We Went to a Reds Game With Braves Fans. The Waiter Saw It Coming.

We walked into The Alcove for brunch — me and Jamie in full Reds gear, our friends in full Braves gear — and our waiter took one look at our table and said, "Well, I hope you all have fun at the game today."

Then he pointed at us.

"And I hope you two have more fun."

Sir. We have never felt so seen and so threatened at the same time.

That moment set the tone for the whole day. Which is honestly the best thing I can say about a baseball trip — that it had a tone. That it felt like something. That by the time we walked into Great American Ball Park that evening, we were already having the kind of day you tell people about later.

The Reds still lost, for the record.

But we had a really good time getting there.

How We Did Cincinnati

This is the part where I tell you that Cincinnati is a full city with great food and a beautiful riverfront and you should stop flying past it on your way somewhere else.

We started at The Alcove for brunch, and it was exactly what a pre-game brunch should be — pretty, relaxed, the kind of place where you linger a little longer than you planned because the atmosphere earns it. There are better ways to start a game day. I haven't found them.

(This is also where the waiter incident happened, and I will be telling that story forever.)

From there we made our way to Sam Adams Brewery for drinks — because if you're going to spend an afternoon with people rooting for the wrong team, you might as well do it with a beer in hand. Good call on our part.

Then dinner at Cincinnati Lager House, which had a full dining room and a view of the Ohio River that genuinely stopped conversation for a second when we sat down. Busy the way a good restaurant is busy — alive, not chaotic. And if you go, look for the base plaque by the host stand. It's one of those details that reminds you the whole city is in on this.

View from rooftop of Cincinnati Lager House

The Game

Great American Ball Park is one of the most underrated stadiums in baseball. I will say this every time until people believe me.

The Reds lost. Our friends were delighted. Jamie and I were dignified about it, mostly.

What I will say is this: there is something genuinely fun about watching a game with people who are rooting against your team — as long as those people are people you actually like. The banter is better. The stakes feel lighter. You stop watching the scoreboard so much and start watching everything else.

The river. The skyline. The very serious man somewhere nearby who definitely had a scoring notebook.

That's the trip.

The Comeback That Mattered

Here is the part I need the Braves fans to read carefully.

The Reds won the next day.

Not swept. We were not swept. Whatever hopes our friends had of a clean series sweep evaporated, and Jamie and I were completely gracious about it.

We said nothing.

(This blog post is the only thing we're saying.)

Great American Ballpark. View from section 528.

Why This Kind of Trip Works

I started the Baseball City Trip series because I believe the game is the excuse, not the destination.

The destination is brunch with a waiter who takes one look at your table and already knows how your day is going to go. It's drinks at a brewery with people you don't get to see enough. It's a river view at dinner and a base plaque that makes you smile before you even sit down.

The Reds may break your heart. The city won't.

Want to Plan Your Own Cincinnati Trip?

I've got a full guide — where to stay, how to build the day, what to do beyond the game.

👉How to Plan a Cincinnati Reds Weekend Trip

And if you want something to take with you — a planner built specifically for baseball travel, with space for every city you visit — I made that too.

👉 The Away Game Planner — $14.99

👉 Join the interest list for future Reds road trips

The waiter at The Alcove was right. I hope you have more fun.

Tracy is a travel agent and the founder of Harmony Horizon 360, a travel brand built around slower, more intentional trips for real people. She grew up in Cincinnati and has feelings about the Reds that she considers completely reasonable.