A new gastropub called The Addled Bunny opened Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 1010 Church St. in downtown Evanston, filling a storefront that sat empty for six years after That Little Mexican Cafe closed.

Owner Jeremy Adler, a Fifth Ward resident who has spent his career in the restaurant and alcohol industries, brought on roughly 30 employees for the launch, including executive chef Juan Rodriguez and general manager Dana Tourloukis. Tourloukis, also an Evanston resident, has worked at local spots including Smylie Brothers, Bob's Pizza and Bitter Blossom over the past decade.

"One of my biggest concerns was that we wouldn't find enough staff, but I have a really talented crew," Adler told the Evanston Roundtable. "I'm very, very excited for the people that I'm working with."

The restaurant serves New American cuisine and cocktails in a space designer Tom Ullo outfitted with a deco-and-midcentury aesthetic. The menu includes house-made cocktails, clarified milk punches, fried goat cheese with hot honey, a burger with two kinds of onion and a rabbit paella. A signature drink called the Crimson Outlaw anchors the cocktail list.

One dollar from every Golden Burrow Punch sold goes to a rotating monthly charity. The first beneficiary is La Rabida Children's Hospital.

Adler received construction permits in April and encountered several renovation surprises in the long-vacant space, including kitchen equipment he described as useless and a rotted grease trap.

The Addled Bunny sits next door to the new Northlight Theatre, which plans to stage its first show in September. Downtown Evanston Executive Director Andy Vick told the Daily Northwestern in July that the city is poised for a downtown resurgence, citing new nightlife businesses including Northlight, Local Note jazz club and Anthem Karaoke at 1707 Benson Ave.

The restaurant serves brunch, lunch and dinner and stays open as late as midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Within a month or two, Adler plans to launch a cocktail competition: two drinks go head-to-head each month, and the top seller earns a permanent menu spot, replacing the least-ordered cocktail.