Atlanta United away days: Cincinnati bar, food recommendations from FC Cincinnati fans

Having been to Cincinnati, I can tell you that it’s a solid city.

It’s a great sports city, too. But the only team there that’s had sustained success over the years is FC Cincinnati. When the Garys won the Supporters’ Shield in 2023, in fact, they were the city’s first pro team to win a championship since the Reds won the World Series in 1990.

But in my brief visits to Cincinnati, I haven’t gotten a tight handle on the bar and food scene. That’s why I reached out to the folks at r/FCCincinnati (don’t judge!) to get their suggestions, and they were more than happy to provide them.

Washington Park

The center of activity on matchdays is Washington Park: FC Cincinnati hosts their “Prematch at the Park” three hours before kickoff, which features food trucks, drinks, and activities for kids.

The March to the Stadium, a FC Cincy pregame tradition dating back to their USL days, sees each supporters’ group march from their respective bars to Washington Park. From there, it’s the Corteo — a prematch celebration — before the march continues to TQL.

Food in Cincinnati

Outside of Skyline Chili, I did get a full list of food recommendations. A couple of mentions were for Taglio, a bar and pizzeria that’s one of FC Cincinnati’s pub partners and is about a 20-minute walk from TQL Stadium. Their menu lists their “famous” pepperoni and hot honey pizza, along with the standard pizzeria staples like margherita, pepperoni, and cheese. If you’re in the mood for dessert, finish things off with their gelato.

Another recommendation was for Gomez Salsa — a Tex-Mex spot across the street from Taglio — with the specific instruction to “get a Turtle.” It’s a 12-inch burrito filled with your choice of, well, take a look:

Bakersfield, another taco joint, and The Eagle, which specializes in fried chicken and Southern fare, are in the Over-the-Rhine (OTR) neighborhood and not far from TQL. And Findlay Market, a 15-minute walk from the stadium, has a range of food options, as well.

There’s also Bee’s Barbecue and Sacred Beast Diner — the Mahi Reuben was recommended — along with Madonna’s Bar and Grill.

“Get a sandwich from Young Buck Deli. It will keep you full long after the match is over,” read another comment.

Bars in Cincinnati

Cincinnati’s German heritage means there’s plenty of bars to choose from if you’re looking for a pint before the game or, if you’re arriving Friday night, simply looking to watch European football before MLS action.

One of the more frequently recommended bars was Queen City Radio, which bills itself as “Cincinnati’s entertainment bar.” It’s just a few minutes’ walk from the stadium and includes many beers on tap as well as cocktails. There’s also Rhinehaus, which calls itself “the first OTR (Over the Rhine) Sports Bar” and is the city’s “official” bar for Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, and West Ham United supporters.

The Pitch sits right across the stadium (literally), with Standard Beer, referred to as having the “best tap list in the city, just over a 10-minute walk away. Northern Row, Mellotone Food Project, and the Sam Adams Taproom also received mentions.

This is far from an exhaustive list. (Anything between Vine Street and the stadium is awesome!” someone said.) But hopefully this is a good jumping-off point if it’s your first time in the city or, if you’re making a repeat visit, looking for a new place to hang out before the game.

Have you been to Cincinnati? Are you a current or former resident who has another place to recommend? Let me know down in the comments.