124 Old Rabbit Club

It’s an institutional bar in west village. Hard to find door (which makes it even cooler). We lived the atmosphere and beer selection, they have like 100 different kinds and every week they get new ones. I think it’s a good stop before or after dinner in one of the restaurants in west villages

My go-to pitstop in manhattan - loud punk rock, dim lights, chilled läger and sweet company. Will always come back for more!

Ask for everything and expect even more! Charlie has an innate gift of curating the best brew option on the drink menu based on your taste palate!! I don’t normally leave reviews but after three visits Charlie has never let me or my date down ;) amazing service with a smile

Can safely pin it as my fav bar in the manhattan after going here once. PROPER hole in the wall!

Dropped in last night. Mad at myself for not going sooner. Bartender friendly and really knows beer. Great storyteller. Venue is it's own story for those that don't know it's role in beat and jazz history. Can't wait to go back.

THIS PLACE IS A FUN HOLE IN THE WALL WITH GREAT SERVICE FROM A WONDERFUL BARTENDER. I ONLY GAVE 1 STAR FOR THE FOOD BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE ANY FOOD. BE WARNED, THEY ONLY SERVE WINE 🍷 AND BEER 🍺. NO HARD ALCOHOL. THE CHEAPEST BEER IS $20 SO BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERSPEND. I LOVE THE ATMOSPHERE AND THE MUSIC.

Very hidden spot in the busy MacDougal street, you will almost certainly miss it. It's below street level, once you are in, you ll find this cozy, dim light bar that service crafted beer with long list of choices you can select from. Bartender was friendly and service was good. Will recommend the owner to work on the music though, it was very loud club techno. Had a Belgium beer which was good.

Cool, hidden spot. Great selection of beers and some good wines. They don’t serve hard liquor. The pictures of the rabbits everywhere is the best. Really lovely bar tender. Music is loud and different which I loved.

I'd have to say one of my favorite bars. They also accept credit card now which is a win! Yes, it's dark. Yes, it's cramped. One might even consider it spooky. But, definitely good vibes. I'd only stay though if I knew I can get a seat - standing in the cramp hallway is not the way I'd want to spend my night.

Came by on a whim as we waited for our table to open up at a nearby boardgame cafe. Love the neighborhood and wanted to give this spot a try. It's true what they say in other reviews - you'll miss the entrance if you don't know where to look. So in that sense, plus the dim lighting in the bar once you're inside, it does feel a bit like a secret spot. There's a couple small tables for groups to sit around, but most folks just take a seat at the bar. It's dim, slightly dingy, but fun - with lots of references to rabbits along the walls and above the bar. The staff are nice and friendly, and they specialize in imported beers from Belgium, Germany etc. - though we just got a couple ciders. Fairly pricey but good overall. The bathroom is just as much of an experience as the rest of the place. In any case it's a neat, tucked-away spot in a fun part of town. If you're looking for a place to relax and have a unique beer at, this is the spot for you.

I feel like I want to like this place more than I do. I keep coming back here despite not being that impressed? Also, I find no reason to give them 3/5 stars. So-- maybe a 3.4/5 Yes, the underground "speakeasy" aspect of it has kept it safe from the young people for a while. I suspect it's been posted about on tiktok because the past three times, it's been filled with really young people that are loud af. The space is cool, but not managed well. It should be a mostly sitting bar, but the bartenders just let people cram themselves in, which can make getting to the bathroom a hellish activity. Sometimes you'll get a really nice bartender, other times you'll get a guy that's a complete douche, super dismissive, and slow af because he's talking to his friends right next to you. Never understood why some bartenders tend to their friends before customers? Your friends are gonna still be there after you serve me a pint? The selection is all beer. I find it lacking in good/high quality sours. I also feel like they don't update the menu enough.

5 stars for cool underground speakeasy vibe. 5 stars for making me feel like I'm in the Matrix. 5 stars for service. 1 star for being nearly impossible to locate. 1 star for only serving wine and beer. There's no liquor served here. But if you want an adventure, and want wine or beer, follow the white rabbit.

For a place of its size, old rabbit club has a pretty good list of beer. The place is small and dark, but not in a bad way! Great place for a quick drink and the prices are right.

124 Old Rabbit Club is a really cool spot! We randomly ended up here on a Saturday night around 10:45pm after grabbing a quick slice at Joe's Pizza. Our party of four got the last available seats. We only stayed for one drink, but it was memorable. I loved the decor and ambience. Definitely unique. If you're in the area, I'd recommend stopping in and checking this place out.

Going to this bar was honestly such a strange, but fun experience! I got the lychee seltzer and it was good!

Had a beer at 124 Old Rabbit Club on Friday evening. The beer list is awesome, I just wish more were on draft and that the bar embraced more of its uniqueness by not just catering to the overwhelming college crowd. Quality: They definitely spent the time to pick out high quality beers for the menu and provide excellent descriptions. The problem however is with the massive beer scene in NYC and the very limited draft options here, the bar does not have the same unique appeal as other beer bars. Quantity: Size is listed on the menu. Value: $8-$15 for most Beers, primarily served in cans and bottles. Ambiance: 124 Old Rabbit Club is a beer bar located in Greenwich Village. It is a dark, graffiti filled, basement bar, just steps from NYU. It gives off dive and metal bar vibes, and the beer selection is large and diverse. However, it has the same college-aged crowd as the rest of the area and when other places get busy overflow seems to land here. Crowd: Felt packed even with just a few other guests. Service: Quirky bartender who was still learning the setup. Parking: Near impossible street parking.

Long-standing craft beer bar that sits at down a flight of steep stairs, off teeming, hectic MacDougal Street. It's quite a change of pace, just down those few stairs, entering a much quieter subterranean space, cave-like and dim-lit. The decor is funky, the wall on the bar side cluttered with knickknacks, stickers, pictures, and drawings, over exposed brick, subway tiles, and worn wood. Seats at a narrow bar and two small tables by the door. Usually serviced by one person at the bar (never visited weekends). In 10 years of occasional visits, the distinctive vibe doesn't change, but the deep, lengthy, and interesting beer menu does. Primarily bottles and cans. Always a great selection of Belgians; bring a fellow Belgian fan to share some of the fun, large formats. Generous European representation overall. There are plenty of good, newer local crafts, but not their focus as with many bottle shops around town. Beer selection is well-represented across multiple styles, including malty brews and schwarzbiers, which get less love at other bars. All served in an assortment of eclectic beer glasses. As close to a beer speakeasy as NYC has. Not a very comfortable space, truly a hideaway for geeks or open-minded beer curious. Superb beer list.

I love this hidden gem on MacDougal Street. Although there isn't much seating and the drinks are rather expensive, this hidden speak easy like club is a home away from home for any Alice and Wonderland fanatic. Price: $$-$$$ Food: Limited Menu Seating: Limited Bathrooms: Men's and Women's, Customers Only! Beer/Wine: Huge craft beer list, fantastic wine list, NO SPIRITS.

Descending into total darkness gives this dive some speak east vibes. I've been here a couple times while visiting the city and both times were fantastic. It's super tiny inside so fills up quickly and the beer menu gives a lot of options. Check it out.

What a fun place. It is considered a speakeasy. You go downstairs to a dark small bar. The music is great. The bartender was very friendly. I would definitely go back.

Excellent beer "speakeasy." The space is small and dark, but has a ton of personality. Service and drinks are consistently good.

Interesting bar. Dark, small and crowded - but worth the visit! Lots of Belgian beers and one friendly bartender. Although it was a busy night, he managed to still be pleasant. It can be uncomfortable to stand if you aren't able to get a seat. This is only because of how small the space is. You will get to know the person next you well.

Can never pass up the opportunity to go to a famous beer bar. 124 was... not what I expected. It's a semi-subterranean bar that's super narrow and DARK. You can't really see anything without the candle lighting. It makes ordering beers quite a task, especially since their menu is very extensive and has a TON of awesome beers with descriptions you probably want to read. Only stayed for a couple. Bartender was cool. Beers were reasonably priced (for being semi-hard to find, not... in the grand scheme of all beers).

I wish I could give this bar no stars but unfortunately that option isn't available. Cool little bar but unbelievably rude bar staff, he just asked us to leave, fortunately I had finished my drink and was leaving anyway. When I questioned why he asked us to leave he refused to give me an answer. I have absolutely no idea why he asked us to go, my only thought is I tapped the bar twice along to a song....so so odd. Shame we'd already paid and left a tip! We are over from UK and needless to say I will not be recommending this place to anyone coming over and I will advise Lonelyplanet to take it out of their book

Dark and Creepy = Cool Great bottle list. Draughts are limited to 3-4 options usually. Dive-y, hole-in-the-wall joint to grab some beers before or after the comedy cellar. They actively seem to work to keep the riff-raff out though. The only thing that worries me is that this place may only attract the "over educated." Which sometimes means snobs. The bartender was also a little dry, but if you like a dark dives bar setting this place will fit you ok. Thanks

Small. Dark. The bartender looked like a serial killer. Makes for a great spot to stop! Live a little! I love how the space is used.The old window holes are cushioned for extra seating. There is a small table in the back. Is that a picture drawn on an old piece of cardboard from a 30 rack? Yes it is, and also in the classiest duct tape frame I have ever laid eyes on! If you're claustrophobia- just say no like Punkie in the 80's.

Do not go on Mondays. I walked in for a date, put my stuff down, and walked to the bathroom. The door was locked and the bartender said something along the lines of "bathroom is for paying customers only". The bar was empty and I was going to be the only paying customer. Unfortunately, the bartender was incredibly rude so I left. And he got to continue reading his book alone like he probably wanted.

My friend and I came here for a quick beer and had a great time! It was about 9:45pm on a Friday and was super crowded, but luckily two people were leaving the bar almost as soon as we walked in so we were able to snag a spot. I really love speakeasies but prefer beer to cocktails, so this was the perfect spot for me! Once you go down the steps and enter the indistinguishable door, you walk into a space that's dark and small, but it's all part of the charm. They had a great selection of beer (all in cans/bottles), but it was definitely on the pricey side. The music was excellent and the bartenders were very friendly and entertaining. Overall, I highly recommend this spot for smaller groups (2-3 people) who want a great place to try some unique beers!

This bar is a gem on Macdougal street. It's fairly non descript on the outside and actually difficult to find. It's very dimly lit on the inside with a more hushed vibe. A few lights here and there with some candle lighting as well. It's fairly warm inside because there was a large heater near the entrance wall. Large selection of Belgian beers and other beers with a fairly limited wine selection. I went with the Trappistes Rochefort 10, which is a Belgium Quad. I don't think I've ever paid this much for a bottled beer before, but I do love my strong dark ales. It always has such a smooth, full bodied, low in bitterness taste and yet it's significantly stronger than your average beer. (This quad was 11.3%) One thing that stood out to me was sitting at the end of the bar allows you to see all the way down the dimly lit bar. This corner spot is also good for a group of 3/4. Makes it much easier to speak to one another. Bartenders here were friendly and never pressured us to order more.

Just an update to my last review. I still have my adorations for Old Rabbit Club; it has craft beers, it's a speakeasy, it's a dark (very dark) space. Note that their draft is very limited, and it's mostly cans and bottles but of often hard to find (but not impossible) craft beers. My initial love for this place came from their impressive list of Belgians but a good variety of them. Their list has expanded since, as they include more local breweries. On a Friday night, we were lucky enough to grab seats as people were just about to leave. The place hasn't changed much and is what I came to expect; it's still very dark and cramped, and the music is loud. Out of the few beers I ordered, they didn't have maybe 2 or 3 of them, which was a little annoying but I was happy to take their suggested alternatives. All were pretty great but towards the end, maybe 3 beers in, our bartender was getting sloppy and completely ignored us while tending to other customers. He replaced one of the beers I asked for with a completely different alternate. I initially asked for a DIPA Grimm which was replaced by a Session. It went unnoticed because he opened the can before I could say anything. Not to be a beer snob (which I am), I was completely annoyed by this as it wasn't what I asked for. Flavor palette is different, and we're also talking an 8% ABV vs 4%, which is not a small difference. Ultimately he said he wouldn't charge for the other beer after I brought it up, but that doesn't discount the fact I was being served a completely different beer but for the same price as the other one. Beer is beer you say, but it's more the lack of service and trust that aggravated me. Our bartender was just unknowingly rude. With the craft beer scene getting bigger and more popular, there are more craft beer bars now, and I feel I've less a reason to return to Old Rabbit unless they work on their service and availability. I felt completely snubbed that night for a number of reasons, and I didn't entirely appreciate that half of their menu was actually out of stock. All in all, I still have my old adorations for this bar, but my last recent visit has left me a bit sour. Hopefully it'll be a better experience next time.

I don't understand why this place has the reviews it does. This place fits the definition of hole in the wall. The place is small, very dark and uninviting. I love speakeasies and was excited to try this place out after a friend mentioned it. There's steps leading up to the bar and you don't see a name outside making it hard to find the place. Once you step inside, it's warm but the darkness made me want to leave right away. They have a large selection of beers, we had a dark ale which was strong and wasn't bitter. Also the place is cash only so we had to rush to find an ATM in the area before we got here.

cool, divey and cash only place. Huge collection of beers.

They have a large selection of beers. I had one of the Belgium beers and it's just alright. Located in edge of Greenwich Village, it's just as crowded as any other bars. Overall, not a big fan.

Another Yelper had it right: the Donnie Darko of Speakeasys. I spent many nights in college staying with my cousin on Minetta Lane and Bleaker. So to see this place converted into something new was exciting. They've been open for more than 5 years and seem to have found the perfect spot. They open at 6:00 PM on Friday, and not a minute before. There's no sign on the door, just a painting of a white rabbit on the door. It was snowing and there were two policeman on horseback standing at MacDougal and Minetta, just to make things a little more surreal. :) There's one long bowling lane of a bar with a table for 4 at each end. We had a seat and talked to the two friendliest barkeeps in the city. I had the Evil Twin Hipster beer, which I recommend. You should definitely check out the creepy mannequin art in the bathroom before you leave.

We stumbled upon this bar after dinner. It is down some steps and does not have much identifying it other than a rabbit. It is below street level, long, narrow, and very dark. There is the lighting but it is very low and takes a while to adjust your eyesight. The bartender uses a flashlight to find the beers. The air conditioning did not seem to work well while we were there. It was warm but not uncomfortable. We were lucky and able to get a table near the front as we were a group of 4. There were leftover beers and glasses from the parties before us so I moved all of this onto the bar and it was then cleared away. It was less crowded given the amount of space and a nice place to chat.

An interesting selection of beers at a nearly hidden bar makes this place worth checking out. But the dark abandoned labyrinth aesthetic seems to be taken too far in that the AC wasn't really doing much and the lights are set so low that unless you're seated right by a candle and are willing to futz around with it, the menu is actually unreadable. I don't think 15% more light would kill the vibe.

Hidden amongst the madness that is MacDougal Street, lies the only "Speakeasy" Bar I can think of that directly borders NYU.. Walk down the steep black steps and you'll enter a pretty damn cool Beer Bar. It's dark and a bit cramped.. I think the perfect lighting for a date. It feels more Brooklyn than Greenwich Village, but that's okay. While the beers are a bit on the pricey side, you can get some awesome choices like Duvel and some other Belgian/UK brands which aren't as common in every NYC bar. Not advised for big groups at all, especially on the weekends. Come to wow your out of town friends.

I've got to be honest: I wasn't a fan of this place. Old Rabbit Club is housed within the old Bourgeois Pig space here down by NYU. It's unmarked from the street, very dark, and very cramped. It's essentially a speakeasy for beer, but with none of the positives of an actual speakeasy. Due to it being cramped, expect to sweat on top of the person next to you. Service was terrible--an impressive feat given how physical close to end up being to the bartenders. Basically the snobby craft beer nerds manning the place took care of a few select patrons who they seemed to know and left us largely to ourselves. If you asked for a recommendation, it was abundantly clear that they were doing you a favor. It took forever to order, get an actual drink, and also to leave. As for the beer list, it was good but not great in theory. The one beer (Other Half) they had on draft was tapped out, which they discovered when they tried pouring it a full 15 minutes after I'd ordered it (noticing a theme?). Their bottle lists was full of holes as they didn't have a number of the bottles listed. I was okay once I found a few bottles that they did have, but for the prices I was paying I should've been wowed and I was not--not even close. Beer in a speakeasy environment doesn't work to begin with because beer is inherently cheaper (even world class beers) and the bartenders don't do anything to it but serve it, but add in a poorly executed speakeasy environmen with bad bartending and you have a straight up loser of an experience. There are too many great beer bars in NYC to put up with this.

I'm a fan of this divey beer bar. I've stayed in West Village my last three trips to NYC and have come here twice. They have a great selection of craft beers that change regularly. It is a dark, intimate bar, so it's perfect for a date as long as both parties like beer of course. You won't find domestics here, so explore the craft beer offerings and you'll surely find something to enjoy. Sam the bartender plays great music too! My only criticism is the bathroom is kinda creepy and dirty, but that comes with the dive bar territory I suppose.

I love this place! Really a hidden gem on MacDougal Street -- even knowing where it is, I always end up accidentally walking past it. The door is unmarked, except for the rabbit painted on the wall, and it's a narrow, basement space. When you go inside, there's very minimal lighting (also very minimal seating), so there's definitely a dark, intimate vibe. Basically a divey speakeasy serving lots of unique craft beers -- it can definitely get pricey here, with most of the beers served being $13-20ish a bottle, but they also have some good picks in the $7-8 range! I had a great peach beer the last time I was here. It does get a little cramped in here for groups -- there are only 2 tables which can accomodate more people (4 max), and though there is a little bit of standing room in the back, you will constantly be elbowing people going to the bathroom, or people sitting at the end of the bar. Fun place for a stop on a date if you're into beer though!

Come here for: cool grunge vibe, pretentious beers in an unpretentious space Food: this place is beer only! (Ok there is an asterisk for some wine, but very little and try not to be THAT person) they specialize in European beers, mostly Belgian. No American craft that I saw Service: casual and easy going, the menu isn't helpful for people who don't know European beers well but the staff is if you ask Decor: dungeon! It's a narrow small casual space, I appreciated the closeness feeling. Came here not in the summer so I'm not sure how that closeness feels when it's 90+ outside

Cash only. Hard to find - totally walked past it. Look for a staircase leading down to a door. Cool beer selection. The vibe is super dark (which I love because brightly lit bars are THE WORST). It's small and narrow too which I don't love. However, I really enjoyed the atmosphere here. Service was friendly. It wasn't crowded when I came (on a Saturday night) but I assume people just couldn't find it or something.

Love Love Love. Heady topper in NYC for $13? Worth. Great list of beers, dark and intimate yet it's cancelled out by the music that they play. I don't really mind though - especially when you feel like you're being teleported to a completely different state and forget that you're actually in the middle of greenwich village. Locals seem to love this spot and stay until they find themselves satisfied (saw multiple people with ~6 empty cans by their side) Will be back with beer-loving friends.

Such an extensive beer list and the bartender was very knowledgeable about the menu. A very nice, cool, and small speakeasy that attracts beer enthusiasts. Ok, now let's talk about the bathroom. It's horrifying and I thought I was going to be demonically possessed. Why, you may ask? Well perhaps it's the naked baby doll that's locked in a cage with black eyes. The dark/dim light. How small it is. The concentrate dungeon feel of it. I loved this bar tho!!

This place is an itty bitty beer palace that was not on my radar until two days ago. It's essentially a speakeasy...but with beer. Lots and lots of beer. More beer than speakeasies have cocktails. The best part? I'm not sure I recognized any beer on the menu. Novelty and allure are, well, novel and alluring. So I was hooked even before trying anything. The dichotomy of MacDougal truly amazes me. It houses a dynamite cocktail bar, The Up & Up, as well as this joint. In the East Village, both of these places would be suffocatingly crowded and/or would have pretty long wait times. But on a street populated by what seems to be the entirety of NYU on any given night, these two places are strangely not that full. Not that I'm complaining - if the Old Rabbit Club had been packed/rowdy when we went (granted, we were there during the wee hours of the morning), I probably would've knocked a star off this review. But it wasn't. Dark, cozy, hidden and the polar opposite of what I like to call MacDougal Mayhem. While the space itself is tiny, the beer menu is expansive. Like I said, they all were completely alien to me. Belgian tripels are my go-to beers, so I figured telling the bartender that would suffice for him to find me something comparable. Thanks to the app Untappd (would highly recommend it), I've started tracking the different beers I try at these types of places. So despite me being, as my friend put it, "droopy" by the end of the night (due to exhaustion, no inebriation, thankfully), I still took note of what I was served - Gouden Carolus Tripel brewed at "Brouweij Het Anker" in Belgium. If you're a fan of dark and/or Belgian beers, this one has my vote.

Its a good place to hang out with your friends. Small, dim lit, relatively loud music.. but definitely a place where you can $hit talk with your friends. The entrance and setup makes it look like a speak easy bar, but it isn't. Again, as compared to the rather difficult to get into speak easy bars in NY, this one has the vibe and easy to get into! It's a CASH ONLY place. Great beer selection, just 2 beers on tap, and some wines. Most of the beers are European. I tried really hard to enjoy this place, but it never grew on me.. the only plus point is, you can get piss drunk, walk across the street and get some extremely unhealthy food at Mamoun's for a perfect drinking night!

Tiniest of bars with the greatest options for beer and chill bartenders that know they're shizz love this joint not much more to say... go fall down this rabbit hole. Clean bathroom esp for a bar

I wish I could give this place no stars because the bartender here is the worst. Apparently the bartender was very offended because my friend said something nice about Ivanka Trump and he was so upset that instead of having a discussion he just kicked us out. (We are not even Trump supporters) I have lived half my life in NYC and never been kicked out of a bar for having a friendly discussion with my friends over a beer. We were not even offending any other patrons and we were not even drunk or rowdy. He was absolutely the worst, rudest bartender I have ever met in NYC. This place should have a warning sign saying "Freedom of speech isn't allowed at this bar"

I think I'm in love. Great beer selection. Like a beer speakeasy joint. Cash only. Can I move in tomorrow? As I wandered into this subterranean haunt I needed to adjust my eyes for a minute before I walked into a wall, chair, person....... It's damn dark in here! It was early evening on a weekday and the place was packed. It's small and narrow so scoring a spot at the bar is at a premium. Almost claustrophobic like. If you can belly up to the bar hold onto that spot for dear life. I got lucky and grabbed a stool along the candlelit bar. Mine! Mine! Mine! Was greeted by the friendly barkeep who handed me a menu of their extensive quality craft beer list. Had to move a candle on top of it to actually be able to read it. Eff that - I turned on my flashlight ap on my phone so I could see. All beer here, no hard liquor. For those complaining that there is no booze here please head on over to the multitude of other cookie cutter bars in the city to get your Cosmo or Jager shots, as the beer list here is pretty eclectic and wonderful. Not a place for loud groups or frat buddies partying hard, but more for a drink with a friend or date who can appreciate a good beer over conversation. It can get a bit warm in here though so dress light. As I stated, the 124 Old Rabbit Club offers a terrific selection of beers from imports to domestics. They even have the specialty glasses that some are to be poured into. So key! I quite enjoyed my Belgian beer while listening to old punk and indie rock. A beer here is not on the cheap side, but you are paying for quality, and the devine atmosphere that helps keep the bridge and tunnel riff raff away. So worth it for a few extra shekels. Take a chance on this craft brew emporium secretly hidden in plain sight, and scurry down the rabbit hole into the catacombed madness that is Alice in Beer Wonderland. Dark, a bit seedy, maybe even reminds one of a sex club that you have innocently wandered into, but are willing to stay awhile and explore what they have to offer.

The mood melancholic, dark and dank. No signs, dungeon-like and barely-lit. A perfect spot to reunite with an old friend over tall glasses of European brews. They have a great selection of Belgian and German beers. Don't bother with cocktails or wines. The bathroom has a shrine clearly dedicated to the Beer God, with beer bottles elegantly shrewn all over. I worship you, Beer God. You take away all sorrow and pain and leave only numbness and euphoria. Beer, the cure-all and the anaesthesia of all human suffering. (Well crack can also do this, but I gave that up during the fetal stage of my life)

This is a really fun hole in the wall of a bar. If you are like me and the vibe of mostly NYU undergrads out to get drunk is not the definition of a good night out, then this is a nice place of rescue. The theme is dark and a little creepy, so if that sounds like fun to you, then give it a try. We did walk past the place twice before finding it because it is below street level. Fun! They have some good beers, all bottled. If you go in knowing that, then it's okay. This means you can't sample, but the bartenders were very friendly and helped the whole group pick something they would like. For those nights that I'm looking for an inconspicuous seat to have a beer in, without all the excitement of a cocktail bar or the friendliness of a pub, I will return. Enjoy!

I'm going to overlook a few issues (front door that doesn't close all the way, causing a draft; there are not enough seats; prices are prettyexcessive--Aventinus can go for $7, not $9) because they make it work. The place calls itself a beer club on the black steel front door to this basement den (you WILL miss it if you're not looking for it--which lends this strange MacDougal location some cachet), and that's what it is. A beer bar--nothing more, nothing less. I walked in just before 6 and the place was closed, with the assistant bartender unpacking boxes and doing work logistics. He generously allowed me to stay but once 6 hit things got busy. One after another, hop heads shuffled in and took their spots along the bar. The bartender, who looked obligatorily strung out and tired from a day of napping, was extremely helpful and knowledgeable in a no-nonsense kind of way. I stayed here for about 4 hours, so I definitely got the lay of the land. The crowd consists mostly of 20&30-something beer-loving bros, with a few after-work meetups and some randoms (sophisticated trio with a distinguished-looking middle aged man daintily sipping a tripel like a snifter of brandy, two wasted girls who stumbled in asking for Maker's Mark at a beer & wine bar). Their German list is short but carefully curated, with all the best Schneider Weiss selections on it as well as rarer stuff with New Zealand hops (new rage). The Belgian list is excellent, with more interesting options than I've seen at Vol de Nuit or BXL. I had the Valeir Donker (Belgian Dark Ale) and split a bottle of Redenbach Grand Cru (Flemish Sour Ale) with my friend. St. Bernardus, Westmalle, and other goodies are all here as well.

(review, take 2) As I stood on the corner of Minetta and MacDougal, I couldn't for the life of me figure out where this place was. I saw Meskerem, I saw the usual college hangouts...but a bar that only served craft and imported beers? Wait...there is a door. A black door. With white lettering handwritten above the frame. And down the stairs and through the door I went into a long, narrow, dusky room. I was greeted with a smile and an empty stool. A simple sheet of parchment and candlelight was all I need to to peruse the extensive menu of Belgian, German, and UK beers. And wonder of wonders - they had Aescht! A dark, smoky, caramel stout that I call (rather stupidly) "BBQ beer". When I asked Nick the bartender for it, he promptly replied "Have you had this before?" Of course, Nick. But he had to ask, because it's not a beer for the fly-by-night beero - no, this is a taste explosion that once you have it, you'll never forget it. But I digress. (And am waxing wayyyy too poetic) The seating is intimate, with a couch hidden here and there. The lighting is dark, and conducive for close-headed conversation. The music is, just to put it mildly, awesome. And I think I want to come here every week. I'm glad I didn't give up looking for the Rabbit. p.s. Don't forget to check out the shrine in the loo.

A hidden spot that is exactly what you want for a cold evening: dark, intimate, and out of the ordinary. There was a large selection of beer available but nothing available on draught -- cans and bottles only -- and the beer we did have was nothing special. We had a group of four and got 1-2 beers each so we tried quite a few. They were fine, just not particularly good. I feel like that's a pretty low bar here; I wasn't looking for memorable, just good. Prices were fine, service was pleasant enough, but I just don't see the point of having a "speakeasy for beer," as another reviewer described this place, if the beer is not a worthwhile part of the experience. Cool vibe, though. I would come back if I had to kill time in the area but I wouldn't come just to visit this spot.

Came on a Friday night in search of sour beer. Bartenders Sam and Tyler did not disappoint. They provided us with an excellent selection of sour beer and other Belgium delights. Great music and company. I will definitely be back to hang out with this cool crowd. Note: this bar only serves an awesome selection of beer and limited selection of wine. You'll have to go elsewhere for a full bar,

Excuse me Mister Raaaaaabit! I just wanted to catch up to you and tell you: This is my FAVORITE (beer) bar since I've moved to NY. Hands down! Yes, this little curious "Alice" found Mister Rabbit on the peculiar MacDougal Street. Amongst tons of bars, restaurants and shops of Greenwich Village. Walk down its steep steps and open the black door to this cool and very dark bar of the Old Rabbit Club. Find here a wide selection of marvelous imported bottle beers and cozy spot to enjoy it. The beers are not cheap and keep out most of the young NYU crowd. Hence, making this bar more out of place and alluring.

Things I hate: - Sweat moustaches - Rorschach drawings made out of sweat on my back - Beads of sweat having relay races down my neck / chest I love this small hole in the wall bar, but their air conditioner must have come out of an '89 Honda Accord (it was brutal). The bar is hard to find, unless you know the address - you will walk past it a few times. It is downstairs, dimly lit with beer bottle candles, has one narrow row of seating, and the bartender knows what he is talking about. The menu is a Belgian beer lovers dream (just wished they also carried Kwak and Leffe Brown) - I usually go with the St Bernardus 12. If the beer menu doesn't make you thirsty, their air conditioning will.