@Byline fancy:By John Keenan | WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
The man is known for his eye for value and stable, long-term investments, so perhaps it’s no surprise that many of the Omaha restaurants where Warren Buffett has been spotted are longtime local haunts. After all, this is the man who, according to Andrew Kilpatrick’s “Of Permanent Value,” went to China and didn’t eat any Chinese food, preferring hamburgers and French fries. Here are some of the places he frequents:
Bonefish Grill
Regency Court
Buffett the newlywed stopped into this upscale casual restaurant right after the private ceremony in which he married Astrid Menks in 2006, although his party represented the outing to restaurant employees as a birthday celebration it was also Buffett’s 76th birthday.
The group sampled several of the restaurant’s dishes and didn’t stay late.
Many people dined at the restaurant after news of Buffett’s party, but those unfamiliar with Bonefish Grill shouldn’t miss the Bang Bang Shrimp, a crunchy, tender gulf shrimp in a creamy, spicy sort of chile aioli.
Bronco’s
Locations throughout the metro area
Buffett’s love of this local burger chain is widely known. He once was involved in a fender-bender accident while on his way to pick up fast food to take home from the restaurant on Leavenworth Street.
The Crescent Moon Ale House
36th and Farnam Streets
Buffett took NBA star LeBron James to this midtown pub in 2006 when the young star came looking for financial advice. But it reportedly was the financier, not the basketball star, who arrived at the bar wearing a Cleveland Cavaliers uniform.
Owner Bill Baburek calls Buffett a “quasi-regular take-out guy,” who favors the restaurant’s pork tenderloin special on Thursdays and also enjoys a rare hamburger with tomatoes and mayo. Out-of-town visitors might also enjoy the Crescent Moon’s Buffalo wings, among the city’s best.
Dairy Queen
Locations throughout the metro area
Dairy Queen is a Berkshire company, and Buffett is said to be partial to the chain’s ice-cream Dilly Bars.
Dundee Dell
5007 Underwood Ave.
Buffett is a longtime patron of the Dell. Owner Pat Gobel said Buffett used to come in fairly regularly to play pool with a friend when the Dell was on Dodge Street.
“Warren likes fish and chips, and he likes cheeseburgers,” Gobel said.
Buffett stopped at the Dell during Lent to pick up some fish, Gobel said. The manager, tipped to Buffett’s presence, made a point to ask the third-richest man in the world if he needed anything special.
“No, I’m just waiting for my food,” Buffett replied.
“I love that guy,” Gobel said.
Gorat’s Steak House
4917 Center St.
It’s the traditional stop for shareholders during Berkshire weekend, including an official shareholders’ day of dining on the Sunday after the meeting. Buffett has long listed Gorat’s Steak House as the official Berkshire steak location, touting its T-bone steaks and hash browns.
That’s the order he prefers, said owner Debi Branecki, who said Buffett is a frequent customer.
“Mr. Buffet and my father are friends, they went to grade school together,” she said. “It’s a neighborhood place, and he always has liked the ‘family-owned’ part of it, that’s part of his philosophy. It’s close to his house, he likes our food, and he appreciates a good value.”
Hollywood Diner
2214 Abbott Drive, Carter Lake
This diner-style chain, with a throwback 1950s sensibility, landed on the Buffett buffet just this year, when he and friend and Berkshire board member Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, stopped for lunch. Buffett had a chicken-fried steak with gravy, and Gates ordered a cheeseburger.
Owner Larry Richling said Buffett, who had been in before for chicken-fried steak, signed a gag million-dollar bill Richling carries around.
“He said ‘This doesn’t validate it,’” Richling said.
Omaha Prime
415 S. 11th St.
Buffett comes into Omaha Prime and its sister restaurant, Passport, on a regular basis, according to owner Mo Tajvar. He sticks with the same dish at both locations a medium New York strip and hash browns with a Cherry coke.
“We don’t have Coke products, but for him we get it in,” said Tajvar.
Cherry Coke also is Buffett’s drink of choice at Gorat’s, and Berkshire Hathaway is a major shareholder in Coca Cola.
In 2006, Buffett also brought Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez to Omaha Prime. Tajvar said A-Rod picked up the bill.
Petrow’s
60th and Center Streets
In 2005, Buffett squired Gates to this restaurant, which is famous for its homemade ice cream and shakes. Buffett had a bacon-wrapped filet mignon, and Gates ordered the deep-fried shrimp dinner. The pair returned for another visit the following year, owner Nick Petrow said.
Petrow called Buffett a steak-and-potatoes man, but he sent the pair complimentary ice cream to finish off their meal.
“I didn’t want them to leave without having the ice cream,” Petrow said.
Berkshire visitors shouldn’t either.
Piccolo Pete’s
2202 S. 20th St.
This is the first year the restaurant is listed in the official agenda for the annual shareholder-fest, part of “shareholder steak night” on Sunday. The inclusion and Buffett’s patronage are tributes to Piccolo’s Italian steakhouse roots.
The Oracle of Omaha also frequently treats visiting groups of college students to lunch at the restaurant, which has a large dining room to accommodate the 150 or so students who typically make the pilgrimage from various institutions across the country.
“He usually has the chicken Parmesan and a root beer float,” said Denny Graves, husband of co-owner Dee Graves.
Contact the writer:
444-1074, john.keenan@owh.com
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