Located just north of the Orpheum Theater is Cumbia, a Latin-inspired restaurant and bar founded by natives of Colombia. Named after a dance that originated on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, Cumbia began as a courtship ritual among enslaved Africans. Blended with Indigenous and European influences—including instruments like violins and guitars—it evolved into a musical genre and dance form celebrated across Latin America.
Owner Juan Sanchez operated a restaurant similar to Cumbia for 12 years in his native country before relocating to Omaha, a city he’d only heard about from a friend. When he arrived, he had just $312 in his pocket and rode a 10-speed bicycle around town. That very bike is now suspended from a wall inside the restaurant—a reminder, he says, to stay humble and hopeful that anything is possible.
Juan and his wife, Andrea Macias, found the ideal spot for Cumbia in the heart of the theater district. They opened the restaurant in 2021 in the former Himalayan Java space at 329 S. 16th Street. Although Cumbia briefly closed in 2023, it reopened several months later.
The couple’s goal is to make guests feel as though they’ve been transported to another place. Upon entering, visitors are immersed in Latin culture within a laid-back, richly decorated space filled with plants and vines, warm wood interiors, handcrafted furniture, and inviting lighting.
Both the cocktails and food draw inspiration from their homeland and offer something unique to Omaha. The menu—developed in the couple’s home kitchen—features anticuchos de pollo, Peruvian ceviche, a Brazilian sandwich, picanha tacos, Cartagena shrimp cocktail, and cheese cubes.
The long-struggling 16th Street corridor, stretching from Dodge to Leavenworth, was once a thriving commercial district filled with stores, restaurants, and a theater. The area now appears to be turning a corner, thanks to places like Cumbia and other nearby establishments, including Mercury Lounge and Green Room—and hopefully a reopened King Fong’s in the future.
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