Re-opened…and closed again by new owners. R.I.P.

Address: 5092 South 136th St. Omaha (Millard)
Phone: (402) 895-4433
Date/Time of visit: Friday 1/11/13

Dated may not be everyone’s idea of charming, but to the Omaha Pizza Kings, the dated decor of Bernie’s Pizza in Millard is charming and comfortable. First things first though, let us speak of Bernie’s pizza. The Kings arrived to find a venue with medium to heavy traffic both at the tables and at the bar where patrons rotated plucking up their prepended pies.

We decided on standard selections, Bernie’s Supreme as well as a half/half sausage and pepperoni. We brazenly gorged on their corrupting garlic cheese bread while anticipating our pizzas. King JT says, “I know we don’t rate garlic cheese bread, but this stuff definitely causes royal cravings.” The kings enjoyed being able to watch the elder patriarch directing the pizza production crew through the large glass window that separates diners from the kitchen.

The sausage and pepperoni while flavorful, did not “wow” the Kings due to sparseness, but the flavor was acceptable for both. There are two types of sausage available: spicy, and a mild sausage that is made in-house. Normally Bernie’s spicy sausage is one of King JT’s favorites. The supreme did delight us with a fine balance of sausage, hamburger, olives, mushrooms (canned – disappointing) and onions.

Now, one aspect of Bernie’s’ pies deserves special comment, and that is the crust. Bernie’s crafts their delightful diameter from scratch, consistently resulting in a unique flavor and structure unlike any the Kings have experienced elsewhere. Theirs is a secure, sumptuous delight that never goes greasy or soggy. A crisp shell balanced against the perfect chew regardless of your toppings. This crust , if rated on its own would garner 5 crowns! It is that crust that helps the Kings settle upon our overall score for Bernie’s Pizza of 4 crowns. Bernie’s found a bit higher favor with King JT, and a bit lower with King RJ.

Now, let us speak of the ambiance.  We figure Bernie’s has been so focused on creating their wonderful pie, that they simply haven’t had need to update their rooms since the day they opened in 1973. From the aged Z-brick walls, to the Sharpie penned restroom titles, to the carcass of a weed atop of their outside sign, these thing do not detract, but only bolster the immense character found in the atmosphere at Bernie’s.

A final note, the owner’s of Bernie’s aren’t spring chickens any longer. This worries the Kings! What if they retire? It is our hope that someone would buy Bernie’s and change…very little. Cheers!