The Fireside

Karen's Fireside did a GREAT job at our reception on 11-15-2014. Denise was always very responsive to my emails and calls, and quickly answered any questions that I had. She was very knowledgeable and gave me great advice on all aspects of the reception, while working with me to make sure my vision came true. Everything was very organized and ran very smoothly during the day of the reception. Many of my guests complimented the delicious food and service of the staff. There were never lines at the bar, and my guests were very happy with the service. I also loved the decor of the venue, with all the candlelight it was very intimate and romantic, and Karen's designed and set up my centerpieces for me, so that was one less thing for me to worry about. You also pay per person and it was very reasonable pricing for all that they did for us, where you would pay for that extra level of service at other venues. Our reception was perfect, very low stress, and I am so grateful for all that Karen's staff did to make it happen! You cannot go wrong with Karen's!

Our experience at Karen's Fireside was very disappointing in terms of service. I felt incredibly disrespected by Denise when I asked her a simple question from the bride. I asked Denise if we could get champagne at the head table and she, alongside her coworker laughed and used intonation that made me feel absurd for asking. I was humiliated and told them the bride was wanting me to ask. It's true that Karen approached me and apologized on behalf of her worker and said I could go back to the bar and the worker would apologize. If I wanted an apology I had to seek it out. No thank you. Any adult who's in the wrong should certainly go up to the person they offended and apologize-not the other way around. It was frustrating that a simple question and what should have been a simple response lead their guest to humiliation. I do not recommend this hall if you want to be treated with respect.

This was a special day we had planned for the past year but unfortunately we trusted the tired and worn out venue , KAREN’S FIRESIDE. Denise was rude on several occasions leading up to the wedding and to our guest during the wedding. Don’t trust your special day with KAREN’S FIRESIDE or You will be disappointed in all areas. We had to apologies to our guest several times. Several guests were left standing for an hour because they would not set up extra tables. We had some guest leave. When the Mother of the bride arrived she had to demand extra tables be set up. KAREN’S showed no concern for our guest. On the day of the 1:30 wedding I sent 2 family members and 2 friends over to Karen’s Fireside to set up at 10:00. We made all the table decorations. Karen’s Fireside would not allow my family and friends to set up the guest tables and both ladies were VERY rude . I told Denise on the day before to expect My family and friends to be over at 10:00 to decorate. They were not Cooperative or Ready. KAREN’S HAD SET UP 1 OF THE 21 TABLES AND THE HEAD TABLE ONLY! They said the rest would not be ready for 2 more hours! That would be 12:00, wedding was at 1:30 ! Karen’s did place the center pieces on the table but did not follow the picture sent and my family was not able to complete their decorating. This was VERY disappointing! The Hall was set up like every 50th wedding anniversary they have had there ! Yes, There was an event booked the day before ours, But our service should have not suffered because of another event booking. It was a lot of money for so so food and rude people. Denise will be rude AFTER she gets your money!

I was a guest at a wedding reception here. I honestly have no idea why this place has such high reviews and here is why: 1. The tables were so close together it made it hard to move around. They claim they can seat 350 people, but we were very crowded with only about 175-200 people there. 2. The bartenders were terrible. One of them had absolutely no personality and moved slowly. Another one spent most of the night standing on the end of the bar talking with another woman (who also looked like a bartender). The woman she was talking to pretty much just sat at the end of the bar the whole time. At one point, I was waiting behind another woman in line for a drink and there were a couple of other people standing there who showed up after me. The woman spending most of her time talking finally realized "Oh hey, there are people wanting drinks." I started to walk up to her, but she addressed other people standing behind me instead and completely ignored me. Luckily, the bride and groom had opted for self-serve of water, tea and fruit punch, so I just went to my table, grabbed my cup and served myself. 3. The food was average at best. Most of my table didn't even finish their plates and it wasn't because they had too much food-- it just wasn't good. After we left, my husband had us stop somewhere so he could get something better to eat. 4. The women's bathroom only has two stalls and neither of them lock. You have to hold the stall door shut. They are also VERY small. When standing in the stall, your legs touch the toilet and your face is maybe four inches from the door. The positives? I will say that aside from the bartenders, the rest of the staff was fairly professional and they were quick to clear our tables of plates, napkins, etc. The only real reason I could see this establishment getting such great reviews is that it is pretty cheap for everything you get. So, great for the bride, groom and whoever else may be paying, but definitely a horrible experience for guests. Also-- after reading other negative reviews about this establishment on this site and others, I noticed that Karen's Fireside responded to some. The responses were rudely worded and I will say that if anyone from this company wants to try and discredit what I am saying, I have absolutely no reason to lie about my personal experience there. So, Karen's Fireside-- Please do not try and contact me. I have nothing else to say. Some people may have had a great experience, but mine was terrible. I'm hoping that no one else I know will have a reception there in the future.

I held my reception at Karen's Fireside on May 17, 2013. The food was amazing; everyone raved about it. The decorations were beautiful, and all provided and set up by Karen's staff. I worked with Karen and Denise, who were very easy to work with, and made my day completely stress free. The price was low compared to lots of other places we looked at, and the value for the price was incredible! I would recommend it to anyone.

Karen's did a wonderful job with our reception! We received numerous comments on how beautiful the venue was and how delicious the food was. Their packages were the most reasonable and thorough in all of Omaha. Denise was very helpful in all aspects of the planning process, and we could not have been happier with Karen's Fireside. We highly recommend them for future weddings and other events.

We loved that the catering (the food was delicious!) and the decorations were included in the price so that we didn't have to worry about adding those on. We also got to take home any extra food so we got our money's worth! I did have some people complain about attitudes of some of the staff but other than that everything was taken care of before we got there and went smoothly!

After looking at several reception sites, we chose Karen's because of Karen and Denise's ability to makes us feel welcomed. They have beautiful decorations and were professional through our whole event! Another reason we chose Karen's was they were one of the few places in Omaha that allow you to take the leftover food (that you pay for)home. We would definitely recommend Karen's to our family and friends .

My husband and I held our wedding reception at Karens Fireside on October 12, 2012. From the moment we met with Karen at the first walk-through to the last time we spoke with Denise after the wedding we had the most pleasant, seamless, enjoyable, organized and magical experience. Our budget was tight and with all the details we wanted with our reception, Karens was amazing to work with and the best bang for your buck in the Omaha area! They care deeply for each couple they come in contact with, they pay attention to all the details (some details I didn’t even notice until after the wedding when I was looking at our photos). As for the food, our guests are still raving about the food! It was amazingly delicious and the service was amazing. Our centerpieces, place settings and decorations where beyond amazing and more that I was able to envision as we were planning. I was blown away on every level of the evening. I cannot say enough about Karen, Denise and all the staff at Karens Fireside.

My Husband and I had our reception at Karen's Fireside on 10/20/12. We could not have picked a better venue for the occasion. Denise was wonderful to work with and the staff did an amazing job. We received many comments on the location from friends and family from the area and who traveled in for the event. It is intimate and makes you comfortable. The food was amazing. Many people made a point to let us know how great the food was. We planned the wedding ourselves and I was worried about everything (as a Bride is) but everything was picture perfect from the head table, cake table and guest tables. Everyone had an amazing time. The price was very reasonable and I loved that there was no hidden charges. Denise explained everything and it is all in black and white. It was also nice to take the leftovers home. The bar is beautiful and the dance floor just the right size. I do not have one complaint about Karen's. I will utilize them again in the future for larger events. Thank you Karen's Fireside for making our Wedding Reception a success.

We were thrilled with how our wedding & reception came out. Karen & Denise are wonderful to work with and made everything look simply beautiful. All our guests loved the food & the servers were all very helpful. The per person pricing made budgeting very easy & less stressful. Definitely put this on your short list!

We can't say enough good things about Karen's Fireside. Prior to our wedding reception, we had never attended an event there. We were able to see the place all decorated and ready for our reception the day before, since there wasn't another reception booked for that day. Upon entering Karen's Fireside, we were taken away by how beautifully decorated it was. They definitely surpassed our expectations! Not only by the decorating, but the food was outstanding! Karen visited our table on 2 different occasions and we praised her and thanked her for everything she had done to make our wedding reception a success! Throughout the night of our reception, our guests approached us and told us they were having a really good time and the food was delicious! So, not only were we impressed, but our guests were too. Had it not been for Karen and her wonderful team of helpers, our wedding reception wouldn't have been as great as it was! Not only that, but Karen and her staff were very flexible in allowing us to bring in special things that we wanted added to the tables. If you or someone you know is looking for a venue for your wedding reception, we highly recommend Karen's Fireside. You won't be let down!

We received nothing but praise from all who attended my daughter's reception at Karen's Fireside. Denise was easy to work with when planning the reception start to finish. I love that Karen's Fireside is all one level; no stairs, so anyone can attend!! The food was great and we had multiple people comment about how good the food was and how beautiful the facility was decorated. It has that comfortable family-like feeling. The fact that there is one price for everything makes planning easy. One thing that I very much appreciate is that we were able to come in early to put up our decorations, and even though Denise had a family emergency, she still came to meet us there since she knew how important the wedding was. That says commitment to me! Thanks Karen, Denise, and all the staff for a great wedding reception!

My husband and I were looking for an easy, low-key, cost efficient reception hall, and found it at Karen's Fireside! We found the site about a year ahead of our wedding, and were still able to book one of our desired dates - since the site is so excellent, it can fill up fast for popular months. Denise and Karen were very flexible and helpful - we had planned an outdoor wedding and did not have a back up plan. But, Denise assured me that if I needed, we could use the site for the actual wedding ceremony, we just needed to call that morning (Luckily, it was 85 and sunny!) The food was fantastic and more than enough for everyone & it was great that we were able to take the extras home with us. The site was beautiful, Karen and Denise were willing to help us decorate to my tastes, and help set out our favors. She even allowed us to bring in glow sticks for the children to play with during the dance. We truly enjoyed having our reception at Karen's Fireside and will be recommending it to friends in Omaha!

After searching for a venue in Omaha where we could have a ceremony and reception at the same location, we chose Karen's. We had plenty of room for our family and friends. It was so nice not needing to worry about set-up, catering, and clean-up. They take care of it all. The food was awesome! Everyone is still talking about how great the food tasted. If we had to do it all over again, we would definitely chose Karen's Fireside!

I've been to two weddings at Karen's fireside. Both times the staff were horribly rude to both guests and the brides. They honestly looked like they did not want to be there, and rolled their eyes everytime you asked for a drink. I was not impressed by this location.

I am so happy I went to Karen's! The decorations were beautiful, the food was wonderful, and the staff were very helpful. I didn't have to worry about center peices, colors matching, setting things up, or any of the other little details that other places charge extra for. The price was great and we got much more than we paid for! Denise and Karen are very nice and helpful, I hope to work with them again.

Karen's Fireside went above and beyond for my weddding reception it was an amazing evening and they definately made it a night to remember.

I had my reception at Karen's Fireside and it turned out exactly how I wanted. Karen's Buffet was delicious and has many different choices to choose from. Ever since I went and looked at the place, the service by everyone was absolutely wonderful! They also decorate and let you use their centerpieces! I would recommend Karen's to everyone.

Karen's Fireside was a great place to have a reception and ceremony at. The nice thing about it is that you pay per person and everything is included. I looked at other vendors and would have had to pay extra for round tables, china and linens. Denise was very helpful in the wedding planning and they even offer centerpieces as part of the price. It really saved me on my flowers and the calla lilies looked so real. The food was amazing and we barely had any leftovers. Karen even helped me dish up my food and take it to the head table and get me a drink. We had our ceremony there and they were willing to let us come early for our photos and to finish getting ready. The prices were very reasonable and worth every penny. Other friends of mine and co-workers have had their receptions there and I have never had anyone say anything bad. I would highly recommend this venue and already have to two of my friends. In addition to all this many people came up to my Mother and Father during the reception and complimented them on how nice it was. After the wedding many of my friends told me what a good time they had and how much they enjoyed everything at Karen's Firside.

I had a wonderful experience with Karen's Fireside. They provided upfront information including their pricing and it was a very affordable venue. The room is beautiful when set up and they create a great ambiance. They were always prompt to answer questions prior to the reception. They kept everything going on time during the reception. The food was delicious and I heard many compliments from my guests after the party. The service was awesome and they were very attentive to the wedding party. I would strongly recommend this venue to anyone looking for a great and affordable option!!

We have used Karen's Fireside on two different occasions. My daughter's wedding 2009 and my husband's retirement after 25 years in the military June 2011. Each time the service was amazing, the food was great, and everyone left happy. They did a great job decorating and met every need with professionalism and a smile. We would definitely recommend this place to our friends and will continue to use them for future occasions.

I would give this facility a lower review if I could. After I had booked with them and paid for the reception I requested their assistance with a seating arrangement. In spite of offerring to do all of the work including having someone come to the reception ahead of time to lay out place cards and table numbers they were resistant. Ultimately, they agreed to work with me and I thought it was fine since we would be doing all the work. After agreeing and thinking that we hung up the phone, the phone had not disconnected and the lady proceeded to call me every name you can imagine (yes the F and B word included!) and act as though I was being completely unreasonable to request the table arrangement. When I finally hung up and called her back to tell her that I had heard everything she barely appologized. By that point, we were only two months from the wedding a locked in so I couldn't back out. Then, the day of my ceremony it was 95 degrees or so and when we arrived at the reception hall my wedding party was hot and I was suprised to realize that there were no glasses or water on the tables (not even the head table). There was a line at the bar and for water so I asked if Karen would mind getting the wedding party (10 people) a glass of water and she rolled her eyes, treated my Mother terribly and just generally was awful to me and my family. The food was good and the value for the money in terms of the facility and 'one stop' pricing was really nice, but the service was horrendous! I would NEVER recommend them to anyone and probably should have reported them to the BBB for the way they behaved, but ultimately I let it go being glad just to have all the wedding stuff done with. I was married in 2006 and this is the first time I have actually written down what happened. Terrible experienc