High on my craft cocktail bar hotlist has been The Rabbit Hole, the new buzzed-about iteration of The Briar Patch that recently opened at the Madison subdivision known as Lost Rabbit.
As social Delta people who will drive many miles for a good meal, we finally found ourselves on an official Rabbit Hole hunt on a “Thirsty Thursday” night. Off the beaten path, navigation guided us under the Natchez Trace and through a peaceful tree-lined tunnel into the picturesque neighborhood situated along the Ross Barnett Reservoir.
The fact that we were chasing a craft cocktail experience in a residential lifestyle community where most of its patrons arrive by golf cart only sparked our curiosity. Hopping into a living room appointed atmosphere, we were hit with live music blended with mumbled chatter and ice clinking sharply in a cocktail shaker—my kind of Thursday night!
We instantly spotted a few familiar faces, and after gazing around the handsome navy room and perusing the food and cocktail menus, I had a hunch we would meet a few more. The Rabbit Hole is just as warm and inviting as The Briar Patch—a palpable signature hospitality that feels familiar but not copied and pasted.
Local property owners and investors in The Town of Lost Rabbit tapped Brian Isonhood at The Briar Patch to bring his signature Yazoo-style hospitality to Lost Rabbit. Whereas The Briar Patch concept leans into bird hunting with sophistication and Southern charm, The Rabbit Hole draws inspiration from its proximity to the water. (Think Ernest Hemingway.)
However, it’s much more than a neighborhood watering hole with elevated cocktails. The Rabbit Hole is a full-fledged dining destination. With a much bigger kitchen and executive chef Eric Spann, formerly at Char, there are many shareables reminiscent of The Briar Patch, like boards and flatbreads, plus daily specials and mains.
But first, cocktails!
Chloe Winstead, the front-of-the-house sweetheart, comfortably grabbed an extra seat at our table to tell us about Chef Eric’s specials and walk us through the cocktail menu. It’s that kind of relaxed, Southern vibe that the Isonhood Hospitality staff achieves seemingly with ease.
Likewise, Brian’s cocktails are always approachable but creative, allowing the flavors to mingle and shine. Responding to the rise in popularity of tequila, he threw down the gauntlet with The Definitive Ranch Water. The base agave spirit here is Codiga Rosa, a blanco tequila that’s lightly rested in French white oak wine barrels, lending it a pinkish hue. A personal favorite, it’s absolutely beautiful in this Paloma-esque spin on the popular tequila soda—with a touch of orange flower water.
Among the Seasonal Favorites, the Raging Rio is another one of the original tequila cocktails with fresh grapefruit, maraschino liqueur, and Cointreau with a hint of spice from the house-made bell pepper syrup.
Traylor Phelps, hailing pre-pandemic from Parlor Market and known behind the bar for many years at Caet, will lead you to try the Tiki Old Fashioned. With Plantation Stiggin’s Fancy Pineapple Rum at its base, tiki bitters bring out Caribbean spices like cardamon, ginger, and cinnamon. If you appreciate the bright, botanical flavors in a good gin cocktail, the Bee’s Knees, made with Aviation gin, fresh lemon, and local honey from the kitchen, is another Traylor pick, a Prohibition-era classic.
For vodka staples, The Rabbit Hole Martini is your dirty option with Maytag bleu cheese olives, while When Life Gives You Lemons, their popular take on a Lemon Drop with fresh lemon, Limoncello, and ginger liqueur, is the sweeter choice.
If you can’t decide, Harv’s Favorite Flight is a sampling of four signature drinks. We shared a flight to taste a few more cocktails along with the Smoked Brisket Pork Rind Nachos, a round of the Rabbit’s Signature Sliders with blue cheese and “wabbit” sauce, and the Jamaican Street Chicken Wings.
If “going down a rabbit hole” as an internet-era metaphor means finding yourself digging deeper and deeper until ‘lost’ in time, that’s just what we experienced at The Rabbit Hole.
Yep, we indeed met a few new friends by night’s end as expected, and since we had a designated driver, we ordered dessert cocktails to go.
There’s live music every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, and some bunny wants to go back for brunch! The puns are too fun and so is Mississippin’ cocktails at The Rabbit Hole, feeling all warm and fuzzy.
