The second you walk through the door at Butterfish you know you’ve laid a strong foundation for a sophisticated and trendy evening.

From the decor featuring large, modern pieces by local artists to the menu lined with Omaha-themed sushi rolls, Butterfish is working hard to continue the hip, up-and-coming vibe overtaking the Blackstone District.

While it has stiff competition with other popular restaurants in the area like Mula and Noli’s, Butterfish is providing something most didn’t even realize the Blackstone District needed: sushi. With all of the nearest sushi places located in the Old Market, Butterfish provides an alternative a little closer to the Gifford Park and Midtown areas.

Compared to Blue Sushi, Butterfish has a classier aesthetic and a larger menu. It’s location in the Blackstone District is also a plus, as there are many fun places for patrons to walk to after dinner.

The menu is diverse, including sushi, poultry, chicken and beef plates, and everything served looked incredible. The price range on the main menu is most likely out of the budget of a college student. The happy hour menu, however, is much more reasonable with dishes priced between $4 and $12.

Everyone in our group left happy, spending around $15 and getting a sushi roll, deliciously spicy and seasoned edamame and a glass of wine.

The Crispy Blackstone roll and the Crispy Gold Coast roll were two favorites among our table. Both had a base of crab-mix and avocado, but the Crispy Blackstone swayed more on the spicy side with jalapeno and unagi sauce as opposed to the tempura and sweet chili sauce found in the Crispy Gold Coast.

Our group also enjoyed both the steamed and glazed edamame dishes, with the glazed tasting a little more flavorful but the steamed remaining a classic favorite.

As far as food and environment goes, we would rate Butterfish as a nicer, trendier version of Blue Sushi that would most likely be less crowded with young Creighton faces and more crowded with the usual Blackstone patrons.

Butterfish, which opened on Sept. 10, is owned by the same owners as Stirnella Bar & Kitchen and the Red Lion Lounge, both hot spots in the Blackstone District.

“We’ve opened three restaurants in Blackstone in the past 16 months,” co-owner Matthew Carper, who started looking at the location in 2015 when the land where Butterfish lies now was just a grassy hill.

When asked if they’re trying to appeal to Creighton students, Carper said they’re targeting anyone and everyone right now and that Creighton students are always welcome.

If you’re looking for an alternative to Blue Sushi or Tokyo Sushi that might be a little more expensive, but most definitely worth the extra five bucks, Butterfish is the place for you.