Do you believe in love at first sight?

I didn’t think I did until I first stepped into Legends Bar and Grill on Green Street the evening of my second day ever as a freshman at the University. I wasn’t at the legal age yet to drink any alcohol, but I knew this was going to be my campus bar of choice. It still is today.

During that first visit, several newfound friends and I from Newman Hall were told the burgers there were the best on campus. We went to see for ourselves and ended up devouring our burgers like a great bag of chips. Even though our meals tasted fantastic, I paid more attention to the atmosphere around me. The wraparound bar reminded me of the one on the hit 1980s sitcom “Cheers.” That wasn’t it though.

The bar was filled with all kinds of Illinois sports memorabilia hanging on the walls. Besides flags from each Big Ten team draped from the ceiling, there were other artifacts to admire. These include one of Red Grange’s old uniforms, a jacket worn by Dike Eddleman and a picture signed by a former mascot.

When I turned 21, I knew I wanted to frequent Legends as often as I could. During most of my junior and senior years, many of my friends and I spent great amounts of time there. We watched Illini football and basketball games, took part in the weekly Big Cup Friday tradition, and basked in the atmosphere of this great bar.

I don’t know what it is about Legends that makes it stand out. Maybe it is the Illinois memorabilia decorated around the bar. Maybe it’s because many of my friends worked there over the years. Though I’m still not sure, Legends became my campus bar of choice and continues to be today.

Like many of you, I have attended many other bars on campus: Murphy’s Pub, Joe’s Brewery, KAMS, The Red Lion and Illini Inn. They’re all great places to have a drink in their own right, but none of them will top Legends.

I’ve come to realize in my young life that my first instincts normally end up being the right choice. I knew Legends was something special on the night of my first visit. Now, four years later, I don’t want to spend time at many other bars. It truly was love at first sight.

Legends is my campus bar of choice, and it will take a lot for me to change my mind anytime soon.

Noah is a senior in Media.

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