A Steelers Haven in Cincinnati

Steelers fans traveling to Cincinnati for a game can find friendly confines near the University of Cincinnati. Martino’s on the Vine touts itself as “Cincinnati’s Home of the Pittsburgh Steelers,” and it’s hard to dispute that claim.

Marty Angiulli, affectionately known as “Mop,” started the bar/restaurant in the early 1990s after he and his wife followed their son, Marty Jr., to the University of Cincinnati, where he played football.

They established a popular spot just off campus and got to know a young assistant coach by the name of Mike Tomlin. Cincinnati was Tomlin’s last college stop before he got his NFL break with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2001, and he stops in Martino’s if his schedule permits when the Steelers visit the Bengals.

The walls at Martino’s are covered with Steelers paraphernalia, and kielbasa, homemade pizza pierogis, and salad with French fries are all on the menu. Iron City and I.C. Light are served at Martino’s as is Rolling Rock, which is native to Latrobe, and Yuengling, which is from the eastern part of Pennsylvania.

Martino’s draws a couple of hundred fans for Steelers games and its 30 TVs come in handy for newcomers who find regulars at their normal spots along the bar or in booths that still provide a clear view of the game.

“Mop,” who spends half the year in Cincinnati and half in the Pittsburgh suburb of Vandergrift, has one rule for Steelers games: no Bengals fans allowed.

“We used to let them in and we were always breaking up fights,” Angiulli said. “I’m getting too old to break up fights.”