HomeGrown Omaha - Blackstone — Restaurant in Omaha

An overall pretty decent experience.

Areas Homegrown excels: portion size, ongredient sourcing and menu variety.

Areas for improvement: ambient noise mitigation between tables, clearer communication in what is being charged vs what is included.

Our waitress brought a pot of coffee to the table without us requesting it, and we were charged for it. We would have requested it anyway and happily paid for it, but there was a breakdown of communication somewhere leading us to believe the coffee was complimentary at seating. Just something other diners should be aware of. Some type of insulation or noise dampening material hung from the ceiling would go a long way in keeping the conversations from each table from interfering with other patrons' conversations.

Still, the coffee was hot and welcome on a brisk morning. Don't worry about the caffeine in that 2nd or 3rd cup, the brew itself was fairly weak (not a bad thing given the setting).

Chilaquiles was fresh, zingy, and a textural beauty. Crunchy tortilla chips smothered in a sharp salsa verde all hiding under a pair of eggs cooked to the diner's preference. Cotija crumbles and a single slice of fresh jalapeño top the dish as a final garnish. I'd recommend this seasonally available dish for the price. Not overtly amazing, but it was filling, tasty, and interesting. Can't ask for much more than that.

Pop'd Tart: Brown sugar cinnamon filling is waiting inside 2 puff pastry blankets. Rainbow sprinkles held in place with a simple sugar icing invite every bite. Steep cost, but considering how freaking good it was, I'd go ahead and pay the price to get 2 to go next time.

All in all, it was a good spot to try, and the seasonal menu will at least make me curious over the coming months. The pastries are worth it as a grab and go option if you can afford premium prices for...

I came here on Sunday, excited to return after having a great experience during opening week. I even brought a friend this time because I had hyped the place up so much. Unfortunately, this visit couldn’t have been more different.

I had put myself on the waitlist and waited close to 50 minutes, even though the quoted time was 25–30. When I walked in and greeted the host with a friendly “Hi, how are you?” she just looked at me and said “Busy,” with no real acknowledgment. It felt rude and honestly just caught me off guard. I mentioned I had been stuck in 17th place for nearly an hour and asked if she had any idea how much longer it might be, and she just said, “I don’t know.”

I asked if we could sit at the bar since I saw a few open seats, and she said sure “it’s first come first serve”. But when we got over there, the bar was covered in dirty dishes and so were a bunch of nearby tables. We decided to wait it out, hoping someone would come over, but even with two bartenders behind the bar, no one ever acknowledged us. No eye contact, no “we’ll be right with you,” nothing.

After about 10 minutes of standing there being completely ignored, we just left. It was really disappointing, especially after how much I talked this place up. I get that things get hectic, but a little kindness and communication go a long way. Sadly, I don’t think I’ll be back...

We stopped here for breakfast before heading home. We stayed in Omaha for a concert last weekend and wanted to stop at a local breakfast restaurant rather than a chain restaurant. I will say, the food was great! I got the biscuits and gravy and it came with some really yummy potatoes. Portions were good size, and everyone loved everything we got. Even my picky eaters! Also, the coffee was surprisingly good! Our server was great as well! There was a bit of a wait, but not that long. Maybe 20 minutes or so. They text you when your table is ready. My only complaint about this place is they charge $3.50 to add an extra (single) pancake to a kids meal. Seeing how the kids meals were $5.50, I could have just paid the extra $2 and gotten a whole other kids meal! I didn't know until I got my bill how much they were and my server didn't say anything. It's not like they're big pancakes, just average size. I'm sorry but I can't justify $3.50 for one single pancake that cost less than 50 cents in ingredients to make no matter how good it is. I deducted one...