White Rabbit

great space for a birthday party
doesn’t seem like it gets too crowded
drinks take forever to get
and reasonably priced.
dj played top40, danceable music.

Mad chill, with lots of interesting art pieces, scrolling graffiti on the walls, and a decent rum & ginger ale for $ 8.
If anything, I was entranced and giddy by the music: Erykah Badu, chill Hova flows, A Tribe Called Quest, and more jazzy hip-​hop circa the late 90s and early 2000s. Oh, I was in my element! Too bad it WAS a trifle loud…
Not quite a destination, but certainly a nice place to grab a drink and unwind before going out for some more fun out on the town, or perhaps a movie next door at Sunshine Cinema.

This place is pretty spacious. A lounge type in the front near the bar and more seating in the back. WR looks a little grimy and seedy, but the fun you will have takes your mind off of the tacky décor. They serve cocktails that doesn’t leave you wondering «where’s the booze?»
Overall, White Rabbit is a good place to have an unpretentious party.

I was both impressed and disappointed with this place. Before heading over for happy hour drinks before a movie I checked out their online menu to get a vibe of the place. It still says that there are appetizers and has their original drink menu on the interweb boards. Unfortunately, they don’t have any food anymore. And that little foursquare and Unilocal deal for free cookies is non-​existent with the purchase of non-​existent coffee. It also makes me wonder if the kitchen was shut down for a health code violation or if they just couldn’t meet the funds anymore to run a small kitchen.
Moving on from that note, this is an interesting cocktail bar. The bartender definitely knew how to make good drinks and exceptionally strong. The drink specials for the day were $ 5 mai tais, mint juleps, and an apple smash (variation on a mint julep I believe), $ 4 wells, and $ 3 bottles of beer. But he was definitely not stingy on the booze at all. Wow. It really packed a wallop. There’s nothing on tap which is the only quality about the drinks that disappointed me. I did though really enjoy how empty it was for happy hour. I could talk and enjoy myself and its right next door to the Sunshine movie theatre. Oddly, we even ran into the director in there of the b film première I was seeing next door for Birdemic 2. The décor is kind of peculiar. The bar is very long and a sleek white. While the walls have graffiti all over them and there are some tables in the back of a narrow setting. It’s sheek and divey at the same time if that’s even possible. But I’d come back.

We’d have probably had a better time here if the music didn’t crap out on us about 30 minutes after we arrived. Oh yeah, and neither of the two bartenders knew how to make the drink I had requested, but were happy to charge me $ 12 for it after I gave them full step-​by-​step instructions.
I wouldn’t exactly describe this place as «chic,» but they do have a nice open dancefloor space in the back, so if you’re looking to get your groove on, this place could be a good spot for that (again barring any, ahem, technical difficulties)…

Chic, simple, comfortable. That’s the best description for White Rabbit. Especially after wandering through Manhattan in sub-​zero weather. So inviting. During BNH (before nightlife hour), music is low and perfect for conversations. Lights are dim but radiant. And the front entrance isn’t narrow! You know how hard it is to go through a bar when everyone is crowded by the front and the bar side and you have to squeeze your way through? It is spacious here! There’s also hooks conveniently placed underneath the bard for purses and jackets.

I would have thought this place was amazing when I was 22. Places to sit. Dimly lit. Dancing without a cover. These are things that would have knocked my 22 year old socks off. I was invited here by my roommate. Drinks are average for LES — $ 9 for Campari and soda. The crowd is diverse and the bartenders are neither warm nor hostile (that’s ideal for me). I’ll be back to grab a drink here if I’m in the neighborhood.

I’d never been to this place before — it was pretty ok! I’d give 3.5 if I could. The drinks were a bit expensive but Bill the bartender rocked. Evidently he makes a special drink that I didn’t get to try but I’d love. The music was really unique for a Manhattan bar — lots of what I think of as island stuff. Hotstepper and non-​radio Sean Paul etc. And the DJ had NO attitude problem, which is so rare in NYC — he happily played Mariah Carey when I asked. (Dream Lover, in case anyone was interested — don’t hate me.) the only thing was that his music was a little inconsistent, like he might have been going more for unusual and the island theme than danceability. So everybody would be rocking out then we’d all stop because a slow song came on. Still, props for the uniqueness. I’d go back, to try that drink of Bill’s at the very least!

One pill makes you larger, and the other makes you small… and apparently I had been taking both mid-​way through my stay at White Rabbit Lounge… simultaneously looking over the heads of friends but staring up at and trying to climb over the bar to order another vodka tonic. Once all good things are received and though this night falls on a work night… me spilling booze on my freshly parted necktie… laughing and granting high fives to the dozen or so friendly faces… I’m now great aware that I’m no longer on earth but in some type of Wonderland or nightmare… these great grey walls of the lounge closing in… seats melting underneath my feet. Houston Street, to which this bar is located, offers a smooth strong breeze when I go out for a cigarette after 4 or 5 drinks but who’s counting… my fresh pressed blazer sleave crinkling against the porous brick wall of the apartment complex next door. I’m drunk and falling like Alice through the vortex… not a care in the world and especially not for the top forty radio hits mixed with techno music pumping from this shell of a place in the middle of the lower parts of the city, checking my watch and shaking my head to an outing that was supposed to be a night with friends but strangely turned into a downward slope of expected immaturity. My only saving grace was the quick worded talk of a shout for my check and a turn of my hand to grab the last yellow taxi left at 1:00am into the deep recesses of Brooklyn… quickly smoking in my apartment while brushing my teeth and letting my head fall hard onto my bedside pillow with one of my dress shoes still on and a button down shirt lazily come undone… the alarm clock on my phone on a Thursday hastily set for the wrong hour to wake up.
And once again. I’m late, I’m late… for a very important date.

Came here at around 10:30pm on a friday. EMPTY. Okay, I know it’s still early but when you start drinking at 7pm, 10:30pm is freaking late.
I think it was $ 20 to open a tab… and when I first got there, I wasn’t really willing to get 3+ drinks (their vodka sodas were $ 8). But, the nice bartender said he’ll let me close the tab even if I was under $ 20. Yay! It didn’t really matter in the end because I ended up getting 3 drinks. Oopsies.
Also, we tried to claim our free cookie from Unilocal’s check-​in offer. But, we were told we can only claim it during the day. Sigh, silly drunk kids.
The music was REALLY bad: they were playing hits from last year. Like, Avicii levels… and I think «Like a G6.» Preeeeeeetty outdated. Shivers.
The good thing about this place being empty was no lines for the restroom. And y’all know what happens once you break the seal…

My friend rented out the back space for his birthday, and it’s a great space. They even have a projector, which was a nice touch for the celebration.
The happy hour deals are good. I like how open the space is but with ample seating, as well. It was a great space to meet new people and see old friends. I can’t wait to come back!

From the reviews of this place — it looked like it might be decent, i thought atleast it might have good music… What’s nice about this spot is there isn’t a cover, drinks are cheap, they do play hiphop (old&new) — but even that has its short comings, and you can easily get to Bob Bar, Sutra, and La Linea… I came here on a Saturday, the spot was dead but it was cold and thought i could atleast stop here for a drink… The place itself isn’t bad — but not many people were here so it was hard to get a feel for how the place might be on a good night. I’ll rate it anyway:
On a scale of 1 – 10, 1 being the worst, 10 being the best:
Ethnic Diversity — 2
Except for the bouncer and the bartender the place was mostly white.
Style Diversity — NA
Dancing — 4
People were dancing, and I could see it being bumpin on a good night
Music — 5
Although the DJ played a good selection of Hiphop (old school, new school), he did not let any songs play through — literally every 30 seconds he switched on a new song — c’mon DJ, how are you gonna cut every song? And on top of that the DJ played all the songs twice??? Seriously?
Alcohol Price — 8
$ 6 beers — except they didn’t have red stripe.
People Attractiveness — NA
Couldn’t tell you…

Love Love Love! Let me tell you it’s hard to find a genuinely great dance place in the 5 boroughs of NY!
When I first stepped into the White Rabbit Lounge the smell of beer was quite overbearing. It looked like your typical bar in the front, but in the back it was LIVE! A vodka/​pineapple and jack/​coke came out to $ 17. Not bad at all. The drinks weren’t weak. White Rabbit seems to be this spot where all the left overs come after being done at their original destination. It just doesn’t seem like one of those spots that’s «hey wana go to white rabbit?» You just kind of end up here. I know this because of how people were dressed and because of the inconsistent parties of singles and doubles.
White rabbit looks a little grimy and seedy, but the fun you will have takes your mind off of the tacky décor.
So if your not into dancing you can totally catch a free show here. The men that were going IN on the old school beats (think NWA, ODB, LL) were absolutely priceless. Their moves could keep you entertained for the whole evening. The night pretty much kept turning into these dance offs.
While I wasn’t here that long, I’m so glad we stumbled upon the White Rabbit. The crowd was a full mix of all types of shades, sizes, and ages – eager to participate in the music and have a great time. Now for the music… best part ever! The DJ was awesomeeee! He played a lot of MY old school (think 03′-06′). He also played a lot of hip hop classics, some new hip hop hop, and then he even threw in a salsa song which had the young black and Asian folk on their toes!
I would have loved to give White Rabbit Lounge 5 stars but the bathrooms (see my uploaded pics) were appalling, and the couches could use a a good toss out onto E. Houston. Other than that no complaints, but DO look carefully for this spot because there is no sign saying White Rabbit Lounge, just a red awning with a weird lil bunny!

Went here for an event. Small lounge-​perfect for work, not so much for your personal night out. All our mixed drinks were $ 4 which was great, and the bartender was friendly.
Nothing much else-​no decorations or any special décor. I’d only come here before it gets that dark outside.

White Rabbit is a spacious place with a nice sized dance floor. Their drinks were really reasonably priced and I liked the all white décor. I think we came a little bit too early, because there wasn’t really any one there yet when we arrived, so we had one drink to start the night and then left.
I’ll have to come back another time and hang out a little longer to give a proper review.

This place is a hit or miss, depending on how you want to see it.
I’ve passed this place a few times on my way to some other bar and I’ve come to this bar to find out that: Some nights White Rabbit is dead and when I say dead, I mean there is NO ONE. Some nights it’s packedddd. I spoke to the bartender, who was friendly, one night and asked why it was so fickle. He told me it depended on the number of birthdays booked that night, some weeks they have no one. Weird but …
Personally I don’t mind having the entire bar to myself and friends nor do I mind if it’s packed with strangers. Just hope you come on the right night for you.
Drinks are average price for Manhattan
Dance floor in the back
Some seating in front and along the bar
Never had a problem with the door or employees
Chill. I like.

Follow the white rabbit and you’ll end up at this chill lounge. There’s room for a mad hatter and a deck of cards, er, a crowd.
A bar takes up much of the narrow space up front, while cush couch seating dominates the rear A DJ keeps everyone’s ears busy, but there’s little for the eyes. Décor is spartan — think Space Odyssey — but sometimes that’s what you want. Unfortunately, the lighting’s a tad dim for my liking.
White Rabbit is easy enough to get to, so stop by and give them a try. Don’t tell them I sent you.

White Rabbit is a good place to have an unpretentious party. The décor is simple and minimalistic, and the space is open with plenty of seats (that are not reserved for bottle service).The doormen are polite and barely there velvet rope policy.
People are mostly well dressed in the nightlife standards, and the crowd seemed good. The time I went wasn’t packed to the Nth degree and that’s a great thing in my book.
I never went to the bar but I know for a fact that the bartender serves a mean drink if you are good to him. I know this because M. got me gin and tonic and they were crazy strong, I was out by the time I finished the second one. (M. saw him pouring like crazy, so was his pour of whiskey.)
White Rabbit gets a 3.5 stars from me… but since there is no such thing, let’s give it a 4. *burp*

Whatever happens here, Stays here!
Period!
PS… Do something with the AC!!!

Last night was a blast at the auction after-​party!
But, I have to clarify just one thing. THERE IS NO SUCH THING as «East Houston between 2^nd Ave & Chrystie»!!! It’s an intersection! So, don’t be retarded like my friend and I were, and don’t try to take a cab to a non-​existent location. The cabbie will judge you.
Otherwise, thumbs up.