy
1
1998
Cellular Phone Service
Air Touch Cellular
1
1998
Coffee House
MJ Java
1
1998
College/University
UNO
1
1998
Deli-Style Sandwich
Quizno's
1
1998
Family Restaurant
Applebee's
1
1998
Financial Institution
First National Bank
1
1998
Fitness Club
Gold's Gym
1
1998
Florist
Baker's Supermarket
1
1998
French Fries
Runza
1
1998
Grocery Store
Baker's Supermarket
1
1998
Hair Styling Salon
Creative Hair Design
1
1998
Happy Hour
Grandmother's
1
1998
Home Electronics Store
NFM Mega Mart
1
1998
Hospital
Methodist
1
1998
Ice Cream
Dairy Queen
1
1998
Internet Service
American OnLine
1
1998
Italian Restaurant
Pasta Amore
1
1998
Jewelry Store
Borsheim's
1
1998
Kids Clothing Store
Gap
1
1998
Live Music
Ranch Bowl
1
1998
Local Music Group
Fish Heads
1
1998
Men's Clothing Store
Barrett-Reed Menswear
1
1998
Mexican Restaurant
Fernando's
1
1998
Movie Theater
20 Grand
1
1998
New Car Dealership
H & H
1
1998
Nursery/Garden Center
Mulhall's
1
1998
ñParty Placeî
Guitars & Cadillacs
1
1998
ñPick-Upî Place
Ten Lies
1
1998
Pizza
Zio's
1
1998
Place to Meet Friends
Old Market
1
1998
Public ñHangoutî
Old Market
1
1998
Romantic Dining
The Jaipur
1
1998
Shopping Center/Mall
Oak View
1
1998
Steakhouse
Outback
1
1998
Sunday Brunch
Garden Cafe
1
1998
Tanning Salon
TanFastic
1
1998
Tourist Attraction
Henry Doorly Zoo
1
1998
TV News Personality
Pat Persaud
1
1998
TV Newscast
Channel 6 WOWT
1
1998
Used Car Dealership
Huber
1
1998
Video Store
Blockbuster
1
1998
Weekend Getaway
Kansas City
1
1998
Women's Clothing Store
Younkers
2
1998
All-You-Can-Eat Buffet
Old Country Buffet
2
1998
Bakery
Baker's Supermarket
2
1998
BBQ Restaurant
McKenna's
2
1998
Best-Known Omahan
Hal Daub
2
1998
Book Store
Borders
2
1998
Burger
Burger King
2
1998
Car Wash
Buchanan's Amoco
2
1998
CDs & Tapes
Homer's
2
1998
Cellular Phone Service
Aliant Cellular
2
1998
Coffee House
Downtown Grounds
2
1998
College/University
Creighton University
2
1998
Deli-Style Sandwich
Subway
2
1998
Department Store
Younkers
2
1998
Family Restaurant
Valentino's
2
1998
Financial Institution
Norwest Bank
2
1998
Fitness Club
Prairie Life Center
2
1998
Florist
Piccolo's
2
1998
French Fries
McDonald's
2
1998
Grocery Store
Hy-Vee Supermarket
2
1998
Hair Styling Salon
Garbo's
2
1998
Happy Hour
Arthur's
2
1998
Home Electronics Store
Buy
2
1998
Hospital
Bergan Mercy
2
1998
Ice Cream
TCBY
2
1998
Internet Service
Netscape
2
1998
Jewelry Store
Brodkey's
2
1998
Kids Clothing Store
Gymboree
2
1998
Live Music
Arthur's
2
1998
Local Music Group
Blue Moon Ghetto
2
1998
Men's Clothing Store
Parsow's
2
1998
Mexican Restaurant
Romeo's
2
1998
Movie Theater
Indian Hills
2
1998
New Car Dealership
Baxter
2
1998
Nursery/Garden Center
Earl May
2
1998
Pizza
Valentino's
2
1998
Public ñHangoutî
Heartland of America Park
2
1998
Public ñHangoutî
Heartland of America Park
2
1998
Romantic Dining
French Cafe
2
1998
Shopping Center/Mall
Westroads
2
1998
Steakhouse
Austin's
2
1998
Sunday Brunch
Valentino's
2
1998
Tanning Salon
Tan Huts
2
1998
Tourist Attraction
Old Market
2
1998
TV News Personality
John Knicely
2
1998
TV Newscast
Channel 7 KETV
2
1998
Used Car Dealership
H & H
2
1998
Video Store
Hollywood Video
2
1998
Weekend Getaway
Mahoney State Park
2 (tie)
1998
ñParty Placeî
18th Amendment
2 (tie)
1998
ñParty Placeî
Paddy Murphy's
2 (tie)
1998
ñPick-Upî Place
M's Pub
2 (tie)
1998
ñPick-Upî Place
The Mall
3
1998
All-You-Can-Eat Buffet
Golden Corral
3
1998
Bakery
Gerda's
3
1998
BBQ Restaurant
Tony Roma's
3
1998
Best-Known Omahan
Chip Davis
3
1998
Book Store
Waldenbooks
3
1998
Burger
Runza
3
1998
Car Wash
Mr. Suds
3
1998
CDs & Tapes
Blockbuster Music
3
1998
Cellular Phone Service
Sprint PCS
3
1998
Coffee House
13th Street
3
1998
College/University
UNL
3
1998
Deli-Style Sandwich
Blimpie
3
1998
Department Store
Von Maur
3
1998
Family Restaurant
Garden Cafe
3
1998
Financial Institution
Commercial Federal
3
1998
Fitness Club
Westroads Club
3
1998
Florist
Stems at Countryside
3
1998
French Fries
Arby's
3
1998
Grocery Store
Albertson's Food & Drug
3
1998
Hair Styling Salon
Great Clips
3
1998
Happy Hour
Billy Frogg's
3
1998
Home Electronics Store
Circuit City
3
1998
Hospital
UNMC
3
1998
Ice Cream
Goodrich Dairy
3
1998
Internet Service
Radiks
3
1998
Italian Restaurant
Valentino's
3
1998
Jewelry Store
Bergman's
3
1998
Kids Clothing Store
Kids ñRî Us
3
1998
Live Music
McKenna's
3
1998
Local Music Group
Labels
3
1998
Men's Clothing Store
Structure
3
1998
Mexican Restaurant
Julio's
3
1998
Movie Theater
Q Cinema 9
3
1998
New Car Dealership
Atchley
3
1998
Nursery/Garden Center
Lanoha
3
1998
ñParty Placeî
Arthur's
3
1998
Pizza
Godfather's
3
1998
Place to Meet Friends
Upstream Brewery
3
1998
Public ñHangoutî
Memorial Park
3
1998
Romantic Dining
V Mertz
3
1998
Shopping Center/Mall
One Pacific Place
3
1998
Steakhouse
Lone Star
3
1998
Sunday Brunch
Maxine's
3
1998
Tanning Salon
Alexander's Hair Artistry
3
1998
Tourist Attraction
College World Series
3
1998
TV News Personality
Dave Webber
3
1998
TV Newscast
Channel 3 KMTV
3
1998
Used Car Dealership
Stan Olsen
3
1998
Video Store
Baker's Supermarket
3
1998
Weekend Getaway
Embassy Suites
3
1998
Women's Clothing Store
The Limited
