The World's Best Bar - The Dead Rabbit NYC

New York was the final stop on our honeymoon this September. The end point of a 16-night cross country epic American adventure, we had a brief three-night stopover before heading home. There’s never enough time in New York but I definitely felt that this time.

New York is one of my favourite cities in the world. After holidaying here in 2013, I felt the strongest urge to quit my job, up sticks and move here. I came back down to earth rather quickly once reality set in and I realised there were more than a few things keeping me in Belfast.  

Two Belfast guys with a dream bigger than mine did take the plunge and made The City That Never Sleeps their home a few years back. They’re testament to the fact that if you want something enough and are willing to work your ass off, you can live out your very own American Dream.

Sean Muldoon and Jack McGarry earned their stripes in Belfast’s five-star Merchant Hotel. It was here that I first met them both, in my previous life as a magazine editor. Sean penned some fascinating articles for me on the history of cocktails, probably around seven or eight years ago now. I was impressed then by his passion and knowledge, so when he told me that he and Jack were leaving Belfast for the bright lights of New York to open their own bar, I knew they’d make a big impression. And boy have they.

The Dead Rabbit has racked up more awards than I’m sure they could ever have imagined when they first opened almost four years ago. And to top it off, just a few weeks ago, it was named the World’s Best Bar. I can tell you first hand, it deserves it.

We had such a great time here on our last trip to New York that we made sure it was one of our first stops this time round.

As a general rule, I tend to avoid Irish bars when travelling overseas. Primarily because the tacky ‘Oirish’ décor, laden with Leprechauns and Guinness felt top hats offends my eyes but also because it seems churlish to opt for the familiar when you’re in a new city with so much else to explore.

But The Dead Rabbit is no ordinary Irish bar. In fact, it’s no ordinary bar, full stop. Walk into this small but perfectly formed three story emporium on Water Street in the heart of New York’s financial district and you feel instantly transported, both in time and place.

The Taproom at The Dead Rabbit. Picture courtesy of The Dead Rabbit.

Downstairs, The Taproom is a buzzing, lively spot with the cosy feel of a great Irish pub. The walls, back bar, ceilings and even the rafters are covered with Irish memorabilia from flat caps to what seems like hundreds of old black and white photographs. You get the strong feeling that each and every item has been carefully picked and placed with its own story to tell. The sawdust covering on the floor is likely just for aesthetics though; you won’t want to spill a drop of your drinks here.  

The Taproom at The Dead Rabbit. Picture courtesy of The Dead Rabbit.

My Jimmy Choos admist the sawdust of The Dead Rabbit's Taproom.

Naturally, there’s an impressive selection of Irish whiskeys on the menu. I started with a Battle Annie from the High Ball section of the Taproom drinks menu. Essentially a more refined and sophisticated Whiskey Buck (Whiskey and Ginger) using Redbreast 12 Year Old, peat essence and Blenheim Ginger Ale, this is a zingy and refreshing long drink with the subtle sweet, smoky depth coming from the peat smoke.  It was so good, I opted for a second.

To get upstairs to The Parlour, you have to obtain a buzzer from behind the bar, which sounds when your table is ready. Having been here before, we knew the drill. The buzz downstairs was fantastic, with live trad music sounding from the front of the bar and a lively Labour Day weekend crowd enjoying the thought of a rare Monday morning lie-in but having sampled the cocktails upstairs on our last visit, we were keen to repeat the experience.

The Parlour at The Dead Rabbit, with its impressive Awards collection. Picture courtesy of The Dead Rabbit.

The Taproom at The Dead Rabbit. Picture courtesy of The Dead Rabbit.

Tending The Parlour’s bar was a very friendly bartender, who introduced herself to us as Jess. We later discovered that Jess (Jessica Friedman) is The Dead Rabbit’s assistant manager. It’s clear to see why she’s risen up the ranks; she’s bloody brilliant.

We were handed our copies of the new Dead Rabbit drinks menu, which, like the menus before it, is a real work of art and sure to be a cult collectors’ item. The fourth volume of The Dead Rabbit’s drinks menu takes the form of a serialised graphic novel, released in six parts, every six weeks. Harnessing the creative powerhouse that is Belfast illustrator, Mark Reihill and design and branding consultancy, Drinksology (also based in Belfast), The Dead Rabbit has created yet another stellar list that has both style and substance.

At the time of our visit, the second installment, Betrayal was being served. Throughout the evening, we sampled more than a few of the new creations. As you progress through the menu, you're taken on a journey, helpfully with the lighter libations at the front, progressing on to the harder stuff.

Here are a few of our favourites:

Pop Musik from The Dead Rabbit's drinks menu, volume four. Picture Courtesy of The Dead Rabbit.

Pop Musik - $16

Ingredients: Barbados Rum, Cognac, Cacao, Ginger, Raspberry, Almond, Passionfruit, Lemon, Aromatic Bitters

Taste: Deliciously fruity without being overtly sweet, this is a refreshing yet smooth and incredibly well balanced drink.

God is a DJ - $16

Ingredients: Irish Whiskey, Pale Cream Sherry, Toasted Sesame, Banan, Maple, Cinnamon, Lemon, Pimento Bitters

Taste: Seeing as Dom’s a DJ, I thought it would be rude not to try this one – it’s a bit like the science I employ when picking which horse to back at The Grand National. Thankfully this strategy worked better than at the races and we backed a winner. This drink has great depth of flavour, with each sip revealing a new layer.

Hong Kong Phooey from The Dead Rabbit's drinks menu, volume four. Picture Courtesy of The Dead Rabbit.

Hong Kong Phooey - $16

Ingredients: Panamanian Rum, Caribbean Rum, Aquavit, Avocado, Pistachio, Cream, Lemon, Grapefruit, Bay Leaf Absinthe.

Taste: This is one of Jess’ own creations and was simply divine. I’m not generally a fan of creamy cocktails – blame it on the dodgy pina coladas I drank in my teenage years – but this won me over. There’s no sickly sweetness in this lusciously smooth cocktail and it drinks like a dream. I settled for one though, as it was dangerously easy to drink.

Anyone that knows me, will know I’m a bit of a twitter addict. So, naturally, I was tweeting at several junctures throughout the evening. Not long after we settled at the bar in The Parlour, Jess asked if my name was Sinead. I figured she was manning the Dead Rabbit twitter account and didn’t think too much of it until she started pouring two glasses of champagne and handed them over the bar.

Sean, who had left only 45 minutes before we arrived, had spotted one of my tweets, sent Jess a picture of Dom and I and asked her to give us a complimentary glass of bubbly to toast our honeymoon. It was such a nice touch and is just further proof of the next level service that makes The Dead Rabbit the World’s Best Bar.

The Dead Rabbit will always be at the top of our To-Do list when in New York. Do yourself a favour and make sure it’s at the top of yours too.

There'll be more on our honeymoon adventures soon, so stay tuned to find out more about our incredible coast to coast trip. I'll also be posting about a great night spent in The Dead Rabbit's new sister bar, Blacktail at Pier A, NYC.