Joe Tess Place

Reviews

• Paul S.

  star star star star star_border 25 September 2026

  August 13, 2019 Tuesday - 5:45 PM for Dinner
  One Adult
  
  Atmosphere - 4 stars
  Food - 3 star
  Service - 5 star
  
  Background - Trying another Triple D in the area.
  
  Atmosphere - I felt like I stepped in my uncle's basement, 40 years ago when I small boy.  A fisherman's man cave with a bar, mounted fish covered the walls.  The bar was shaped like a boat.  Yeah I just showed my age.
  
  Food
   Drink - Bell's Two Hearted Ale.
  
   Dinner - I had try something that Guy ate on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.  The carp, this was pretty much a piece of bread with this much breading on it.  There was not much fish under all that breading, and the breading was just okay.
  
  Service - My waitress was great, I had to have two different bills as work did not pay for the beer.
  
  Future - Maybe.

• Aaron M.

  star star star star_border star_border 23 September 2026

  Took the kids to this South Omaha staple last week.  Loved the family friend atmosphere and im guessing this place looks the same as it has for decades.  Service was wonderful and our waitress took great care of us with drink refills and extra dipping sauces for the kids chicken fingers and fried shrimp.  
  I ordered the Two fish dinner and was left full with the size of the serving.  Now the carp that was the friend fish dinner I didn't enjoy a lot.  This is probably a personal taste so im not putting it down. I will return to try the catfish as I hear it is very good.  
  Our appetizer of fried Okra was fantastic and big family style serving.  the jalepeno dipping sauce was great too.  The fries where not to my or the kids liking and lacked flavor, even saltiness was super low.  
  I loved the beer menu with three craft beers focusing on fish available in the bottle.
  I would return again, but this time try another type of fish and salt my own fries.

• Terrance B.

  star star star star star 20 September 2026

  I guess the negative review people really don't get Tess's. Do you go to a  60+ year old dive bar and complain cause a waitress is a bit off, or the food is a bit greasy?
  Tess's has been a staple in S.O. for decades. You go to Tess's for exactly what they do. This is not a hipster restaurant. They put on your plate an amazing deep fried creation of carp or catfish adorned with bohemian rye bread and pickles. Yes, deep fried fish with, go figure, bones included! (yes idiots, real fish have bones) This place is old school and delicious.

• Tim M.

  star star star star_border star_border 16 September 2026

  Was in town for Omaha Day with wife. My first time in Omaha and had heard about Joe Tess on Diners, Drive-in and dives, also from wife who grew up there. Not bad, have had better. Fish was fresh, not frozen. Had the Trout, which was cooked the way I like. Was not seasoned to my pleasure, but nothing some hot sauce couldn't remedy. This place is way better than most of these chain restaurants. Would go back in future.

• Kevin S.

  star star_border star_border star_border star_border 3 September 2026

  The double fish dinner was awful.Tasted like it had been sitting around awhile.They don't have straws so you have to drink off the drink cup which seems gross to me.I picked up the hot sauce bottle and a cricket came out and started hopping on our table.Never again