What to Order at The Dead Rabbit

The Dead Rabbit (thedeadrabbit.com) is an Irish bar at 30 Water Street in the Financial District, split across a ground-floor Taproom that runs on walk-ins and an upstairs Parlor that takes reservations for a themed cocktail menu. Drinks International named it the world's best bar at the 2016 World's 50 Best Bars awards, and the two rooms reward two different plans. This guide covers what to drink and eat, how the two rooms work, and how to actually get a Parlor table. DinnerElite tracks The Dead Rabbit and emails you the moment a table opens.

What should you order at The Dead Rabbit?

Start with the Irish Coffee, the drink that made the bar's name. One reviewer called it the best you'll have outside of Ireland, per Feastio's writeup. In the Taproom the Frozen Irish Coffee is the crowd-pleaser, built with Teeling Small Batch whiskey, Mr Black coffee liqueur, cold brew, cane sugar, and cream, and a pint of Guinness off the tap is the traditional pairing. Upstairs the Parlor runs a rotating themed cocktail menu of drinks you will not find downstairs, with recent examples like Kith and Kin and Comfort Zone, plus pre-bottled punches such as the Admiral Vernon's Grog, per Feastio. On the food side the Harp lager battered haddock with mushy peas and Ballymaloe tartar is the fish and chips to get, the slow-cooked lamb shank is the heartier plate, and the bar snacks like smoked almonds and olives round out a round of drinks. Order the Irish Coffee first, then work from there.

What should you know about the room at The Dead Rabbit?

The Dead Rabbit is really two rooms with two systems, and knowing which is which saves you a wasted trip. The ground-floor Taproom looks and feels like a traditional Irish pub, with Guinness on tap and a deep Irish whiskey list, and it runs walk-in only on a first-come, first-served basis. The upstairs Parlor is the quieter cocktail room, and the bar's own materials describe it as its cocktail cathedral. It takes reservations for a menu of drinks not served downstairs. Per the bar's own site checked in mid-July 2026, the Taproom is open 11am to 2am Sunday through Thursday and until 3am Friday and Saturday, while the Parlor runs 5pm to 1am Tuesday through Saturday and 4pm to midnight on Sunday. If you want the full experience, book the Parlor for the cocktails and stop into the Taproom before or after for a Guinness or a Frozen Irish Coffee.

How do you actually get a table at The Dead Rabbit?

The Parlor books on Resy, so the upstairs cocktail room is the one to plan around, while the Taproom stays walk-in only for spontaneous rounds. Parlor reservations run two hours, and the Taproom holds walk-ins to 90 minutes, per the bar's own site checked in mid-July 2026, so a booking buys you both a guaranteed seat and more time. Tables tend to open on the Resy calendar in advance, and diners snap up the weekend slots fast. Cancellations reappear close to the date. That is where DinnerElite helps: we watch the Parlor's Resy availability around the clock and email you the moment a table opens, so you do not have to refresh the app. We send alerts and never book automatically. The one exception is our Expert plan, where a human on our team books hard tables on your behalf. For the Taproom, skip the planning and just walk in early, since the ground floor does not take reservations.

Frequently asked questions

Does The Dead Rabbit take reservations?

The upstairs Parlor takes reservations through Resy, while the ground-floor Taproom is walk-in only, first come, first served, per the bar's own site checked in mid-July 2026. If you want a guaranteed seat, book the Parlor. If you are happy to wait for a spot, the Taproom is the room to walk into.

What is the difference between the Taproom and the Parlor?

The Taproom is the ground-floor Irish pub with Guinness on tap and a walk-in policy, and the Parlor is the upstairs cocktail room that takes reservations for a rotating themed menu of drinks not served downstairs. Pick the Taproom for a casual pint and the Irish Coffee, and book the Parlor when you want the full seated cocktail experience.

What should you drink at The Dead Rabbit?

The Irish Coffee is the signature order, and the Taproom's Frozen Irish Coffee, made with Teeling whiskey, Mr Black coffee liqueur, cold brew, and cream, is the popular warm-weather version. Upstairs, the Parlor's rotating cocktail menu and pre-bottled punches give you a reason to book a table there.

Is The Dead Rabbit worth it?

Drinks International named it the world's best bar at the 2016 World's 50 Best Bars awards, and that win still gets cited in best-bar roundups today. If you just want a Guinness and an Irish Coffee, stop into the walk-in Taproom. If you want a seated night of original cocktails, the upstairs Parlor is worth the reservation.

When is The Dead Rabbit open?

Per the bar's own site checked in mid-July 2026, the Taproom is open 11am to 2am Sunday through Thursday and until 3am on Friday and Saturday, and the Parlor runs 5pm to 1am Tuesday through Saturday and 4pm to midnight on Sunday. The Parlor's later start is worth noting if you are planning an early evening.