When Ismara Gonzalez opened Isla Del Mar on South 20th St. in 2017, an enthusiastic customer named Jerry Gordman encouraged her to move to South 36th St. in 2019 and open a second restaurant near 132nd and Center in 2023. Gordman owned both buildings as well as many other Omaha properties, and he died in 2023. “I will always be thankful to him because he believed in me,” Gonzalez said. “He was my mentor, and he helped me a lot.”
Isla Del Mar is unique among Mexican restaurants in multiple ways. “At other restaurants, mainly you’ll see tacos and what you’re used to. I wanted to share another side of Mexico.” Gonzalez’s restaurants are known for their high-quality, fresh seafood. Both restaurants have the same menu, and the west Omaha restaurant also has a fresh seafood market and bakery.
Gonzalez’s family moved to Omaha from Mexico when she was 10 years old, and her mother, brother, and two sisters work at Isla Del Mar. “The most important thing about this business is bringing my family together,” Gonzalez said.
Isla Del Mar
South Omaha: 5101 S. 36th St., Omaha, NE 68107
402.213.5723
West Omaha: 2502 S. 133rd Plaza, Omaha, NE 68144
531.867.2207
isladelmarrestaurante.com
This profile originally appeared in the 2024 FACES of Omaha, presented by Omaha Magazine. To see the full book, see our flipbook here.
