Ever have an Irish Coffee at The Dead Rabbit in FiDI? It’s kind of a magical experience.
The beloved Irish cocktail bar that’s been racking up awards (including the World’s Best Bar and Best Bar in North America) since 2013 should be at the top of everyone’s bar bucket list, especially with St. Patrick’s Day coming up.
But have you wondered how the name came to be…because we must admit “The Dead Rabbit” is quite the interesting name for a bar. We break down the lore that dates back nearly 200 years ago.
History behind “The Dead Rabbit”
The award-winning bar traces its original inspiration back to the 1830 – 1850s, when the notorious Irish-American criminal street gang, the Dead Rabbits, were active in Lower Manhattan.
Actually perusing the streets near where the bar’s location is today (Water Street in downtown Manhattan), the notorious gang was synonymous with plenty of chaos in the early New York City days.
The Dead Rabbits were originally formed back when the gang split from another Irish crime organization known as the Road Guards. The unusual name reportedly came from an incident where a dead rabbit was thrown into the center of a gang meeting, which some members interpreted as an omen.
Highly disgruntled, members formed The Dead Rabbits and became one of NYC’s highly profiled Irish gangs – with a dead rabbit on a pike as their battle symbol.
For a few decades the gang, which also became known as the “Mulberry Boys” and “Mulberry Street Boys” by NYPD, became especially active in the Five Points area.
Rivaling another NYC gang known as the Bowery Boys, the two gangs engaged in over 200 battles in a span of 10 years, starting in 1834. Many of them even drew attention from law enforcement and state militias.
Street fighting became synonymous with the Dead Rabbits, which led to plenty of altercations, like a two-day civil disturbance called The Dead Rabbits Riot which evolved from a small-scale street fight into a citywide gang war.
The gang participated heavily into politics too, whose agendas leaned into supporting immigrant groups and minorities – many of them Irish and who had been treated unfairly. Under the leadership of Isaiah Rynders, the gang even acted as violent enforcers during elections, intimidating voters to support their preferred candidates.
By 1866 the group seemingly disbanded, after mentions of the Dead Rabbits as an active organization had disappeared from New York City newspapers.
The Dead Rabbit menu & Secret NYC’s personal picks
Now, some almost 200 years later The Dead Rabbit continues to be one of FiDi’s most sought after reservations. With a menu that spans from taproom cocktails to traditional Irish fare, it’s no secret why it constantly lands on the “50 Best Bars of North America” list every year.
It has both a downstairs taproom and an upstairs cocktail parlor, both which beautifully blends together that old New York Irish vibe with an upscale cocktail bar aesthetic.
Visiting The Dead Rabbit soon? Bookmark our staff-picked recommendations for your next visit:
- Guinness + All-Day Irish Breakfast: Get the full Irish experience by pairing what lives up to “The best Guinness pour in NYC’ title and a hearty breakfast served all day. The plate of eggs, bacon, pudding, beans, and more is one of the best you’ll find in NYC. —Corey Fuller, Staff Writer
- Irish Coffee: Putting an upscale spin on the traditional cocktail is taken incredibly serious here and it shows in the Irish Coffee. They’re seemingly reinventing the delicious layers of an Irish classic. —Corey Fuller, Staff Writer
- Corned Beef Sandwich: Can you ever go wrong with a corned beef sandwich — especially in March? Of course not. For a particularly indulgent lunch, this menu item is the way to go, especially thanks to the slab of homemade coleslaw on each slice of rye bread. —Danielle Valente, Secret NYC Editor
🐇 Make a reservation at The Dead Rabbit
📍 30 Water St