Bennigan’s Paddy O’Punch Recipe: Famous Fishbowl Cocktail at Home

Remember those legendary nights at Bennigan’s when you and your friends gathered around a fishbowl-sized cocktail, armed with extra-long straws? The Paddy O’Punch was the restaurant’s most infamous drink, a deceptively potent tropical concoction that brought people together while packing a serious punch. This fruity rum-based cocktail became a staple of celebration, turning ordinary evenings into memorable experiences with its vibrant colors and smooth coconut flavor.

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Why This Recipe Works

The genius of Paddy O’Punch lies in its careful balance of flavors and visual appeal. The coconut rum provides a smooth base, while the melon liqueur adds sweetness and the blue curacao creates that signature tropical color. The pineapple juice and sour mix work together to create a perfectly balanced sweet-tart profile that masks the alcohol content, making this drink dangerously easy to enjoy.

Ingredients

• Malibu coconut rum – Provides the smooth coconut base that makes this drink so dangerously drinkable
• Midori melon liqueur – Adds sweet melon flavor and contributes to the tropical taste profile
• Blue curacao – Creates the signature blue color while adding subtle citrus notes
• Pineapple juice – Brings natural tropical sweetness and authentic island flavor
• Sour mix – Balances the sweetness with necessary tartness for perfect flavor harmony
• Pineapple slices – Fresh garnish that adds visual appeal and extra tropical aroma
• Orange slices – Provides citrus fragrance and colorful presentation
• Maraschino cherries – Classic cocktail garnish that adds pops of red color

What’s in a Paddy O’Punch?

Here’s a little about each one of the liquors in the cocktail:

Malibu Rum. Oh, that white bottle of regret. This coconut-flavored alcohol tastes so amazing and goes down so smoothly that it is easy to overindulge. At just a 21 percent alcohol content, Malibu Rum is not technically a rum. It is a liqueur, but who will technicalities get in the way of a good time? If you can find Malibu near you, try using Calypso Rum Coconut.

Midori Melon Liqueur. Between the vivid green color and curved glass of the bottle, Midori Melon Liqueur sure looks pretty behind the bar. It is also pretty darn nice to sip with its sweet (yet hard to place) melon flavor and lower alcohol content. Midori can run on the expensive side, so you may want to try Mr. Boston Melon or Bols Melon as less expensive alternatives.

Blue Curacao. Blue Curacao is a liqueur with a slight citrus flavor that tastes a bit like Triple Sec. While you can find brands of Blue Curacao that are up to 40 percent alcohol, the liqueur’s primary purpose in this cocktail is to add a blue color. There are many brands of Blue Curacao at different price points, so ask at your local liquor store. Just be sure to pronounce the name correctly. It’s “cure-ah-sal,” not “cure-ah-cow”.

How to Make Bennigan’s Paddy ‘O Punch Cocktail

1. Fill a large, fishbowl-shaped glass with ice.
2. Pour rum into the glass.
3. Add Midori.
4. Add blue curacao.
5. Add pineapple juice.
6. Add sour mix.
7. Stir to combine.

8. Garnish with pineapple slices, orange slices, and cherries.

Recipe Tips

Use sword cocktail skewers for the garnish.

Getting the Most From Your Fish Bowl Drinks

Throw in a few Swedish fish for fun. No one wants to revive goldfish swallowing, but the gummy candies look great and are a booze-soaked treat once the drink is dry. If you are already taking it this far, why not add a layer of candy Nerds on the bottom as gravel.

Use plastic fish bowls. Bad things can happen when you mix alcohol and awkward glass drinking vessels. Save a trip to the emergency room and go with plastic bowls.

Use extra-long straws so you don’t have to bend over to take a sip. Oh, and if you intend to share thedrink, have a few colors handy, so everyone gets their own.

Popular Fruity Cocktail Recipes

• Apple Sangria
• Killer Kool Aid
• Mai Tai
• Secret Passion Punch
• Watermelon Sangria
• Ya Ya Punch

Great Irish and St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

• Baked Corned Beef
• Colcannon Mashed Potatoes
• Cooked Cabbage
• Corned Beef Breakfast Sandwich
• Instant Pot Corned Beef Brisket
• Irish Stew Instant Pot

Check out my easy cocktail recipes and the best restaurant copycat recipes here on CopyKat!

Thanks to April_Kitty for this recipe.