When Sebastian’s Table reopened earlier this year in east Lincoln, nobody was happier than me.
I was among those saddened when the tapas restaurant closed its downtown location in November 2015. Part of the Ground Up Restaurants family, which includes Honest Abe’s Burgers & Freedom, Sebastian’s Table offered a food-and-drink menu — small plates to share and signature sangrias — that was unique to Lincoln.
Although Sebastian’s Table was busy on Friday and Saturday nights, executive chef Erik Hustad, who co-owns Ground Up with Gabe Lovelace, said the rest of the week was comparably slow. That’s why he and Lovelace converted the space near 14th and P streets to an Honest Abe’s, which now has four Lincoln locations.
“We found our main demo (demographic) was having to drive a long way (from south Lincoln) and didn’t want to park in garages,†Hustad told me when I reviewed the new Sebastian’s Table in February. “For the long term, it was a bad location for a nicer restaurant like this.â€
Hustad and Lovelace didn’t ditch the concept. Rather they waited until the right place became available to reintroduce it. Located at 8340 Glynoaks Drive, the new Sebastian’s Table features a hip dining room and an even hipper lounge called Eleanora with plenty of parking.
What’s interesting now is the original Sebastian’s Table may have ended up thriving in light of more people moving in downtown. But who knew then how downtown would grow?
Regardless, I’m thrilled Sebastian’s is back. The food is just as good, if not better, than it was before. The new digs are out-of-this-world, especially Eleanora, where my wife and I like to enjoy our dining experiences.
Not surprisingly, Sebastian’s tops my list as the No. 1 restaurant reviewed for 2019. It’s a welcome re-addition to Lincoln’s dining scene.
Ground Zero reviewed 23 restaurants in 2019. The list below is my top five. Please note this is not a top five of Lincoln restaurants, just of those reviewed in 2019. The top five were judged on food quality, atmosphere, service and uniqueness.
* 1. Sebastian’s Table (reviewed Feb. 22). For many, including myself, eating is an experience and there is no better one than at Sebastian’s, where diners can share a variety of small plates or paella. Personal favorites are the Crab Cake Rockefeller ($14), Patatas Bravas ($9) and the Smoke Gouda Dip ($11). Of course, there’s the red and white sangrias.
* 2. Shokunin Sushi and Japanese Cuisine (April 19). The best sushi in town is at Shokunin in the Railyard. Why? Because the restaurant is serving seafood — sea urchin, fluke, amberjack, sea bass, sea bream, etc. — not often found at other Lincoln sushi restaurants. The bluefin tuna, which co-owner Seung Yon “Tony†Chong introduced my wife and I to, is a must-try. It is so rich, smooth and delectable, you may never order any other kind of tuna again.
* 3. Webster Bistro (Jan. 11). Executive chef Nick Webster is serving amazing meals from the small “pop-up†kitchen inside the Marz Bar in downtown Lincoln. His menu is small — he usually features five entrees and a couple of desserts — but it changes weekly, which is the big appeal to me. One week it’s Thai. The next week it’s Mediterranean. Then it’s Indian. You get the idea. The bistro quickly has become a family favorite.
* 4. Villa Amore (Nov. 22). Much of Lincoln’s dining landscape skews south or downtown, but that’s been changing in recent years. Villa Amore, for instance, is a wonderful Italian restaurant found on North 27th Street. Opened by Florio Ramadani, who has been a part of Lincoln’s dining scene for a number of years, Villa Amore features your favorite pasta dishes in a variety of marinara and cream sauces and decadent desserts.
* 5. Legends of Nebraska (July 5). Ron Tegtmeier moved his popular comfort-food restaurant from Clatonia to Beatrice without missing a beat. You can enjoy a great steak, fried chicken (Tegtmeier uses the Red Rooster recipe), a hamburger or more at very reasonable prices.
Lincoln's most requested restaurants
Jamba Juice
Einstein Bros. Bagels
Church's Texas Chicken
Jason's Deli
Hard Rock Cafe
Peets Coffee
Dave & Busters
Shake Shack
Bob Evans
Potbelly Sandwich Works
Cafe Rio
Portillo's
Giordano's Pizzeria
P.F. Chang's China Bistro
Uno Pizzeria and Grill
Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits
Joe's Crab Shack
Jack in the Box
Bennigan's
Big Mama's and Papa's Pizzeria
Taco Cabana
Hardee's
California Pizza Kitchen
A&W
White Castle
Tastee Inn
Whataburger
In-N-Out Burger
Waffle House
The Cheesecake Factory
 Jeff Korbelik is the winery manager at James Arthur Vineyards, former Journal Star features editor and author of “Lost Restaurants of Lincoln, Nebraska.†He’s been reviewing restaurants for Ground Zero since 1998.
Dining Out
Where we ate in 2019:
Webster Bistro, 1140 O St. (inside Marz Bar)
Fresh Healthy Cafe, 128 N. 13th St., No. 144
Koen Japanese BBQ & Sushi, 2601 Jamie Lane, Suite 100
Sebastian’s Table, 8340 Glynoaks Drive, Suite 100
South 48th Bistro, 5571 S. 48th St. (closed)
Seyo Thai, 501 W. A St.
¶Ù¾±²Ô´Ç’s, 2901 S. 84th St., Suite 16
Shokunin Sushi & Japanese Cuisine, 440 N. Eighth St.
402 Creamery, 311 N. Eighth St., No. 101
Uni Curry Bowl, 230 N. 17th St.
Yia Yia’s, 2840 S. 70th St., Suite 5
The Pasta Place, 6105 Havelock Ave.
Legends, 2205 N. Sixth St., Beatrice (inside Indian Creek Mall)
Woodcliff, 980 County Road W, Fremont
HF Crave, 4800 Holdrege St., Suite 100
Tavern 180, 8600 S. 30th St.
N Zone, 728 Q St.
Ramos Pizza and Buster’s BBQ, 2701 N. 48th St.
±·²¹±è´Ç±ô¾±â€™s, 5571 S. 48th St.
Course, 8800 O St. (inside Southeast Community College)
Toast, 570 Fallbrook Blvd., No. 105
Villa Amore, 5353 N. 27th St.
Boitano’s Lounge, 216 N. 11th St. (inside the Kindler Hotel)