The Twisted Cork Bistro originally opened in 2008, founded by Darrell and Laura Auld after moving to Omaha to be closer to family. It started as a small lunch-only bistro with just seven tables. Over time, it grew to include dinner service and expanded with the addition of a tavern side and full bar four years later.
The original building at Shaker Place (now Regency Landing) was going to be leveled. After the building’s sale, it was determined the bones were solid, so they were able to remodel, closing their doors for what was supposed to be six months.
Twisted Cork Bistro night exterior
Photo by Chris and Jennifer Corey
It was two years before Twisted Cork Bistro reopened, largely due to pandemic-related delays. The Aulds successfully reopened in July 2022, and sales have continued to grow since.
At the helm is Brittany Love, director of operations. The Aulds recruited her from her management position at Starbucks, which was their go-to coffee spot.
“Darrell and Laura were my regulars at a Starbucks I managed,” Love said. “They kept saying, ‘You’ve got to come try this place. You’d be great here.’ I finally gave in—and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh. I need to work here.’”
Twisted Cork Bistro interior
Photo by Chris and Jennifer Corey
She started serving a couple nights a week, then became an assistant manager and eventually general manager. Now she oversees all of the Auld’s restaurants, including The Vault.
Helping Love is front-of-house manager Jennie Ingalise, who began her service industry career at 15. She has been with Twisted Cork for nearly three years, handling day-to-day operations. She also has a big role in the wine list and has created close to 75 percent of the bistro’s cocktails.
What drew Jennie to Twisted Cork – and what continues to inspire her – is the restaurant’s unwavering dedication to sourcing natural, additive-free ingredients. She deeply respects the owners’ genuine care for their team and the quality of food they serve.
“It’s healthy food that still tastes amazing,” Ingalise said. “They take great pride in who they source from—and I respect that. It’s what drew me to the restaurant.”
Twisted Cork Bistro kitchen
Photo by Chris and Jennifer Corey
In the kitchen is chef Tyler Schmidt, who began his journey with Twisted Cork Bistro in 2013, about the same time as Love. His background includes sushi and upscale cuisine, and he’s helped form the menu with his thoughtful technique and adventurous, global flavors.
Twisted Cork Bistro sources only wild-caught fish, including troll-caught sockeye salmon, wild Gulf shrimp and fresh ahi flown in through the Honolulu Fish Company. “We try to get everything as fresh as possible,” Love said.
Twisted Cork Bistro interior
Photo by Chris and Jennifer Corey
The décor has the feel of a neighborhood bistro with exposed brick. A warm palette of light oranges and deep browns makes the space warm and inviting. A large window to the kitchen gives guests a view behind the scenes.
On our first visit, we tried the spicy garden margarita, along with the rum punch. For an appetizer, we had the drunken mussels. Entrées were the figgy chicken and prairie fire. We ended the meal with dessert: the Vancouver Island nanaimo bar.
Spicy garden margarita
Photo by Chris and Jennifer Corey
The spicy garden margarita is made with 21 Seeds cucumber jalapeño tequila, Cointreau, agave and lime. This cocktail has a subtle sweetness with savory, herbal notes. There’s a nice touch of heat from jalapeño, while the cucumber gives it a refreshing finish.
The rum punch is sweet and fruity. It’s made with Kasama aged rum, pineapple, mango, orange bitters and cherry. I’m a fan of tropical cocktails and there’s a full-bodied depth to this one. It’s luscious but not too sweet. The pineapple lends an acidic kick.
Drunken mussels
Photo by Chris and Jennifer Corey
The drunken mussels were superb. The mussels themselves were tender and expertly cooked. The sauce was simply delicious, savory and lemony. The addition of blue cheese and prosciutto was an incredible combination. This is a succulent appetizer, and I encourage you not to ignore it.
Figgy chicken
Photo by Chris and Jennifer Corey
The figgy chicken comes with prosciutto, balsamic-fig sauce, crème fraîche and roasted carrots on top of an apple smash potato cake. The carrots were exquisitely roasted, beautifully caramelized and tender. They paired well with the balsamic. The chicken breast was cooked just right – tender and juicy. The prosciutto added a welcome salty element. The apple potato cake boasted an apple flavor that complimented every element in the dish. It was a home run.
Prarie fire
Photo by Chris and Jennifer Corey
The prairie fire is a medium-rare flank steak served with apple cinnamon slaw and roasted fingerling potatoes. The steak’s espresso and cayenne pepper rub added just the right amount of heat, and it was cooked to a perfect medium-rare. The roasted potatoes brought a salty element that balanced the sweetness of the slaw. The only letdown was the steak’s lack of salt. Otherwise, it’s a well-conceived dish.
I followed up with Love about this. She said the prairie fire is intentionally designed to highlight sweet and spicy notes rather than a salty profile. The espresso-cayenne rub, whiskey glaze with a touch of Tabasco and cinnamon apples are all meant to build layered, bold flavors. While I personally prefer a more generously salted steak, it’s clear the kitchen is going for a different kind of experience – and for those who appreciate a sweet-heat combination, it hits the mark.
Vancouver Island Nanaimo bar
Photo by Chris and Jennifer Corey
The Vancouver Island Nanaimo bar has three layers of sweet indulgence. The base is chocolate and coconut, the middle layer is vanilla custard and the top is chilled chocolate ganache. The layers work together for a wonderful indulgence sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.
On our second night, we had the old fashioned and bee’s knee for cocktails. For appetizers, we tried the Whidby Island shrimp, the corn soup and the popovers. For entrees, Jennifer ordered the Seattle cioppino, and I chose the mahi-mahi. After dinner, we gave our server a secret phrase that granted us access to the downstairs speakeasy, The Vault. I’ll share the passphrase with you somewhere at the end of this review.
The old fashioned is expertly made with Woodinville bourbon, demerara sugar, bitters, cherry and orange. It strikes the right balance between bitter and sweet, with the bourbon taking the lead and delivering a warm, satisfying finish.
Bee’s knee
Photo by Chris and Jennifer Corey
Bee’s knee is reminiscent of a blueberry pie. It’s made with Brickway blueberry infused gin, house lavender and honey and lemon. It’s a sweet cocktail where the honey and berry are prominent while the gin lingers softly on the finish.
Whidbey Island shrimp
Photo by Chris and Jennifer Corey
The Whidbey Island shrimp are perfectly cooked jumbo white shrimp served with avocado, grapefruit, Whidbey dressing and a lime-jalapeño vinaigrette. The Whidbey dressing is savory with a tangy kick, and the lime-jalapeño is equally bright and flavorful. The grapefruit added a welcome bitterness and refreshing acidity.
Popovers with apple butter
Photo by Chris and Jennifer Corey
Break open one of the popovers, and the scent of warm bread fills the air. The crust is crisp, the interior tender and moist. The apple butter is a delectable accompaniment – Jennifer couldn’t stop dipping into it. You must try them.
The corn soup is a bowl of pure comfort, good for any season. It’s made with white corn, carrots, green chiles, sweet potato, coconut milk and cumin. The cumin is subtle, enhancing the freshness of the corn. The soup is rich and complex. I could have used a pinch more salt, but Jennifer thought it was just right.
Mahi-mahi
Photo by Chris and Jennifer Corey
The mahi-mahi was cooked just right, served with sōmen noodles, citrus chili vinaigrette and charred Brussels sprouts. The noodles are a light, pleasant accompaniment, and the sprouts bring a subtle char that enhances their flavor and softens their natural bitterness. The citrus chili vinaigrette might be the hero of the dish – it ties everything together. It’s a wonderful plate from start to finish.
Seattle cioppino
Photo by Chris and Jennifer Corey
The Seattle cioppino features sockeye salmon, a large scallop, wild shrimp, mussels, slices of avocado and a tomato–red pepper–fennel broth. The rich, full-bodied broth, with a subtle kick of heat, complements the seafood beautifully. The scallop was cooked to perfection, as were the shrimp and salmon. The mussels were tender.
At the end of our second visit, we said the sacred passphrase to our server who gave us a knowing nod. He handled it so coolly, it made me feel like James Bond for a split second. Our bill paid, he escorted us downstairs to The Vault.
Speakeasy key
Photo by Chris and Jennifer Corey
The Vault is a swanky speakeasy with a 1920s Wall Street bank vibe. Menu items reflect the financial world, and though we sampled only two, several others are worth a return visit. Let someone on staff know you’d “like to make a withdrawal” and you’ll get a knowing nod – and access.
It opened in August 2024 and is a collaboration between the Aulds and ACCESS Commercial co-owners Kirk Hanson and Darren Hicks. It incorporates repurposed materials from historic Omaha spots: the actual vault doors from Omaha National Bank and stained glass and barback elements from the former Gallagher’s bar.
The Vault inteior
Photo by Chris and Jennifer Corey
The vibe is “Wall Street banker meets vintage speakeasy.” They use high-end ingredients, fresh squeezed juices and showstopping elements like flaming and smoked cocktails.
“We’re lighting things on fire, smoking cocktails,” Love said. “We’re having a lot of fun with it. It’s definitely a speakeasy we learned our way into.”
Black market (smoked old fashioned) in The Vault
Photo by Chris and Jennifer Corey
Jennifer ordered the black market, which is a smoked old fashioned made with Blade and Bow bourbon, black walnut bitters, simple syrup, orange zest and is smoked tableside. It’s a rich, boozy old fashioned. The walnut bitters add a nuttiness that’s complimented by a smoky finish. It’s delicious.
One-Eyed Willie
Photo by Chris and Jennifer Corey
I ordered the One-Eyed Willie, a tropical drink made with Passoã passion fruit, Cointreaux, Flor de Cana rum, orange, lemon, lime and pineapple. The citrus and passion fruit pair naturally with the rum. It’s a well made tropical drink that goes down easily. The only thing missing is the beach.
I encourage you to visit The Vault before your meal, after your meal or any time it’s open. While we only sampled two of their drinks, there are many on that menu I’m anxious to try.
Twisted Cork Bistro delivers bold, delicious flavors with fresh seafood flown in regularly. From the cocktails to the cioppino, it’s clear this team knows what they’re doing. The food is thoughtful, and the vibe is dialed-in. Whether you’re here for dinner or a secret drink in The Vault, one thing’s certain: this bistro hits the mark.
