A New American gastropub called The Addled Bunny is targeting an August opening at 1010 Church St. in downtown Evanston. The restaurant already has its liquor license and city approvals in hand.

Owner Jeremy Adler, a Fifth Ward resident who has spent his adult career in the restaurant and alcohol industries, told the Daily Northwestern that opening his own restaurant has been a lifelong goal. He said he always wanted to do it close to home in Evanston.

The business is registered as Bunny Concepts, LLC. The Evanston City Council unanimously approved a Class C restaurant liquor license for the gastropub at its April 27 meeting, passing the measure on its consent agenda with a 9-0 vote. A Class C license allows alcohol service in a dining establishment.

The Addled Bunny will be located steps from the existing Barn Steakhouse at 1016 Church St., giving the block two full-service restaurants with bar programs.

Downtown dining pipeline

The gastropub is one of several new nightlife-oriented businesses moving through the city's licensing process. At the same April 27 meeting, the council approved an entertainment venue license for Local Note Jazz Club at 1716 Sherman Ave. At its July 13 meeting, the council granted tavern licenses to Goods Parlor & Sound at 915 Chicago Ave. and Anthem Karaoke at 1707 Benson Ave.

The pipeline also includes a forthcoming restaurant from James Beard Award-winning chefs Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark, announced in January 2026. Kim described the concept in a January 6 Evanston RoundTable article as "our version of an American restaurant, inspired by a Midwest sensibility of hospitality." No specific address or opening date has been confirmed for that project.

Adler is targeting August for The Addled Bunny's doors to open. The liquor license and city approvals are already in place.