Montgomery’s restaurant scene has a new contender for game-day crowds: Varsity Sports, an upscale bar and restaurant that brings big screens, live sports and a serious wine program to the former Napa Kitchen + Bar space.
The concept opened June 17 after a 14-month buildout, according to Local 12. The 6,500-square-foot restaurant also hired between 30 and 40 staffers, giving the downtown Montgomery dining corridor a sizable new anchor just as Montgomery Quarter moves deeper into its next phase.
A Sports Bar With A More Polished Pour
Varsity Sports is positioning itself as more than a wings-and-beer pit stop. Its reported wine list and veteran chef give the restaurant an upscale angle, while the official Varsity Sports website emphasizes a broad beer selection, appetizers, live music and large-screen coverage of major sporting events.
That mix puts the restaurant in a familiar Cincinnati sweet spot: a place where diners can settle in for a full meal without giving up the noise, screens and communal energy of a traditional sports bar. Reservations are not currently listed on the restaurant’s website, which describes the business as being in the heart of downtown Montgomery.
Former Napa Space Gets A New Playbook
Varsity Sports replaced Napa Kitchen + Bar, the wine-focused restaurant that closed its Montgomery location in 2024 after a six-year run. The change gives the prominent space across from Village Tavern a distinctly different identity, trading Napa’s more formal wine-bar feel for a crowd built around sports and nightlife.
The city had already signaled the project’s direction before opening day. A Montgomery city agenda from October 2025 included a liquor-license request for Varsity Sports Cincy at the Montgomery Road property.
Montgomery Quarter Adds Another Draw
The restaurant sits near Montgomery Quarter, a more than $200 million mixed-use development that has entered its second phase, according to Local 12’s report. For the development and surrounding businesses, Varsity Sports adds another reason for visitors to spend an evening in the area rather than simply passing through.
For Montgomery diners, the pitch is straightforward: premium pours, a seasoned kitchen and enough screens to make practically any matchup feel like a local event. Whether Varsity becomes a destination for serious sports fans or a polished dinner spot that happens to show the game, its first season is now underway.
