The Dead Rabbit

With over 650 reviews of this famous spot, I’m not sure if I’m adding any new here. Anyways, here’s what I experienced for dinner…3.5 stars.
— Downstairs can get WAY too crowded. I’m talking sardine-​packed, unable-​to-​breathe/​unable-​to-​get-​to-​the-​bar crowded. The doorman will give you a vibrating pager (you know, like the ones at The Cheesecake Factory) if there is a wait for upstairs. We waited downstairs for 10 minutes.
— The cocktail menu is overwhelming. Over 60 cocktails to choose from. Not sure why they feel there is a need for so many.
— Despite the place being packed, our food came out super quick.
— The good: corned beef sandwich. The fries they came with tasted like they were frozen, though. Their $ 11 scotch egg was okay, not great.
— The bad: Pork belly sliders had no flavor (no seasoning) and tasted like pure gelatinous fat between two mini hamburger buns.
— The place is very loud, the tables are very close to each other, and it’s very dark. Don’t bring old people.

I’m not a great fan of this place, but we go there quite often …
The cocktails are interesting, but I don’t get to exited over them. Have not tried the food and have no intention doing so.

After seeing Hamilton on Broadway, I’ve been reading the book and listening to the soundtrack and basically obsessed by all things NYC historical, so we got a group of fun people to embark on an historical bar crawl. First stop, The Dead Rabbit. It was packed with (nice) very young people. We barely had a place to stand and I tried several times to get a drink to no avail, so we kept it moving.

Great cocktails and great good.
Came here on a random girls night out. We wanted to stay low key and grab some cocktails locally. The pretty lady and old mule skinner were both solid choices. The pretty lady tasted like cucumber infused water with a punch. The old mule skinner tastes like an adult Moscow Mule. The truffles chips were delicious to much on while sipping on the flavorful cocktails.
Great atmosphere — there’s 3 floors. First floor has a normal bar vibe with variety of beers on tap. Second floor has more seating — usually a wait for this floor. When we went the wait was hour and half for seats. We decided on the third floor which has more of a speakeasy vibe with a great cocktail menu and food. Will definitely recommend for a low key night out.

Getting here is definitely a trek, but I loved the Dead Rabbit’s Irish pub meets killer cocktails bar vibe. It completely lacks the pretentiousness of New York’s bevy of speakeasies, and I love that there are still places where you can get a well-​made, inventive cocktail without dealing with an obnoxious bouncer and a 2 hour wait for a table.
The cocktail menu is VERY extensive so take some time studying before making your choice. Our group tried the Old Mule Skinner, the American Hustle, and the Dutch Courage. Overall, I thought the drinks were pretty good across the board — creative, well-​made, a lot of depth of flavor, and definitely strong. The décor and atmosphere is great too — it’s the kind of place where you can hang out all night and try every drink on the menu.

It’s easy to see why The Dead Rabbit has won so many awards and accolades for their cocktail menu and bar staff. The upstairs Parlor offers a bound drink menu that changes annually, containing eighty drinks divided into seasons. An additional (one would assume more quickly changing) smaller drink menu adds twelve more cocktails to the mix.
Yes, the Taproom is tiny. Yes, the wait for the Parlor can be quite long. Order a beer or two downstairs and maybe an appetizer, suck it up and wait. It is worth it.
My husband and I each had two drinks upstairs. Every drink on the menu is a carefully constructed masterpiece encompassing six to ten (or more) ingredients that combine to make a perfectly balanced and delicious cocktail. I had the Moby Dick and the Sweet Talker. My husband had the Bloodlust and the Poker Face. All four were amazing. We also got a burger to split and it was yummy as well.
The hype is real, folks. The time and energy put into the cocktail menu is worth the $ 15 per drink. Don’t miss The Dead Rabbit when you visit NYC.

I wanted to get in for their happy hour oysters, which are only provided on the second floor and there’s always a wait. But I tried their drinks on their first floor and I had the Nut Job, which was good, it had just enough whiskey and had that walnut taste. My bf had the hummingbird, it was a little sour for my taste.
The floor has cork shavings, which was weird, but I think it helps if any alcohol gets spilled or if the floor gets wet, so it’s not slippery, pretty clever.

My boyfriend and I stopped by The Dead Rabbit for a bloody mary and some snacks before the ferry trip to Ikea. We had left another establishment after we downed their blood mary without the slightest buzz resulting. Yes, I know that makes us sound like alcoholics, but I find Ikea shopping 10x more enjoyable with a little booze on board. Don’t knock it ’til you try it!
The bloody mary at The Dead Rabbit was unique and just strong enough. I’ve never had a bloody mary with the same flavor profile, and I’m not sure if I ever will again. Not that it was bad, it was just really different. I could only describe the favor as having (obviously) a tomato based with strong celery and citrus notes. I know that sounds pretty normal, but it was the ratios of those flavors that really made it unique.
The snacks we ordered were pretty on point. The truffle fries were thankfully not covered in ground parmesan, and only dusted with salt and black pepper. The malt vinegar mayo was the star of the 3 dips, which also included curry mayo and ketchup. We also order the smoked salmon deviled eggs, mostly because I can’t see deviled eggs on a menu and not order them. The salmon roe garnishing them was a little off putting to me personally, due to it causing a stomach turning flashback to a tasting my class and I at The Culinary Institute of America were «subjected» to in the Fish and Seafood Id class. I’m sure most people would love the slightly briny addition of the roe on the eggs, I just need a few more years to get over that traumatizing experience. With only an objective view, they were a nice choice for garnish and seasoning.
Overall, The Dead Rabbit was a great place for getting my much loved Ikea pregame buzz on. If you’re into that sort of thing, or you just like Irish inspired pubs, or places that respect truffle fries enough to not smother them in parmesan cheese, you should definitely stop by.

Fi Di Spot /​/​Speak Easy
Solid Late Night Eats
Whether I am here with my friend who is a regular or with other friends visiting from outside of the city, everyone I have been here with seems to enjoy the craft cocktails and petit menu.
Not a dinner spot, but if you’re hungry and you want something to drink you surely will not starve. The sliders are hearty, as are many other appetizers.
Good for small groups, or grabbing a snack all by your lonesome.
The Scene: Casual/​Hip, Speakeasy, Bar
Destination Rating: 6
Date Rating: 7
Hob Nob Potential: 6
Note: It’s never overcrowded or too loud, the music is great and they make sure all guests have a seat.

Is this place really a hidden gem? This place is small and tucked away in the financial district. My date and I came here a few minutes before it opened up on Christmas day. It was 3:55, and they opened up at 4. I swear by 4:10, there was a wait to get seated. That just shows how 1) popular this place is and 2) how small it is.
The female bartenders are nice and attentive. This place is known for their irish whiskey selections. They have a handful of draft selections and they offer an irish whiskey flight. I asked for the whiskey punch, which seems to be one of their signature drinks. It’s pretty much a hot cider with irish whiskey to spike it up. It’s warm and good and it warms you up on a cold winter day (altho i went on a warm winter day). I hear the «Parlor» (the upstairs bar) is known for their specialty cocktails. Def willing to come back to try the various drink options they have.

The cocktail list is a bound book, if that gives you an idea of how prolific their drink selection is. You pretty much can’t go wrong no matter what you choose, as long as you consult the bartender or waiter beforehand and divulge your taste preferences.
Though this place is renown for their mixology savvy, it also has a surprisingly well-​executed food menu. I enjoyed every bite of an exceptional chicken pot pie, glazed just right on top with just the right level of chicken moistness. I also relished the Scotch egg, which was perfectly soft-​boiled and thus unlike other Scotch eggs I have encountered.
The only downside of this place is that it is featured in many tourist books and resides in the high tourist traffic area of FiDi. Expect a bit of a wait, whether it’s real or for show.
Go for the cocktails, stay for the food… and try not to stuff yourself silly. It’s a challenge.

Fair warning: this review only applies to a private office party in the ‘Occasional Room’ on the top floor, rather than the rest of the establishment.
Our group of 30 or so made its way to the unassuming door of The Dead Rabbit on a warm December night and were lead up two flights of narrow stairs to the cozy bar room. The atmosphere was a classic New York tavern: brick walls with black and white photos, copper pipes, and a sleek bar with an impressive collection of high-​end bottles. The tabletops were already prepped with a few plates of snacks (olives, pickled veggies, and almonds) and we had free range of the beer and highball list.
The Dead Rabbit earned a reputation as ‘the world’s best bar’. While I’m not sure how scientific that ranking is, they take a great deal of pride in their ingredients… and they make a damn fine highball. Each drink on the list (supposedly named after Bowery Boys-​era residents) was made with a top-​shelf liquor and quality mixers, with highlights such as the Battle Annie (12yr Redbreast Irish Whiskey, peat essence, ginger ale) and the Hell-​Cat Maggie (Remy Martin VS, house bitters, lime, and more ginger ale). The bartenders know their craft and were quick to serve up the goods.
Food was far from an after-​thought: in addition to the bar snacks, truffle fries (with curry mayo and house ketchup) made their way out, along with platters of bacon cheeseburger sliders (cooked a perfect medium rare), spring rolls with a tangy dipping sauce, and Scotch quail eggs.
The experience would certainly be different in the Taproom or the Parlour, but the quality of the drinks served is enough of a reason to make the trek.

While visiting the city, a friend and I headed wayyy downtown to check out one of the most famous bars ever. It’s small, very small. We took the 1 train to the last stop, south ferry, and its only a block away.
When you walk in, there’s a door guy/​host who can take your name down to go upstairs to the ‘cocktail bar’. He says its a 2 hour wait, and it really was a 2 hour wait for 2 people. We sat in a crowded little corner on the first level, with 1 small bar. After drinking a couple mediocre drinks (not like the ones you expect for this place) our buzzer went off and made it upstairs. Another very small bar with a few booths and tables. This explains the 2 hour wait: they cant accommodate too many people at a time.
It was around midnight at this point, and we were tired and hungry. We shared a burger and 1 cocktail. A little disappointing, but after waiting 2 hours in a small corner, the dead rabbit lost it’s thrill. I wish I could have enjoyed their ‘seasonal’ cocktail menu book.

They had just started serving brunch on the 3^rd floor when I came, so the service was a bit strange. They are still trying to figure things out. I ordered the French Press coffee, and they said I couldn’t have it because they only served it on the 1^st floor. I ran down there, and they were confused why I would order it there. They ultimately brought the coffee up to me. Seems like a simple enough solution.
The building is historic and looks like it belongs in Boston. I love the southernmost tip of Manhattan because it feels nothing like NY! Cobblestone streets and pubs like this. The first floor is the bar, which has won many awards. But don’t skip the food. I tried the Sunday Prime Rib roast, which was quite good. For $ 30, you have a nice slab with mashed potatoes, carrots, and brussel sprouts. Only served Sunday.
The real surprise is the French toast (corn flake coconut). WOW WOW WOW. Slight crunch on the outside, soft almost creamy inside with a hint of coconuts. Topped by fresh berries, this made my day. I would come here JUST to have the French toast. I guarantee you will think this is among the best French toast you’ve ever had.

Considering the location, the hordes of tourists taking pictures in the front, and the copious amounts of awards obnoxiously emblazoned on the front door — it’s clear that they paid someone off to receive their ‘best cocktails’ accolades.
I ordered the Perfect Lady Royale and it simply tasted like high fructose corn syrup. I asked for another drink because it was that bad and received Ida the Goose (Paloma). Ugh — that was so blasé as well (try the Paloma at Cubana Social in Williamsburg. That is the bomb). These are NOT mixologist drinks.
Now for the worst part of the meal? The truffle chips! Are you kidding me? They were packaged diner fries — one notch above McDonald’s (just go to The Hideaway in TriBeCa for truffle fries).
The ahi tuna salad was also unfresh — we were so done at that point.
We learned our lesson. It is now 2 for 2 for overly-​hyped tourist trap cocktail bars located in Manhattan with the word ‘death’ or ‘dead’ appropriately mentioned in their name. Lesson learned. #neveragain.

Came here for lunch and had a great, quick experience. I ate downstairs and it is a small bar area but a very unique space. The bartender was nice and the food was really good. I had the steak sandwich with extra spicy mayo on the side. Fries were cooked perfectly and the cheese and onions on the steak were to die for! Bread also was super fresh. If I worked down here I would come more often especially because they have an amazing drink menu as well as $ 1 oyster hh!

The Dead Rabbit is a hidden gem in FiDi with legitimate, tasty appetizers and really well-​created cocktails. The entrance is bit tucked away but once the bouncer at the door grants you entrance you’ll immediately forget what neighborhood you’re in.
We were on the second floor, the taproom, at a small raised table though there were spots at the bar and on other floors as well. Our waitress was friendly, sharing her cocktail favorites and commenting helpfully on how many apps would be enough for our group
I’d recommend the Hummingbird (Appleton Estate Reserve Rum, Cana Brava Rum, Orange, Lime, Strawberry, Ginger, Tiki Bitters), or the Perfect Lady (Absolut Citron, Peach, Mint, Jasmine, Lemon, Prosecco) but I tend to like sweet drinks. They were balanced and not overly sweet which was great and while $ 14 a drink isn’t cheap it didn’t feel like a ripoff since they were tasty and strong. My friends liked the Jabberwocky too.
We liked the deviled eggs with salmon roe quite a bit too but I spent more time drinking than eating! Definitely want to return here again soon.

Good hole in the wall bar around FiDi. It’s a speakeasy styled bar so be prepared for the expensive drinks. However, they are super strong! Also, they sell absinthe ;).
It doesn’t get crowded until at least 6PM — 7PM so come early and grab a seat at the bar!
There’s also a good HH Dollar Oysters ($ 1.00 Oysters) section upstairs that opens up at 5PM so make sure to come early and put your name down on the list and grab a buzzer.

Ya les dije que soy amante de la coctelería? Bueno, para mi este lugar era una visita OBLIGATORIA.
Se encuentra en la zona de financial district, para los que alguna vez visitaron Manhattan esta cerquita de la estación del Staten Island Ferry. Por fuera puede pasar desapercibido, tiene una banco (onda de plaza) en la puerta para esperar, cosa que suele pasar a menudo. En la planta baja el bar es muy irish con infinitos tipos de birra (paraíso) y en la piso de arriba la cosa cambia, el ambiente se pone más íntimo y predomina una barra enorme que a todo fan de la bebida blanca deja con la boca abierta. Para ingresar arriba tenés que anotarte en una lista y ellos te van llamando a medida que se desocupa el lugar ya que es muy requerido. Los precios son acordes a NYC, tragos alrededor de 15 dls lo cual es normal para allá. Si bien no hay que ir vestido de manera formal, tampoco es un bar de fútbol así que a no aparecer desprolijo.
Súper recomiendo pasar por este bar si están de visita en esa hermosa ciudad.

My husband and I came here for a drink last weekend on a stop off to somewhere else. I loved the vibe and feel of the place (I didn’t realize it was an Irish bar!). Now I realize we missed out on the best part– upstairs! We had thought there was a private party up there as it was roped off with security, but then saw the buzzers by the door which you get for your wait. It felt very exclusive, I can’t wait to come back again and try upstairs!
The bar downstairs was nice, service could have been quicker. We waited a while to get someone’s attention (we were sat at the bar!), and it wasn’t rammed or anything. Anyway, the atmosphere was great and surroundings interesting. I even spotted a certificate on the wall to show that the film Gangs of New York was filmed here. I’m easily pleased with that sort of thing! There is sawdust on the floor which added a feel to the whole place. Can’t wait to go back & see upstairs!

I’ve been here twice now and am definitely a fan. I’ve only been here for lunch so can only speak to that. I can imagine it gets incredibly busy at night, but during the day, I’ve never had an issue getting a seat upstairs.
Last time, I had the corned beef sandwich which was greasy and delicious. This time, I had the pork belly sliders with quail eggs. FANTASTIC. Having arrived hours before on a red eye, this was totally the perfect dish since it sorta felt brunchy.
The cocktail list is relatively short, but great. I had the SOUR GRAPES (Nolet’s Gin, Lime, Grapefruit, Apple, Tarragon, Burlesque Bitters) and loved it. Well balanced and easy to sip or chug, if it’s that kinda party.
Service is attentive without being obnoxious. Kudos.
Highly recommend.

Accueil sympa, bons produits, cocktails originaux et délicieux, et cadre cool ! Nous y avons mangé un midi en semaine, c’était plutôt tranquille, peu de monde. L’établissement est sur 3 étages, un bar au rez de chaussée et deux salle au dessus. J’imagine que ça doit être bondé en soirée et le weekend !

En mi opinión, el mejor bar de todos los que alguna vez haya visitado. The Dead Rabbit es para empezar, la nueva casa de Jillian Vose, ex bar manager de Death & Co. de quien tengo el placer de ser amigo. El bar tiene dos plantas; la de abajo es un un clásico Irish Pub con una selección agobiante de Cervezas y Whisky. También es el lugar donde podés comer la comida típica de pub en un ambiente ruidoso y alegre. Para ingresar a la planta de arriba (el Cocktail lounge) tenés que anotarte y te van a dar un buzzer que va a sonar y tirar lucer cual plato volador cuando sea tu turno. Una vez que subís, el ambiente cambia completamente y entrás a un ambiente mucho mas íntimo y elegante, donde Jillian te va a hacer delirar con los mas de 80 cocktails de su carta. Ah, mencioné la carta? Es probablemente la mas interesante que haya visto. Es casi una graphic novel que narra la vida de John Morrissey, boxeador irlandés y miembro fundador de los Dead Rabbits (si, la misma banda que viste en Gangs of New York). El arte y la calidad de impresión del libro (porque es enorme) no desentonaría en ninguna comiquería.
Resumiendo: Una experiencia única que merece ser visitada por cualquier amante de la cocktelería que pise New York City. Oh, y ese Irish Coffee…

Daniel at the bar was amazing! Irish coffee is also a must have! Went at Sunday lunch, burger and fish chips were delicious but serving were on the small side.
Ambience is also awesome! A must go on historical side of Lower Manhattan!