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® winners
Use this search form to find a particular company.
1
1999
Airline
United
1
1999
Bakery
Baker's
1
1999
Bar
Old Chicago
1
1999
BBQ Restaurant
Tony Roma's
1
1999
Beer/Brew
Bud Lite
1
1999
Best-Known Omahan
Warren Buffet
1
1999
Book Store
Barnes and Noble
1
1999
Burger
Burger King
1
1999
Cellular Phone Service
AirTouch
1
1999
Child/Day-Car Facility
La Petite Academy
1
1999
Coffee House
MJ Java
1
1999
College/University
UNO
1
1999
Convenience Store
Kwik Shop
1
1999
Department Store
Dillard's
1
1999
Drive-Through Food
Burger King
1
1999
Family Entertainment
Fun Plex
1
1999
Family Restaurant
Valentino's
1
1999
Financial Institution
First National
1
1999
Fitness Club
Gold's Gym
1
1999
Florist
Piccolo's
1
1999
Fragrance/Cologne
Tommy Girl
1
1999
French Fries
McDonald's
1
1999
Golf Course
Eagle Run
1
1999
Grocery Store
Baker's
1
1999
Hair and/or Day Salon
Garbo's
1
1999
Haunted House
Mystery Manor
1
1999
Italian Restaurant
Lo Sole Mio
1
1999
Jeans
Levis
1
1999
Jewelry Store
Borsheim's
1
1999
Kids' Clothing
Gap Kids
1
1999
Lawn and Garden Center
Mulhall's
1
1999
Live Music Venue
Ranch Bowl
1
1999
Local Music Group
311
1
1999
Mexican Restaurant
Romeo's
1
1999
Movie Theater
Oakview AMC 24
1
1999
Music Store
Homer's
1
1999
New Business
Icehouse
1
1999
New Business
Icehouse
1
1999
New Car Dealership
Markel
1
1999
Pizza
Zio's
1
1999
Public Restroom
Von Maur
1
1999
Romantic Dining
French Cafe
1
1999
Shopping Center/Mall
Westroads
1
1999
Soft Drink
Coke
1
1999
Steak House
Austin's
1
1999
Stereo Store
NFM Mega Mart
1
1999
Sunday Brunch
Grandmother's
1
1999
Tanning Salon
Ashley Lynn's
1
1999
Tourist Attraction
Henry Doorly Zoo
1
1999
TV Newscast
WOWT 6
1
1999
Video Store
Blockbuster Video
1
1999
Women's Clothing
Younkers
1 (tie)
1999
Men's Clothing Store
Landon's
1 (tie)
1999
Men's Clothing Store
Structure
2
1999
Airline
Midwest Express
2
1999
Bakery
Garden Cafe
2
1999
Bar
Arthur's
2
1999
BBQ Restaurant
McKenna's
2
1999
Beer/Brew
Budweiser
2
1999
Best-Known Omahan
Mrs. B
2
1999
Book Store
Borders
2
1999
Burger
Goldbergs
2
1999
Cellular Phone Service
Aliant
2
1999
Child/Day-Car Facility
Kindercare
2
1999
Coffee House
Downtown Grounds
2
1999
College/University
Creighton
2
1999
Convenience Store
Kum & Go
2
1999
Department Store
Von Maur
2
1999
Drive-Through Food
Taco Bell
2
1999
Family Entertainment
Family Fun Center
2
1999
Family Restaurant
Applebee's
2
1999
Financial Institution
Norwest
2
1999
Fitness Club
Prairie Life
2
1999
Florist
Baker's
2
1999
Fragrance/Cologne
Cool Water
2
1999
French Fries
Burger King
2
1999
Golf Course
Pacific Springs
2
1999
Grocery Store
Hy-Vee
2
1999
Hair and/or Day Salon
Creative Hair Design
2
1999
Haunted House
Fright Zone
2
1999
Hospital/Care Facility
Alegent Health Systems
2
1999
Italian Restaurant
Valentino's
2
1999
Jeans
Gap
2
1999
Jewelry Store
Brodkey's
2
1999
Kids' Clothing
Kids R Us
2
1999
Lawn and Garden Center
Lanoha
2
1999
Live Music Venue
Arthur's
2
1999
Local Music Group
Mulberry Lane
2
1999
Men's Clothing Store
Dillard's
2
1999
Mexican Restaurant
Howard's
2
1999
Movie Theater
20 Grand
2
1999
Music Store
Buy
2
1999
New Business
Old Navy
2
1999
Pizza
Valentino's
2
1999
Public Restroom
Oakview AMC 24
2
1999
Romantic Dining
Brother Sebastian's
2
1999
Shopping Center/Mall
Oakview
2
1999
Soft Drink
Pepsi
2
1999
Steak House
Outback
2
1999
Sunday Brunch
Valentino's
2
1999
Tanning Salon
Tanfastic
2
1999
Tourist Attraction
Old Market
2
1999
TV Newscast
KETV 7
2
1999
Used Car Dealership
Atchley
2
1999
Video Store
Hollywood Video
2
1999
Women's Clothing
Von Maur
2 (tie)
1999
New Car Dealership
H & H
2 (tie)
1999
New Car Dealership
Saturn
2 (tie)
1999
Stereo Store
Buy
2 (tie)
1999
Stereo Store
Stereo West
3
1999
Airline
Southwest
3
1999
Bakery
Krispy Kreme
3
1999
Bar
Icehouse
3
1999
BBQ Restaurant
The Amarillo
3
1999
Beer/Brew
Miller Lite
3
1999
Best-Known Omahan
Henry Fonda
3
1999
Book Store
Waldenbooks
3
1999
Burger
Runza
3
1999
Cellular Phone Service
Sprint PCS
3
1999
Child/Day-Car Facility
Children's Corner
3
1999
Coffee House
The Crane
3
1999
College/University
UNL
3
1999
Department Store
Younkers
3
1999
Drive-Through Food
McDonald's
3
1999
Family Entertainment
Henry Doorly Zoo
3
1999
Family Restaurant
Austin's
3
1999
Financial Institution
Commercial Federal
3
1999
Fitness Club
24-Hour Fitness
3
1999
Florist
Tilton's
3
1999
Fragrance/Cologne
Eternity
3
1999
French Fries
Runza
3
1999
Golf Course
Champions
3
1999
Grocery Store
Albertson's
3
1999
Hair and/or Day Salon
Salon Tino
3
1999
Haunted House
Hotel California
3
1999
Hospital/Care Facility
UNMC
3
1999
Italian Restaurant
Olive Garden
3
1999
Jeans
Tommy
3
1999
Jewelry Store
Zales
3
1999
Kids' Clothing
Gymboree
3
1999
Lawn and Garden Center
Earl May
3
1999
Live Music Venue
McKenna's
3
1999
Local Music Group
Fisheads
3
1999
Men's Clothing Store
JC Penney
3
1999
Mexican Restaurant
Fernando's
3
1999
Movie Theater
Q Cinema 9
3
1999
Music Store
Blockbuster Music
3
1999
New Car Dealership
Baxter
3
1999
Pizza
Pizza Hut
3
1999
Public Restroom
Austin's
3
1999
Shopping Center/Mall
Crossroads
3
1999
Soft Drink
Mountain Dew
3
1999
Steak House
Anthony's
3
1999
Stereo Store
Circuit City
3
1999
Sunday Brunch
Garden Cafe
3
1999
Tanning Salon
Tanners
3
1999
Tourist Attraction
College World Series
3
1999
TV Newscast
KMTV 3
3
1999
Used Car Dealership
Saturn
3
1999
Video Store
Captain Video
3 (tie)
1999
Romantic Dining
Lo Sole Mio
3 (tie)
1999
Romantic Dining
Vivace
3 (tie)
1999
Women's Clothing
Express
3 (tie)
1999
Women's Clothing
Lerner Shops
