On a recent trip to the Cincinnati area to visit some local family, we spent the Sunday afternoon…read moreat Martino's to both have lunch and watch the Steelers game at 1:00 PM.
Martino's on Vine is a locally-owned sports bar, which sits near the University of Cincinnati. It is a popular spot for the college crowd, but also serves as a Steelers bar during their games. They have a large menu of typical sports bar foods - appetizers, wings, pizza, hoagies, sandwiches, wraps, salads, and more. There is a full bar, and a variety of specials for different events and occasions, such as UC Bearcat and Pittsburgh Steelers games.
The restaurant is in a more metro area of Cincinnati, so all parking is paid. There is on-street parking immediately out front, but there is also a lot behind the building. You can access the restaurant from the back parking lot without having to go around. It was pretty simple navigating here, given that I am unfamiliar with the area. The front of the building has signage that can be seen from the road.
Inside, it is set up like any typical bar. The bar has seating on all four sides, and there are different bar-height tables, booths, and traditional tables throughout the space. Additionally, there is a back room with restaurant-style seating, which is more ideal for a larger group. There are also a few outside seating options.
At the recommendation of our local family members, we made a reservation for our group during the Steelers game. I have learned that this bar transforms into a Steelers headquarters in Cincinnati during their games! Since the majority of us are either originally from or currently live in Pittsburgh, we take our Steelers football quite seriously, so it was nice to find somewhere that does just the same.
We were dining with a party of 11, which includes two children under 3 years old. So, we called our reservation in ahead of time. The game kicked off at 1:00 PM, so we arrived around 12:40 PM. Our table was ready for us when we got there, and we were set up in the back room of the restaurant. It was not too busy at our arrival, but the bar and restaurant areas quickly filled up for the start of the game. They had high chairs to use, and the space was generally kid-friendly during this time.
There was a special game day menu, but it was quite extensive and had a lot of options! Our group ordered a lot of appetizers to share, and then we each got entrees as well. To start, we ordered the Buffalo Chicken Dip, Colleen's Cheese Curds, Nacho Mountain, and Millie's Mac & Cheese Bites. These were all really good. There was plenty to go around and share with everyone at the table.
For my meal, I ordered the Cobb Salad. It was a good size for the price, and had lots of fresh vegetables and delicious toppings. My favorites were the turkey and the hard boiled eggs. I also shared a Calzone with Sausage, Mushroom, and Onion with my mom, and it was very good! These were recommended to us by our local family, and they did not disappoint. Just a warning, they are gigantic and can easily feed two people.
The service during our visit was alright. It was pretty packed, so getting to put our initial order in, and then ordering refills throughout the visit, were both a little slow. I ended up just going to the bar to order a beer due to not seeing our waitress for a long time. Since we were there for the game that is usually three hours long, we were not necessarily in a rush, so it was not a big deal. The food probably took about 30 or so minutes to come out.
The atmosphere was fun and full of Steelers pride. There were different locals and transplants that I got to socialize with during the game. It is always fun to come for events like this and meet some other fans with different connections to Pittsburgh. And who knew so many of them were in Cincinnati!
In terms of value, I think the pricing here is very fair. Nothing seemed too expensive or off the mark of what would be expected for a place like this. My salad was only $11.75, and the gigantic calzones start at $16.95. I thought there was a lot of value when you consider pricing for what you get portion-wise.
This was a fun spot to come and enjoy some Sunday afternoon NFL games at! If you are looking for a Steelers bar in the Cincinnati area, definitely stop in and give it a try. It is a lively atmosphere, but fit for both children and adults alike. The food is tasty, the staff were all very friendly, and the experience overall was a very positive one. I am sure that if I am back in Cincinnati on another Steelers game day, that I will find myself back at Martino's to eat and watch the game. Highly recommend checking this place out!
