Big Year Bites

January 31, 2026

Over the course of the year, I traveled over 35k miles and spent over 30 days and nights away from home. While on the road, I usually packed some lunches and snacks, but I also visited many restaurants all over the state. Here's my top 5 places to eat, some honorable mentions, and maybe some places to avoid. I am not sponsored by any of these restaurants (but if you're reading this and want to give me free food, I'm all for it)

The Top 5

1. Flyover Brewing Company, Scottsbluff (10/10)

By far, Flyover was my most visited spot in the state. Not only is it in a town that's a hub for good western birding, it is by far the best food in town, and the only brewery. Their beer is all pretty solid, and the food selection is good. Atmostphere is 9/10 an the bartenders are friendly (say hi to Maeve if you go). Their specialty is wood-fired pizzas and I have tried A LOT.

Best Pizza: Sweet Chili Pepperoni (9.5/10)
Best App: Korean Wings (8.5/10)
Best Beer: Blackbird Black Lager (9/10)

Sweet Chili Pepperoni (9.5/10): This is their best pizza. Hot honey, pepperoni, ricotta cheese, what's not to like? I probably had this one 5+ times
Wild Mushroom (9/10): This is a really solid staple on the menu, very simple, with wild mushrooms, and cheese, topped with grown-in-house greens, very good pizza. I usually went for the pepperoni, but this one is really good.
Special (8.5/10): Each month they have a special, I tried multiple and they were excellent. The Nashville Hot Chicken Pizza was lacking a little in the Nashville Hot department but was a good pizza (8/10). The Elote Pizza was by far the best, I hope they bring that one back (9/10).

2. Golden Hour BBQ, Alliance (10/10)

We went to this place 30 minutes after open and they were already out of the Brisket. The BBQ was excellent, the staff was nice, and the prices were reasonable (as BBQ goes). The only unfortunate thing is the location and hours. I didn't find myself in Alliance much, and it's only open Fri-Sat for dinner, and Sun-Mon for lunch. If you're in the area, I would highly recommend it (10/10).

Best Meat: Burnt Ends
Best Side: Potato Salad

3. Stella's Bar and Grill, Bellevue (9.5/10)

Nothing tops off a long morning of birding at Fontenelle Forest like a burger at Stella's. Classic burgers in a small diner. I ate it so fast I forgot to take a picture, I'd recommend the swiss mushroom and sweet potato fries.

4. Open Range Grill, Ogallala (9/10)

If you need a burger, go here. I probably ate here 10 times over the course of the big year and I never had a bad burger. You get to pick your toppings (classic and creative options) and your bun type. The fries are good, but I'd upgrading to the sweet potato fries. Always make sure to ask the the house-made ranch, it's really good.

Best Burger: Renegade on Brioche
Best Side: Sweet Potato Fries
Best Beer: anything local, they usually had Cornstalker on tap

5. Tacos Los Hermanos, Grand Island (9/10)

If you like Birria, you'll love this place. Many forms of birria with a salsa bar. There's a location in Lincoln too!

Honorable Mentions

El Chapparo, Lincoln (9/10) - Very good authentic Mexican in the near south neighborhood of Lincoln, I highly recommend the Mole enchiladas.
The Watering Hole, Lincoln (8.5/10) - A Local favorite, get the boneless wings (more like chicken fingers) and make sure to ask for them grilled! Decent local beer selection as well.
El Charro, Gering (8/10) - Lunch spot on the Scottsbluff CBC, in a converted Pizza Hut (you know the building shape). The smothered burrito I had was very good, but unfortunately this place is closing soon.
Beer and Loathing, Kimball (8/10) - One of the only options in town, but they have great burgers and tots, and a good selection of beers, many from Flyover.
Bo's West, Columbus (8/10) - Served the food out of a food truck, but it was pretty good.
RoundUp Bar and Grill, Table Rock (7/10) - Nothing special, but this was better than your average small town grill! The only restaurant in town, I had a Reuben that paired nicely with a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher a few miles away.
Dairy Sweet, Crawford (7/10) - We stopped here for lunch once, the fries were excellent, but some of the pieces of brisket on our sandwickes were a bit overdone, and I think Keegan got the worse sandwich, but the flavor was really good. They just needed to make sure to keep the meat moist, brisket shouldn't have a crunchy outer layer
The Potter Sundry, Potter (6.5/10) - The sundaes were really good! The food was just fine, we had fish and chips.

Maybe avoid these?

Steel Grill, Bridgeport/Gering (6/10) - The food was good, but this place is very expensive, plan to spend $30 on a burger and fries.
Fort Robinson State Park, Crawford (6/10) - Pie is 9/10, everything else is pretty mid. The burger was just okay, and they nickel and dimed every normal topping, the fries were fine. The Strawberry Rhubarb pie was the star of the show. MAybe just eat pie for dinner?
Ole's Big Game Steakhouse (2/10) - It's about the animals on the wall, NOT the food. The blooming onion was undercooked, The fries were cold, and my reuben wasn't even grilled.

Gallery

Nashville Hot Chicken Pizza, Flyover Brewing Company

Golden Hour BBQ

Tacos Los Hermanos

Fried Fish and Sundaes, Potter Sundry

Typical camp meal, rice and chicken at Lake Ogallala

Keegan cooking up a camp meal

The classic breakfast at Monument Inn and Suites

My typical birding lunch on the go