Dead Rabbit founder’s Irish Exit hopes
One of the Belfast men behind the famous Dead Rabbit bar in New York has opened a new venue in the city’s Penn Station.
Jack McGarry hopes The Irish Exit concept will be expandedto airports and train stations across the US.
The venue is set in the Moynihan Train Hall, the $1.6bn expansion of Penn Station which was opened in 2021 in midtown Manhattan.
Mr McGarry said: “For too long, Irish pubs in America have pandered to a stereotypical reflection, or lowest common denominator, of what a true Irish pub can represent…
“The Irish Exit is an exciting expansion of our ethos at The Dead Rabbit, dedicated to painting an accurate picture of modern Ireland’s vibrant culture, complete with great hospitality and high-quality drinks.
“We also see The Irish Exit as a vehicle for growth, in ways that differ from The Dead Rabbit in volume and expediency, and we are actively exploring further locations in transit hubs, stadiums, and more.”
Offering “a contemporary Irish pub experience with a focus on quick service”, the pub has been specifically designed with travellers in mind, “weaving together exceptional modern Irish drinks, culture, music and hospitality”.
The new Irish pub is set to become a feature of the Moynihan Food Hall, the centrepiece of Moynihan Train Hall, which aims to provide “a curated selection of New York city’s most sought after culinary destinations”.
The menu, designed in partnership with Dead Rabbit’s Irish Whiskey director Mark McLaughlin, will feature an array of Irish-made beers and whiskeys, as well as cocktails. Bringing a taste of Ireland to travellers crossing Penn Station, the menu will feature familiar brands including Guinness and Bushmills whiskey.
Designed by creative and branding partner Crown Creative, led by Belfast man Ryan Crown, The Irish Exit will be fitted with design touches that echo its location, including classic travel and transportation signage and iconography.
A spokesman described The Irish Exit as “a beacon for travellers, offering an escapist experience for quick transit pints, after-work cocktails, or a neighbourhood meet-up”.
The acclaimed Dead Rabbit was Mr McGarry’s first venture in the US. Based in New York’s financial district, it was co-founded with his former business partner Sean Muldoon in 2013.
