Mad Rex encompasses an 8,500-square-foot space comprised of a dining room, virtual reality chamber, bar, stage, lounge, outdoor patio and private event space. A battle truck parked outside the entrance of the themed concept welcomes in survivors.
Society Hill Films
The interior of the post-apocalyptic restaurant provides an elaborate display of decorations and props stylized after an industrial and wasteland look.
Society Hill Films
Exhibits showcasing themed props, masks and weapons line the walls of Mad Rex.
Kory Aversa
Graffiti murals add color to the urban surroundings.
Sammy Jo Photography
A suspended helicopter hangs above guests seeking shelter in the bar and private event space. The dining room features a “crashed” 17-foot airplane breaking through its ceiling.
Sammy Jo Photography
Diners at Mad Rex can become fully immersed in an entirely different world at the restaurant’s virtual-reality lounge. The VR experience enables guests to explore an alternate reality through storytelling and gaming. Currently enrolled technology students from local school Drexel University gain experience by assisting in running the lounge.
Sammy Jo Photography
The restaurant’s menu is comprised of modern American cuisine that incorporates both new and old-world flavors with ingredients that are locally sourced. A fresh salad available to order is the sea green salad, made with Japanese seaweed, kale and roasted carrots seasoned with ginger and garlic and dressed with a buttermilk vinaigrette.
Kory Aversa
The restaurant’s signature burger, the Mad Rex Burger, is an eight-ounce blended patty topped with caramelized onions, bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese, house-made pickles and garlic aioli in an onion poppy seed bun.
Kory Aversa
Mad Rex also has a variety of vegetarian meal options, like its mushroom tomato goat cheese sandwich, which features sautéed wild mushroom, peppers, onions, tomato slices, balsamic reduction and goat cheese in a toasted Vietnamese-style French baguette.
Kory Aversa
A dining option that Mad Rex offers to its survivors is its black lava rock dining, which allows guests to grill and spice their meat on top of stone slabs heated to over 500 degrees in a special oven. Sauce sets that can be included with the meat are the Wasteland – hot pepper relish, horseradish crème fraiche and Mad Rex BBQ sauce with a spice rub – and the Guts and Glory – tzatziki, romesco and Mad Rex hot sauce with spice rub.
Kory Aversa
One of the dessert menu items is the pink Himalayan salt ice cream. The dish features a pink Himalayan salt bowl with house-made ice cream that survivors can mix to infuse their dessert with salt and minerals.
Society Hill Films
Thirsty guests can stop by the Survivor Bar, a custom-designed bar top with two dozen chairs placed along its length, and enjoy a range of 12 draft beers served from a reconstructed steam pipe or post-apocalyptic cocktails.
Kory Aversa
The Debacle is a mixture of vodka, ginger liqueur, grapefruit juice and ginger simple syrup, and is topped with an IPA float.