FC Cincinnati opened “The Speakeasy” on Tuesday to the media to demonstrate its viewing capacity, food and drink samples, and overall experience.
The 2,000-square-foot premium bar and lounge at TQL Stadium has a capacity for 50 patrons and has already been reserved for the rest of the 2025 home slate of games. The art-deco-inspired location will still be available for non-matchday reservations and for future home matches starting this Thursday.
“We have a high demand for fresh new ways to engage with the club,” president and co-CEO Jeff Berding stated on Tuesday. “This space brings an exciting new opportunity to meet this demand.” Berding emphasized the retro vibe, exclusivity, and immersive experience that would make The Speakeasy a marquee location within the stadium.
“I think that you see our fan base craves unique opportunities,” Chad Munitz, FCC’s chief revenue officer, added. “This space is really about connectivity. We want to make sure our fans have a chance to get away from the action, pre-game and post-game, and connect here.”
FC Cincinnati provided media access to the bar and lounge to sample their wares cooked up by Executive Chef Sheldon Morgan. Chef Morgan noted that they aimed for styles and selections much like those in the earlier 20th-century establishments, with emphasis on cured foods, clean-cut design, and smaller bites to allow for more socialization. Of note, the menu contains bites such as a gin-and-beet cured salmon, short rib with polenta, smoked deviled eggs, and hot chicken sliders. The beverage menu included “Gary’s Manhattan”, a riff on a whiskey-based black Manhattan, as well as a spicy margarita and a pear-and-ginger highball.
The FC Cincinnati ticketing team is accepting deposits for The Speakeasy through 2025.
Photos: Rob Moore.
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