Virgen: Seahawks fans united at Costa Mesa Tavern + Bowl

The Rams are coming back to Los Angeles and the Chargers might join them. But in Orange County, specifically at Costa Mesa 55 Tavern + Bowl, there already appears to be an NFL team with a huge following.

The OC Seattle Seahawk Fans sure love their Seahawks and every Seahawks game day, they show up to the bar at the Triangle Square. Before an employee comes to open up the place, a long line forms at each of the doors because the Seahawks fans want to get the best seat in front of one of the 23 TVs, the Tavern’s chef Paul Setola said.

“I can’t believe it,” Setola said of the atmosphere at the bar and the amount of Seahawks fans who show up, usually 200-250. “The first week I was back there I heard the chants, ‘Sea … Hawks!’ The kitchen rumbles. You can feel it. It’s just electrifying. I’ve never been to a bar and I never felt what I feel in this bar when the Seahawks are playing. You really feel like you’re the 12th man in the stadium. Like this is another stadium. That’s what if feels like. Hands down. No joke. It’s crazy.”

Setola began work at Tavern at the beginning of the football season. The Seahawks fans began coming to the restaurant two years ago, courtesy of Amanda Kenning. They probably think it’s no coincidence their favorite team has reached the Super Bowl the past two seasons and are playing in the NFC Divisional game at Carolina on Sunday.

Kenning, who works for Visit Newport Beach, was looking for a place for Seahawks fans like her to gather for game days after the Tap Shack on 17th closed down. At first, she said, she checked out the Black Knight at the Triangle Square. But the people there told her that place is a 49ers bar. There are no San Francisco fans there during the playoffs now.

Kenning found a home at Tavern. She set up a Facebook page and soon the crowd became bigger and bigger.

At last week’s huge wild-card playoff win over Minnesota, the Seahawks fans packed the place near capacity, which is 300. Kenning expects Tavern to be at capacity on Sunday.

The fans will be hoping for another win. The action will be hard-pressed to match last week’s drama, especially at the end when Vikings kicker Blair Walsh missed a potential game-winning field goal from 27 yards.

Kenning said she couldn’t look at the TV when Walsh attempted the kick.

“Everyone went wild,” said Kenning, 32, of Newport Beach. “I just couldn’t watch it. But I heard everyone go wild. Everyone is hugging everyone and enjoying the moment of euphoria with some people they probably don’t even know their first name. It’s such an exciting moment.”

Kenning also said the Seahawks group has also been like a reconnection place of sorts for the fans, as some of them grew up in Seattle and reunited at Tavern. Also, because the fans go there weekly they get to know each other throughout the season.

She said the fans become like family. If someone is looking for a place to eat, they can just join a table of fellow Seahawk fans.

Because of the large crowd, Kenning receives some help, that comes from Sean Gallinger.

“My partner in crime,” she said.

But they actually also perform charitable acts. The Seahawks fans had a toy drive, as well as a food drive this past season.

The fans, she said, are well-behaved and usually courteous to opposing fans who show up. If anyone does try to get out of hand, Triangle Square security guard Robert Murtha is there to shut it down. Murtha, a former Estancia High football standout, has definitely seen, and heard, the fans get loud. He continues to do his job. He also represents his favorite team, as he’ll usually wear something for the Raiders.

Setola and Tavern General Manager Marc Canzoneri are Giants fans. But they have a special place in their hearts for the Seahawks. They’re definitely happy that the Seahawks have reached the playoffs again and continue to win.

“It’s great to have such a loyal group that comes every single week,” Canzoneri said. “They also come throughout the year to help support, which is nice. It’s really been a great partnership. The more they play the better for us. We love having them here. We’d love to see them go to the Super Bowl.”

Canzoneri said the playoff games have been busier than the Super Bowl the past two years. Many of the Seahawks fans actually went to last year’s Super Bowl in Arizona and others had their own house parties.

The bar does fine throughout the week, Canzoneri said, with Taco Tuesday, 50-cent-a-wing night on Thursdays and big sporting events like UFC bouts. But Seahawks game days are the busiest he said.

Shawn Flaming, 36, of Huntington Beach loves to come to Tavern to be with his Seahawks fans, also known as the 12th Man. He’s been a Seahawks fan his entire life. He remembers taking the train to the Kingdome when the Seahawks used to play there.

Flaming is a superstitious fan, who usually has everything planned out the same way for each Seahawks game day. He sits at the same spot at Tavern. He watches the same TV. He also has his lucky Seattle Seahawks gnome with him. He took the gnome when he went to watch the Seahawks in San Francisco and St. Louis.

When he’s not on the road and following his Seahawks, you’ll find him at Tavern.

“It’s always good being around fellow 12s, just having a really good time,” said Flaming who could hardly contain himself when the Seahawks beat the Vikings last week. “My heart was going 200 miles per hour. It was amazing. I’m pretty sure my head hit the ceiling.”

Flaming and the OC Seahawks are wanting to cheer some more at Tavern on Sunday.