Omaha Exploration

There aren’t many places to dine along the Missouri River in these parts but one of them is the Surfside Club. Located near the northern edge of Douglas County, the original marina was built in 1955 by Edward Henkel. Ed was a member of the Omaha Boat Club which relocated from Carter Lake to the Missouri River in the early 1950s. Before finding its forever home, the club temporarily launched their boats beneath the Mormon Pioneer Memorial Bridge.

In 1962 they relocated to Ed’s marina and proceeded to build a clubhouse in 1965. In 1968 the Omaha Boat Club became Surfside North when partners including Boniface (Barney) McGuire bought it. At the time the marina provided boaters with the opportunity to dock and refuel while getting food and drinks as before continuing their journey along the river.

Omaha’s first riverside restaurant, Surfside North Marina, advertised that you “you don’t have to be a boater to enjoy a big surfburger and a beverage on its spacious patio overlooking the river. By that time, if you were a boater, you could dock for just $1.25. They didn’t change their name to the Surfside Club until 1970. In those days, it operated under a private club license which allowed anyone to eat but restricted adult beverages to members which cost $2 a year. 

By 1972 Joe Lombardo and his wife Frances Oliver were brought in to operate the restaurant which remained open from March through October when it closed for the season. Both Joe and his brother Jim operated several restaurants in the area. By this time Surfside had picnic tables overlooking the river from the patio in addition to an indoor cafe with formica tables and vinyl chairs. At that time the restaurant had a long tradition of serving soft drinks for just a dime though you had only two options: Pepsi or Teem. 

The restaurant was severely damaged by a fire in 1981 but reopened just three weeks later. Tom Mailander who had been with Surfside since 1974 continued to operate the restaurant after Joe passed away in 1988 and Barney, one of its founders, ten years later in 1998. In between the Surfside also suffered the loss of its longtime waitress, Jo Rotella who worked there from 1968 until her death in 1993.

The restaurant made its strict dress code known with signs at the entrance that read: 

“Dress decently or Please Stay Out!’

“No cutoffs or jogging shorts allowed”

“Proper dress required” 

“No body shirts or tank tops allowed”

One of Surfside’s key attractions, of course, is its location along the river. That has also proven to be a curse over the years when water levels rise and the river floods as it did in 1993 when a river full of debris and dead animals made dining on the patio an unpleasant experience. Fortunately the water never made its way to the parking lot and the restaurant remained open.

It wasn’t so fortunate in 2011 as the flooding made it inside the restaurant. At the time it seemed they would be forced to close permanently or relocate. Despite significant damage, it managed to reopen two years later after an extensive renovation which was sorely needed. By that time, Surfside brought on another partner, Mike Walker, who also owned Boondocker’s in North Omaha. Mike expanded the menu at Surfside while retaining the original recipe for its staples which were the fried catfish, chicken and corn fritters. The marina was also reopened with the goal of attracting boaters as it had when it was founded decades earlier.  

Referred to as one of Omaha’s best kept secrets, the Surfside remains a destination restaurant that allows its customers to relax and enjoy food and drink 25 feet from river’s edge on its huge shaded patio. This provides customers with the opportunity to take in not only the scenery but also the boaters who pass by and to listen to live music outdoors. Be aware that you may also get an eyeful from the boaters that pass by.

Content written by Omaha Exploration. Feel free to leave a comment or a suggestion. Until then, keep exploring!

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