- Video shows Fatty’s Bar-B-Que grilled ribs, chicken, and soft shell crab, and Ramen Oliver’s signature homemade sauce.
- Owner Ramen Oliver blends years of culinary experience with recipes passed down from his mother and aunt. His daughters—7-year-old Avionna and 9-year-old Laynie—are already stepping into the family business, helping prep orders and learning what it takes to run a kitchen.
Fatty’s operates out of The Essential Gathering Place in on 42nd in North Omaha—a hub created to empower small businesses and local vendors.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
At Fatty’s Bar-B-Que in North Omaha, family and flavor go hand in hand.
Owner and chef Ramen Oliver runs the show—serving up everything from ribs and chicken to soft shell crab sandwiches. But one thing never leaves the kitchen without a finishing touch: his signature homemade sauce.
"It's very important, as a Midwesterner— if you know, you know," Oliver said.
Just ahead of the Fourth of July, Ramen says the rush is real—and it’s his biggest yet.
“The catering has absolutely picked up, more than usual—this morning was crazy, phone calls coming in for catering left and right,” said Oliver.
Fatty’s operates inside The Essential Gathering Place—a space on 42nd Street designed to support local vendors and entrepreneurs. Amid the hustle, Ramen says the magic of his food starts with the recipes passed down through generations.
“Everything is 100% from scratch, either something I’ve learned over the years, or from my mother, or my auntie,” said Oliver.
Butt this isn’t a one-man operation.
Ramen’s two daughters—7-year-old Avionna and 9-year-old Laynie—are young chefs in the making, mixing sides and prepping orders for the holiday crowd.
“Whenever they call me back there, I’m just ready to go,” said Avionna.
She adds burgers are her favorite to make.
“Because you don’t gotta cook anything really… just the patty, then cheese and the stuff on there,” she explained.As for the upcoming rush?
“We're going to be taking a lot of orders,” Laynie said. “There’s nowhere to sleep.”
“I don’t want any fires to happen,” Avionna added, half-joking.
Through it all, Ramen remains grateful for the support of his girls.
“This has definitely been challenging for the children and I owe them a lot— I really do," said Oliver.
"So after this settles down, we’re going to go on a vacation."
The owner of The Essential Gathering Place says the mission behind the space is simple—build a hub where small businesses can grow and thrive, right here in the community.
