A Drink at the White Rabbit Cabaret

People, Fountain Square is fantastic. In addition to my favorite rock music venue (with my favorite bar bathrooms) Radio Radio, they've got delightful little and large restaurants. The neighborhood hosts the Tonic Ball. Fountain Square residents walk around on their sidewalks and happily chat up neighbors and strangers alike. It's got a good vibe, a mix of arty, folksy, edgy and welcoming. 

 White Rabbit's killer neon sign

Given these qualities, it should be no surprise that one of the newest additions to the neighborhood - the White Rabbit Cabaret - is a great place to catch a burlesque or low-key songwriter show - or, in my case, just get a drink with my guy on a quiet, show-less night. (If you're wondering about the other new addition to Fountain Square, the New Day Meadery tasting room, I'll be getting to that in another post soon.)

With a great selection of craft beers, as well as select wine and sake choices, this is a great post-work stop on a weekday night. While the room is definitely designed for a much larger crowd (fire marshall capacity is 175 people), the friendly service and other patrons made it feel cozy and comfortable. Our bartender-operator, Andrew, was fun to talk to, shared some upcoming ideas for enhancing the already-impressive selection. 

My Zipang - with a backdrop of the bottled beer selection

But onto the drinks: Andrew let us have a sample of the on-tap New Albanian's Beak's Best - a nice combination of a hoppy first-taste with a bitter finish. Though that was tasty, Ben ended up getting a glass of the Sun King Firefly Wheat - also on tap (as was PBR). I got a mini-bottle of Zipang sparkling sake, which was a pleasant surprise to me, combining sweetness with a borderline-buttery taste and a slow stream of tiny bubbles. They also have a great list of bottled craft beers - seems like a fun place to explore new lines from all across the country, as well as some international brews.

While I'm excited to head back when they have a show - check out the calendar for the crazy-fun and often risque shows - I also think this is a great place to wind down on a weeknight. Plus, they toss out calendar updates, good specials and drink updates on their Facebook page on a semi-regular basis, so it's easy to stay in the loop.

Location: 1116 Prospect St. Indianapolis, IN and/or the door underneath the neon white rabbit