Step Underground Into An Alice-In-Wonderland Restaurant In Colorado Springs

Someone told me about a restaurant beneath downtown where dinner comes with a little Wonderland weirdness. That was enough to get my attention.

You descend below street level, and the ordinary night out starts changing quickly.

Colorado Springs has an underground restaurant where Alice-inspired details make dinner feel like discovering a secret nobody bothered to mention.

The theme gives the room personality without turning the food into an afterthought. That matters.

You can enjoy the strange setting, order a proper meal, and keep noticing playful details between courses.

I would not reveal much more to whoever I brought along. Half the fun would be watching them figure out where dinner is headed.

The Sidewalk Door Nobody Expects

A staircase appears in the pavement like a magic trick. From the street, the whole thing reads as something forgettable, maybe an old utility door or a small kiosk.

Then you spot the red glow. The sign is modest, almost shy, which somehow makes it better.

The first time I passed it, I doubled back twice just to confirm the entrance was real. Down you go, and tiny lights line the stairwell like breadcrumbs.

Sound changes fast on the way down. Traffic noise fades, replaced by a low hum of conversation and clinking plates.

The main entrance uses stairs, but the restaurant has a handicap-accessible alternate entrance. Guests who need it should note that when making a reservation and call on arrival so staff can assist.

The descent is short but oddly ceremonial. By the time you reach the bottom, downtown feels miles away.

Reservations are strongly encouraged, especially on weekends, since this spot fills quickly after opening. You will find The Rabbit Hole tucked beneath the corner at 101 N Tejon St, Colorado Springs.

Gothic Wonderland, Not Kiddie Costume

Forget pastel teacups and cartoon smiles. The design here leans dark, moody, and grown up, which is exactly why it works.

Deep red light washes across low ceilings. Shadows pool in the corners, and every table gets its own pocket of privacy.

Artwork lines the walls with modern takes on Alice and her odd companions, plus playing cards and clocks scattered through the rooms. Nothing screams theme park.

I remember tilting my head at one painting for a solid minute, trying to decide if the rabbit was smiling or smirking. Still undecided.

The low ceiling could feel cramped, but instead it wraps around you. Voices soften and the room takes on a hushed, conspiratorial energy.

Small details do heavy lifting. Lighting placement, framed pieces, and dark surfaces all pull toward the same story.

Colorado has no shortage of themed spots, yet this one avoids the cheese trap entirely. Style stays confident and a bit mysterious.

Bring a phone with a decent low light camera if you want photos, because the room is genuinely dim. Honestly, putting the phone away works better.

Eat Me: Menu Mischief

The menu opens with an invitation to Eat Me, and I respected the commitment immediately. Sections carry playful names: Shareables & Nibbles, Dinner, Dessert, Drink Me.

Cooking here is eclectic New American with real technique behind it. Whiskey sticky ribs, bison short ribs, and a bacon wrapped rabbit meatloaf all show up regularly.

Risotto cakes make a strong opening move. Brussels sprouts currently come with house-made lemon-basil vinaigrette, bacon lardons, parmesan, and pepitas.

Portions run generous, so ordering three appetizers for the table is a legitimate strategy. Truffle mac and cheese also exists, which feels important to mention.

Dessert deserves attention too. Carrot cake and the moon pie both have loyal followings for good reason.

Gluten free options and creative drinks are available, so nobody gets stuck with a sad glass of water.

Once A Morgue

Here is the detail that makes everyone lean in. Long before dinner service, this underground space served as the city morgue.

Odd? Absolutely. Fitting for a Wonderland theme?

Somehow, yes.

The story adds a shiver to the staircase that no decorator could fake. Tales of unexplained happenings still float around the place, part of its folklore.

Downtown buildings in this part of Colorado carry layers of history, and basements often hold the strangest chapters. Repurposing one into a dining room takes nerve.

What surprised me most was how warm the room feels despite that backstory. Nothing morbid, nothing gimmicky.

Instead you get seclusion. Street noise cannot reach you, and conversations stay contained within your own small circle of light.

Being underground changes acoustics in a way surface restaurants rarely match. Sound softens instead of bouncing.

Guests who love a good origin tale will get plenty of mileage out of this one. It is the sort of fact you share halfway through the appetizers. The Rabbit Hole leans into its past rather than hiding it, and the honesty pays off.

Low Light, Low Voices, Big Mood

Ambiance does a lot of talking before anyone opens a menu. Lighting sits low enough that faces glow and the rest of the room blurs pleasantly.

Tables cluster close, yet the arrangement never feels crowded. Each one becomes its own little island.

Music plays underneath the chatter without demanding attention. On busier nights the volume climbs, so this is not always a whisper quiet retreat.

One evening I noticed how everyone leaned in slightly, elbows on the table, heads tilted toward each other. The room encourages that posture.

Temperature can run warm when the place fills up, which is worth knowing before you layer up for a chilly Colorado night. Light clothing under a jacket works best.

Bar seating exists for walk ins, with a couple of first come tables available. Getting one requires luck and decent timing.

Service moves briskly without rushing you out the door. Staff seem genuinely happy to steer indecisive diners toward the good stuff.

The whole environment nudges you to stay longer than planned. Phones go down, stories come out.

Murals That Tell Stories

Art here is not wallpaper. Painted Wonderland figures stretch across walls with a contemporary, slightly eerie edge.

Local artists Phil Lear and Douglas Rouse contributed pieces that anchor the whole visual mood. Their work leans gothic rather than cute.

Vintage clocks and playing card motifs fill the gaps between larger works. Together they build a world instead of decorating a room.

Every visit reveals something previously missed, which is a neat trick for a space this size. A friend once spotted a detail I had walked past twice.

Looking around becomes part of the meal. Between courses, your eyes wander and find new characters staring back.

The artistic choices explain why this place avoids feeling like a costume party. Sophistication comes from restraint.

Anyone with an interest in local creative work will appreciate the effort behind these selections. Supporting Colorado artists inside a dining room is a nice touch.

Ask to be seated where you can see a mural clearly if the wait is short. The view genuinely improves the evening.

The Rabbit Hole treats its walls like chapters, and reading them takes longer than one dinner allows.

Made For Milestone Nights

Certain rooms make ordinary nights feel like occasions. Proposals, anniversaries, and birthdays all land beautifully in a space this theatrical.

Privacy helps enormously. Nobody is broadcasting your moment to the entire dining room, since the lighting keeps everything wonderfully contained.

Staff will add small celebratory touches when you mention an occasion in advance. A decorated dessert goes a long way.

Dress code sits at smart casual, so you can look sharp without feeling fussy. Jeans and a nice top fit right in.

First dates do well here too, mostly because there is always something to talk about. The artwork alone supplies twenty minutes of conversation.

Book ahead. Tables go quickly, and hoping for luck on a Saturday is optimistic at best.

Doors open at four in the afternoon daily, with service running until half past ten. Early seatings tend to be calmer if you want quieter surroundings.

My favorite moment was watching a table across the room raise their glasses for something clearly meaningful. Nobody stared, everyone just smiled.

A Downtown Favorite Since 2011

Staying power says plenty about a restaurant. Owner Joe Campana opened the doors back in 2011 with a clear vision for eclectic New American cooking in a gothic setting.

More than a decade later, the concept still draws crowds nightly. That is no small feat downtown.

Locals sometimes call it one of the city’s best kept secrets, though the busy dining room suggests the secret escaped years ago. Visitors from across Colorado make the trip specifically for a table.

What keeps it working is focus. The kitchen and the design pull in the same direction instead of chasing trends.

You will find the restaurant on the corner of Tejon Street, easy to reach on foot from theaters, shops, and nearby parking. Pairing dinner with a show downtown is a solid plan.

Thursday evenings get busy by half past six, so aim earlier or reserve. Weekends require planning, full stop.

Something about this basement keeps people coming back with new friends in tow. Everyone wants to be the one who introduces it.