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Pies & Pints on Facebook

Downtown Lincoln has amassed a festive assortment of pubs, taverns, bars and lounges that provide the relaxed, amiable and social environments in which many of us choose to unwind. While O Street offers a number of great establishments that receive a lot of foot traffic, we’d like to take a look at some of the more concealed nightspots throughout the different areas of downtown Lincoln in this three-part series. To read part one on Tavern On The Square, click here.

Pies & Pints

Beneath the Sullivan Transfer Building on 8th and Q lies a bunker of beer and pizza by the name of Pies & Pints.

Opening in April of 2011, the establishment has been seeing a steady stream of repeat business after a recent change in management.

“We’re an everyman’s bar that serves great pizza,” said part owner Matt Hensley.

Pies & Pints began primarily as a restaurant, but has since shifted its focus to becoming more of a nightspot.

“At this point we’re still taking quite a bit of reservations, but we also wanted to get more into the nightlife type of scene,” said part owner Jim Waterbury.

They’ve recently adjusted their hours to fit their new business plan, and are now open until 2:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays.

The basement bar and pizza joint features a large, open dining area with a number of flat screen TVs and high top tables that each feature the logo of a Big 10 team. The owners have added a couple of pool tables and have started foosball and dart leagues, which Waterbury said has attracted a lot of the young professionals in the area.

Being located underground has its drawbacks – namely a lack of outdoor seating that draws in business during the spring and summer months, but Waterbury said it has its perks too.

“We’re your bad-weather bar. When the storms roll in, everyone comes here, which makes it kind of fun.”

Even though they’ve yet to get a permanent outdoor sign, Waterbury said people are starting to figure out where they are.

“Once people come in and find the place, they’ve kept coming back. We’re starting to see a lot of familiar faces.”

If for anything, the lack of visibility adds to the hideaway bar’s reclusive intrigue and allows people the opportunity to be a little more adventurous.

“But Husker game days help too,” Waterbury says, noting the number of eager tailgaters who’ve become acclimated with Pies & Pints on Saturdays in the fall.

Some of Pies & Pints most sought after specials include the $10 one-topping pizzas offered every day of the week, and the select tall boys they offer for $1 on Wednesdays.

An underground pub and restaurant that goes above and beyond in customer service, Pies & Pints is a slice of life establishment putting their own stealthy spin on nightlife in downtown Lincoln.

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This story is part of a three-part series. To read part one on Tavern On The Square, click here.

Pies & Pints
311 N. 8th Suite 1 (8th & Q)
-Available for carryout-

Click here to view Pies & Pints’ menu!

Mon - Thu: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm - 12:00 am
Fri: 11:00 am - 2:00 am
Sat: 5:00 pm - 2:00 am
Sun: 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Pics via Pies & Pints’ Facebook Page