Probably hadn't been to Big Fred's for 10 years or more, but it more than satisfied my pizza craving. Note that it'll also satisfy your 'is that carpet on the walls' craving. The meal wasn't too remarkable, service was a little sluggish, and it's definitely not my favorite pizza in town, but I'd go back... it'd just have to be at the suggestion of friends (as this past trip was).
(3)
Kradak T.
In a world where pizza has become a gourmand, D.O.C. puritan "occasion", Big Fred's takes you back to the classic Italian American staple of good, thin crust, cheezy pizzas, cold beers, quick-talking waitresses, and a huge room with all the tables filled. Bonus points from me and my daughter for the fired green beans! Caveat: I've lived in the city for 18 years, I'd never actually eaten at Big Fred's. Truth be told: My wife would have gone nuts if she ate here--she cringes at any restaurant with carpet on the floor--does anybody think that the carpets get steam cleaning every night, or nobody spills??
(4)
Sharon J.
Best Pizza in Omaha hands down!!! Always get the hamburger, onion & mushroom! The salad is good too! 99% of the time we get carry out, as it is always very busy!
(4)
Francisco F.
The pizza was poorly seasoned with low quality toppings. The dough was soggy and the chease was dropped on top of the toppins as if an afterthought. I also had their tomato soup which was very tasty and the best part of my lunch meal. The service was a bit slow but very polite. Big Fred was a Big Bust.
(2)
Mark N.
I haven't been to Big Fred's for over a decade, so when friends invited me to join them this evening I jumped on the offer, especially considering all the negative comments I had been reading recently, so my inner critic was on high alert. For a Tuesday evening the place had a decent draw of patrons. I arrived last, but our wait asked me within moments what I wanted to drink. I was told of two non-pizza dishes I should try and the first was the Prime Rib Sandwich, which I ordered medium rare. Moments later we were told they were out of Prime Rib, but one of my friends changed his order so I could try it out, and he ordered the second suggestion, the Pasta Mostaccioli with the breaded Pork Tenderloin Cutlets. And of course a Hamburger/Pepperoni Pizza was in the works. I have to say that my sandwich was absolutely great, a huge portion of Prime Rib, much bigger than expected, with garlic toast and Au Jus, with a side of Onion Rings. I would go back again just for this, cooked perfectly, and even at 1/2 thickness, with each bite it was tender enough to eat as a sandwich. I tried my friend's pizza and it was better than I had been hearing/reading. The sauce was well prepared, but with my small piece I wasn't able to discern what they used, thin crust, but not well supported its ingredients, crisp, but not chewy. I also got a little of the pasta, which again, in a small dose, I couldn't really judge it well, but well enough to want to try it on for myself. One negative though had to be the onion rings. The breading was a disappointment, it was almost like a plastic covering, very dry, and not pleasant to even look at. I never noticed any problems with our wait staff, they were attentive to our tables, everyone received refills, or new bottles whenever they needed. OK, so here is my one complaint... their beer selection sucks, I mean it was depressing. I couldn't even make myself to order any of them. They did have a decent wine selection from what I remember, but come on guys... I know you are a sports bar and that means dudes come in for session swill like Michelob Amberbock, but can you at least have one craft beer? If they did, I would be back next week.
(4)
Jeff K.
I have to say, Fred's has gone way downhill. I don't get there as often as when I,lived 3 blocks away, but the,last 3 times have been dismal. Tonight the pizza was awful. Barely any sauce, and dry as a bone. The crust was over done and there was no taste. And this was a combo, with everything on it.. The salad was ok, but the cheese bread was stale and under cooked. Since Fred has been gone, the standards have slid down to the bottom. It's Sortino's pizza for my favorite now. It's really too bad..
(2)
Jane D.
Big Fred would be disappointed. When Little Caesars has more meat on their pizza it's a problem. Three staff agreed I had received a cheese pizza instead of pepperoni until one exceptionally rude crew member was able to find one or two pieces of pepperoni in the middle of the pizza. She explained that sometimes it doesn't get spread around very well. There were maybe 6 pieces on the entire pizza which is more than $20 and she seemed to believe this was great quality. The service and quality has continued to decline. Have to cross this off our list of places to eat moving forward...
(1)
Vanessa M.
This place has been around forever which I know is stated in several other reviews, but it really hasn't changed at all over the years. We used to go every Sunday after church but now that the family has grown up and we all have our own lives we do not go very much at all. I haven't eaten inside for a few years but last time I did it was the same as I remembered!! We sometimes get take out and bring it to my grandmas because it is her favorite. A lot of the time I will get chicken strips or a cheeseburger instead of eat the pizza because it's not my favorite.. Today I did eat the pizza, we got half pepperoni and half hamburger and onion. It was ok just like I remember, I've had better but other people seem to think it's so good! So it's worth giving a try for your self! We got take out today, we ordered it to be ready about 12:10, we got there about 12 and it was ready when we arrived. We asked for paper plates to go and ketchup for the side of fries we ordered. They were out of ketchup and the paper plates they gave us were about the size of an infants hand, seriously. Overall it was pretty good and a nice change from our regular take out we get, even though I did have to use 2 plates.
(3)
De Lone W.
Should have left when we had to wait for someone to seat us while 3 employees stood around. Service was slow although there was a very light crowd. It took almost an hour to get our pizza. It was very average at best. I've now been there 5 times hoping for it to be good. I have now given up. Spend your hard earned money elsewhere.
(1)
Amy F.
I must say this was one of my favorite places to go as a kid but my recent experience wasn't that great. I hadn't been in years so I thought it would be a great place to meet for mine and my husbands birthdays. We had about 15 people in our party. A lot of us ordered pasta and some ordered pizza. My pasta was horrible and I sent it back. Everyone else at the table did the same. When I was younger I always order pasta and meatballs and was really looking forward to a yummy meal. For those that ordered pizza it was mixed reviews. It was a huge disapointment on my birthday. I will not be returning.
(1)
Robert L.
I have been on a quest for the best pizza since moving here and heard a lot about this place. Highly recommended and an Omaha institution from what I was told. Service was fine and they were really busy so u guess people like this place. We ordered the pizza and I'm sorry, but exactly what type of pizza is this? New York? Nope. Chicago? Nope. Gross? Yes. Crust, soggy, sauce bland and talk about cheese overload! We couldn't eat it. Maybe the other good is better and people have their own taste- bit we will not be back.
(1)
Beth S.
Big Fred's is really an Omaha classic! When I want yummy food in a comfy environment I have to have Big Fred's!
(5)
Michelle G.
Big Freds is right down the street of my new place so I stopped in before they really opened for lunch- very accommodating and I had my to go order by 11:10.. cheese bread was tasty, and the small pizza was plenty for leftovers. I enjoyed it very much.
(4)
Kimmity R.
We had a delicious Pizza and fettuccine on and incredibly busy night. We found it by driving by and decided to stop in because it looked like a great little mom-and-pop joint, not a huge corporate pizza place. Although the parking lot is that a wicked slant, something we're not used to in Colorado. We have a very enjoyable evening and a great dinner. The waitstaff was extremely pleasant, and our waitress was very friendly and efficient. I would definitely go back.
(5)
Patrick M.
Very inconsistent in food quality. Fred's used to be a go to place but my last 2 visits have been extremely disappointing. Over cooked burgers, burnt onion rings, horrible Italian sausage sandwich, pizza tasting funny and soggy salty salads. There are far too many excellent choices now, I'll be going elsewhere from now on.
(2)
Chad K.
Their pizza is what I call "homemade style" in that it's not NY Style or Chicago Style, but is that style that seems to be unique to privately-owned pizza places serving up their family's recipe. Pizza is square cut. Crust is tasty. Not too thick, but not thin crust either. Sauce is good. Toppings are standard. They give the option for mozzarella or romano cheese. I usually tell them to mix them. Overall, very tasty pizza. Similar in style to Mama's Pizza. Onion rings are very good. They could use some salt, but I suppose that's on the table if you want it. They're battered instead of breaded and that's how I prefer them. They have a double-crust pizza they call the "Goodie Roonie Pizza" which my wife loves, but I cannot stand. For me it's just too one-dimensional. It's like someone dumped a ridiculous amount of hamburger or sausage into a pizza crust and called it good. YMMV. They're privately-owned, so you're not going to get national chain prices in here. You're going to pay a little more because they pay a little more for their ingredients (economies of scale, people). So, don't expect Pizza Hut or Dominos prices. There can be a crazy wait to be seated on busy nights and their parking lot gets pretty full too. This pizzeria is certainly popular with the older crowd. A decent chunk of the diners are the over-50 crowd. They're probably coming here out of habit and for nostalgia. They're in the process of doing some renovations and are supposed to begin offering draft beer (it's been bottles only up until now).
(3)
Sam K.
It's been there forever, and it shows - they have meal preparation down to a science. I always make sure to stop by here when in Omaha if I can help it!
(3)
Richard S.
I imagine Big Fred's in the fall on a Saturday is a little more lively than on mother's day in May. But it does say a lot about a pizza joint that it was actually pretty busy. Several families chose Fred's to celebrate their mothers. We ordered the go to half pepperoni and green olive and half hamburger and Canadian bacon. The small pizza is cut in normal fashion anything larger is cut into squares. My brother and his son ordered a medium meat lovers. It was huge and cut into squares. They use a lot of toppings and even more cheese. The crust was thin but not crispy. The sauce was very good. My only complaint was that they brown the hamburger first and then add the crumbled cooked meat to the pizza before cooking. This has a tendency to dry out the hamburger and make the pizza a little greasy. We will definitely be back if we are in Omaha in the fall. The buffalo wings looked amazing and there is nothing more fun than watching the Huskers lose in a bar full of Nebraska fans.
(3)
Bob B.
I've been going to Big Fred's for over 40 years. I was there Saturday night and the pizza was HORRIBLE. When the waitress asked how we liked our pizza we told her it sucked and asked if they had changed the recipe. She said that they had changed the sauce. Apparently word is getting around as the place was only half full on a Saturday night. I will NEVER go back!
(1)
Sophia H.
I've always heard good things about Big Fred's so I was really excited to finally try their pizza, but I was extremely disappointed. The pizza was just alright. Nothing special whatsoever. We ordered a pepperoni and sausage pizza and ended up getting a hamburger pizza. What the what?! The crust was crunchy and flavorless, so I didn't even bother finishing it. Hamburger pizza is one of my least favorite pizzas so maybe I'm a little biased on that part, but maybe if I got what I actually ordered it would've been a different story, but nope. I would've honestly rather had two Totino's party pizzas for 1/8th the price and be 100% more satisfied. Of course I could've sent it back and had them make me the right pizza, but on top of the under-average pizza was the horrible horrible service. It wasn't even busy when we got there for a late lunch around 1:30, but the service was extremely slow. It took 25 mins just to get onion rings out for our appetizer (those were pretty good though) and we had to ask our waitress multiple times for refills on our drinks and napkins for the table. When our pizza finally arrived...50 minutes later, we even had to ask for plates! Bleh, don't even bother unless you enjoy being ignored and annoyed with less than average food.
(1)
David P.
I can't recommend this place. We got two pizzas and it cost $56. I could've gotten 11 Little Caesar's pizzas for that price. The one good thing was the green olive pizza. Had never had that on a pizza before and it was really good. But, again, you could make your own green olive pizzas for 1/10 the price.
(1)
Jim F.
Big Fred's has been around forever. The food just can't get any better!
(5)
Sylvie F.
We met some close friends here for a casual Sunday night dinner! The restaurant was very busy, but we were greeted right away by a very friendly and efficient waitress! We ordered a hamburger pizza with mozzarella and Romano cheese to share! It arrived hot to our table in a very reasonable length of time! I liked the thin crust! It was a good average pizza! My tea, HL's soda & our friends glasses of water were constantly refilled! This is a very family friendly pizza place with great service! Our friends said they always get consistent pizzas too!
(3)
Tanya P.
When I pay $20 for a medium pizza I expect it to be great...this was not the case. There is nothing unique about this place or it's food. On a recommendation from the staff we decided to try the Big Fred's combo pizza and the mozzarella sticks. I'll start with the good, the sticks were pretty good and they were homemade. They come with pizza sauce which normally would be great except that this sauce tasted like tomato soup. So if you like to dip your grilled cheese in tomato soup you will love them! Now for the not so great, the pizza. The crust was thin but really did nothing for me. It wasn't crunchy and instead sort of soggy. The combo comes with sausage or hamburger, green peppers, pepperoni, and mushrooms. The mushrooms tasted like canned mushroom, which was okay. The green peppers were great and probably the best part of the pizza, from what I could taste of these items. It actually felt as though we ordered a sausage pizza with a few other topping sparingly sprinkled on the pizza. I had to scrape some of the sausage off the pizza because I was sick of it when eating my second slice. The entire bottom of the pizza was covered in sausage, which would be great if I ordered a sausage pizza and absolutely loved sausage. Oh wait, the pepperoni! It was typical and would have liked to have more of it on the pizza, or at least just a better ratio of toppings. I don't think I will be back just because there are plenty of other pizza joints in town. However, if you haven't tried them give them a chance and make your own opinion. If you love sausage pizza and grilled cheese with tomato soup you now have to two things to try based on my review:) Another positive for this place is that they have plenty of big screens to watch the game, however, they do not have any draft beer selections - only bottles.
(2)
Niccole M.
Crowded Sunday (not unusual, I'm gathering). At first I was worried that the server was going to be attitude-y....(probably not a real word), but she was fine. She forgot to order my stepdaughters hamburger. Here's what made it 4 stars, rather than 3, she said, "I'm sorry, I forgot to put her hamburger in, it's my fault, I'm so sorry". WHAT???? No blaming the cooks?? Class act. We left her a nice tip for sure. Honestly, the pizza wasn't my favorite, but there was an abundance of toppings and I like the crust. Maybe it was because my husband just haaaad to have stupid hamburger on the Combination pizza, I hate meat. Mostly.
(3)
Judy S.
The only pizza in town as far as our family is concerned. Whenever our son returns to Omaha from his home in California, this is one stop he and his friends have to stop at. All other pizza pales in comparison. Sandwiches and pasta never a miss. Been a customer since 1966.
(5)
Chris S.
Great local icon atmosphere and service. Crust was good. Pizza ok, but canned mushrooms really?
(3)
J C.
Had heard good things so was kind of happy when I find out I had a party to attend at big fredd. Turns out the pizza was not great. Very plain and the dough didn't seem to be cooked all the way through. Place was packed. I was expecting more of a sports bar feel, definitely did not have that
(2)
Martin Z.
Well, lets start this off by saying that our Soda's were the best thing about our meal... And even then they were $1.50 for a can so that dampened my spirits a bit. What we ordered: Combo pizza replacing one topping, and adding two more, Large order of Onion Rings, Mozzarella sticks. $54 out the door for all of it. 4 cans of soda. The pizza: Kind of a mish mash of toppings including one very low quality topping, that being the mushrooms which were canned. The pizza had virtually no sauce in places, however where it did have it, were the bites I actually did enjoy, about 1 out of 10 bites so pretty poor in my book. We were charged for 3 toppings despite one of them just being a replacement, this made a $24 pizza into a $32 pizza so for that price I was expecting much better. The cheese was just melted on top of everything not toasted in the least. Second day with the pizza tossed into an oven and broiled for 10 min made a huge flavor difference. The crust was ok but nothing special, thin pizza crust I would think should be a little crispy, this was just soft. The Onion rings were a bit flavorless, the batter turned soggy in the few minutes it took me to get home, try Salt right after they come out of the fryer.... The Mozzarella sticks: Soft breading and virtually cold, and the so called Marinara sauce was just tomato sauce dumped right out of a can and warmed up, no added herbs or spices, poor quality to say the least. For the kind of money that Big Fred's charges, you would think that you would get high quality on everything, definitely not the case. Over all this was a bad experience for both me and my girlfriend, We had such high hopes for Fred's it was a complete let down. Oh and one last thing, I asked the bartender how much for a Grey Goose screwdriver, he answered back $6.50 after checking a computer (how could you not know the price already), I replied back with I am not that thirsty. I might expect to pay that amount if I was in New York or San Francisco at a major 3 to 5 star restaurant, not a pizza joint in Omaha NE. Overall rating: POOR!!!!.
(1)
Garry M.
Big Fred is the pizza place in Omaha that set the bar for all others to be judged by. My recommendation is to go and have a pizza and a beer. You will not regret it. If you are looking for a modern fancy place, go somewhere else. This is a laid back comfortable establishment that you can say. Man that was good!
(4)
Mike L.
Always busy and parking sucks. It nearly always seems hectic, even when it is only half full, but the pizza (and other food) is good bar quality. For a kid who grew up here coming to this place with parents, family and friends over the past 30+ years though, there is a nostalgia to the place. Unlike so many other local memories, this place has not fallen apart or become indigestible. If you have a big group, better call ahead or be prepared to wait at the bar (probably standing).
(4)
Dani W.
Moderately busy on a Thursday evening. We started with onion rings and chicken strips. Both ok, chicken was pretty good sized strips. We then got a large classic. It served the four of us with left overs but there was something missing. Adding red pepper flakes helped, I'm going to try hot sauce with the left overs. I think if we return we'll make our own pizza to try and find more flavor. Good beer selection, would like some draft beers though. Service was good.
(3)
Ramon B.
Holy time warp!! I felt like I walked into a place frozen an era where this place was a breath of fresh air. I would say it looked "rad" but "rad" is too modern for this place. "Groovy" might be about right...but for those of us who live in the modern time I will call the look of this place..."dated". It does look like the place most peoples parents brought them to as a child and that it stayed that way over that last few decades. Yea...it was weird being in there. I felt I was less at a pizza place and more at a Keno lounge. Food was...eh. My special lady friend and I shared a sampler platter and to my surprise it came out within less than 5 minutes. How they managed that surprised me until I began to eat it. I'm gonna say they had all the stuff pre-cooked and sitting under a heat lamp for an undetermined amount of time. Each bite of each bit had a weird chewiness in the breading, and the warmth felt uneven with some things seeming more recently cooked than others. And what the C*ck is this sh*t about a sampler platter coming with an arse load of everything and two...count it, TWO...cheesesticks!! 8 onions rings, a few fists of jalapeno chips, a good deal of fried green beans and zucchini...and 2 MF'N mozza stix!! So bleh to heat lamp food and uneven distribution of food. The pizza...oh...the pizza. Thankfully it took a lot longer for them to make this pizza so I can't totally assume that they nuked this in the microwave. I was hot and sizable for only being a small. They cheese was bland, there was really no crust except for the stack of paper, they called crust that was under the pizza, that I had trouble cutting with a knife. It was saved by a decent sauce and the toppings still had some flavor. The toppings we had was pepperoni, sausage, jalapeno, and mushrooms so there better have been some flavors there or this place would have had a serious problem with me. At any rate the pizza was barely ok, the appetizer can suck it and the service was not the worst nor best. Not the worst pizza place I've been to but I think I'm ok not being in a hurry to go back. Eat up Minions!!
(2)
Tom K.
I'm pretty sure the pizza gods are gonna wreak havoc on me for this, but here it goes... YES. I love Big Fred's. I do. The sign.The bar. The color scheme. The beer and spaghetti neon sign. The old school, strip mall vibe. The no-nonsense atmosphere. NO. I do not love a bar where employees both on/off the clock depressingly outnumber the bar patrons 3/1. Who on Earth would want to hang out around that scene? NO. I do not love hearing the manager discussing why he fired an employee because no one liked him and he thought he was too good to wash dishes. NO. I do not love hearing employees telling the manager about whom needs to be fired and the half-dozen reasons why everyone agrees. NO. I do not love the manager admitting the place hires kitchen personnel on work release and fresh out of jail because they get a large tax break. I suppose one could argue this is all part of the character of this joint. What I thought was richness in character revealed itself as something stale, depressing, and just plain sad. It all came out. When I add all this up with the fact it costs $25 for a small, wildly mediocre pizza and two beers I will keep on driving down Pacific next time I see that spinning Big Fred's sign.
(2)
Ben K.
Pros: A lot of food for cheap, carpet on the wall Cons: Busy, overrated pizza, carpet on the wall Big Fred's is big on crowds. This restaurant wins the award for ALWAYS being busy. I've been here so many times in my life and not once has it not been busy. It gets a little annoying after a while, especially for the pizza you get in return. It's greasy, it's pretty bland, but cheap. Wash it down with beer and get your daily dose of greens with some iceberg lettuce drenched in oil. They do have carpet on the wall, though. As tacky as that is, how many places honestly have carpet on the wall? Another overrated local Omaha institution that is much more popular than it should be, but at least it isn't a chain. You could do better and you could do worse.
(3)
Audrey C.
I've been coming to Big Fred's since I was a kid, and I think the pizza has gone down hill since Fred has passed away a few years ago. Not as fresh, and sort of blah. Almost an old, greasy flavor on the sausage. And every time I come here the cost of the pizza has increased. $20 for a medium combo seems a lot for what you get. Still good, but not great. I find myself only coming here with family and out of town friends, for the sake of tradition. There are several other pizza places in Omaha I feel are much better quality.
(2)
Becky D.
This is why I stopped eating pizza for years as a kid, I thought it smelled like barf. I no longer associate most pizza smells with barf, but Big Fred's pizza, sitting in a box, smells like barf. We went here one Saturday night to taste "the best pizza in town". We were seated quickly and the service was friendly. We tried the onion rings, they were not bad, but rather greasy. We ordered a pepperoni pizza. I had two small squares before I realized what it reminded me of, elementary school pizza. And for some reason I had mushrooms on mine. It is a good thing I'm ok with mushrooms because at this point I wasn't willing to deal with sending it back, I didn't want a new one. We put it in a take out box to take home (I thought my husband liked it, but he really disliked it as well) but we had to pull over and toss it in a trash can. It made the whole car stink. It was greasy, cheap, slop. Thank goodness for Tums. The bathrooms were nasty too. I know they were busy, but it sounds like the place is always busy. It's called a mop people. Use it. I know Omaha has way better places to get pizza. Pizza that doesn't take me back to my sixth birthday when I ate too much Little Caesars.
(2)
Julie T.
I just don't understand the high ratings. Our family with teenagers and college age daughter went to Big Fred's about 18 months ago and the pizza was not good. I like cheese and so do our kids but we ALL thought there was way too much. There was so much grease on the pizza we had to use napkins to remove it before eating. There was not much taste to it either as there was hardly any sauce and the crust was soggy. We didn't even finish our large pizza or take the leftovers home. My 13 year old at the time called the pizza "gross" because of too much cheese. Tonight I met my coworkers there for a farewell party. I looked at the menu ahead of time online and decided I would skip the pizza tonight and try their pasta. I ordered the pasta with meatballs. It came with a side salad and a slice of cheese bread for $9.95. The salad was the iceberg lettuce packaged mix that has the purple cabbage strips and it was topped with a couple of olives. The house dressing was so bland, it had no flavor. I kept adding grated cheese and pepper to try and save it. When my meal came their was hardly any sauce. It was also very bland. The meatballs were the worst meatballs I have ever had. They didn't even taste or even look like they were made with hamburger! The were dense and the texture was mooshy in my mouth. They were the consistency of braunschweiger. The best thing was their take home containers. They are like Gladware. I thought maybe my 15 year old son who eats everything might want to give it a try so I took it home. The restaurant itself was clean and decorated in black/red/gray colors. Sports are a hit here and there are several TV's. My coworkers ordered the white chicken pizza and it looked much better than the pepperoni pizza. Another person ordered the Steak Salad and her greens were a beautiful mixture of greens and not iceberg! I think I have gone to Big Fred's for the last time. I really wanted to like it too. It's been in Omaha for years!
(1)
Jim R.
When the pizza isn't over-salted and arrives on time, it is pretty good. They layer on the cheese heavy here, which I like, and generally bury the toppings underneath. Appetizers are generally underwhelming and standard fare at sports bar type joints. The biggest problem this place has going for it is the service. Every time I come here, which used to be often before I learned not to put up with poor service, the staff gave the air of unconcern or downright rudeness. Maybe that's part of your shtick here as a restaurant owner but for family events I can't see how this flies. I've even had servers here berate me for bringing in coffee from the Crane location next door when I was coming in with a lunch party and still ordered drinks from Big Fred's. Reminds me of going to a parent teacher conference instead of a restaurant. Waiting 45 minutes for a pizza to be made when no one is in the restaurant doesn't help. We used to get catering orders here yearly for Christmas Eve until we had to wait so long for the food a couple years in a row that our entire evening was thrown off. When you're given a time to show up and you wait 45 minutes for an order you called in a week ago, clearly something is wrong. I understand it is obviously a huge night for them, but being that they have done this for years it stands to reason they have a good impression of past business and can staff accordingly. I'll go here if someone else is paying and I have a couple of hours free, but otherwise there are plenty of other pizza joints in town that do a better job for the same price or less, and don't try to antagonize their guests.
(2)
Andrea T.
I grew up with Big Fred's pizza. I've had 25 some years of mom and dad taking the family to Big Fred's. I moved from Omaha about 5 years ago but every time I come home to visit friends, I HAVE to go get my Big Fred's fix. The pizza is still good after all these years... along with the garlic bread and salad (who needs snooty LA frisee and arugula salads when you can get a big ball of chopped Iceburg lettuce drenched in olive oil and vinegar). It made me a little sad to read some of the negative reviews. I know there are several better pizza joints in Omaha (I suppose Mama's or Zio's would be one a couple of of them), but there's just something about Big Fred's...maybe it's the nostalgia I have for the place. Definitely an Omaha staple.
(4)
Lana W.
I have a soft spot for nostalgia when it comes to Omaha restaurants. Big Freds is one that has been a family favorite. In the future, I will keep our visits to take out only. The restaurant needs a lot of work on the inside. Both bathrooms are falling apart with leaky water and mold in the ceiling. It makes me fearful to think what the kitchen looks like. Dining room is cramped. You practically have to sit on top of each other. The pizza and toasted raviolis were very good. Service...meh. If you have a love for cheese you can't go wrong. Just stick with takeout.
(3)
Jen H.
For whatever reason my older, adult family members insist on having birthdays here. I don't understand it. It's ALWAYS busy. I have never come in there, at any day, at any time, and seen a 'slow' day. Service is touch and go, sometimes it's good, sometimes not so much. Food is OK. Pizza isn't anything special. The onion rings are good, but once again, nothing special. There are plenty of other pizza places to go that are less crowded and more interesting.
(2)
D P.
Awesome!!! I have been coming here for the past 40 years and now that I live on the west coast, this is my absolute first stop whenever I am in town. Doublecrust sausage....yummmm!!!!!!!!!!
(5)
Matt J.
Why is this place so busy all the time??? I have forced myself to give it a fair shake and go here a couple of times. Nothing special... Food sucks, the decor is lame and their "great pizza" isn't all that great. Ya, I said it! This is truly an Omaha institution but I still have yet to figure out why.
(2)
Stephen P.
You won't find better pizza around Omaha! If you have the opportunity I highly recommend stopping in. If you go during Husker game good luck getting a seat!
(5)
Jennifer H.
Come for the pizza. Stay for the pizza. The decor is cheesy in a good way. Carpet on the walls? Hell yes there's carpet on the walls! This is the only salad I'll eat that's absolutely drowning in dressing. There's crack in that there house dressing, I swear.
(5)
Lisa X.
I just went to Big Fred's. I hadn't been there it quite a long time so forgot what the pizza was like. We had half pepperoni and half sausage. it appeared to me that one side had mozzarella cheese and the other side something else, maybe Romano, I'm not sure. The pizza was very good and served very hot. The sausage reminded me of the sausage pizzas back home (Davenport, Iowa). We also had an appetizer that consisted of deep-fried onion rings, jalapenos, zucchini, green beans, and mozzarella sticks. It was served with ranch dressing and marinara sauce. I liked it because of the addition of the jalapenos and the green beans. It was also served hot and it was tasty. I would go back to Big Fred's.
(4)
Jeremy S.
This the best pizza in Omaha as some claim but I still like it and other menu items should not be overlooked. If you like a thin crust with a pile of toppings and cheese, then this is your kind of pizza. We do order it with light cheese and believe that improves their pizza quite a bit. I read through a lot of reviews and saw a few mentions of the onion rings, which I believe to be the absolute best in town. Also, I didn't see any mention of their mostaccioli and meatballs or their buffalo wings. That is crazy! I probably order the mostaccioli and meatballs more often than I've ordered pizza here and I never go without their buffalo wings. I'm not joking. They are some of the best in Omaha. I put them second to only Oscar's. You don't have a choice on sauce or amount. You order wings and you get big drummies (yes, just drummies) and their buffalo sauce which is hot but not too hot which is perfect in my mind. You won't find lemon pepper, teriyaki or any of that junk. Just buffalo wings the way they are supposed to be.
(4)
Todd B.
This would have been a five star rating, except the hostess was really rude. Everything else is always top notch. Great pizzas, great sandwiches, incredible onion rings, and a fun atmosphere - which is why they are always busy.
(5)
Melissa W.
Big Fred's pizza is legendary in Omaha and I guess I can see why but personally... it's not my favorite. The pizza is just ok. If you decided to dine-in the atmosphere and decor of this place is horrible, stinky, dirty and dated. The service has always been good and friendly though. All in all, Big Fred's is just ok.
(3)
P J.
This place is amazing. Great pizza (get the Goodie Roonie!), onion rings, cheeseburgers, and of course, their awesome (oily with just the right amount of sweet and salty) salad dressing. I'd eat here every day if I didn't leave 500 miles away.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Accepts Bitcoin : No Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Sarah G.
Probably hadn't been to Big Fred's for 10 years or more, but it more than satisfied my pizza craving. Note that it'll also satisfy your 'is that carpet on the walls' craving. The meal wasn't too remarkable, service was a little sluggish, and it's definitely not my favorite pizza in town, but I'd go back... it'd just have to be at the suggestion of friends (as this past trip was).
(3)Kradak T.
In a world where pizza has become a gourmand, D.O.C. puritan "occasion", Big Fred's takes you back to the classic Italian American staple of good, thin crust, cheezy pizzas, cold beers, quick-talking waitresses, and a huge room with all the tables filled. Bonus points from me and my daughter for the fired green beans! Caveat: I've lived in the city for 18 years, I'd never actually eaten at Big Fred's. Truth be told: My wife would have gone nuts if she ate here--she cringes at any restaurant with carpet on the floor--does anybody think that the carpets get steam cleaning every night, or nobody spills??
(4)Sharon J.
Best Pizza in Omaha hands down!!! Always get the hamburger, onion & mushroom! The salad is good too! 99% of the time we get carry out, as it is always very busy!
(4)Francisco F.
The pizza was poorly seasoned with low quality toppings. The dough was soggy and the chease was dropped on top of the toppins as if an afterthought. I also had their tomato soup which was very tasty and the best part of my lunch meal. The service was a bit slow but very polite. Big Fred was a Big Bust.
(2)Mark N.
I haven't been to Big Fred's for over a decade, so when friends invited me to join them this evening I jumped on the offer, especially considering all the negative comments I had been reading recently, so my inner critic was on high alert. For a Tuesday evening the place had a decent draw of patrons. I arrived last, but our wait asked me within moments what I wanted to drink. I was told of two non-pizza dishes I should try and the first was the Prime Rib Sandwich, which I ordered medium rare. Moments later we were told they were out of Prime Rib, but one of my friends changed his order so I could try it out, and he ordered the second suggestion, the Pasta Mostaccioli with the breaded Pork Tenderloin Cutlets. And of course a Hamburger/Pepperoni Pizza was in the works. I have to say that my sandwich was absolutely great, a huge portion of Prime Rib, much bigger than expected, with garlic toast and Au Jus, with a side of Onion Rings. I would go back again just for this, cooked perfectly, and even at 1/2 thickness, with each bite it was tender enough to eat as a sandwich. I tried my friend's pizza and it was better than I had been hearing/reading. The sauce was well prepared, but with my small piece I wasn't able to discern what they used, thin crust, but not well supported its ingredients, crisp, but not chewy. I also got a little of the pasta, which again, in a small dose, I couldn't really judge it well, but well enough to want to try it on for myself. One negative though had to be the onion rings. The breading was a disappointment, it was almost like a plastic covering, very dry, and not pleasant to even look at. I never noticed any problems with our wait staff, they were attentive to our tables, everyone received refills, or new bottles whenever they needed. OK, so here is my one complaint... their beer selection sucks, I mean it was depressing. I couldn't even make myself to order any of them. They did have a decent wine selection from what I remember, but come on guys... I know you are a sports bar and that means dudes come in for session swill like Michelob Amberbock, but can you at least have one craft beer? If they did, I would be back next week.
(4)Jeff K.
I have to say, Fred's has gone way downhill. I don't get there as often as when I,lived 3 blocks away, but the,last 3 times have been dismal. Tonight the pizza was awful. Barely any sauce, and dry as a bone. The crust was over done and there was no taste. And this was a combo, with everything on it.. The salad was ok, but the cheese bread was stale and under cooked. Since Fred has been gone, the standards have slid down to the bottom. It's Sortino's pizza for my favorite now. It's really too bad..
(2)Jane D.
Big Fred would be disappointed. When Little Caesars has more meat on their pizza it's a problem. Three staff agreed I had received a cheese pizza instead of pepperoni until one exceptionally rude crew member was able to find one or two pieces of pepperoni in the middle of the pizza. She explained that sometimes it doesn't get spread around very well. There were maybe 6 pieces on the entire pizza which is more than $20 and she seemed to believe this was great quality. The service and quality has continued to decline. Have to cross this off our list of places to eat moving forward...
(1)Vanessa M.
This place has been around forever which I know is stated in several other reviews, but it really hasn't changed at all over the years. We used to go every Sunday after church but now that the family has grown up and we all have our own lives we do not go very much at all. I haven't eaten inside for a few years but last time I did it was the same as I remembered!! We sometimes get take out and bring it to my grandmas because it is her favorite. A lot of the time I will get chicken strips or a cheeseburger instead of eat the pizza because it's not my favorite.. Today I did eat the pizza, we got half pepperoni and half hamburger and onion. It was ok just like I remember, I've had better but other people seem to think it's so good! So it's worth giving a try for your self! We got take out today, we ordered it to be ready about 12:10, we got there about 12 and it was ready when we arrived. We asked for paper plates to go and ketchup for the side of fries we ordered. They were out of ketchup and the paper plates they gave us were about the size of an infants hand, seriously. Overall it was pretty good and a nice change from our regular take out we get, even though I did have to use 2 plates.
(3)De Lone W.
Should have left when we had to wait for someone to seat us while 3 employees stood around. Service was slow although there was a very light crowd. It took almost an hour to get our pizza. It was very average at best. I've now been there 5 times hoping for it to be good. I have now given up. Spend your hard earned money elsewhere.
(1)Amy F.
I must say this was one of my favorite places to go as a kid but my recent experience wasn't that great. I hadn't been in years so I thought it would be a great place to meet for mine and my husbands birthdays. We had about 15 people in our party. A lot of us ordered pasta and some ordered pizza. My pasta was horrible and I sent it back. Everyone else at the table did the same. When I was younger I always order pasta and meatballs and was really looking forward to a yummy meal. For those that ordered pizza it was mixed reviews. It was a huge disapointment on my birthday. I will not be returning.
(1)Robert L.
I have been on a quest for the best pizza since moving here and heard a lot about this place. Highly recommended and an Omaha institution from what I was told. Service was fine and they were really busy so u guess people like this place. We ordered the pizza and I'm sorry, but exactly what type of pizza is this? New York? Nope. Chicago? Nope. Gross? Yes. Crust, soggy, sauce bland and talk about cheese overload! We couldn't eat it. Maybe the other good is better and people have their own taste- bit we will not be back.
(1)Beth S.
Big Fred's is really an Omaha classic! When I want yummy food in a comfy environment I have to have Big Fred's!
(5)Michelle G.
Big Freds is right down the street of my new place so I stopped in before they really opened for lunch- very accommodating and I had my to go order by 11:10.. cheese bread was tasty, and the small pizza was plenty for leftovers. I enjoyed it very much.
(4)Kimmity R.
We had a delicious Pizza and fettuccine on and incredibly busy night. We found it by driving by and decided to stop in because it looked like a great little mom-and-pop joint, not a huge corporate pizza place. Although the parking lot is that a wicked slant, something we're not used to in Colorado. We have a very enjoyable evening and a great dinner. The waitstaff was extremely pleasant, and our waitress was very friendly and efficient. I would definitely go back.
(5)Patrick M.
Very inconsistent in food quality. Fred's used to be a go to place but my last 2 visits have been extremely disappointing. Over cooked burgers, burnt onion rings, horrible Italian sausage sandwich, pizza tasting funny and soggy salty salads. There are far too many excellent choices now, I'll be going elsewhere from now on.
(2)Chad K.
Their pizza is what I call "homemade style" in that it's not NY Style or Chicago Style, but is that style that seems to be unique to privately-owned pizza places serving up their family's recipe. Pizza is square cut. Crust is tasty. Not too thick, but not thin crust either. Sauce is good. Toppings are standard. They give the option for mozzarella or romano cheese. I usually tell them to mix them. Overall, very tasty pizza. Similar in style to Mama's Pizza. Onion rings are very good. They could use some salt, but I suppose that's on the table if you want it. They're battered instead of breaded and that's how I prefer them. They have a double-crust pizza they call the "Goodie Roonie Pizza" which my wife loves, but I cannot stand. For me it's just too one-dimensional. It's like someone dumped a ridiculous amount of hamburger or sausage into a pizza crust and called it good. YMMV. They're privately-owned, so you're not going to get national chain prices in here. You're going to pay a little more because they pay a little more for their ingredients (economies of scale, people). So, don't expect Pizza Hut or Dominos prices. There can be a crazy wait to be seated on busy nights and their parking lot gets pretty full too. This pizzeria is certainly popular with the older crowd. A decent chunk of the diners are the over-50 crowd. They're probably coming here out of habit and for nostalgia. They're in the process of doing some renovations and are supposed to begin offering draft beer (it's been bottles only up until now).
(3)Sam K.
It's been there forever, and it shows - they have meal preparation down to a science. I always make sure to stop by here when in Omaha if I can help it!
(3)Richard S.
I imagine Big Fred's in the fall on a Saturday is a little more lively than on mother's day in May. But it does say a lot about a pizza joint that it was actually pretty busy. Several families chose Fred's to celebrate their mothers. We ordered the go to half pepperoni and green olive and half hamburger and Canadian bacon. The small pizza is cut in normal fashion anything larger is cut into squares. My brother and his son ordered a medium meat lovers. It was huge and cut into squares. They use a lot of toppings and even more cheese. The crust was thin but not crispy. The sauce was very good. My only complaint was that they brown the hamburger first and then add the crumbled cooked meat to the pizza before cooking. This has a tendency to dry out the hamburger and make the pizza a little greasy. We will definitely be back if we are in Omaha in the fall. The buffalo wings looked amazing and there is nothing more fun than watching the Huskers lose in a bar full of Nebraska fans.
(3)Bob B.
I've been going to Big Fred's for over 40 years. I was there Saturday night and the pizza was HORRIBLE. When the waitress asked how we liked our pizza we told her it sucked and asked if they had changed the recipe. She said that they had changed the sauce. Apparently word is getting around as the place was only half full on a Saturday night. I will NEVER go back!
(1)Sophia H.
I've always heard good things about Big Fred's so I was really excited to finally try their pizza, but I was extremely disappointed. The pizza was just alright. Nothing special whatsoever. We ordered a pepperoni and sausage pizza and ended up getting a hamburger pizza. What the what?! The crust was crunchy and flavorless, so I didn't even bother finishing it. Hamburger pizza is one of my least favorite pizzas so maybe I'm a little biased on that part, but maybe if I got what I actually ordered it would've been a different story, but nope. I would've honestly rather had two Totino's party pizzas for 1/8th the price and be 100% more satisfied. Of course I could've sent it back and had them make me the right pizza, but on top of the under-average pizza was the horrible horrible service. It wasn't even busy when we got there for a late lunch around 1:30, but the service was extremely slow. It took 25 mins just to get onion rings out for our appetizer (those were pretty good though) and we had to ask our waitress multiple times for refills on our drinks and napkins for the table. When our pizza finally arrived...50 minutes later, we even had to ask for plates! Bleh, don't even bother unless you enjoy being ignored and annoyed with less than average food.
(1)David P.
I can't recommend this place. We got two pizzas and it cost $56. I could've gotten 11 Little Caesar's pizzas for that price. The one good thing was the green olive pizza. Had never had that on a pizza before and it was really good. But, again, you could make your own green olive pizzas for 1/10 the price.
(1)Jim F.
Big Fred's has been around forever. The food just can't get any better!
(5)Sylvie F.
We met some close friends here for a casual Sunday night dinner! The restaurant was very busy, but we were greeted right away by a very friendly and efficient waitress! We ordered a hamburger pizza with mozzarella and Romano cheese to share! It arrived hot to our table in a very reasonable length of time! I liked the thin crust! It was a good average pizza! My tea, HL's soda & our friends glasses of water were constantly refilled! This is a very family friendly pizza place with great service! Our friends said they always get consistent pizzas too!
(3)Tanya P.
When I pay $20 for a medium pizza I expect it to be great...this was not the case. There is nothing unique about this place or it's food. On a recommendation from the staff we decided to try the Big Fred's combo pizza and the mozzarella sticks. I'll start with the good, the sticks were pretty good and they were homemade. They come with pizza sauce which normally would be great except that this sauce tasted like tomato soup. So if you like to dip your grilled cheese in tomato soup you will love them! Now for the not so great, the pizza. The crust was thin but really did nothing for me. It wasn't crunchy and instead sort of soggy. The combo comes with sausage or hamburger, green peppers, pepperoni, and mushrooms. The mushrooms tasted like canned mushroom, which was okay. The green peppers were great and probably the best part of the pizza, from what I could taste of these items. It actually felt as though we ordered a sausage pizza with a few other topping sparingly sprinkled on the pizza. I had to scrape some of the sausage off the pizza because I was sick of it when eating my second slice. The entire bottom of the pizza was covered in sausage, which would be great if I ordered a sausage pizza and absolutely loved sausage. Oh wait, the pepperoni! It was typical and would have liked to have more of it on the pizza, or at least just a better ratio of toppings. I don't think I will be back just because there are plenty of other pizza joints in town. However, if you haven't tried them give them a chance and make your own opinion. If you love sausage pizza and grilled cheese with tomato soup you now have to two things to try based on my review:) Another positive for this place is that they have plenty of big screens to watch the game, however, they do not have any draft beer selections - only bottles.
(2)Niccole M.
Crowded Sunday (not unusual, I'm gathering). At first I was worried that the server was going to be attitude-y....(probably not a real word), but she was fine. She forgot to order my stepdaughters hamburger. Here's what made it 4 stars, rather than 3, she said, "I'm sorry, I forgot to put her hamburger in, it's my fault, I'm so sorry". WHAT???? No blaming the cooks?? Class act. We left her a nice tip for sure. Honestly, the pizza wasn't my favorite, but there was an abundance of toppings and I like the crust. Maybe it was because my husband just haaaad to have stupid hamburger on the Combination pizza, I hate meat. Mostly.
(3)Judy S.
The only pizza in town as far as our family is concerned. Whenever our son returns to Omaha from his home in California, this is one stop he and his friends have to stop at. All other pizza pales in comparison. Sandwiches and pasta never a miss. Been a customer since 1966.
(5)Chris S.
Great local icon atmosphere and service. Crust was good. Pizza ok, but canned mushrooms really?
(3)J C.
Had heard good things so was kind of happy when I find out I had a party to attend at big fredd. Turns out the pizza was not great. Very plain and the dough didn't seem to be cooked all the way through. Place was packed. I was expecting more of a sports bar feel, definitely did not have that
(2)Martin Z.
Well, lets start this off by saying that our Soda's were the best thing about our meal... And even then they were $1.50 for a can so that dampened my spirits a bit. What we ordered: Combo pizza replacing one topping, and adding two more, Large order of Onion Rings, Mozzarella sticks. $54 out the door for all of it. 4 cans of soda. The pizza: Kind of a mish mash of toppings including one very low quality topping, that being the mushrooms which were canned. The pizza had virtually no sauce in places, however where it did have it, were the bites I actually did enjoy, about 1 out of 10 bites so pretty poor in my book. We were charged for 3 toppings despite one of them just being a replacement, this made a $24 pizza into a $32 pizza so for that price I was expecting much better. The cheese was just melted on top of everything not toasted in the least. Second day with the pizza tossed into an oven and broiled for 10 min made a huge flavor difference. The crust was ok but nothing special, thin pizza crust I would think should be a little crispy, this was just soft. The Onion rings were a bit flavorless, the batter turned soggy in the few minutes it took me to get home, try Salt right after they come out of the fryer.... The Mozzarella sticks: Soft breading and virtually cold, and the so called Marinara sauce was just tomato sauce dumped right out of a can and warmed up, no added herbs or spices, poor quality to say the least. For the kind of money that Big Fred's charges, you would think that you would get high quality on everything, definitely not the case. Over all this was a bad experience for both me and my girlfriend, We had such high hopes for Fred's it was a complete let down. Oh and one last thing, I asked the bartender how much for a Grey Goose screwdriver, he answered back $6.50 after checking a computer (how could you not know the price already), I replied back with I am not that thirsty. I might expect to pay that amount if I was in New York or San Francisco at a major 3 to 5 star restaurant, not a pizza joint in Omaha NE. Overall rating: POOR!!!!.
(1)Garry M.
Big Fred is the pizza place in Omaha that set the bar for all others to be judged by. My recommendation is to go and have a pizza and a beer. You will not regret it. If you are looking for a modern fancy place, go somewhere else. This is a laid back comfortable establishment that you can say. Man that was good!
(4)Mike L.
Always busy and parking sucks. It nearly always seems hectic, even when it is only half full, but the pizza (and other food) is good bar quality. For a kid who grew up here coming to this place with parents, family and friends over the past 30+ years though, there is a nostalgia to the place. Unlike so many other local memories, this place has not fallen apart or become indigestible. If you have a big group, better call ahead or be prepared to wait at the bar (probably standing).
(4)Dani W.
Moderately busy on a Thursday evening. We started with onion rings and chicken strips. Both ok, chicken was pretty good sized strips. We then got a large classic. It served the four of us with left overs but there was something missing. Adding red pepper flakes helped, I'm going to try hot sauce with the left overs. I think if we return we'll make our own pizza to try and find more flavor. Good beer selection, would like some draft beers though. Service was good.
(3)Ramon B.
Holy time warp!! I felt like I walked into a place frozen an era where this place was a breath of fresh air. I would say it looked "rad" but "rad" is too modern for this place. "Groovy" might be about right...but for those of us who live in the modern time I will call the look of this place..."dated". It does look like the place most peoples parents brought them to as a child and that it stayed that way over that last few decades. Yea...it was weird being in there. I felt I was less at a pizza place and more at a Keno lounge. Food was...eh. My special lady friend and I shared a sampler platter and to my surprise it came out within less than 5 minutes. How they managed that surprised me until I began to eat it. I'm gonna say they had all the stuff pre-cooked and sitting under a heat lamp for an undetermined amount of time. Each bite of each bit had a weird chewiness in the breading, and the warmth felt uneven with some things seeming more recently cooked than others. And what the C*ck is this sh*t about a sampler platter coming with an arse load of everything and two...count it, TWO...cheesesticks!! 8 onions rings, a few fists of jalapeno chips, a good deal of fried green beans and zucchini...and 2 MF'N mozza stix!! So bleh to heat lamp food and uneven distribution of food. The pizza...oh...the pizza. Thankfully it took a lot longer for them to make this pizza so I can't totally assume that they nuked this in the microwave. I was hot and sizable for only being a small. They cheese was bland, there was really no crust except for the stack of paper, they called crust that was under the pizza, that I had trouble cutting with a knife. It was saved by a decent sauce and the toppings still had some flavor. The toppings we had was pepperoni, sausage, jalapeno, and mushrooms so there better have been some flavors there or this place would have had a serious problem with me. At any rate the pizza was barely ok, the appetizer can suck it and the service was not the worst nor best. Not the worst pizza place I've been to but I think I'm ok not being in a hurry to go back. Eat up Minions!!
(2)Tom K.
I'm pretty sure the pizza gods are gonna wreak havoc on me for this, but here it goes... YES. I love Big Fred's. I do. The sign.The bar. The color scheme. The beer and spaghetti neon sign. The old school, strip mall vibe. The no-nonsense atmosphere. NO. I do not love a bar where employees both on/off the clock depressingly outnumber the bar patrons 3/1. Who on Earth would want to hang out around that scene? NO. I do not love hearing the manager discussing why he fired an employee because no one liked him and he thought he was too good to wash dishes. NO. I do not love hearing employees telling the manager about whom needs to be fired and the half-dozen reasons why everyone agrees. NO. I do not love the manager admitting the place hires kitchen personnel on work release and fresh out of jail because they get a large tax break. I suppose one could argue this is all part of the character of this joint. What I thought was richness in character revealed itself as something stale, depressing, and just plain sad. It all came out. When I add all this up with the fact it costs $25 for a small, wildly mediocre pizza and two beers I will keep on driving down Pacific next time I see that spinning Big Fred's sign.
(2)Ben K.
Pros: A lot of food for cheap, carpet on the wall Cons: Busy, overrated pizza, carpet on the wall Big Fred's is big on crowds. This restaurant wins the award for ALWAYS being busy. I've been here so many times in my life and not once has it not been busy. It gets a little annoying after a while, especially for the pizza you get in return. It's greasy, it's pretty bland, but cheap. Wash it down with beer and get your daily dose of greens with some iceberg lettuce drenched in oil. They do have carpet on the wall, though. As tacky as that is, how many places honestly have carpet on the wall? Another overrated local Omaha institution that is much more popular than it should be, but at least it isn't a chain. You could do better and you could do worse.
(3)Audrey C.
I've been coming to Big Fred's since I was a kid, and I think the pizza has gone down hill since Fred has passed away a few years ago. Not as fresh, and sort of blah. Almost an old, greasy flavor on the sausage. And every time I come here the cost of the pizza has increased. $20 for a medium combo seems a lot for what you get. Still good, but not great. I find myself only coming here with family and out of town friends, for the sake of tradition. There are several other pizza places in Omaha I feel are much better quality.
(2)Becky D.
This is why I stopped eating pizza for years as a kid, I thought it smelled like barf. I no longer associate most pizza smells with barf, but Big Fred's pizza, sitting in a box, smells like barf. We went here one Saturday night to taste "the best pizza in town". We were seated quickly and the service was friendly. We tried the onion rings, they were not bad, but rather greasy. We ordered a pepperoni pizza. I had two small squares before I realized what it reminded me of, elementary school pizza. And for some reason I had mushrooms on mine. It is a good thing I'm ok with mushrooms because at this point I wasn't willing to deal with sending it back, I didn't want a new one. We put it in a take out box to take home (I thought my husband liked it, but he really disliked it as well) but we had to pull over and toss it in a trash can. It made the whole car stink. It was greasy, cheap, slop. Thank goodness for Tums. The bathrooms were nasty too. I know they were busy, but it sounds like the place is always busy. It's called a mop people. Use it. I know Omaha has way better places to get pizza. Pizza that doesn't take me back to my sixth birthday when I ate too much Little Caesars.
(2)Julie T.
I just don't understand the high ratings. Our family with teenagers and college age daughter went to Big Fred's about 18 months ago and the pizza was not good. I like cheese and so do our kids but we ALL thought there was way too much. There was so much grease on the pizza we had to use napkins to remove it before eating. There was not much taste to it either as there was hardly any sauce and the crust was soggy. We didn't even finish our large pizza or take the leftovers home. My 13 year old at the time called the pizza "gross" because of too much cheese. Tonight I met my coworkers there for a farewell party. I looked at the menu ahead of time online and decided I would skip the pizza tonight and try their pasta. I ordered the pasta with meatballs. It came with a side salad and a slice of cheese bread for $9.95. The salad was the iceberg lettuce packaged mix that has the purple cabbage strips and it was topped with a couple of olives. The house dressing was so bland, it had no flavor. I kept adding grated cheese and pepper to try and save it. When my meal came their was hardly any sauce. It was also very bland. The meatballs were the worst meatballs I have ever had. They didn't even taste or even look like they were made with hamburger! The were dense and the texture was mooshy in my mouth. They were the consistency of braunschweiger. The best thing was their take home containers. They are like Gladware. I thought maybe my 15 year old son who eats everything might want to give it a try so I took it home. The restaurant itself was clean and decorated in black/red/gray colors. Sports are a hit here and there are several TV's. My coworkers ordered the white chicken pizza and it looked much better than the pepperoni pizza. Another person ordered the Steak Salad and her greens were a beautiful mixture of greens and not iceberg! I think I have gone to Big Fred's for the last time. I really wanted to like it too. It's been in Omaha for years!
(1)Jim R.
When the pizza isn't over-salted and arrives on time, it is pretty good. They layer on the cheese heavy here, which I like, and generally bury the toppings underneath. Appetizers are generally underwhelming and standard fare at sports bar type joints. The biggest problem this place has going for it is the service. Every time I come here, which used to be often before I learned not to put up with poor service, the staff gave the air of unconcern or downright rudeness. Maybe that's part of your shtick here as a restaurant owner but for family events I can't see how this flies. I've even had servers here berate me for bringing in coffee from the Crane location next door when I was coming in with a lunch party and still ordered drinks from Big Fred's. Reminds me of going to a parent teacher conference instead of a restaurant. Waiting 45 minutes for a pizza to be made when no one is in the restaurant doesn't help. We used to get catering orders here yearly for Christmas Eve until we had to wait so long for the food a couple years in a row that our entire evening was thrown off. When you're given a time to show up and you wait 45 minutes for an order you called in a week ago, clearly something is wrong. I understand it is obviously a huge night for them, but being that they have done this for years it stands to reason they have a good impression of past business and can staff accordingly. I'll go here if someone else is paying and I have a couple of hours free, but otherwise there are plenty of other pizza joints in town that do a better job for the same price or less, and don't try to antagonize their guests.
(2)Andrea T.
I grew up with Big Fred's pizza. I've had 25 some years of mom and dad taking the family to Big Fred's. I moved from Omaha about 5 years ago but every time I come home to visit friends, I HAVE to go get my Big Fred's fix. The pizza is still good after all these years... along with the garlic bread and salad (who needs snooty LA frisee and arugula salads when you can get a big ball of chopped Iceburg lettuce drenched in olive oil and vinegar). It made me a little sad to read some of the negative reviews. I know there are several better pizza joints in Omaha (I suppose Mama's or Zio's would be one a couple of of them), but there's just something about Big Fred's...maybe it's the nostalgia I have for the place. Definitely an Omaha staple.
(4)Lana W.
I have a soft spot for nostalgia when it comes to Omaha restaurants. Big Freds is one that has been a family favorite. In the future, I will keep our visits to take out only. The restaurant needs a lot of work on the inside. Both bathrooms are falling apart with leaky water and mold in the ceiling. It makes me fearful to think what the kitchen looks like. Dining room is cramped. You practically have to sit on top of each other. The pizza and toasted raviolis were very good. Service...meh. If you have a love for cheese you can't go wrong. Just stick with takeout.
(3)Jen H.
For whatever reason my older, adult family members insist on having birthdays here. I don't understand it. It's ALWAYS busy. I have never come in there, at any day, at any time, and seen a 'slow' day. Service is touch and go, sometimes it's good, sometimes not so much. Food is OK. Pizza isn't anything special. The onion rings are good, but once again, nothing special. There are plenty of other pizza places to go that are less crowded and more interesting.
(2)D P.
Awesome!!! I have been coming here for the past 40 years and now that I live on the west coast, this is my absolute first stop whenever I am in town. Doublecrust sausage....yummmm!!!!!!!!!!
(5)Matt J.
Why is this place so busy all the time??? I have forced myself to give it a fair shake and go here a couple of times. Nothing special... Food sucks, the decor is lame and their "great pizza" isn't all that great. Ya, I said it! This is truly an Omaha institution but I still have yet to figure out why.
(2)Stephen P.
You won't find better pizza around Omaha! If you have the opportunity I highly recommend stopping in. If you go during Husker game good luck getting a seat!
(5)Jennifer H.
Come for the pizza. Stay for the pizza. The decor is cheesy in a good way. Carpet on the walls? Hell yes there's carpet on the walls! This is the only salad I'll eat that's absolutely drowning in dressing. There's crack in that there house dressing, I swear.
(5)Lisa X.
I just went to Big Fred's. I hadn't been there it quite a long time so forgot what the pizza was like. We had half pepperoni and half sausage. it appeared to me that one side had mozzarella cheese and the other side something else, maybe Romano, I'm not sure. The pizza was very good and served very hot. The sausage reminded me of the sausage pizzas back home (Davenport, Iowa). We also had an appetizer that consisted of deep-fried onion rings, jalapenos, zucchini, green beans, and mozzarella sticks. It was served with ranch dressing and marinara sauce. I liked it because of the addition of the jalapenos and the green beans. It was also served hot and it was tasty. I would go back to Big Fred's.
(4)Jeremy S.
This the best pizza in Omaha as some claim but I still like it and other menu items should not be overlooked. If you like a thin crust with a pile of toppings and cheese, then this is your kind of pizza. We do order it with light cheese and believe that improves their pizza quite a bit. I read through a lot of reviews and saw a few mentions of the onion rings, which I believe to be the absolute best in town. Also, I didn't see any mention of their mostaccioli and meatballs or their buffalo wings. That is crazy! I probably order the mostaccioli and meatballs more often than I've ordered pizza here and I never go without their buffalo wings. I'm not joking. They are some of the best in Omaha. I put them second to only Oscar's. You don't have a choice on sauce or amount. You order wings and you get big drummies (yes, just drummies) and their buffalo sauce which is hot but not too hot which is perfect in my mind. You won't find lemon pepper, teriyaki or any of that junk. Just buffalo wings the way they are supposed to be.
(4)Todd B.
This would have been a five star rating, except the hostess was really rude. Everything else is always top notch. Great pizzas, great sandwiches, incredible onion rings, and a fun atmosphere - which is why they are always busy.
(5)Melissa W.
Big Fred's pizza is legendary in Omaha and I guess I can see why but personally... it's not my favorite. The pizza is just ok. If you decided to dine-in the atmosphere and decor of this place is horrible, stinky, dirty and dated. The service has always been good and friendly though. All in all, Big Fred's is just ok.
(3)P J.
This place is amazing. Great pizza (get the Goodie Roonie!), onion rings, cheeseburgers, and of course, their awesome (oily with just the right amount of sweet and salty) salad dressing. I'd eat here every day if I didn't leave 500 miles away.
(5)