Lincoln City Council approves liquor licenses for downtown event venues

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Lincoln City Council unanimously approved six liquor licenses Monday for vendors seeking to operate outdoor service areas at the same downtown location on April 25, according to the city council agenda.

Tank's Country, Gate 25, Hiro 88, Mellow Mushroom, The CORNer Bar and two other establishments all received approval for special designated licenses to cover a 74-foot by 308-foot outdoor area at Canopy Street between R and Q streets. All six licenses are set for a single day, April 25, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The approvals come as the council also advanced updated sidewalk cafe regulations designed to streamline operations for restaurants and bars. The ordinances modify requirements for outdoor dining and alcohol service in the public right-of-way, including changes to barrier specifications and accessibility standards.

Under the new regulations, establishments serving alcohol will need a barrier with an opening of less than 8 feet, and must maintain at least 5 feet of unobstructed clear passageway on the sidewalk. The council also approved another special designated liquor license for Tipsy Tina's Taco Cantina for an outdoor area at 800 Q Street on May 5 from 2 p.m. to 11:55 p.m.

Two other vendors received approval for licenses at the Haymarket Farmers Market for the entire 2026 season: Saro Cider and Sideshow Spirits, both located at 7th and P Street. Hub Cafe was approved for licenses to serve alcohol at the Hub Farmers Market on multiple dates from May through September.

The council voted 7-0 to approve all special liquor licenses and also unanimously approved a manager application for Joseph Brown at Immanuel Retirement Communities dba Landing at Williamsburg Village.

In other business, the council appointed Liz Standish to the StarTran Advisory Board for a term expiring April 3, 2029, and approved an Interlocal Agreement with the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metropolitan Area Planning Agency for aerial mapping products and services.