124 Old Rabbit Club
(212) 254-0575
124 MacDougal St
New York,
NY
10012
40.7304
-74.0003
Neighborhoods: Greenwich Village, Downtown
What People Are Saying About 124 Old Rabbit Club
The Editor
Joshua Bernstein
Citysearch
In Short
Don't be fooled by the Ethiopian restaurant, which also sports a 124 MacDougal Street address; search for an unmarked black door, slink downstairs and ring the buzzer to enter this shadowy, Euro-beer speakeasy. Barely larger than a subway car, the space--with its tin ceilings, rough brick walls and votives encased in broken bottles--creates a scene that's one part sultry, one part "Hostel" (the movie). But the mood is lightened by the shrine surrounding Brussels' famous peeing-boy statue, which adorns the bar's bathroom.
Hits: You'll finally be able to enjoy stupendous suds in a setting that's not overrun with meatheads singing along to ear-splitting Bon Jovi songs--even in the middle of NYU territory.
Misses: Without a single offering on tap and most bottles flirting with a $10 minimum price tag, you might wonder if Rabbit's just a well-executed gambit to drain your wallet.
(Photo by Randy Reddig, ydnar.com)
User Reviews
algernonnewman
March 23, 2009
I tried to meet my husband at another restaurant owned by the same person, Ravi DeRossi, but the owner blocked the door and wouldn't let me inside until he finished a cell phone call, then screamed "You're a b-tch!" when I told him we were leaving because he had been rude. With so many great NY wine bars, why go to one owned by someone who acts like a thuggish bouncer and verbally abuses women? I prefer places that treat customers like human beings.
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aboone18
December 05, 2008
Hands down the best bar I've ever been to. The beer selection is unlike any other you'll find in NYC, the bartenders are very knowledgeable and friendly and they play amazing music all the time. You'd never know it's there unless you know it's there which keeps it filled but never packed which is nice. The atmosphere is very relaxing great place to go with friends and talk. If you enjoy good beer it's a must.
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Terraplane
July 10, 2008
Great beer, great music, great ambiance, and, surprisingly, great bar food. As you enter the Rabbit, through the anonymous black steel door at the bottom of a flight of stairs, you realize you are in an oasis amidst the cultural desert the is MacDougal Street. One minute your fending off offers of cheap Italian food and free comedy under MacDougal's garish light, the next minute you're in the dark confines of the fashionably dim and richly appointed Rabbit Club, listening to Motorhead and reviewing the voluminous menu of specialty beers. Don't like Motorhead? Don't worry, the ecclectic mix will play something you like. Last time I was there I heard everything from Motorhead and Slayer to R-Kelly and Public Enemy. Amazing. The space is not big but never feels really cramped. There are a few tables in the front and a more secluded booth in the back. The beer selection is amazing. To help you navigate the long and suspiciously foreign beer menu are the bar tenders who act more like sommeliers. They know their beer, and they are very good at matching beer to your taste. Have fun at this place, and bring cash.
read full reviewThe Details on 124 Old Rabbit Club
Food Served:
To combat the high-strength Belgian ales, nab a pretzel-bread sandwich crammed with ham and camembert ($10), sided with chips and pickles.
What to Drink:
Early birds can nab a seat at the brass bar beside fellow suds lovers and sample well-curated wines and quaffs such as Belgium's monk-made Orval ale and Germany's crisp Pinkus pilsner.
Know Before You Go:
124 Old Rabbit Club is cash only, so hit one of MacDougal Street's many ATMs on the way.
Fun Fact:
This subterranean spot once housed the West Village annex to the Bourgeois Pig wine bar.
