Butterfish is a new sushi restaurant located in the Blackstone District that aims to put a modern twist on a historic part of West Omaha. Co-owner Matt Carper has seen great success with Butterfish. Being located in Blackstone, Butterfish has received a lot of attention for being the first sushi restaurant in the district.

“Blackstone has a lot of momentum in Omaha right now with all of the new apartments and other businesses,” Carper said.

Butterfish manager David Downer said he agrees that the location of the restaurant has been a factor to Butterfish’s success.

“The Blackstone District is growing into Omaha’s next great neighborhood,” Downer said. “The greatest part about the Blackstone District is that it doesn’t attract one specific crowd; it attracts everyone. The diversity of our growing neighborhood is vast, [which] means we see a wide range of ages that frequent our restaurant; which makes Blackstone that much more fun.”

Butterfish wants to put an emphasis on supporting locals by using produce that is grown here in Nebraska.

“Our focus is [on local farmers] and showcasing what is available,” Carper said.

In addition to co-owning Butterfish, Carper is also the co-owner of Meadowlark Management, alongside Matt Moser. Meadowlark Management supervises Butterfish, Red Lion Lounge, and Stirnella Bar & Kitchen. All three of these restaurants are located close by each other in the Blackstone District. Due to running three restaurants, Carper knows what is required in order to be a successful business owner.

“The food, drinks, and service must all be to the best possible level that [Butterfish] can deliver,” Carper said.  “The best part about being an owner of Butterfish, Stirnella Bar & Kitchen, and Red Lion Lounge is hearing how [the] guests enjoy the experience. [The staff] put a lot of thought and consideration into every little detail; all those little things that are noticed by the guests.”

Downer also believes that keeping guests satisfied by providing excellent service is the key to being successful.

“The people that work [at Butterfish] are one of my favorite parts of working here,” Downer said. “It is one cohesive group working [together] towards a goal; we all want each other to be successful and that means [that] the working environment is fun and positive.”

Along with supporting local farmers, another important value to Carper and his team is giving back through charity.

“Not only are [Carper and Moser] so supportive, they are also so generous,” Downer said. “They are constantly doing charity events and giving back to our community…it really makes me proud of where I work and who I work with.”