A New York-based Irish bar is headed to Atlanta’s Centennial Yards
The Irish Exit, a New York City-based bar, is set to open in Centennial Yards next summer.
The bar comes from the popular New York hospitality group that founded and operates the Dead Rabbit, a modern pub named world’s best in 2016. Atlanta will be the Irish Exit’s second location and its first outside New York.
The bar “aims to preserve the warmth and spirit of Irish hospitality,” according to a news release. Its flagship location in Moynihan Train Hall near Penn Station offers Irish and local beers on draft, wine, whiskey and a variety of cocktails (all of which cost $20).
Atlanta’s menu will look similar with Guinness, Irish coffee and a modern take on classic cocktails. Diners can also expect Irish-inspired pub favorites.
It will take over a 4,735-square-foot space in Centennial Yards featuring an indoor-outdoor layout with garage-style doors, according to the news release.
“Our mission has always been to showcase modern Irish culture and the Ireland of today — one that honors its roots while looking forward — and Atlanta’s Centennial Yards gives us the perfect platform to share that spirit with new guests,” Jack McGarry, co-founder and managing partner of the Dead Rabbit Group said in a prepared statement.
The Dead Rabbit, which is named for an Irish gang active in the 1800s, was founded by McGarry and Sean Muldoon in 2013 in New York City, where it has earned eight Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, including Best New Cocktail Bar and World’s Best Bar. In 2023, the hospitality group opened the Irish Exit as a transit bar, similar in quality to the Dead Rabbit but with “a quicker service environment,” according to a news release.
In 2024, a second location of the Dead Rabbit debuted in Austin, Texas, with a third set to open in Washington D.C. Both bars aim to highlight modern Irish makers and artists as much as possible, from the art on the walls to the soaps in the bathrooms.
The Irish Exit is the latest New York City-based bar to expand into Atlanta after Close Co. opened in Old Fourth Ward this fall.
The bar will join forthcoming tenants in Centennial Yards, including Shake Shack, Thai restaurant Khao Thai Isan, concert venue Live Nation and Cosm, an immersive entertainment experience.
California real estate developer CIM Group is behind the redevelopment of Centennial Yards ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup games Atlanta will host. The plans include revitalizing 50 acres of land in downtown Atlanta’s Gulch by adding 8 million square feet of commercial and residential space.
About the Author
Olivia Wakim is a digital content producer on the food and dining team. She joined the AJC as an intern in 2023 after graduating from the University of Georgia with a journalism degree. While in school, she reported for The Red & Black, Grady Newsource and the Marietta Daily Journal.
