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O N O M A H A . C O M / N I G H T L I F E Get all the latest news onOmaha bars, including reviews of your favorite hot spots.

I F Y O U ’ R E like me,as you age, youtire of hubbub.When you go to abar, you prefer thecrowds smaller.You don’t like loudnoises, particularlyscreaming or,worse, retching.Sometimes, youjust want to sit, eat

a snack and have a reasonably priced,no-frills drink or two before headinghome to fall asleep early.

For you, I present The Verdict: aroomy, low-key spot with affordablemixed drinks that closes at 10 p.m. onweeknights.

Unlike many nearby Old Marketspots, The Verdict doesn’t reallydo gimmicks. There are no realspecialties. It’s a basic bar with asimple list of drinks. No craft cocktailsand no shtick.

Head out for a Saturday karaokenight and you’re likely to find a spot tosit and a slot on the karaoke sign-uplist. Even on weekends, the HarneyStreet bar doesn’t get too crowded.

At The Verdict, it’s peaceful, albeitnot incredibly memorable. If you’vebeen to a restaurant bar or a nicer dive,you’ve been here. Christmas lights linethe windows, a fake fireplace borders

a front room, and TVs play what-the-heck-ever. It’s the kind of place whereyou can grab a drink, space out, haveweird conversation and never run intoanyone you know.

If you’re a beer or booze snob, thisisn’t going to be your jam. The barboasts about five beers on tap and apretty typical liquor selection. TheVerdict’s original drinks play withliqueurs and flavored spirits. Onedrink, the American Crush, features

vodka and triple sec.There are the standards, too: The

Manhattan and an old fashioned arefeatured on the menu. Basil Haydenand Knob Creek bourbons make theirway into these cocktails. But JimBeam is featured in at least four of themenu’s offerings.

The bar is also a grill. The menufeatures standard bar fare: potstickers, cheese balls, pizzas andburgers. We grabbed some mashed

potato rounds, and the fried balls ofpotato came out quick, with ranch orgravy to dip them in, as God surelyintended.

The Verdict’s Harney Street homeused to house Bishop’s Bar andGrill, which shut down in 2014. Thetwo have pretty similar vibes. Thelocation is close to the Douglas CountyCourthouse, so it’s a good spot to dipinto if you have a court case or happento work downtown.

Our bartender was helpful andkind during our visit. I asked himto make me the most popular drink.He asked me what I liked before hecrafted a sweet, green drink titled the“420.” If you’re a rye whiskey gal, thissaccharine beverage probably isn’tyour style. The drink knocked me downa little but not so much that I couldn’tenjoy a game of Battleship, snaggedfrom the bar’s tiny game library.

I asked for another suggestedbeverage and the bartender whippedout an ever-handy bar-tending appon his cellphone. The verdict? (Heh,jokes.) A 60 Hillcrest, featuring orangejuice, rum, gin and Sprite. It was fine.

There’s really nothing wrong withThe Verdict. Just don’t tell your friendsabout it. Part of its charm is that youcan grab a seat without wrestling 25smelly bros for a worn-down bar stool.It’s clean, comfy and welcoming in asort of themeless way. You don’t haveto pretend to know what mezcal is. Andyou don’t have to wrack your brain tofind a drink that the bartender won’tlaugh at you for ordering.

Order a Brass Monkey or BahamaMama with no shame, friends. Havea rum and Coke. Heck, drink orangejuice and gin. That’s what places likeThe Verdict are for.

Less ismoreatVerdictSometimes all youneed is alow-keybar and simpledrink

THE VERDICTBAR AND GRILLWhere: 1901 Harney St.When: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.Sunday to Wednesday,

11 a.m. to midnight Thursday,11 to 2 a.m. Fridayand SaturdayInfo: verdictomaha.comor 402-999-8336

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