There’s nothing like the simple pleasure of sipping a pint before a flight or a long train ride. Now, a Manhattan institution is bringing its famous pours to travelers across the United States.
Award-winning Irish bar The Dead Rabbit is launching a new pub concept in transit hubs, according to an emailed press release. The Irish Exit, developed by managing partner Jack McGarry, will be opened in airports and other transit stations across the country in 2024.
Its first outpost, though, is arriving early: The Irish Exit will open later this year at Manhattan’s Moynihan Train Hall, a 255,000-square-foot addition to Penn Station that opened to the public in 2021. The inaugural 216-seat location will offer staples from the world-famous pub — including its robust Irish Coffee — on a menu created by beverage director Aidan Bowie and director of Irish whiskey Mark McLaughlin. Fortunately, the space isn’t reserved for commuters: While the transit hub currently serves Amtrak and Long Island Rail Road riders, patrons won’t need to purchase a train ticket to hit the bar.
The brand says that guests can expect craft cocktails, frozen drinks, draft pours, and an impressive lineup of Irish spirits, adding that the new concept provides an “escapist experience” for travelers and a convenient location for after-work happy hours.
“Transit hubs lend themselves to simple and accessible venues, and there’s an opportunity and demand for a compelling new concept that does this in a thoughtful way through Irish hospitality,” McGarry says in the release.
Travel delays and long layovers are seldom fun, but this concept could make them a bit more tolerable.
