My Visit to Bruin Cafeteria at Bellevue University – All-You-Can-Eat BBQ

Bellevue holds a special place in my heart. When my family moved from Dayton, Ohio, back in 1994, we moved to Bellevue, Nebraska. I lived there for 5 years until I moved out after graduating. I lived in Omaha for a couple of years and then moved back to Bellevue for a couple more years before getting married. Though I live in Papillion now, I still love to promote the city!

Recently, I reached out to my friend, Diane, who works for the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce, to talk about different opportunities. She invited me to a Chamber event where I met Matthew Ritter, Relationship Manager | Government & Military Affairs at Bellevue University. Turns out that Matt is a fan of Omaha Fattie. We exchanged information, and he wanted me to contact him about stopping by the newly remodeled (reopened in August) Bruin Cafeteria on campus. I made sure to follow up with him quickly to get the ball rolling. We scheduled my visit for 9/11/24.

Talk about a warm welcome. When I arrived on site at 1008 Bruin Blvd. Bellevue, NE, that was exactly what I received. Matthew and the crew were great! They even put a sign out in front with the Omaha Fattie logo. If I didn’t know any better, I would think that the university and I were on a date. Lol. I was dined, so the only thing missing was the wine. 😊

Let’s talk food! Can you say, “All You Can Eat?” Yes, you read that right. Oh, and it is only $10.49! The design of the café pops. I’m sure the students are happy to have such a nice place to eat. Guess what? Students and staff aren’t the only ones that can take advantage of the café because it is open to the public. My visit took place on BBQ Day, and they made sure to keep your boy FATT! There was brisket, burnt ends, ribs, mac & cheese, and green beans with bacon.

The best part of the meal for me was the burnt ends. I got the chance to meet Chef Don, who runs the operation, and he said he personally smoked the meat. He did right by those ends. They were not cut into pieces and instead were nicely cut slices. The brisket was solid, and the ribs were okay. My ribs were cooked a little more than I would like, but they were still good. You may have heard me say in the past that I’m not a huge mac & cheese guy, though there are some that are on point. This mac was white in appearance and had a nice cheesy flavor. I would eat it again. I would have put a little more salt and pepper to take it up a notch.

“Do you want dessert?” I probably didn’t need it, but they said they had Mango Cheesecake. M-A-N-G-O Cheesecake! Where do they do that at? I had to try it. It wasn’t an actual cake cut into slices but more of a granola-type crust/bottom with a creamed mango topping. I am glad that I gave that a try. The mango was present and sending all the right signals to my tastebuds.

Though it was all-you-can-eat, I decided not to push my limits. I shouldn’t have been eating all that I ate in the first place; however, I did get to Jiu-Jitsu that night, which made me feel a little better. Another cool thing that I wanted to mention is the organic juices that were available. There were three different options. The flavor that I picked escapes me at the moment (I probably should take notes), but I liked it.

Bruin Crew, I will be back! I must try more of the offerings. I should mention that the menu rotates every four weeks. You may not get BBQ, but there was so much more to try, like their AMAZING Salad Bar. That thing looked legit. There are soups available too, and the other entrée on my visit was a chicken wrap, I believe.

I wasn’t going to rate this experience because I don’t ever want to seem biased, but I don’t care! The proof is in the pudding. Well, in this case, the Mango Cheesecake. They are doing great food things in this café. The low cost of $10.49 is beating everyone for an all-you-can-eat option, and in this economy, that is a major plus.

I give Bruin Café 5 Fatties. Have you been? If so, what do you think?

Hours of Operation:

Fall, Winter, and Spring Terms
Monday-Thursday
Lunch: 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Dinner: 5:30 p.m.–7 p.m.

Summer Term
Lunch: 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my thoughts on food. You are amazing!

Bonus:
They have a coffee shop next to the café called Bruin Blend. They make all their baked goods from scratch to go along with your coffee or smoothie. They have a special blend called Veteran Blend that can only be found at their location.

Bellevue University set up a welcome sign for Omaha Fattie.Photo byOmaha Fattie

Omaha Fattie and Chef DonPhoto byOmaha Fattie

BBQ Plate - Brisket, Burnt Ends, Ribs, Mac & Cheese, and Green BeansPhoto byOmaha Fattie