Published June 14, 2025 | Updated June 15, 2026

One of my favorite summer hangouts is Sonny’s in Aksarben Village. Located at 67th and Shirley Streets next to Inner Rail Food Hall, the seasonal outdoor bar has live music every weekend and is the perfect place to unwind after a long week.

Despite being situated between an office building and a hotel, my first impression was that of a garden oasis. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but was delighted to see a repurposed Airstream camper on site that served as a bar, where bartenders crafted a variety of cocktails and mocktails while also offering wine and beer.

Adjacent to Shirley Street is an enticing gazebo with lots of comfortable patio seating, surrounded by plants offering a sort of tropical vibe. Between it and Inner Rail is a turf area where you can pitch your own lawn chair and watch one of the bands perform. If you’re unfamiliar with Inner Rail, it’s a food hall, so while Sonny’s doesn’t serve food, you can eat there.

Despite being a bar, I find it to be extremely family-friendly. You’ll find both adults and kids dancing near the stage. The space also contains a ping pong table, cornhole, and even has a dog park and some exercise equipment nearby.

The area that comprises Sonny’s was the result of undeveloped land following the creation of Aksarben Village starting in 2006. The area was split into 10 zones, with Zone 6 being the largest undeveloped portion by 2015. After the HDR Headquarters, a parking garage, and the Inner Rail Food Hall were built, the area that remained was turned into a public space that retained the name Zone 6. Originally consisting of just a dog park, a greenhouse, and a pop-up park, it evolved and was improved in 2022, which marked the beginning of Sonny’s.

The result is an outdoor bar unlike anything else in Omaha. I suggest dropping by. It may become one of your go-to spots as well.

Sonny’s hours are all over the place, but it opens at 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. It closes no earlier than 8 p.m. on Sunday, but that’s the outlier. Most days it closes between 10 p.m. and midnight. Check out its website for more: https://sonnysomaha.com/

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

Omaha Exploration is sponsored by @Rockbrook Mortgage Inc.

Click here to learn about opportunities to sponsor Omaha Exploration!

More pictures

• Omaha World-Herald archives
• Sonny’s