Published May 21, 2025 | Updated May 26, 2026

At the time Trini’s opened in the Old Market, there were few Mexican options outside of South Omaha. Opening such a restaurant in the up-and-coming district was the idea of three former teachers.

Those teachers were Bob Sitzman, Gerald (Jerry) Soukup, and Steve Beliveau. Sitzman worked as a teacher for Omaha Public Schools while Soukup was a French teacher at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Beliveau was a driver’s education teacher. When they opened Trini’s Mexican Restaurant, it was the start of a 33-year restaurant career for the three men.

In an interview with the Omaha World-Herald, Chad Sitzman, Bob’s son, said that the three men “had a bunch of cocktails and talked about how there were no good Mexican restaurants in Omaha.”

The trio gathered recipes from restaurants they had visited in Mexico and Colorado. More Tex-Mex than authentic Mexican, its first menu featured tacos, chile relleno, burritos, tostadas, and guacamole, in addition to tropical drinks at moderate prices.

When they opened the doors to their first restaurant at 1020 Howard Street in 1977, it was among the first tenants of the Old Market Passageway, an alley that sat between two buildings owned by the Mercer family. It was located next door to another passageway original, the more upscale V. Mertz.

Located on the ground floor, it offered Trini’s one of the more unique locations in the entire city. The space had long been used to store produce when the area was a produce hub for dealers and wholesalers. The brick walls and floor make it feel more like a cellar than a restaurant, but that’s part of its charm. I suspect that along with the wood beams, they are original to the space. Rounding out the space is a stamped tin ceiling, dim lighting, and walls adorned with bright colors and rugs. It also offers one of the best patios in the Old Market, making it an excellent spot for people watching.

While I don’t have firsthand experience with Paltani’s, I have read that Trini’s puffy shell tacos are as close as you’ll find to the beloved restaurant once located at 45th and Center Street. Among its most popular varieties is the fish taco, which is served with blackened tilapia, chipotle sauce, cheese, tomato, avocado, and spring mix.

They remained partners until Sitzman passed away in 2010 at the age of 65. During their career together, the three men also opened Bentley’s and Butsy Le Doux’s in the Old Market.

Trini’s continues to operate under the guidance of Rich Anderson. Anderson started as a waiter at Trini’s in the mid-1980s and became general manager at Butsy Le Doux’s. Anderson opened other Old Market businesses including Niche before taking over Trini’s, which was mentioned among the best Tex-Mex and taco shops in the city by The Reader as recently as 2023.

Remarkably, the restaurant started by three teachers, none of whom taught anything related to culinary arts, remains a fixture in the Old Market Passageway nearly 50 years later.

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More pictures

• Omaha World-Herald archives
• https://thegoodbite.blog/2018/08/21/trinis-favorable-tex-mex-in-charming-location/
• https://omahalibrary.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16747coll8/id/567/
• https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/food/nebraska/underground-restaurant-ne
• Best of the Big O: 2023 Readers’ Choice – Dining Winners – The Reader
• Robert Sitzman Obituary (2010) – Omaha, NE – Omaha World-Herald