Bus Stop

Pouring more Fernet-Branca than any other bar in the United States is a distinction that explains the energy here better than the date on the lease. While the business has operated on the corner of Union and Laguna since 1900 – originally as the Transport Club before the Ferroni family renamed it in 1960 – the history is secondary to the volume. This is a high-traffic sports bar where the noise level rises early and stays there. The interior is built for utility, with a long bar running down the side and televisions mounted at every useful angle. You grab a bowl of free popcorn and find space where you can; the front opens up to the street, while the back room narrows around the pool table. Here, the atmosphere tightens. It gets warm and crowded near the cues, and you secure a game by chalking your name on the board and waiting for a gap in the rotation. Under the new ownership of Joseph Wallace and Robert Lemons, the bar retains its specific oddities, including a framed T-shirt signed by Bill Clinton and a confusingly deep loyalty to the Cincinnati Bengals. Whether you are there for a specific kickoff or just a round of shots, the service is fast, the space is tight, and the Fernet is inevitable.