Updated July 17th 2026
Published March 20th 2026
Behind an unmarked door, candlelight, classics reimagined and absinthe rituals deliver one of the city’s most transportive nights out
Jackalope
📍 Hidden below Sparks Street
Tuesday to Thursday from 5 pm to 11 pm
Friday & Saturday from 7 pm to 2 am
Closed Sunday & Monday
There’s a certain thrill in stepping through an unmarked door and down an elevator to find a hidden bar. The kind of thrill that makes an ordinary night out feel like an adventure straight out of a Mad Men episode.
Jackalope, which opened in early 2020 (mere weeks before the first Covid lockdown), has become Ottawa’s favourite speakeasy. A sister to Rabbit Hole, it has since refined itself into one of the city’s most distinctive cocktail experiences. I’ve visited often enough to watch it evolve, and somehow, each return still carries the same sense of discovery as the first.
True to speakeasy form, there are no windows. Sunlight never intrudes, and the atmosphere remains constant from open to close. Tea candles flicker against dark walls, casting this cellar in a glow that feels conspiratorial. At Jackalope, it is always moody.
Behind the bar, you will often find Kiara Dana A master of her craft. Deeply knowledgeable, she steers guests toward the right drink and goes off-menu when the situation requires.
The layout accommodates both the social guest and the solo drinker. Bar seats are prime real estate: close enough to watch the team at work, and, in calmer moments, close enough for conversation with the bartenders. Overseeing it all are two jackalope heads, the bar’s most intriguing decor item. Alternatively, a narrow curving corridor lined with vintage furniture and candlelight offers something more intimate.
The cocktail program, is experimental and seasonal. Eight signature cocktails, priced between $23 and $26, sit above market average, but the craftsmanship justifies it. Expect fat-washed, infused, and clarified spirits; in-house syrups, shrubs, and other intriguing ingredients.
To truly experience Jackalope, request the Absinth Fountain. Few establishments offer a proper absinthe louching ritual. Four absinthes are available, ranging from 110 to 140 proof. We selected Quebec-made 110-proof Sang d’Ange ($22) and France-made 124-proof Lucid ($26). Served in traditional Pontarlier bubble glassware, water drips slowly from a handcrafted brass fountain, dissolving a sugar cube resting on an absinthe spoon. The transformation is gradual and theatrical — the spirit clouds into a cold, sweet, licorice-forward libation known as the louche. It is a ritual as much as it is a drink.
Mexico ($23): Created by Kiara, this cocktail opens with sweet perfume and warm toffee notes. Licor 43 meets churro-infused reposado tequila and cinnamon syrup, resulting in a drink that is indulgent yet remarkably easy to enjoy.
France ($26): A slow sipper for Grand Marnier lovers. Georges Haddad builds this spirit-forward cocktail with pronounced orange peel oil aromatics and a subtle duck fat undertone. The result feels like an elevated, beautifully balanced dry curaçao with a long, smooth finish.
Japan ($25): For the more adventurous palate. Savoury at first impression, with Japanese soya sauce notes on the nose. Kiara Dana blends Toki whisky, coffee, and miso into something harmonious.
Nice to know: Wednesdays offer half-price whisky.
Jackalope succeeds not only because it is hidden, but because it understands why we seek places like this in the first place: Intimacy, craft and a sense of being somewhere secret. It holds its own against world-class bars in both design and execution.
If you plan to visit, book online via Rabbit Hole’s website.
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