Jared Clarke was watching the Gretna area for a few years, knowing the city needed its first fine dining restaurant amongst a landscape of sports bars, Mexican cantinas and pizza joints. With Gretna’s burgeoning growth and development, Clarke realized it was finally time to launch his next concept—one that would fit right in with the community.
“I’ve been watching Gretna for a few years,” Clarke said. “You could see it coming—the growth, the families, the businesses. But there wasn’t that sit-down, nice restaurant where you could still wear jeans and feel comfortable.”
Enter Marrow.
The restaurant gets its name from menu choices that feature bone marrow—whether it’s the popular Canoe appetizer or the marrow infused in sauces and broths. The concept is “accessible fine dining” in a space that provides high-quality American cuisine that locals could treat as a regular option, not just special occasions.
Marrow dining area
Photo by Jennifer Corey
In addition to Marrow, Clarke owns Railcar Modern American Kitchen, Timber Wood Fire Bistro and Pasta Amore, which he acquired in 2021. His culinary journey began in Lincoln as a biochemistry student at UNL. He began cooking weekly “dinner and movie nights” for friends, which pulled him toward the restaurant industry. His part-time college job at Chili’s eventually turned into a fast-rising culinary journey, where he learned the entire kitchen in six weeks and became a corporate trainer soon after. He’d opened several Chili’s restaurants nationwide before deciding he wanted to do his own thing.
He enrolled in culinary school at Lincoln’s Southeast Community College, a more cost-effective option in lieu of famed institutions such as the Culinary Institute of America. He wanted to make sure this was the right career path. After completing the Southeast program, he returned to UNL to study culinology (food science), to deepen his understanding of cuisine and the technical discipline behind it.
Marrow dining area
Photo by Jennifer Corey
Clarke’s culinary career really took root when he served as executive chef at Misty’s Steakhouse in Lincoln. Later, he joined Lettuce Entertain You’s Wildfire division in Chicago and helped open their East Coast locations. He continued his journey in research and development at Cooper’s Hawk Winery Restaurants.
Clarke and his wife returned to Omaha to be closer to family, and he worked for Flagship Restaurant Group as executive chef at Blue Sushi’s original restaurant on 144th and Maple. After that, he opened the now-closed Blue Agave on 137th and Dodge.
“I’d opened a lot of restaurants for other people,” Clarke said. “And at some point, you realize you want to do your own thing—make your own decisions and build something that’s yours. I wanted to build a restaurant that felt like it belonged to the neighborhood—not a chain or copy of something else.”
In 2012, he opened his first solo venture—Railcar Modern American Kitchen. It was an experience that taught him how to build a business from the ground up—balancing creativity, staffing and financial realities—lessons that carried through to Timber Wood Fire Bistro and now Marrow.
Marrow bar
Photo by Jennifer Corey
Marrow’s decor strikes a balance between modern, upscale refinement and neighborhood warmth. The main dining area is sleek and polished with dark walls and ceilings punctuated by string lights and globe fixtures that cast a soft, ambient glow. Deep burgundy high-backs line the walls, adding texture and depth to a minimalist palette of black tables and plank wood flooring. It evokes a brilliant blend of mid-century style and urban intimacy.
Artwork is sparse but intentional with a few paintings on the wall by local artist Michael Rhodes. These colorful works add bursts of color, introducing color palettes that wouldn’t otherwise make sense. The art exemplifies Marrow’s accessible naturew—elevated but not intimidating. The space is designed as much for an evening cocktail as for a relaxed family dinner.
Marrow menu
Photo by Jennifer Corey
“We build menus that are interesting for food people, but comfortable for everyone else,” Clarke said. “ You can have bone marrow and a ribeye at one table and a burger or salmon at the next, and both experiences feel right.”
That philosophy carries straight into the menu itself.
Our menu journey started with cocktails—smoked old fashioned, Mile Limit and Jungle Bird. Appetizers were bread service, canoe and jumbo lump crab cake. For entrees, Jennifer chose the grilled sustainable salmon, and I ordered the owner’s cut from the “Steaks & Chops” options. We also shared a side of crispy brussels. For dessert, we tried the Brickway vanilla coffee stout crème brûlée and two cups of coffee.
Kenzie, our server for the evening, patiently answered all our questions. Her warm, attentive service embodied the very spirit Marrow aims for—friendly, approachable, and unpretentious.
Smoked old fashioned reveal
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The smoked old fashioned is made with bone marrow fat washed Sazerac rye, Nocino walnut liqueur, angostura bitters, chocolate bitters, cherry and orange. It has a heavy smokiness and warmth from the rye whiskey. The marrow fat wash in the rye lends a touch of savory depth. Leaning dry, it’s decadent and smoky in equal measure.
Mile Limit
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The Mile Limit is Diplomatico Planas rum, Rittenhouse rye, cognac vs, cherry syrup, lemon juice, cherry bark vanilla bitters and chocolate bitters. It’s fruity and bitter with just a touch of sweet. The cherry syrup lends a subtle tart tanginess, the lemon juice a refreshing splash of citrus. It is at the same time complex and delicious.
Marrow Jungle Bird
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The Jungle Bird is Jamaican rum, Campari, chinola, pineapple juice, lime juice, pomegranate molasses, chili mango syrup and tiki bitters. Pineapple and rum are a natural duo. The campari adds a sweet, bitter note. The pomegranate molasses lends a tangy sweetness. It’s a tropical, sweet drink that hits strong bitter notes—it makes a bold, delicious statement.
Each drink leans into Marrow’s approach—contrasted balances of sweet, smoky and bitter. The elements don’t compete—they complement.
Bread service
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The bread service is focaccia bread with whipped butter. It arrives warm—fresh from the oven. It has an excellent crunchy crust that gives way to bread that’s tender and fragrant. The butter is soft, whipped and airy—it melts right into the dough. Flavorful and comforting, it’s the kind of bread that makes you forget to pace yourself.
Canoe
Photo by Jennifer Corey
Canoe is roasted bone marrow, red onion jam, chimichurri and grilled sourdough. The marrow itself is savory and beefy with a silky texture. The chimichurri is herbaceous and garlicky. The red onion jam is an excellent blend of sweet and savory. All three combined on the delicately toasted sourdough make a perfect bite. It’s rich, luxurious and a must-try.
Jumbo lump crab cake
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The jumbo lump crab cake comes with arugula and jalapeno mustard sauce. This is well mixed and balanced with herbs. The cake has generous chunks of crab. The arugula adds peppery notes that work well with the seafood. A light, delicate mustard sauce ties the crab and herbs together.
Like much of Marrow’s menu, these starters respect texture and taste—each bite layered with crunch, silk and contrast.
Grilled sustainable salmon
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The grilled sustainable salmon is a six-ounce Verlasso salmon with a pinot noir vinaigrette, smoked rosemary pistachio butter and pommes purée. The salmon was cooked to perfection—a crispy exterior and tender, juicy interior. The pommes purée was impossibly smooth, well seasoned and surrounded by the rosemary pistachio butter. The butter was nutty, herbal, and elevated the purée without overpowering it. The pinot noir vinaigrette is tangy and savory with its depth coming from the red wine.
House salad with sherry vinaigrette
Photo by Jennifer Corey
Jennifer ordered her salmon with the house salad with sherry vinaigrette. It’s a spring mix salad with red onion, cherry tomatoes, radish and cucumber. The vinaigrette is tangy and sour. The sherry lends a slight sweetness that balances the dressing. The vegetables are fresh and crisp. It’s a simple salad, elevated by the vinaigrette.
Onion gratinée
Photo by Jennifer Corey
I opted to upgrade my entree with onion gratinée soup. The broth, made with white wine, roasted chicken jus and bone marrow, comes crowned with a crouton blanketed in broiled smoked gouda. It’s an inspired play on the traditional French onion. The broth is a bold, savory flavor bomb with a silkiness from the fat in the bone marrow. The broiled smoked gouda adds a wonderful smokiness. As a lover of French onion soup, I’ll come back for it.
Owner’s cut
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The owner’s cut is an eight-ounce Winterfrost wagyu sirloin steak with a peppercorn sauce and truffle fries. The steak arrived a perfect medium rare with a fantastic charred crust. Sliced on the plate, it was melt-in-your-mouth tender. The peppercorn sauce deepened the umami profile. The truffle fries are crinkle cut, fried to a crispy, crunchy exterior with a pillow-soft middle. Great on their own, the fries didn’t need a dipping sauce, but the garlic aioli was irresistible anyway.
Crispy Brussels
Photo by Jennifer Corey
We also ordered a side of the crispy brussels. They come with ponzu sauce, bacon and hazelnuts. The ponzu is delectably savory with a deep umami. The brussels themselves weren’t crispy but were firm, tender, and delicious. The crunch comes from the nuts and bacon. The ponzu cuts the bitterness of the brussels.
Marrow’s entrées are a celebration of refinement without pretension—classic dishes sharpened by precise technique and just a touch of panache.
Coffee stout crème brûlée
Photo by Jennifer Corey
A play on tradition, the coffee stout crème brûlée is a custard made with Brickway vanilla coffee stout topped with the brûléed sugar. The top cracks properly under the spoon giving way to the custard. The stout is infused into the custard—just enough to announce its presence, not so much it overpowers. Deeply caramelized sugar adds pleasant bitterness at first, but tips past balance, muting the custard beneath. The custard layer is more shallow than I’m accustomed to. A touch more would’ve restored the balance.
A final note: the coffee, bold and rich, matched the brûlée’s depth sip for spoonful.
Clarke didn’t just choose Gretna because of its explosive growth. It’s more about establishing an early foothold in the community to provide a dining experience that’s neither pretentious nor simplistic. He wants to serve locals first while drawing diners to the area—helping push Gretna toward “destination” status.
Marrow dining bar area
Photo by Jennifer Corey
His goal is to establish a high bar of quality and service to justify a slightly premium price point and continue developing the menu with rotisserie-driven items and seasonal dishes. He aims to be the restaurant that jumpstarts Gretna’s culinary scene—something special that makes the area a true dining destination.
“We’re a brand new business, and we continue to strive to do the best and bring the best product possible,” Clarke said. “Give us a chance, and we’ll deliver.”
What stands out at Marrow isn’t just the quality of its ingredients or the precision and innovation in the kitchen. It’s the conversation between menu items—smoke meets citrus, richness balances with acidity. There’s a deliberate restraint here, a sure sign of measured confidence. The menu tells a story—a bold journey that feels both familiar and adventurous.
