Laid-back Sanibel Island with its tropical weather, dreamy coastline, endless seashells, and swaying palms has always had plenty of those good-old-fashioned Margaritaville vibes. So the next time you’re looking to waste away again; be certain to head over to 400 Rabbits for one of their colorful and tasty Margarita Flights!
Located at 975 Rabbit Rd on Sanibel Island, Florida (and easily accessible from the Rabbit Road Bike Trail), 400 Rabbits is a Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar well-known for serving up delicious offering composed of quality ingredients, freshly prepared in a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Perhaps a few of you are old enough to remember when this location housed one of the most legendary rum bars of all time — the ORIGINAL Doc Ford’s (which eventually moved to their new location on Tarpon Bay Road and expanded to additional locations on Captiva, Fort Myers Beach, PLUS their newest location on the Downtown St. Pete Pier!)
In late 2020, 400 Rabbits took over the centrally located space (which also has the benefit of plenty of parking) and opened this chef-driven restaurant inspired by the various regions of Mexico. They’ve added their “unique twists to traditional dishes, and shake the freshest margaritas to create a must taste menu in an iconic island location.” And, trust us, when it comes to the drink menu, this restaurant is truly all about the agave!
It delivered a smile to see a fun selection of small batch mezcals (which are so underappreciated); plus a couple of signature mezcal drinks. We gave their Full Mezcal Jacket a try (“400 conejos mezcal, fresh lime juice, agave, soy,
served with cucumber & basil“) and loved the smoky sophistication of the drink!
I have to admit, I was hoping to see a Mad Dog Margarita on the list (“two parts Monte Alban Mezcal, one part Triple Sec, one part fresh lime juice, shaken vigorously with ice and served on the rocks”) — but I guess I just have to wait until my next trip to the Chili Parlor Bar in Austin, TX for that 🙂
And when the Margarita Flight we ordered arrived at the table, we knew we were in for a treat! The presentation was splashed-paint vibrant with each colorful concoction labelled for our tasting convenience.
- BLURRED LIMES: cazadores blanco tequila, agave, fresh lime juice, served with a sea salt rim
- MANGONIFICENT: cazadores blanco tequila, agave, fresh lime juice, mango purée, served with a hibiscus sea salt rim
- THE ITALIAN RABBIT: cazadores blanco tequila, amaretto, agave, fresh lime juice
- PURPLE HAZE: reposado tequila, fresh lime juice, agave, blackberry purée, served with a hibiscus sea salt rim
While my margarita-tasting partner and I both had our personal favorites (Blurred Limes for me and Mangonificent for her), absolutely none of these four flavor bombs went unappreciated!
Next time you’re in the neighborhood, be certain to stop at 400 Rabbits to enjoy the Margarita Flight — and drop us a note to let us know which was your favorite!
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The Myth of the 400 Rabbits
In early 15th century Mexico lived the Aztecs who worshipped a plethora of mythical deities. One of these gods was Mayahuel (maˈjawel), a fiery goddess who ruled both the agave plant and fertility. Now that’s a crazy combination!
Mayahuel gave birth to the Centzon Totochtin (i.e. “400 Rabbits”). In Aztec times, the number used for “infinite” was 400. These 400 thirsty bunnies represented the infinite ways in which people could intoxicate themselves. They traveled throughout the lands visiting lively parties and gatherings while feasting and spreading the gospel of intoxication. It is said that when drinking agave spirits, the 400 Rabbits inhabit us all.
A little of the legendary Jim Morris for your listening pleasure: “I’ve Got This Really Good Tequila In My Room”
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