Some restaurants chase trends.
Shug’s Comfort Food in Bellevue, Nebraska, chases the feeling of Sunday dinner at a loved one’s house.
Tucked into Old Town Bellevue, this family-owned soul food spot serves crispy catfish, sunny sides, and sweet tea by the mason jar. 🥤
It is the kind of place that makes a drive feel like a homecoming.
How Shug’s Comfort Food won Bellevue’s hearts
Owner and chef Brandon Davis is the oldest of seven kids, and he grew up watching his mother, the original “Shug,” work her magic at the stove.
She passed away more than a decade ago, and he named the restaurant in her memory. After years of cooking for friends, he started cooking for cash, because his food was simply too good to give away.
Before opening his own place, Davis spent five years learning under the late Justin Epting at Quick Bites Soul Food, in the very building Shug’s now calls home. When Epting passed away and the restaurant faced closing, Davis refused to watch it fade.
Today the spot is a true family affair. His younger siblings are learning to cook, and his grandma, whose name appears on the menu for her sweet potato pies, tidies up the dining room like only a grandmother can. 👵
The locals noticed. The fried chicken has earned a “Best of Bellevue” title. On busy days, the kitchen goes through 40 to 50 pounds of catfish.
Davis wanted a sit-down, casual dining room where friends could linger, and that choice set the place apart in a metro full of takeout windows.
Even Davis admits the location is off the beaten path.“People make the drive anyway, because the food tastes like home.” 🚗
That word-of-mouth magic is how a hidden gem becomes a neighborhood treasure.
Food Highlights
- Jacko’s Fried Catfish Combo: Fried catfish served with shrimp and andouille sausage. 🦐
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Fried Catfish: The most popular item on the menu, with the kitchen frying 40 to 50 pounds of fish some days. 🐟
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Fried Chicken: Crowned “Best of Bellevue,” this chicken built the restaurant’s reputation. Order it as a chicken-and-two-sides dinner. Guests love it with macaroni and cheese and candied yams. 🍗
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Old Towne Cajun Burger: A burger named for Old Town Bellevue, where the restaurant sits, with a Cajun theme that fits the Southern menu. It’s a good choice when you want something handheld. 🍔
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Spicy Sausage Sandwich: A sausage sandwich with banana peppers, onions, and Dijon mustard on a rosella bun. The peppers and mustard add heat and tang. 🌶️
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Shrimp Po’Boy: A sandwich of fried shrimp that arrives with mac and cheese and fried pickles. Reviewers say it comes out hot and fresh. 🥪
- Shug’s Smothered Pork Chop: A pork chop covered in gravy and served over rice. One diner said the chops were cooked to perfection. 🥘
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Cathy’s Sweet Potato Pie: A pie tied to Davis’s grandmother, whose sweet potato pies are legendary. 🥧
Atmosphere
The dining room feels like a warm welcome from the moment you walk through the door.
Walls and tables honor African Americans who have made an impact, including Omaha’s own, which gives the room real heart and history.
There is even a “greens” selfie station for guests who want a souvenir.
It is casual, friendly, and made for lingering with people you love. 📸
Bottom Line
✨ Come for the award-winning fried chicken and famous catfish, stay for the soulful sides and sweet potato pie. You get a family story, a friendly sit-down room, and plates that taste like home. This is the best soul food in Bellevue, Nebraska. 💛
Address:
105 W Mission Ave, Bellevue, NE 68005
📞 (531) 213-2218
🕔 Open Wed-Fri, 12 PM–8 PM; Sat, 1 PM–8 PM (closed Sun-Tue)