Going to a Minnesota Twins game and don’t know what to eat? I get it…it’s a tough decision. Target Field food ranges from sausages to soul food bowls to cheese curds. It’s also a great place to get a taste of local favorites.

Below I’ve listed 16 items you can try out, with helpful photos…there’s plenty more, especially in the restaurants, but these are some favorites with Twin Cities natives.

Here’s the list if you want to skip anything:

Kramarczuk’s Cheese Brat Sausage
Red Cow Ultimate Burger
Tony O.’s Cuban Sandwich
Murray’s Steak Sandwich
Wings & Mac From Official Fried Chicken
Banh Mi Brat From Union Hmong
Walleye Burger from Lord Fletcher’s
Mac and Meat From East Coast BBQ
Chicken Tikka Bowl From Hot Indian
Jerk Chicken Soul Bowl
La Tapatia Chicken Tacos
Bussin’ Birria Tacos
Cheese Curds from Curds-N-Cakes
Baked Potato (w/Stuff)
Papa Pete’s Mini Donuts
Parcelle Smoothies
Bring Your Own! – Pizza Luce, Candyland, etc.

Okay, let’s get started with some tasty food pics!

It’s kind of tough to go wrong with the words “cheese brat”.

Target Field Food, Tip #1: Kramarczuk’s Cheese Brat Sausage

Kramarczuk’s Polish sausages have been a favorite of Twins fans since the opening of Target Field. For that matter, they’re pretty popular in Minnesota. Kramarczuk’s Deli is a northeast Minneapolis staple…they will actually turn your meat into sausage if you bring it to their deli.

As for the ballpark brats, they’re nicely spiced and have a good snap; the cheese brat especially is a win. You can add sauerkraut, onions and peppers. Ask them to pile extra toppings on for you…that’s what Kurt does!

By the way, no disrespect intended to the Schweiger Meats hot dogs here…the quarter pound beef Big Dogs and Dinger Dogs are no slouch. Just saying that with Kramarczuk’s in town, you have an excellent alternative to ballpark classics.

Vegans: “We’re outta here!”

Target Field Food, Tip #2: Red Cow Ultimate Burger

If you want a break from being vegetarian, stop at the Red Cow stand for an Ultimate Burger. Red Cow has six locations in the area (not counting Target Field), where you can find a bigger variety of burgers if you like them here.

The Ultimate number is a seasoned Certified Angus Beef burger with Red Cow sauce (which I’ve read is a smokier style of ketchup), Wisconsin cheddar cheese and of course lettuce, tomato and onion. As ballpark burgers go, it definitely works.

You can also order 60/40 sliders, which are made with 60% beef and 40% bacon and then topped with more candied bacon, cheese and beer mustard. Nothing like a bacon-bacon cheeseburger.

You should know Tony Oliva’s number anyway.

Target Field Food, Tip #3: Tony O.’s Cuban Sandwich

You know who Tony O. is, right? Of course you do…Tony Oliva is the free swinging Hall of Fame Twin who was among the best hitters of the dead ball era. With Oliva being Cuban, of course, the Twins had to have a stand selling Cuban sandwiches named for him. I’ve read he sometimes makes appearances, but I wouldn’t count on it.

That said, the Cuban sandwich is very popular among Twins fans…it’s a pressed Panini-style sandwich with roasted pork, ham, melted Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard. It’s not like you need to meet a Twins superstar to go for that. The roast pork alone easily bats .400. (But yeah, it’s cool to meet Mr. Oliva. He’s a super nice guy by all accounts.)

With a name like Murray, of course it’s a great sandwich.

Target Field Food, Tip #4: Murray’s Steak Sandwich

So who’s Murray and what makes his sandwiches special? They’re actually not a Philly-style sandwich shop…Murray’s steak house restaurant is actually just steps away from Target Field. They call themselves the “Home of The Silver Butter Knife Steak since 1946.” (Capitalization theirs.) This is high end beef my friends.

Their Target Field offering…also available at the Mill City Grill stands…is choice juicy sirloin with caramelized onions and cheese, on a ciabatta roll with a side of garlic toast. You can add peppers to your steak there, I believe.

I did read a complaint from a reporter that it’s missing the au jus and the horseradish sauce isn’t as good as at the home base. Personally that wouldn’t stop me, but remember the restaurant itself is just a couple blocks away.

Dry rub wings? Make it official.

Target Field Food, Tip #5: Wings & Mac From Official Fried Chicken

It’s official…ballparks need fried chicken. Official Fried Chicken at Target shows how to do it. Their new offering as of 2024 is dry rub Buffalo wings with white cheddar mac and cheese. Not that that’s all they’ve got…their chicken sandwiches are a good value by ballpark standards, with tasty wedge fries (costs extra).

Yes, Official Fried Chicken is a brand…they built a very barebones website to say one thing…we’re your Target Field chicken. They point out that you can order from your seat with the MLB app. I believe you can do this with all the food here, but I bring it up because they box your food and make it available in warm ovens, which is pretty cool.

The Official wings are marinated, breaded, and pressure-fried. I hear they offer decent heat and are juicy. You can also get creamy ranch dipping sauce…mix that with your white cheddar mac and cheese. Baseball just gets better.

Don’t be afraid to pronounce it wrong. It’s worth it.

Target Field Food, Tip #6: Banh Mi Brat From Union Hmong

Every so often I reflect on the days of boring hot dogs and popcorn for baseball food, and reading about a Banh Mi brat is one of those times.

Union Hmong Kitchen is the creation of Chef Yia Vang, with two locations in the city. He knows his stuff…especially since by consensus he pulled off the Hmong style brat quite well. Vang says fans visit the actual Union Hmong after trying the food at Target Field. +1 Twins…that’s what ballpark food should be about.

The Banh Mi Brat is a Hmong sausage with pickled jalapenos, carrots and cilantro, and creamy garlic aioli sauce. Incidentally, I believe Kramarczuk’s makes the brat, so 2-for-2 here, although Vang adds his Hmong seasonings.

Anyway, try this out for something very different yet still classic baseball. And check out Vang’s story on Wikipedia, it’s fascinating.

I’m fine with it containing almonds, as long as it contains walleye.

Target Field Food, Tip #7: Walleye Burger from Lord Fletcher’s

One of the foods that natives suggested to me in my visit to Minneapolis, aside from the Jucy Lucy, was walleye fish. You can do that here. The Lord Fletcher’s walleye burger is at the Land of 10,000 Lakes Bar in the outfield.

It’s seared walleye with some lemon zest, and the breading is made with almonds, parmesan and herbs. The patty is topped with lettuce and smoked tomato tartar sauce on a brioche bun. With the breading and the rolls, I’d be wary of this if you’re watching your carbs. I’ve also read complaints about a disproportionate fish to bread ratio.

That said, you can visit the actual Lord Fletcher’s in Spring Park, if you want to get a feel for them before risking your hard-earned ballpark budget. (It’s just $19 there!) The place gets pretty good reviews from the public, and it’s located on the shore of Lake Minnetonka.

Incidentally, you can also try walleye cakes from Mac’s Fish at the Town Ball Tavern restaurant. I still don’t see a Jucy Lucy there though.

Are those East Coast BBQ rib tips? No, that’s just a picture of them.

Target Field Food, Tip #8: Mac and Meat From East Coast BBQ

The East Coast BBQ stand is your place for the BBQ options every ballpark needs these days. East Coast BBQ has two locations, including Nelson’s Market in St. Louis Park and a food truck at the Meadowbrook Golf Course. Perfect pedigree for BBQ ballpark food.

The new mac and meat dish is cheesy elbow macaroni with their signature chicken, rib tips or pulled pork on top. The focus is the meat, of course, but this is comfort food at its best. You’ll need a fork and napkins, of course, and be ready for sneaky heat in the BBQ sauce.

If you’re wondering why “East Coast” food is here in a Midwest ballpark, good question. For the record, according to MPR News, East Coast a blend of southern-style BBQ with flavors from Baltimore, Missouri and Arkansas. East Coast if you draw out the “o”, I guess.

Have a bowl of Indian food with your baseball.

Target Field Food, Tip #9: Chicken Tikka Bowl From Hot Indian

I haven’t eaten a lot of Indian food in my life, but I’ve always enjoyed it when I did. At Twins games (unlike most MLB ballparks, I should add), you can try the chicken tikka bowl…or other offerings…from the Hot Indian stand on the lower concourse.

The chicken tikka bowl is spicy curry chicken with potatoes and some crunchy slaw, with mild spices. You can add spicy sauce to it. It’s a nice filling meal and on the healthy side…this is a gluten-free option if you are among the unfortunate celiacs among us.

I made fun of vegans a little in the Red Cow bit of this post, so in fairness I’m adding that Hot Indian has some vegan offerings too, like their Vegan Channa. Believe it or not, I’ve got your vegan back!

I would buy food from this stand just because of the logo.

Target Field Food, Tip #10: Jerk Chicken Soul Bowl

In case you weren’t aware in a ballpark featuring Kramarczuk’s, Red Cow and Union Hmong, you can get jerk chicken at Target Field too. More specifically, a jerk chicken bowl from Soul Bowl, with spicy pineapple jerk sauce and a side of sweet plantains and yellow rice.

That is, Twins fans are aware of Soul Bowl of course…it’s been around Target for a while. Soul Bowl is the creation of chef Gerard Klass, who brings the jerk chicken and other soul food specialties to Target Center and the Minnesota State Fair too. Oh, and their 4th Street location in the city.

It’s not just jerk chicken here by the way, this is your spot for other soul food greats too, like collard greens, mac and cheese, and those plantains.

These aren’t the ballpark tacos, but it is what La Tapatia does.
(photo courtesy of La Tapatia)

Target Field Food, Tip #11: La Tapatia Chicken Tacos

I didn’t have a good enough pic of the La Tapatia tacos, so the nice folks there let me borrow one. Tacos are a great ballpark food, and La Tapatia’s adobo chicken tacos represent well. You have a choice of street-style tacos with lime juice and pico de gallo, or Cali-style with sauce, chopped tomatoes and shredded lettuce. Both with juicy and tender chicken.

La Tapatia is yet another local institution; they have a location in Roseville serving made-to-order Mexican street food, and a food truck too. It was founded by Martha Ponce in 2016, who brought her Guadalajara-style cooking to Minneapolis. Indeed, reviewers of the place use the word “authentic” a lot.

These are made with corn tortillas, so I presume they would be gluten-free, although the Twins don’t list them as such. You can also find these in the Thrivent Club.

Because Kent Hrbek fans love tacos too.

Target Field Food, Tip #12: Bussin’ Birria Tacos

The Twins are aware that people need more taco choices, so they offer Bussin’ Birria tacos at Hrbek’s restaurant.

Bussin’ Birria is a real place too…well, kind of. Their main outpost is in the Mall of America, so they’re a train ride away if you’d like to try more of them. They source ingredients from Mexican-owned local businesses, “because they do it best”, and who am I to argue.

The tacos here are made with shredded braised beef (brilliant), with cheese, onions, cilantro and lime wedge. The bonus, so people say, is the consommé dipping sauce. The consommé, I gather, is why these are in Hrbek’s restaurant vice the concourse.

I don’t know that there’s a big debate over who’s better between La Tapatia or Bussin’ Birria, but the real winner is the Twins fan!

Because Minnesotans take cheese curds seriously.

Target Field Food, Tip #13: Cheese Curds from Curds-N-Cakes

The problem with cheese curds in a lot of taverns is that they tend to be small nuggets of cheese. Well, okay, maybe that’s not a big problem, but the Curds-N-Cakes people still took the initiative to address it. These hefty cheese curds are available on the second deck behind the Legends Landing.

The Curds & Cakes folks are, like Soul Bowl, mostly dedicated to sports venue food. Their foods are fresh and never frozen, and they get their cheese from the Ellsworth Creamery in Wisconsin, if that helps you over the top with the decision.

This stand also offers corn dogs, deep-fried Oreos, funnel cakes, and other dessert options for that State Fair feel, but trust me, the cheese curds will catch your eye.

So good you have to get a picture from a willing fan!

Target Field Food, Tip #14: Baked Potato (w/Stuff)

This isn’t a food thing you’ll find a replica of in the city, but I’m including it here because it’s a great idea for those April night games at Target Field. The smashed baked potato at T.C. Tater is topped with chopped brisket, bacon bits, beer cheese (kind of like Velveeta), green onions, and/or sour cream. I should add, it’s a sizable potato!

If nothing else, it’s a filling piece of warm food. I saw quite a few people walking around with these in my Target Field visit (and it wasn’t that cold outside), so I expect they’re a popular item. I believe you can choose your toppings, so pile them all on and cover the major food groups.

Okay, now we’ve covered sandwiches and sides, so here are a couple of dessert items for you:

If you don’t think this is worth the wait, I don’t know what to tell you.

Target Field Food, Tip #15: Papa Pete’s Mini Donuts

The mini donuts at the Papa Pete’s stand in Target Field are so popular that you’ll probably be waiting in line for them. But you do get to watch donuts being made, which is always cool when you’re about to walk away with a bucket.

So who is Papa Pete? He is the grandfather of the founder of the company, and apparently he was pretty good at making donuts too. Papa Pete’s is also doing well enough just serving sports venues, and donuts is all they do. It’s all they need.

I don’t need to tell you that fresh and hot homemade mini donuts are worth waiting for at a game, but Papa Pete’s cinches it. They locally source their ingredients, and mix them together and fry them right in front of you so you can oversee the quality control.

You can add chocolate sauce, caramel, or hot honey to dip your donuts in, but they’re plenty good enough on their own.

Your BluePrint for a healthy dessert at the ballgame!
(photo courtesy of Parcelle Organics)

Target Field Food, Tip #16: Parcelle Smoothies

And you thought you were going to read about funnel cakes, right? Yeah, Target Field has that stuff, but I wanted to give the Parcelle smoothies a shout for healthier sorts. Parcelle is an “organic clean eating café”, with a location on East Hennepin Avenue, and they avoid pesticides and herbicides in their food, in case that’s a concern to you.

Their smoothies here are available in two flavors as of 2024. The C.R.E.A.M. smoothie is collagen peptides, with aloe, strawberry, banana, coconut milk, dates and agave syrup. The BluePrint features blueberry, avocado, banana, blue spirulina, vanilla protein, coconut milk and agave.

Okay, maybe it’s not the first thing you think of for ballpark dessert, but you have to digest the Red Cow burger somehow, right? And in fact by most all accounts they’re quite tasty, so you can give them a shot over the funnel cake sometime.

Because you can’t enjoy the game until you have your sour cherry balls.

Target Field Food, Bonus Tip…Bring Your Own! – Pizza Luce, Candyland, etc.

Yes that’s right, in case you didn’t know, you can bring a 16*16*8 bag into Target Field, and fill it with almost anything you like. The only prohibited items are alcohol, and colored drinks that would be easy to mix alcohol in. That’s a good-sized bag, so there’s possibilities.

Twins fans tell stories about bringing in entire pizzas from the Pizza Luce location downtown, which offers better selection and prices than the one at the ballpark. (I saw a few fans doing this.) Or the brick oven pizza from Number 12 Cider just up the road from the ballpark. There’s quite a few takeout joints downtown, so you can plan your parking accordingly with SpotHero.

One of those fan fave fill-up stops is Candyland on 7th Street, also just minutes from the ballpark. They unfortunately don’t sell peanuts, but you can load up on fresh made cheesy popcorn and a host of other ballpark snacks. I wouldn’t call it a huge money saver, but there’s a lot of stuff here for sweet teeth.

So there you go…Ballpark E-Guides has your financial back!

Did I mention Kramarczuk’s?

There’s my list of fantastic food items at the home of the Twins. Yes, I know, I neglected to mention Stepchld sweet potato fritters at Truly On Deck, the vegan brat from the Herbivorous Butcher, and the crazy drinks at the Town Ball Tavern. Well, actually, I guess I just did. There’s a lot of great stuff here, so hopefully this helps.

One more thing, if anyone from the Twins is listening, I love your ballpark, but you’ve got to get a classic Jucy Lucy in the concourse. Someone get in touch with the people at Matt’s Bar or the 5-8 Club stat. That would complete the Twin Cities food representation. Just saying!

Plenty more tips where this came from! Take a look around this website and learn more for your next visit to a great MLB ballpark.

And be sure to Follow me on Facebook to see when new posts are added!

It’s baseball season! If you’re planning a trip to Baltimore for an Orioles game, you’re probably interested in the Camden Yards food menu. At the very least, you would want to know what Baltimore local favorites are in the concession stands.

I’m here to help…below I’ve listed ten of my favorite Oriole Park at Camden Yards food choices. I included some new food offerings for 2024. And of course, some tasty pictures!

Hope you enjoy it…but first, a quick word from our sponsor:

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We’ll start with five picks that can arguably be “only in Baltimore”…

We owe a great debt of gratitude to Boog Powell for single-handedly making ballpark food spectacular.

Camden Yards Food, Tip #1) Boog’s BBQ.

Topping the list, of course, is Boog’s BBQ, named for the star first baseman of the early 1970s teams. Boog Powell still occasionally meets and greets with fans, although he’s not there as often as he used to be.

Given that it’s survived for 30+ seasons, and that the lines still get long, I’d say Orioles fans still think that Boog’s BBQ sandwiches and platters are the best of the Oriole Park food options. It’s not technically a regional food, but it doesn’t get more Baltimore than a plate of Boog’s BBQ at Camden Yards.

Boog told me he liked my tie.

It’s truly amazing grub…pit beef, turkey or brisket sandwiches, or platters that include beans and Old Bay chips, with an above average station of condiment choices nearby.

It’s easy to find Boog’s; it’s the central attraction of Eutaw Street and you can sometimes see smoke wafting from the place. Again, lines get long early on game day, so if you want to try it without missing the rest of the ballpark, get there when the gates open if you can.

I had an Orioles employee share a great pro tip with me…bring your own roll, and ask for your sandwich “naked” to get more meat on your plate. I love people who baseball fan right.

If this is making your mouth water, I am succeeding in my mission.

Camden Yards Food, Tip #2) Stuggy’s Crab Mac and Cheese Dogs.

This is one local joint that thankfully the Orioles kept around. Stuggy’s is your place to get unusual hot dogs Baltimore-style. The restaurant itself is a Fells Point institution in the city, and they’re known for hot dogs with wacky toppings. You could take a trip there and try some of their fancier offerings; Fells Point isn’t far from the Yard.

At Camden Yards though their signature Maryland thing stands out…the crab mac and cheese dog. Check out the pic; enough said. Pretty much all of the food stuffs you need for a Baltimore baseball meal, including Old Bay seasoning.

Incidentally, Stuggy’s dogs are a challenge to keep on a plate; I would sit down with a fork and napkins to eat one.

I’ll take them all, please. My family can get something else.

Camden Yards Food, Tip #3) Jimmy’s Famous Seafood Sandwiches.

Jimmy’s Famous Seafood is a Baltimore restaurant whose Maryland-style crab cakes (is there any other style?) have been featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” and “Beat Bobby Flay”, so a TV network dedicated to food likes their stuff.

Their stand in the left field corner features crab cake sandwiches, shrimp rolls, Mo Gabba’s fried shrimp and a crab cake egg roll. All with bay sauce of course. Oh, and crabby fries to go with.

April through November is peak Maryland blue crab season, so your Jimmy’s sandwich will rock even if in the unlikely event that the Orioles make the World Series. You can try Jimmy’s food outside of the ballpark, even if you don’t live in the area; just order it on their website.

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Tacos + margaritas + Orioles baseball = Living at its best.

Camden Yards Food, Tip #4) Vida Taco Bar.

The Vida Taco Bar, near home plate on the first base side of the lower concourse, is another local establishment with a few locations in the region, although they’ve closed their outpost at the Inner Harbor.

At Oriole Park they have chicken, beef or pork tacos…and for vegetarian sorts, they have a sweet potato hash vegetarian taco. You can get chicken or beef loaded nachos and street corn dipped in queso dip here too. It’s the best place here to get your Mexican food fix on.

Vida sources their ingredients locally and fresh squeezes their juices daily, as any taco provider should. So it’s above average tacos. They claim their soup of the day is always Tequila – and you can get a margarita here. As of 2024, you can order their nachos on Eutaw Street too.

I’ll be happy to mash this one with my teeth. (photo courtesy of Fuzzie’s Burgers)

Camden Yards Food, Tip #5) Fuzzie’s Burgers.

Nothing against Baseline Burgers, but Camden Yards needed to rep a local burger joint too, and in 2024 they did that with Fuzzie’s Burgers. Fuzzie’s is a handcrafted, dry-aged, Angus beef burger, which you can watch them actually smash at the ballpark. They even locally source their buns, produce and cheese.

Fuzzie’s started as a pop-up turned food truck during the pandemic, and soon opened a stationary location on 30th Street. They already have a cult following…think Shake Shack for Baltimoreans.

At their new outpost in the City Connect corner of the Yard, there’s multiple burger offerings, including the “Hot Fuzz”…double burger with fruitwood bacon, pimento cheese, hot pepper jelly and sweet fury pickles. Smash it indeed. But you can get that Plainy Janie cheeseburger if you like too.

And if you like the Hot Fuzz, check out the event schedule for their food truck! Fuzzie’s offers some perfectly nice fries too.

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More Camden Yards sustenance not to be missed. Do you see the necessity of blogs like this one?

For hot dogs and sausages, sadly they’re not Esskay anymore, but the Orioles didn’t venture too far from Baltimore:

Camden Yards Food, Tip #6) Camden Franks.

It’s never hard to find a hot dog at a ballpark, but Camden Franks stands feature your jumbo dogs, and the dogs are now made by Berks Foods in Reading, PA, which is almost local I guess.

If you’re in Baltimore for baseball and crab stuff, Camden Franks has a Maryland Dog, which is a quarter pound hot dog with crab dip and Old Bay potato sticks piled on. Again, bring a fork and napkins…

Camden Franks stands are scattered around the upper and main concourse, and they’re easy to find.

No doubt, ballpark sausages were a key part of Uncle Charley’s vision.

Camden Yards Food, Tip #7) Ballpark Sausage.

“Ballpark Sausage” doesn’t sound terribly unique. Most of us probably could have thought of that name without significant effort. But I thought I’d at least give a mention to the sausages at Oriole Park being made by Uncle Charley’s.

Uncle Charley Armitage was a seasoning and spice man, so he undoubtedly knew a bit about making a great sausage. All natural casings and no additives too. He was from western PA, so not entirely local, but a good ballpark sausage is worth a few hundred miles.

In addition to the spice blends, there’s also (more Maryland flavor coming!) the Uncle Charley’s Chesapeake sausage here, with caramelized onions, orange peppers (get it?), and Old Bay queso on a hoagie roll.

Here’s a couple more new items for 2024, including a great new dessert option…

ALRIGHT, I admit it, New York isn’t all bad!

Camden Yards Food, Tip #8) Pat & Stuggs.

Pat & Stuggs, a new stand in 2024 at the Yard, combines two very established institutions for dogs and beef…the aforementioned Stuggy’s of course, along with Pat LaFrieda meats (warning: possible treason alert coming!). If you don’t know who Pat LaFrieda is, he is a New York-based meat purveyor who supplies beef to chefs and restaurants in NYC.

OK, so maybe it’s tough for Orioles fans to embrace anything that came from Yankeeland…but with that kind of track record LaFrieda’s earned the right to at least give him a chance.

The offerings at this stand are amazing (and gather lines). Try the pictured Shaved Ribeye Dog, which as you can see looks like Baltimore and NYC can find a way to get along. There’s also cheesesteaks and cheeseburgers, including a double bacon cheeseburger. (Pat makes the bacon too.)

Can’t knock the value of beef…

I am won over.

Camden Yards Food, Tip #9) Deddle’s Donuts.

Deddle’s mini-donuts, as I write this, are only available for weekend games, but that’s probably just as well…they might be too good for a season ticket holder to have every night.

For a brief history, Deddle’s started as a donuts and fried chicken food truck owned by Robin Holmes in her mother’s memory…she bought the food truck herself for the venture, which is pretty cool. Their hot and fresh donuts are popular enough that they’ll be opening a stand at the Lexington Market soon.

I’m not sure if you can get the donuts made-to-order here; according to the Ballpark app they come in assorted boxes with flavors like funnel cake, honey glaze, and churro. But they are hot and fresh; and mini donuts with some fruity pebbles is a high end ballpark treat.

And if it’s Monday, you can always look for the food truck…

Just keep reading, check out what’s in the Rutsch Sundae!

There are several dessert options at Camden Yards, including Dippin’ Dots and Rita’s water ice. But I chose another local spot to include here:

Camden Yards Food, Tip #10) South Mountain Creamery.

The South Mountain Creamery is a family-owned farm in Middletown, MD. Their website actually states that the family that processes their milk is the same family that milks the cows. They say you can taste the difference, but I expect you’d have to be a true milk aficionado. Their ice cream is available at Nationals Park too, so maybe there’s something to that. Those folks must wake up stupid early.

Anyway, they have a smaller menu here, but they do have a “Rutsch Sundae”, for the Orioles star catcher. It’s orange dreamsicle ice cream with vanilla pound cake, dark chocolate sauce, chocolate sprinkles, whip cream and a baseball cake pop. Whew! That’s a lotta lotta sugar but hey, at ballpark prices you’ve earned it.

Okay, just so you know, they have funnel cakes. The Orioles have got your back.

So there you go; ten food favorites at the home of the Baltimore Orioles that should make you happy you love baseball.

I left out a few things of course, like the impressive funnel cakes, the Oro and Squire’s pizzas, the Buffalo Bird Dog, and the Fuku chicken sandos. There’s nothing wrong with any of them, but other than the pizzas I didn’t think they were essential Baltimore enough to include here. (Although the O-shaped soft pretzel might be an exception). Baseline Burgers are okay, but there are better burgers at a more reasonable price across the street at Pickles Pub.

I hope you found this helpful my friend. If you haven’t bought your Orioles ticket yet, read this guide to landing a seat at Camden Yards. And check this page for many more great Orioles game pro tips!

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The PNC Park food menu doesn’t quite reflect the culinary city delights like, say, Progressive Field in Cleveland does. But there’s more than ample choices to sample local food favorites at the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Below I’ve listed seven of the best PNC Park food choices, including some new menu items. This by no means covers the varied menu at this classic ballpark, but if you’re looking for some great Pittsburgh eats, this should help.

First though, a quick word from our sponsor:

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“Hey, could you just put the fries and slaw in the sandwich? I’m kind of rushed.”

PNC Park Food Tip #1: The Primanti Brothers Sandwich. The Primanti Bros. sandwich is as iconic Pittsburgh as it gets. At their PNC Park concession stand, you have a choice of steak, capicola or roast beef, covered with cheese and on airy Italian bread. But rather than put your French fries and cole slaw on the side, they just pile the stuff into the sandwich. Yes!

On the Primanti Bros. website, they tell the story about how this sandwich style came about, including how the eatery became popular with truckers who could eat with one hand and steer with the other.

It is indeed a unique and delicious sandwich. I do recommend sitting down at a nearby picnic table to eat one though. If you eat it at your seat you’ll be picking fry bits out of your lap, and that just isn’t baseball.

Primanti Bros. is on the main concourse, near the right field corner.

You’re ready for some Pirates baseball now, aren’t you?

PNC Park Food Tip #2: Caliente Pizza. It’s really bold to call yourself the World’s Best Pizza, but you have to have a lot of confidence to put it in your URL. (True: it’s https://worldsbestpizza.com/) Caliente’s states on their website that their Mee-Maw pizza was named Best Pizza in America in 2019, but they don’t say by whom.

That said, I trust them. Caliente’s is popular enough in Pittsburgh to have over a half a dozen locations, including all of the sports venues in the city.

It’s a good sized slice of pizza for a ballpark, including by thickness standards. It’s got the right mix of dough, sauce, cheese and pepperoni, in other words, lots of everything.

Unfortunately, like most ballparks for some strange reason, pepperoni is your only topping option. But as MLB ballpark pizza goes, this is definitely one of the better options, especially for value.

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Yes, it’s a hot dog. Just because you can’t see the bun doesn’t make it so. (In fact, that kinda makes it better.)

PNC Park Food Tip #3: Smallman Street Deli Reuben Dog. Sure, PNC Park has hot dogs everywhere. But this hot dog is truly Pittsburgh in its “no rules” attitude towards sandwiches. It’s based on one of the available selections from the Smallman Street Deli in the Strip District.

This particular number is the Reuben Dog, and it features corned beef, thousand island dressing, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut. I didn’t try it, but it looks amazing enough as you can see.

The Smallman Street Deli is dedicated to Jewish deli food “the way it used to be”. Their corned beef recipe is over 60 years old, so obviously they’ve hit on something. You can find this stand in the left field corner near the rotunda.

If they still have that pierogi stacker, go for it. It will probably cost more though.

PNC Park Food Options, #4: Manny’s BBQ Platters. Longtime Bucs fans of course remember Manny Sanguillen, the star catcher of the great 1970s Pirates teams. Today Manny sits and meets with fans on occasion, like Boog in Baltimore.

Manny’s has house smoked pulled pork and chicken sandwiches and Angus burgers; they can be had on a platter with beans and slaw. Their burgers are grilled on smokers in full view behind the counter and across the aisle. Loaded burgers especially get good reviews, and the platters with beans and slaw offer decent bang for your ballpark buck.

Manny’s is located in the Riverwalk area in center field. There is a sit down area a short walk away with tables and a nice view of the Allegheny River, but it’s in the hot sun.

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No, that isn’t motor oil. Although you probably could run your car with that potent sauce.

PNC Park Food Tip #5: Quaker Steak Wings. Quaker Steak’s logo is similar to Quaker State Motor Oil’s, big and green with white lettering, so you can’t miss it. I’m fairly sure they don’t use motor oil for cooking wings though, or their wings might not be as popular.

Quaker Steak has regular and boneless wings in several flavors; last I checked the flavors were “Louisiana Lickers”, “Arizona Ranch”, “BBQ”, in hot or medium. You can get a large bucket to share, although at ballpark prices you may think it costs an awful lot for wings.

The bleu cheese sauces aren’t included and cost a bit extra, so if you like bleu cheese keep this in mind, because the cup of cheese is fairly small and you may need more than one.

Quaker Steak & Lube is in Smorgasburgh next door to Primanti Bros., and there’s an outdoor picnic area nearby where you can reduce the risk of wing sauce on your Pirates jersey. There’s also a stand on the upper level.

This nice lady let me photograph fer crab fries. I didn’t ask for any though. I know my limits.

PNC Park Food Options, #6: Chickie’s and Pete’s Crab Fries. It pains me to see Philadelphia food in Pittsburgh, but they could have done worse. If you’ve been to Citizens Bank Park in Philly, you are probably familiar with Chickie’s and Pete’s crab fries; they are crinkle-cut fries jiggled in an Old Bay style seasoning and served with cheese sauce (which costs extra). The cheese sauce is something of a mixture of American cheese and ranch dressing.

The crab fries are extremely popular in Philadelphia; and they’re growing in popularity in Pittsburgh too. There might be a line, but it usually moves quickly. You can get a Philly cheesesteak here also, but it’s not popular from reviews I’ve read.

You can find Chickie’s and Pete’s in the main concourse, and there’s a stand in the left field food court and on the upper deck level.

A Papa Duke’s gyro. There’s meat in there, I promise.

PNC Park Food Options, #7: The Market. The creatively named Market behind home plate is a grab and go type of joint, but unlike at most ballpark grab and go shops there’s some unique and hot sandwich offerings here that are made deli-style.

The Market is a good spot for healthier types. They have wraps and salads here, including a quinoa salad. The Market has the Papa Duke’s gyro that used to be at its own stand but I imagine is just as good here. Papa Duke’s is actually a place, by the way, it’s not named after Willie Stargell or anything.

That said, get your water bottles and such outside, it’s much cheaper and you can bring it in soft-sided coolers. Lots of stands set up around the ballpark on game days, including at the foot of the Roberto Clemente Bridge.

There you go, seven food choices at the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates that are (almost) uniquely downtown Pittsburgh. I know I’ve left out some good stuff, like the club level options, the Nashville hot chicken sandwich, and variations on obvious ballpark favorites. But these are among my top choices at a Pirates game.

If you’re visiting PNC Park on your next ballpark trip, or even if you’re a regular, I’ve got plenty more fan experience tips for you on my PNC Park page, including this very detailed guide for finding a great seat at your next game.

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Next time you’re headed to a game at the home of the Chicago White Sox, be prepared to know what to eat! I’ve listed here a dozen great options for Guaranteed Rate Field food, with helpful photos.

I decided to discuss the food items with staying power. In 2023, for example, the White Sox added a Kung Pao chicken wrap, a “Champagne of Dogs” (footlong spicy chili cheese dog), and the Belgian Banger sausage with red cabbage slaw to the menu.

All good, but the fancy items tend to come and go. What I’ve listed below are great food options at a White Sox game that have been around since the U.S. Cellular Field days. They seem to be staples of the Guaranteed Rate Field menu.

(Need more Guaranteed Rate Field help? Check out this excellent primer on finding a great seat, this complete parking guide, and some more tips for newbies!)

Anyway, here we go, after this quick word from our sponsor:

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“Who put all of these poppy seeds on my roll?!?”

Guaranteed Rate Field Food, Tip #1) Comiskey Dogs. You can get simple hot dogs or a sausage at a baseball game, or you can find one of the Comiskey Dogs kiosks and get your regular or footlong dog south side of Chicago style. If you’re visiting, this would be my best choice for White Sox game food.

For the uninitiated (if you’re from Chicago, I apologize for boring you), a Chicago-style dog is a Vienna Beef frank topped with (in order) yellow mustard, chopped onions, neon green relish, a pickle spear, tomato chunks, sport peppers and celery salt, all on a poppy seed roll.

Chicago natives call this a dog “dragged through the garden”, which makes it sound nice and healthy. I don’t know if you get Comiskey Dogs on the upper deck, so keep that in mind buying your tickets.

We are going to need more than one roll.

Guaranteed Rate Field Food, Tip #2) Sausage and Peppers. You can find generic stands named for Sox greats like Chico Carrasquel and Dick Allen or for various baseball terms, most everywhere here. They have Bobak’s spicy Polish sausage or Italian sausage topped with grilled peppers and onions.

The sausages are so popular here that White Sox fans talk about the smell of them in their praise of the ballpark. Probably true of any ballpark, but most people don’t talk about it as much elsewhere.

Besides that, this not being one of the fancier items, it’s usually a better value than most, if you neglected to enjoy tailgating in the parking lot.

This is a good way to attract fans to your stand.

Guaranteed Rate Field Food, Tip #3) Comiskey Burgers. Burger Barn is the place for the popular “Comiskey Burger”…two fairly large patties with cheddar cheese, pico salsa and other Chicago dog ingredients on a gourmet bun. I would have some napkins for this.

Burger Barn kiosks are pretty self-explanatory; it’s the place to get something other than the basic burger at generic stands. Pay a couple of extra bucks for that double burger with extra toppings. You’re worth it!

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The White Sox get that there’s no excuse for mediocre pizza in a Chicago ballpark.

Guaranteed Rate Field Food, Tip #4) Beggars Pizza. Beggars Pizza has been the official pizza of the White Sox for some time now. Beggars is a local chain, with over two dozen locations in Chicago and northern Indiana.

Beggars offers their classic thin crust, but they have a deep dish edition last I checked. They’re generous with the cheese…their slogan is “We lay it on thick!” You can get your slice with pepperoni or sausage at most stands. Beggars also offers a gluten-free pizza.

“Pizza! Peanuts! Did we mention pizza and peanuts?”

Any stand that serves pizza serves Beggars, but they have their own colorful stands and you can’t miss them, including the “Pizza Pub” in left center field. You can hobnob with other fans and have toasted ravioli or chicken parm sandwiches, or unusual pizza types like with Italian beef and giardiniera.

I am sure it’s more than $8 now. I just wanted to show you what is possible for your ballgame sandwich.

Guaranteed Rate Field Food, Tip #5) Deli Sandwiches. The menu at the Carvery (it was called the Triple Play Carvery last I looked) includes deli-style sandwiches with superlative names like the Ultimate Turkey Club and the Supreme Corned Beef.

They’re not playing around at least. The Ultimate Turkey Club, for example, features turkey, bacon, Monterey Jack cheese, avocado, lettuce, tomato, onion, and apricot chili aioli (!) on wheat bread. You need to stretch your mouth to get a biteful of that.

There is an Xfinity Zone that also offers carvery sandwiches as well as spots to sit. It’s a good spot to enjoy a sloppy deli sandwich.

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Because sometimes, you just want the decision to be simple.

Guaranteed Rate Field Food, Tip #6) Southside Sandwiches. In 2013 the Sox added the Southside Sandwiches kiosk, which keeps it simple: meatball or Buona Italian beef sandwiches (in Chicago, just call it “Italian beef”).

Both are put into an Italian roll; the meatball includes real parmesan and marinara, and you can get Kelsey D’s giardiniera, a veggie mixture with peppers for some kick on either sandwich. They call it “mild”, though.

These sandwiches aren’t too bad a deal, at ballpark prices anyway, and it’s another chance to try something uniquely Chicago.

“Cuban? No, Dutch Irish.”

Guaranteed Rate Field Food, Tip #7) Cuban Sandwiches. Minnie Minoso was nicknamed “the Cuban Comet” for his base-stealing ability, so the Sox naturally named their stand selling Cuban sandwiches for him.

A Cuban sandwich is a hot pressed sandwich on a flatter bread; the Sox version includes ham, pork, Swiss cheese, mustard, pickles and “mojo” (garlic and lime) sauce. Cubans are a nice alternative to typical ballpark food; there’s a nice gooeyness about them.

Don’t worry about giving them a complicated order. These men are trained professionals.

Guaranteed Rate Field Food, Tip #8) Build Your Own Nachos. Tex Mex nachos stands are fairly prevalent at the Rate. Here you can build your own nachos, fajitas, or tacos with lettuce, tomatoes, beans, Monterey Jack cheese, etc., an idea that was a long time coming in baseball.

Tex-Mex stands sell barbacoa (pulled pork, beef or chicken) to put on your nachos. To heck with that melted Velveeta noise—skip the basic joints and come here if you want real nachos. You can even get them in a big souvenir helmet. I strongly suggest washing the helmet before wearing it. I speak from experience. (I’m joking. I think.)

If you don’t need anything fancy for nachos there’s a few plain nachos kiosks elsewhere in the ballpark. But hey, if you’re here, you must be curious about how you can live better at the game.

Ah, 35th Street. I see what they did there.

Guaranteed Rate Field Food, Tip #9) 35th Street Tacos. 35th Street is another variation on ballpark food. The kiosk has beef tacos with chopped lettuce, tomatoes and shredded cheddar, and pork carnitas with onions and cilantro. Both on a soft shell taco, and you can get a side of refried beans for a small fee.

I’ve read some nice reviews of this stand; the meat is nice and tender and the toppings are always fresh. The taco shells are corn, which I presume means they are gluten-free.

Because mayo makes everything better.

Guaranteed Rate Field Food, Tip #10) Elotes. The Elotes kiosks, found on the upper and lower level concourses, sell bowls of corn shucked off the cob, popularly called “elotes”. The corn is then mixed with mayonnaise, butter, salt, hot peppers, shaker cheese, lemon juice and other flavorings, which effectively helps you forget that you’re eating a vegetable at a ballgame.

If you’re wondering why it’s not just called “corn”, it’s because they shuck the corn right there for you. I’ve read that the corn is taken off of the cob because the cobs could then become projectiles. But whatever, they’re popular with a lot of fans, and you can even get an elote corndog now.

This might make a nice dessert for two.

Guaranteed Rate Field Food, Tip #11) Churros. Many of the dessert stands on the lower level have churros, and I will tell you I haven’t seen churros in a lot of ballparks. There are some kiosks dedicated just to churros with multiple flavors. I’ve read you can get a churro ice cream sandwich at Section 157, near the left field pole.

If you want a churro, you should probably get one early before they get stale. A stale churro in the 8th inning is just not cool.

Because confectioner sugar is simply underrated.

Guaranteed Rate Field Food, Tip #12) Funnel Cake Factory. The Sox don’t say as much on their website, but you can get a fine funnel cake or less messy funnel fries, with toppings if you so desire, on the lower level concourse. Or the classic ballpark corndog.

If you’re really into testing your scale you can get a “Bases Loaded Sundae” at the ballpark. It’s a funnel cake with three scoops of soft serve, chocolate syrup and nuts. Now that’s major league baseball food.

Just remember, when all else fails, Comiskey dogs.

There you go my friends…that should be more than enough to help you eat well at the home of the White Sox on game day. Remember that these are mainstay items; if you’re looking for something fancy, try the club sections or one of the new breweries like the Blue Moon Balcony. (For what you’re paying at a ballpark, you might as well go for craft beers.)

Check out more New Comiskey Park (I really dislike the current name of this place) tips here. Oh, and if you’re in Chicago for a baseball trip, don’t forget to read my complete guide to the home of the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field!

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Here it is baseball and Mets fans, your astoundingly detailed, enticingly illustrated, and incredibly detailed guide to the Citi Field food menu (updated for 2023!). This post will help you find the best food at Citi Field for your taste at a Mets game, and try some inimitable NYC baseball cuisine. Don’t miss out on some of the best ballpark food in baseball.

Now this is what baseball is all about.

I’m going to cover a lot here, so I’m breaking this down for you; but don’t skip anything!

Citi Field Restaurants
Classic Tastes of NYC
Tastes Like Chicken
Big And Fancy Sides
NYC Pizza – Plus!
Underrated Stuff – Hot Dogs, Burgers, Sausages + Pastrami on Rye
Cookies, Waffles + Other Desserts
Keep It Healthy – Kosher, Vegetarian, Vegan + Gluten Free
Bring Your Own + Other Tips

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I’m glad they didn’t put the rest of the tables on the other side.

Citi Field Food, Part 1: Restaurants

I’m not going to go into the really fancy high end clubs; much of what is there is available around the ballpark anyway, but I will talk a bit about the more accessible restaurants at Citi Field.

The Caesars Sportsbook at the Metropolitan Grille restaurant (jeez, that’s a mouthful), in the left field corner on the mezzanine (Excelsior) level, is available to everyone except Promenade less than-Gold and Coca-Cola Corner non-season ticket holders. Your ticket will say if you have access.

Here’s a pro tip: if you’re searching for tickets from a third party, try to buy from a season ticket holder…even the cheapest season tix have access to the reasonably nice clubs.

Pizza should always be well-lit.

By most accounts, the food at Caesars—salads, soups, wood-fired pizzas, hardwood smoked pork ribs, etc. from a chef-prepared buffet—and the views of the field, marina, and city are all extraordinary.

It will cost a little bit, and more if you want a table with a view of the field. Even with a prime ticket, you will likely need a reservation for a spot with a view.

The Mets have a game day lunch menu, where you can fill your plate with a nice variety of food…there’s even an omelet bar for brunches…for a reasonable price by ballpark standards. The dinner menu is a few bucks more. Both are slightly cheaper for kids.

Sometimes it’s fun just to hold the stuff in your hand.
(photo courtesy of Maggie Wiggin)

The Piazza 31 Club lounge, on the Excelsior (mezzanine) level behind home plate and is named for one of the all-time great Mets. Like the Grille, it’s open to Promenade Gold ticket holders and anyone else that paid more for their tickets. It is on top of the front entrance rotunda, and offers fine views of Flushing landmarks like the Unisphere and the Citi Field parking lot, but there’s no view of the game.

Inside the Club are two food options that, to my knowledge, you can’t get anywhere else in the ballpark: the Whole Hog BBQ, with 16-hour smoked pork butt sandwiches slathered with Carolina BBQ sauce and braised pork belly burnt ends with pickled jalapenos. Easily worth the extra bucks for access.

There’s also extremely large Twist homemade soft pretzels that you can get with pepperoni and cheddar or cinnamon sugar. Much better than your typical ballpark soft pretzel, even if that’s a low bar.

Tables with a view of fermentation!

Ebbs Brewing Co. is technically a part the ballpark, but it’s got a separate entrance from being inside. They offer some fine brew selections, including lagers, stouts, IPAs, double IPAs, and several hard seltzers. The menu includes fancy items like house beer cheese soft pretzels, handmade dumplings, and multiple types of sausages.

The prices for beer especially are slightly lower than inside the ballpark, so it’s a place to have one or two better than Budweiser (another low bar) beers before the game. If you can wait until after the game to eat, it’s a good spot to wait out the often bad Citi Field exit traffic.

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You’ll never “K” at the K Corner!

Near the center field corner of the ballpark (where McFadden’s used to be) is the K Corner Citi Field restaurant, named for the spot in Shea Stadium where fans would hang Ks for Dwight Gooden strikeouts. It’s a simple sit down eatery with a menu of bar food. You won’t be saving any money on food or beer, but it’s a spot to relax before or after the game.

You don’t need a game ticket to have a meal or drink at the K Corner, but you can enter the ballpark from there…obviously you’ll need a ticket for that. Makes for a good double secret entrance when lines are long.

When in doubt, Shake Shack.

Citi Field Food, Part 2: A Taste of New York City

If you want to really see the amazing culinary offerings that Citi Field has to offer…and there’s quite a bit…start at the Taste of The City food court in center field.

The Shake Shack has a Madison Square Park tradition dating back to 2004. The Shack serves the hugely popular fresh beef Shackburger on potato buns. They also have a very good veggie ‘shroom burger, and very thick milkshakes and frozen custard for dessert.

It’s the wax paper. Chicks dig the wax paper.

The Shackburger is adorned with lettuce, cheese, tomato and Shack Sauce, and an extra patty is available for a few extra bucks (it’s worth it). Incidentally, the fries here with or without cheese are excellent, crinkle cut and crispy.

Judging by the length of lines, Mets fans still consider the Shackburger to be the best food at Citi Field, even with all the great other selections. If you don’t want to wait long, try going as soon as the gates open. If you’re gonna wait, go all out and get a concrete too; you can walk it off.

If I could make one of these, I’d never leave the house.

The glowing Pat LaFrieda’s cart in the center field area is home to the gourmet NYC meat provider’s beef sandwich. LaFrieda’s sandwich is strips of filet mignon with Jack cheese and caramelized onions browned in balsamic vinegar, on a baguette with au jus. I’m told the onions make the sandwich. In 2023, the Mets added a Home Field Double burger, with onions, cheese and Pat’s steak sauce.

There is an additional stand on the Promenade level, where you can also get loaded fries…waffle fries with Pat’s bacon and Jack cheese sauce.

LaFrieda’s sandwiches command a hefty price tag even for a ballpark, but that doesn’t stop anyone; lines can get long here too.

It’s just a picture, but even looking at this it can’t be a bad cheesesteak.

The Home Plate Market is almost hidden (it’s near the Fan Assistance stand on the field level), which is a mystery to me, because it’s a grab and go with some seriously interesting food options at Citi Field.

You can find the Chiddy’s cheesesteak here…and it’s definitely Philly-style, with an ample amount of Cheez Whiz on it. Chiddy’s is a local joint with a location in Queens, and they’re popular with folks that don’t want to make a trip to Philly for an authentic sandwich.

“I’ll just take one of the trays please. Put it on the card.”

The Mets replaced Catch of The Day with the Lobster Shack in the right field corner. Lobster Shack is the Mets’ food guys’ handiwork, but they get it done with their delightfully photogenic fresh Maine lobster roll served with bayside chips. Try the East Shore edition, with lobster dipped in melted butter as nature intended.

They also have loaded chips, covered with lobster, lobster fondue, cilantro dressing and chives, and a creamy lobster bisque.

We have Boog Powell to thank for bringing BBQ to the ballpark.

Pig Beach BBQ exists in both Brooklyn and Queens. They describe their approach to que as “an alchemy of multiple cooking disciplines, with a strong focus on live wood fire.” Whatever that means, at Citi you can get a BBQ platter with pulled pork or beef brisket, which includes purple cole slaw (jalapeno and pineapple) and baked beans (with smoked meats).

But wait, there’s more…choose from a patty melt, the Chef Jeff brisket sandwich, or the pulled pork sandwich. And the patty melt is on marbled rye bread.

I can verify that the tacos are delicious.

In the Hudson Whiskey NY Club are a couple of unique outposts that make it worth the access (see the bit about tickets with club access). First there’s the nicely portioned chicken tinga or spicy tuna tacos from Takumi Taco, another NYC joint known for Japanese-inspired Mexican food.

The Hudson Club also features Empanada Mama’s (wait for it) cheeseburger or mac and cheese empanadas. Or you can find wings and healthier items from Emma’s Torch, a Carroll Gardens eatery whose mission is to empower refugees through culinary education. Who says baseball food can’t be philanthropic?

I’ve lost count of how many chefs are featured at Citi Field.

Finally (whew!), in the right field corner is chef Marc Murphy’s porcetta sandwich stand. Yes, that Marc Murphy, known for “Italian street food”. According to that website, it’s “prepared with sea salt, cracked pepper, minced garlic, fresh picked rosemary, and wild fennel seeds.” Expect a line for this as well, but it’s probably worth it.

It’s a great sandwich and a snicker-worthy name, making it a winner in NYC.

Citi Field Food, Part 3: Tastes Like Chicken

Fuku’s spicy chicken sandwich in the right field corner is the creation of chef David Chang. The Fuku sando is a chicken sandwich with something called “Ssam Korean chili sauce” – which has a hint of habanero – and is cooked just right to be crispy and juicy at the same time. It’s served on a Martin’s potato roll with “Fuku butter”, which is something like mayo.

Fuku is popular in NYC and its addition to Citi was applauded a lot. It’s a very spicy sandwich, so be prepared with a drink if you try it.

When you have not one but two condiments to choose from, that’s Amazin’. (Isn’t that a song lyric?)

The Amazin’ Chicken Co. isn’t a NYC chicken specialty shop…this one comes from the Mets own food preparing folks, who we can trust at this point. This is your spot for chicken tenders, chicken Caesar wraps, and “cheesy tater kegs”…a deep fried potato filled with a three cheese blend. There’s also General Tso’s chicken tenders, free range chicken with Tso’s sauce, sesame seeds and scallions.

They offer a good family meal deal, if your kids are into chicken tenders; a bucket of tenders covered with the tater kegs. The chicken pieces are very large, and you’ll have at least enough for two.

Check out the condiment and sauce station near Amazin’ Chicken; garlic aioli, house ranch, chipotle BBQ, and Buffalo sauce, great additions to already amazin’ poultry offerings.

You’re starting to get hungry for some baseball, aren’t you?
(photo courtesy of Maggie Wiggin)

Sweet Chick, behind the right field seats on the field level, is a chicken and waffles/comfort food joint with several locations in NYC and LA. Sweet Chick is popular around the city for their chicken, so there must be something right about the formula.

Sweet Chick offers chicken and waffles with boneless chicken, honey butter and maple syrup; they also have a spicy Buffalo chicken sandwich with bread and butter pickles, or a simple fried chicken sandwich with lettuce, tomato and herb mayo. Their loaded waffle fries are a big hit.

If you’re having donuts for dessert, this is a big time saver!

In that aforementioned Home Plate Market is this marvel from the Jacob’s Pickles folks: a fried chicken sandwich with honey barbecue sauce and glazed donuts as the rolls. Probably belongs in the dessert section, but there it is.

Yes, they cut an egg carton in half. That’s actually pretty genius.

Citi Field Food, Part 4: Big And Fancy Sides

The Arancini Bros. aren’t actually named “Arancini”; it was two music techs who met on tour and created their own version of deep fried risotto balls. They’re sold at the Essex Street Market, Whole Foods, and of course, Citi Field.

At the ballpark you can get any of six types of risotto balls stuffed with either meat sauce, basil pesto and mozzarella, taco meat with salsa, sour cream and cheddar, even a dessert edition with Nutella and rolled in cinnamon sugar. You can get the full experience and mix and match any of them.

Now you know what to look for to find fries.

The popular Box Frites stand has also been replaced; but if you like fancy French fries, you’ll be fine with the Metropolitan Fry Factory, also in center field. Again, these are the Mets’ guys, making hand-cut fries with four house made sauces: chipotle BBQ, classic Buffalo, house ranch and garlic aioli.

Even more popular than the fried potatoes though, are the deep fried foot long hot dogs; MFF has four offerings including the Steakhouse Ripper with short rib & bacon chili, beer cheese and chives. Or the Tex Mex Ripper, with pickled jalapeno guacamole, chipotle aioli and chili dusted corn tortilla chips.

Kudos to Sunny for going where no ballpark food has gone before!

If you’re looking for unusual sides, try Sunny’s All-American Kitchen, with offerings from celebrity chef Sunny Anderson. Some unusual but tasty stuff here…like nacho skins (!), classic baked mac and cheese, and campfire parfaits, which I’m guessing is a first at a ballpark.

I love cup-shaped pepperoni.

Citi Field Food, Part 5: NYC Pizza – Plus!

Unlike Yankee Stadium for years (Papa John’s…SMH), Citi Field has NYC pizza covered.

Patsy’s Pizzeria in center field (and the Piazza 31 Club) has existed since its beginnings in Harlem in 1933, so they’re arguably right to call themselves “New York’s Original and Preeminent Pizza Dynasty”. Even if I’m not sure exactly what that means, it has my respect.

At the ballpark you have a choice of regular, Margherita, or pepperoni slices, nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe that is on purpose, so that fans save room for a pizza cupcake.

Put candles in them for your birthday!

Did someone say Pizza Cupcakes? Yes, the Pizza Cupcake at the Home Plate Market is a New York delicacy in its own right; it’s a creation of chef Andrea Meggiato.

If you like pepperoni rolls, you’ll like the pizza cupcake…it’s just shaped differently. Or get the Margherita version. The best part? It’s easier to carry around and eat than a slice of pizza. No offense Patsy.

It doesn’t sound exciting, but hear me out.

Citi Field Food, Part 6: Underrated Stuff – Hot Dogs, Burgers, Sausages + Pastrami on Rye

If you like burgers, Citi Field has multiple offerings for you, beyond the aforementioned Shake Shack and Pat LaFrieda Home Field Double.

Sauerkraut and NYC red onion relish. For that food cart feel.

In keeping with Pat LaFrieda’s plan to take over the Mets world, his burgers are the Official Burger of the Mets, much to the delight of fans. The aptly named Burgers & Fries stands sell LaFrieda burgers, Nathan’s dogs, and veggie dogs, plus chicken tenders if you aren’t yet impressed.

Here’s a pro tip…there is no shame in eschewing the Shake Shack for this. Not only is it high-quality beef, but the Mets have some of the best condiment stands I’ve seen in a ballpark. Load up your burger with mushrooms, sauerkraut and/or NYC red onion relish. Works just fine.

Believe it or not, I actually had to do some digging to find hot dog pictures.

There are enough Nathan’s hot dog stands in the rest of the ballpark that you are never far from one. In addition to their famous all-beef regular, footlong dogs, and corn dogs, most Nathan’s stands serve their classic crinkle-cut fries as well. I probably don’t need to tell you that Nathan’s fries are great.

Again, remember the condiment stands…I’m a big fan of NYC onion relish.

Might be enough for me for one game at least.

A good sausage at a ballgame should never be considered underrated…and there are Premio sausage stands throughout the ballpark. Some Mets fans will tell you that the simple sausage and pepper sandwich is the best value at Citi Field. And again, condiment stands!

I’m not sure whether the key word is “classic”, “deli”, or “pastrami”.

The cryptically named Hot Pastrami on Rye stand in the left field corner has nice and hefty pastrami sandwiches and a pastrami dog (a hot dog covered in pastrami and Gold’s deli mustard). The pastrami sandwich is kind of an underrated item here; the stand isn’t in a big food court or anything, but it’s a popular New York thing and aren’t too high on the calories meter.

Any Cubs fan who gets a shirt like this is not going to halfway on his ballpark nachos.

The Mets don’t have a crazy variation of one of baseball’s greatest foods, but the aptly named Goya Nachos kiosks take care of supply; get a large plate of chicken or beef nachos, in a souvenir helmet if you like.

It’s a big enough (and calorie-laden enough) pile of chips with junk for two. But looking at the prices it looks like the helmet is something like $6 extra; if you get that, keep the helmet. Nachos stands also have burritos and burrito bowls…and the burrito is one of the ideal ballpark foods. Portability!

Oreos and like pretty much any dessert are made for each other.

Citi Field Food, Part 7: Cookies, Waffles + Other Desserts

You can go with basic ballpark ice cream and I’m not knocking that, but if you want to reach higher, get to that Hudson Whiskey Club and try one of these Sundae Donuts. Sundae is a Staten Island joint known for donut-infused ice cream. They have several amazing donuts at Citi, including thehttps://sundaedonuts.com/pages/citi-field Oreo donut because they get it.

You can also get a milkshake topped with a glazed donut and Oreo crumbs. Like I said, reach higher.

Oh, the possibilities!

Wowfulls was a staple of food festivals for several years before opening up a store in Manhattan; it’s known for Hong Kong egg waffles, shaped into a cone and filled with ice cream and toppings.

Choose from multiple choices of fancy ice cream…like vanilla rainbow, chocolate brownie batter, or salted caramel cheesecake. Toppings include fruity pebbles, cookie dough bites or Oreo crumbles. All of the desserts have “pocky sticks” too…chocolate coated biscuit sticks. Well worth two hours on the treadmill.

When Citi Field first opened, people complained that there weren’t enough tributes to the Mets. We can now officially put that to bed.
(photo courtesy of Maggie Wiggin)

Cookie Crumz, also in the Home Plate Market, comes from two locations in Astoria and Long Island City. The idea for their cookies was “a simple craving one day for a super indulgent, mind blowing cookie”. Must have been some craving given the result.

Their offerings at Citi include the Fun-Met-I (sounds like confetti, see), with white chocolate chips and Mets-colored sprinkles.

With blue and orange sprinkles, for the Dodgers and Giants.

Mister Softee is the “Official Soft Serve Ice Cream of the Mets”. Mr. Softee cones and milkshakes are found in the concourse areas, and now you can get it in a Home Run Apple bowl…just when you thought simple ice cream at a ballgame wasn’t anything special!

“Strawberry vanilla whip? Strawberry vanilla whip? Three strawberry vanilla whips!”

But if you’d like a healthier sweet snack, try the Dole Whip (here’s the recipe!). It’s at Pig Beach and several other stands. A Dole Whip is something like soft serve ice cream, but it’s fruity and dairy free…at least the half that isn’t mixed with vanilla custard.

Pretzel rolls are one of mankind’s shining achievements.
(photo courtesy of Maggie Wiggin)

Citi Field Food, Part 8: Kosher, Vegan, and Gluten Free at Citi Field

Prime Kosher Sports has been around for a few years at Citi Field, and they have the full gamut of ballpark food, kosher-style: hot dogs, burgers, fries, chicken tenders, deli sandwiches, knishes, even a pulled brisket sandwich on a pretzel roll.

Prime Kosher Sports is close to the center field food court with all the greats.

No need to worry about going to a ballgame as a vegan…there are sausages and dogs.

Since the ability to eat at the ballgame is a stumbling block to veganism for many, the Mets covered that too…Vegan City in the right field corner makes it possible for vegans to eat Beyond Burgers, Beyond Sausage & Peppers, even vegan nachos with Jack Fruit chili, vegan cheese, roasted salsa and guacamole. You might be able to talk me into going vegan now.

Nothing speaks to the evolution of baseball like sushi at the ballpark. But hey, I’m not complaining.

The World’s Fare Market in the right field corner has grab and go stuff, like bags of pistachios and peanuts. There’s also BN (Beyond Nightlife) Sushi, where you can get the sushi, avocado rolls, and Asian salads that are offered in every ballpark these days (when I first wrote that years ago, it was sarcasm).

The World’s Fare in general is a good destination for vegetarians and healthy eaters, if a little pricey.

Making baseball safe for celiacs is a reason to be a Mets fan.

Citi Field also helps out celiac Mets fans, with a Gluten Free food stand in the World’s Fare Market area. They have gluten-free hot dogs and burgers (on gluten-free buns, obviously), turkey burgers, Nathan’s fries, and Glutenberg beer.

Finally, I mentioned Emma’s Torch in the Hudson Whiskey Club earlier; if you’re looking for something to help your digestion they have a black-eyed pea hummus wrap.

Some good and cheap takeout here, but not worth the train ride or walk just to save a few bucks.

Citi Field Food, Part 9: Bring Your Own Food + Other Money-Saving Tips

Yes, you can bring food into Citi Field and avoid the inflated Citi Field menu prices, but there are limits. You’re allowed a 16*16*8 soft bag, and no hard bottles or alcohol. The Mets don’t list food as a prohibited item, but you’re only allowed one plastic bottle of water or soda before the game.

There aren’t many takeout offerings a short walk from Citi Field, but there are places near 7 train stations everywhere. Main Street in Flushing (one stop away on the 7) has several great ethnic takeout joints, but this is a lot of trouble just to save a few bucks. Unless you’re coming from there anyway, I would just put water and peanuts in your bag.

There are four stands that offer smaller portions at smaller prices for kids. They are located behind Sections 114, 121, 408 and 421, including in the upper level food court. The hot dogs are skinny, but they won’t care. The Mr. Met Kitchen in center field has an inexpensive kids meal, with a dog, popcorn and a juice box with a prize included.

Citi cards…endorsed by Mr. Met!

It seems like a small thing, but bring your Citi credit card. Several generic stands offer a couple of bucks off an item with a Citi card. Incidentally, I’ve done pretty well saving money with my Citi MasterCard, especially finding ticket deals.

If you’re not drinking alcohol, you can become a designated driver at one of the pledge booths, and they’ll give you a coupon for a free soda. The booths are behind Section 119, 310, and 418.

There’s no such thing as too many pics of Shackburgers.

There you have it my friends…all of your food choices at the beautiful home of the New York Metropolitans. It’s fitting that a New York City ballpark stepped up its concession game; while the Yankees have their own impressive selections, they don’t come close to the offerings in Queens.

If you’re planning a visit to Citi Field, don’t just bring an empty stomach…get to know the place and save some money doing it, with my full and complete guide to Citi Field! Learn how to save money on tickets, find a great seat, and get to the ballpark easily…we’ve got your back!

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The Nationals Park food menu offers a few items that are uniquely D.C., a few items that reflect the taste of the region, and a couple items that are popular in other National League East cities for some odd reason.

Below I’ve included some of my favorites here to help you decide what to eat at Nationals Park.

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Now THIS is a ballpark food.

Nationals Park Food Tip #1: Ben’s Chili Bowl. The Chili Half-Smoke from Ben’s Chili Bowl is a spicy all beef sausage, with Ben’s special recipe chili piled on, along with cheese, chopped onions and yellow mustard. In my opinion, it’s the best food at Nationals Park.

It’s a truly amazing chili dog, just grab some napkins and maybe a spoon for the abundant chili. Ben’s also has chili cheese fries and chili burgers, and they don’t skimp on the chili or cheese. I persuaded my brother to try one at a game, and three innings later he was getting another.

Now this, my friend, is a plate of ballpark nachos.

Nationals Park Food Tip #2: Hard Times Café. Hard Times is a local chili and burgers chain, so most locals are familiar with it. Hard Times’ nachos—covered with spicy chili, real cheese, sour cream, jalapenos and onions—are one of the better food deals in Nats Park, with easily enough for two people. I’m a big fan.

Last I checked Hard Times also offers a popular Frito pie, chili dogs, chicken wings, and a Cincinnati-style “Chili Mac”, chili and cheese served over spaghetti noodles.

If you make it look delicious enough, you can charge almost any price.

Nationals Park Food Tip #3: Chesapeake Bay Crab Company. Since crabs are a thing in the area, the Nats have a stand selling crab cake grilled cheese sandwiches on large slices of buttered bread. Ballpark plus seafood equals very pricey, but it is a big sandwich.

You can also get crab balls or crab nachos. The nachos are Old Bay kettle chips topped with crab queso, roasted corn and salsa. They’re not as big as the Hard Times nachos, but it’s definitely something different and worth trying.

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A partial list of toppings for your hot dog.

Nationals Park Food Tip #4: Haute Dogs & Fries. For the classic ballpark food, Haute Dogs & Fries has some innovative offerings of gourmet beef dogs on New England rolls, including the Haute dog with brown onion relish, mayonnaise and celery salt, and a Banh Mi dog with jalapeno, carrots, cucumber slaw, cilantro and sriracha mayo.

That’s just some examples…they might be different when you visit. Hand cut fries too. Haute Dogs is one of those cheap hot dog joints that is popular enough that even when they’re not cheap at the ballpark they’re still good.

Baseball gets better all the time.

Nationals Park Food Tip #5: See. You. Tater. See. You. Tater. is named for MASN announcer Bob Carpenter’s signature home run call. This joint is about chicken wings and tater tots: wings come in flavors like Buffalo, sweet & spicy BBQ, lemon garlic butter, Old Bay or mango Caribbean jerk.

The tots are the big draw though…a pile of tater tots can be smothered with Buffalo chicken and blue cheese, pork belly and picked cucumbers (called the “Intentional Wok”), BBQ sauce and mac and cheese, or my personal favorite, the Chesapeake Bay with crab meat and crab queso.

Again, probably a good idea to grab a fork to eat these.

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I doubt this guy would be as enthusiastic serving Papa John’s pizza.

Nationals Park Food Tip #6: Enzo’s Pizza. Enzo’s serves up pretty good pizza in my opinion, at least by ballpark standards, with thin crust and ample pepperoni. It’s greasy stuff though…pat it with a napkin if you care about that.

At present there is only cheese and pepperoni, if I see any specialty pizzas I’ll let you know. The pepperoni slice is only slightly more expensive than the cheese slice. Or you can get a full pie for a head-shaking price.

We need something with a lot of ingredients.

Nationals Park Food Tip #7: La Casita Pupuseria. Yep, seven items in I’m already up to three stands serving up some variation of nachos (and I’m not done yet). La Casita Pupuseria is a popular chain in the area with five locations in Maryland, plus a food truck.

Okay so maybe pupusas aren’t exactly nachos…they’re somewhere between nachos and gyros, a thick tortilla covered with typical burrito fillings like chicken or pork, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese etc. It’s a great ballpark snack, easy to carry around if a bit messy.

Don’t ask the guy if you can lick the ladle.

Nationals Park Food Tip #8: Steak of The Union. I’m impressed that Steak of The Union has managed to stick around serving cheesesteaks, given how popular Philadelphia fans are here. But it’s an authentic Philly cheesesteak, “wit” fried onions, peppers and Cheez Whiz.

And of course, more nachos…you can get a truly daunting plate of cheesesteak nachos here, with the all-important whiz glop and cheesesteak meat for that Philly flavor.

Wait…what? There’s something healthy to eat at a ballpark?

Nationals Park Food Tip #9: Melissa’s Field of Greens. Field of Greens stand offers mushroom burgers, salads, wraps, and hummus; it’s a good spot for vegan sorts. Melissa’s Produce is actually a thing; they’re based in California and have a stand in Yankee Stadium too.

Last I looked, the stand had a Portobello mushroom burger with provolone and roasted red peppers, and they even had veggie cheesesteaks and crab cakes. The meat in the cheesesteak is wheat protein made by Vegadelphia; I’m guessing wheat protein isn’t gluten-free.

Finally, it takes some walking, but the Scoreboard Pavilion in right field is home to some cool spots:

Don’t be a jerk…snap your photo and let the fan eat their chicken!

Nationals Park Food Tip #10: Jammin’ Island BBQ. The Jammin’ Island grill near the Loft has very spicy jerk ribs and chicken cooked on a charcoal grill, of which you can get a combo plate with sweet potato fries. You can eat while standing at ample counter space with a view of the field.

I’ve read a lot from Nats fans start declaring Jammin’ Island to be the hidden gem at Nats Park. Employees sometimes hand out samples, which frequently result in purchases.

It’s a burger. And you’re an American.

Nationals Park Food Tip #11: Shake Shack. The Shake Shack is a Citi Field staple (there’s one in Philly’s ballpark now too) but it is equally popular here; lines get very long for the Shackburger, a fresh beef patty topped with lettuce, cheese, tomato and (thousand island style) Shack Sauce on a potato roll. Shell out a few bucks for an extra patty.

There’s also thick milkshakes excellent enough to have a separate (much shorter) line, and I can definitely vouch for the quality of the fries too.

When fries are good enough for neon, you should give them a try.

Nationals Park Food Tip #12: Box Frites. If you like fries, Box Frites (another Citi Field delicacy, SMH) is it…crispy boardwalk-style fries with several dipping sauces that change periodically. You might find smoky bacon or black pepper parm sauce or something like that. Try the garlic parmesan fries…you’ll thank me.

They have several unusual hot dogs here, like a Frites dog or BLT dog. For a fee you can get additional sauce.

I’m really just scratching the surface here; Nationals Park has a seriously long menu. But if you need help deciding what the best food at Nationals Park is, hopefully this helps.

Lots more tips where that came from…be sure to check out my complete guide to Nationals Park! Whether you’re a regular or first timer, there’s lots of tips to help you out.

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The Progressive Field food menu, in my humble opinion, is one of the best in baseball. The home of the Cleveland Guardians not only showcases iconic local restaurants (and who knew that Cleveland was such a great foodie town?), it offers a lot of the best in basic baseball food…like hefty foot long hot dogs and true ballpark mustard.

What the best food at Progressive Field is of course a matter of opinion, but I’ve picked out ten that I think you’ll be happy with, including some new food items they’ve added to the Progressive Field menu for 2023. This should help your taste buds if you’re a first time visitor especially.

Most all of these are on the lower level, although some of the concession stands have additional outposts in the upper level.

I’ll start with some amazeballs sandwich selections, after this quick word from our sponsor:

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This sandwich almost didn’t last long enough to be photographed.

Progressive Field Food, Tip #1) Melt Bar & Grilled (Right Field District). Melt started in Lakewood with a simple goal: “gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and lots of beer”. They have multiple types of large grilled cheese sandwiches at Guardians games, and the sandwiches are made with huge slices of Texas Toast and include a bag of chips.

Try the chorizo and potato or the mushroom sandwich with grilled onions…that might be the best vegetarian meal I’ve had at a game.

Recent additions to the menu: Melt now has mac and cheese bowls, including a Buffalo version topped with chicken. I trust these folks to get the taste right!

The beer there is pretty good too.

Progressive Field Food, Tip #2) Fat Head’s Brewery (Infield District). Fat Head’s is a North Olmsted brewery and sandwich shop known for large-sized sandwiches that they call “Headwiches” (because they’re the size of your head).

They have a “Fat Italian” – ham, salami, capicola, pepperoni and hot sausage with provolone, banana peppers and a hard-boiled egg; and a “Southside Slopes” – a kielbasa with pierogies, American cheese, grilled onions and horseradish sauce. The Slopes, incidentally, was voted #5 Best Sandwich in America by Maxim Magazine.

They make great craft beers too…including some award-winners at the Great American Beer Festival. If you like citrus beers in the summer, Fat Head’s is for you.

Recent addition to the menu: Pepper Jack bites! Crusted Pepper Jack cheese with ranch dressing included for dipping.

Worth a try just because the name of the place is so cool.

Progressive Field Food, Tip #3) Throwin’ Smoke BBQ (Main Concourse). Throwin’ Smoke isn’t a local eatery, just a cleverly named BBQ stand that was a long time coming to Cleveland’s ballpark. The sandwiches are definitely BBQ messy and you should probably sit down to eat one. They have a BBQ mac and cheese in a baseball helmet too (I would clean it out before wearing it).

You can get a pulled pork, chicken or beef brisket sandwich; get it topped with slaw, sharp cheddar and pickle chips. And the specialty sandwich is the Heater, any kind of meat with habanero BBQ sauce, jalapenos and pepper jack cheese. Don’t mess around with that one, seriously; get a beer to go with it.

Recent additions: They have a pork mac and cheese cone now…a waffle cone with mac and cheese and topped with Montgomery Inn pulled pork, cole slaw and BBQ sauce. In 2023, Throwin’ Smoke added mac and cheese brisket: mac and cheese again topped with that Montgomery Inn BBQ brisket, pickled crunchy onions, and BBQ sauce.

So there’s your sandwich selections, at least not counting what is basic ballpark food…but in Cleveland, they take ordinary ballpark items a step further…check out Happy Dog, for example!

Get froot loops on your hot dog. Only in Cleveland.

Progressive Field Food, Tip #4) Happy Dog (Infield District). At the actual Happy Dog in Gordon Square, they have over 50 toppings, but at the Prog the pared down offerings are wacky enough. Witness the Slider Dog…topped with Froot Loops, mac and cheese and bacon. Wait, what? Froot Loops? Yes.

They have lots of other unusual options for baseball’s classic food here, so check it out. Last I looked there was a Dyngus Dog with red cabbage sauerkraut; a southern BBQ Dog with pulled pork, beer cheese, greens and caramelized onions; or a Summer Veggie Dog with tomatoes, cucumbers, cole slaw and chimichurri. If nothing else that’s healthier than Froot Loops.

All Happy Dog dogs are all-beef quarter-pound sizable hot dogs on poppy seed buns. I would get a fork for the heftier ones. Froot Loops…wow.

Recent additions: Going healthy? Try the Wild Thing…a Field Roast vegan dog topped with house made vegetable chili, shredded cheddar, diced onions, and (of course) Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Your ballgame meal is complete.

Bacon bits AND slices. You almost expect Kevin Bacon to make an appearance.

Progressive Field Food, Tip #5) Build-A-Burger (Main Concourse). The name Build-A-Burger invokes the obvious question: how many toppings can I pile on? We are paying ballpark prices here, so get your money’s worth. You can find this one in the left field corner.

Here you go: get an All-American burger with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles…or make it interesting with a pulled pork burger topped with BBQ sauce slaw, sharp cheddar and bacon (bits or slices!).

Several types of fries here, which I’ve read are crispy and excellent. Chicken tenders too. Get them topped with pulled pork, queso blanco, and/or peppers and onions or just plain loaded.

Recent additions: The Southwest Burger is a 1/3 pound all beef patty with guacamole, pico de gallo, nacho cheese sauce, and chipotle crema on a brioche bun…new in 2023 is the Pimento Cheese and Bacon Burger, a 1/3 pound patty topped with pimento cheese, bacon, and shredded lettuce on a brioche bun. I presume you can add toppings to these as well.

Unfortunately I am told Dynomite Burger is no longer in the Prog…(sniff)

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Sorry for not getting a picture of the spaghetti and meatball pizza. But I doubt anyone who ordered it would have let me.

Progressive Field Food, Tip #6) Dante’s Inferno (Infield District). Dante’s Inferno is the pizza shop of Cleveland chef Dante Boccuzzi, the owner of several top-rated Cleveland restaurants.

No typical ballpark pizza, this…Dante’s actually has a spaghetti and meatball pizza, and yes, it does have noodles on it (not a lot though, so don’t worry about the carbs). Dante’s also has a spicy Inferno pizza with sausage, pepperoni, olives and hot peppers, and an above-average veggie pizza with zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms and basil walnut pesto. Or just plain or pepperoni.

Dante’s sells pizza by the pie, and it’s a good-sized pie for one.

I should probably rank these next selections higher, because they’re all great…just saying that the Prog is a super place to get your Mexican fix on:

That’s what nachos need, folks…lots of ingredients.

Progressive Field Food, Tip #7) Barrio (Right Field District). Barrio is a Tremont-based eatery with build-your-own tacos; you can get chicken or chorizo tacos and they have a veggie “street corn” version too.

But I must add that Barrio does a very impressive plate of nachos; they feature melted and shredded cheese (yes, both), and several different salsas with chicken or chorizo for a small extra fee.

The chips are salty in my opinion, but it’s definitely an above average plate of nachos for a ballpark, and it can easily feed two.

Not just sour cream…cilantro-lime cream. This is a ballpark, remember?

Progressive Field Food, Tip #8) Momocho (Infield District). Momocho is an Ohio City joint owned by Eric Williams, another “Best Chef” award winner, this time by Scene readers. Momocho is all about nachos and quesadillas. The chips are made to order and heated in a giant rotisserie oven and served with homemade guac and salsa.

Your choices of toppings include chicken, Barbacoa pulled pork or chorizo sausage; they come with pickled jalapenos, green salsa and cilantro-lime cream. You can add extra queso, beans or salsa for a fee that is worth it.

I thought the Barrio nachos were slightly superior, and a couple of nice Indians fans whose opinion I asked at the train station agreed, but I will say the Momocho chips were less salty. And they’re definitely still a great plate of loaded nachos.

Note the complete absence of brown-ness on the guacamole!

Progressive Field Food, Tip #9) Ohio City Burrito (Infield District). I read once that the burrito is an ideal ballpark food, that you can use your non-beer holding hand to hold it; I couldn’t agree more.

Ohio City Burrito is, as the name strongly implies, a burrito joint based in the Ohio City neighborhood; they take pride in the burrito rolling technique that is especially important for eating in a ballpark seat.

At the Prog outpost burrito types include chicken, pork carnitas, Barbacoa beef and a veggie (which is just minus the chicken or beef); burritos include rice, black beans, onions, peppers, cheese, lettuce, and a choice of salsa, guac and/or sour cream. They are all available in a bowl without that calorie-laden flour tortilla. OCB is also known for sweet homemade salsa.

Finally, even with the basics, the Guardians clearly care about your needs:

See what I mean when I say the Guardians care about their fans?

Progressive Field Food, Tip #10) Big Hot Dogs With Bertman’s Mustard (Everywhere). At Sausages & Dogs or Ballpark Classics stands, whatever…if you look around, most of the generic stands have those really hefty half pound (yes, half pound) hot dogs. These are like the footlongs you find at a lot of ballparks, only thicker…and with peppers, onions, and Bertman’s Ballpark Mustard piled on, it can be a great value by ballpark standards.

It’s been a few years since I’ve been to the Prog, but they used to have a Charred Dogs stand behind home plate. If you like the skin burnt on your dogs, it might be worth a look.

Read more about Bertman’s Mustard here…you’ll like this tale.

This should be the only legal way to cook a ballpark hot dog.

There you have it folks…ten great selections of menu items for your next game at Progressive Field. One word of caution…as of 2023, half of the stands are cashless, so you’ll need your credit card (or Apple Pay or Google Pay device). I’m guessing there will be more of that in the future.

Ballpark E-Guides is happy to be your helpful resource for going to your next Cleveland Indians…sorry, Cleveland Guardians home game. If you’d like more great advice, check out my complete guide to Progressive Field here! Thanks for reading, and please support our sponsors!

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Deciding what to eat at a Phillies game can be frustrating…there is a large variety of food items, and many are very good and offer a great sampling of Philly. I’m here to help…here is your complete and hugely helpful guide to the Citizens Bank Park food menu – including new items for 2023!

This post goes into detail about the best food offerings at Citizens Bank Park, and to help you decide on something for your taste. There’s lots of good stuff, and lots of iconic Philly food stuff, so know what’s out there before you go.

I’ve spoken a bit in my also very helpful Citizens Bank Park seating page about the eats in the Diamond and Hall of Fame Clubs, so I’ll skip over that to cover the rest of the items. (And if you want parking and ticket advice, you can check this out).

Whiz wit.

Like I said, there’s a lot, so I’ve broken this down into parts:

Citizens Bank Park Restaurants
Philly Cheesesteaks
Ashburn Alley – Pizza, Crab Fries, Chicken Sandwiches + Wings
Left Field Plaza – Hot Dogs, Sausages, BBQ + Donuts
Generic Stuff – Cheesesteaks, Dogs + Fries, Etc.
Vegetarian, Vegan + Gluten-Free
Dessert – Ice Cream + Water Ice
Bring Your Own Food + More Tightwad Tips
New Citizens Bank Park Food For 2023!

So after this quick word from our sponsor, we’ll talk some Citizens Bank Park food!

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With numbered tables in case you have your wedding reception here.

Citizens Bank Park Food, Part 1) Restaurants

There are three sit down restaurants for the non-suite and non-club types at the Phillies ballpark:

Harry The K’s is named for the Phillies’ late broadcasting legend Harry Kalas. Harry’s has an outdoor but covered seating area behind the left field seats and serves better than adequate tavern fare, at reasonable prices for a ballpark.

Along the wall are murals of Connie Mack Stadium, Veterans Stadium, and Citizens Bank Park. Imagine a full bar tavern with a great view, and still covered from the rain and sun. The menu is basic fun grub like hot dogs, sandwiches and sides like “disco fries”; but they have some unusual items on occasion, like a vegan cheesesteak (which I’ve tried and isn’t bad).

There is a miniature Harry’s with a standing area on the upper level below the scoreboard, with a very basic ballgame menu.

If Canadian cheddar cheese soup doesn’t make you want to buy a ballgame ticket, I don’t know what to tell you.

Each season the Phillies introduce new food items to Harry’s menu; they might have unusual hot dogs or different kinds of club sandwiches. Pastrami sandwiches, quinoa salads, that kind of stuff. Every night there are specials that are posted on a chalkboard outside of the restaurant. They have desserts which also vary every season.

Harry The K’s fills up quickly and has long lines, so get to the ballpark early if you’d like to try it. The quarters are also kind of tight at Harry’s, so you may want to take care of nature’s call before sitting down, lest you knock over someone’s chicken grinder. If you’ve got a standing room ticket for the game, later in the game they may let you sit for the duration.

Wood-fired oven? Check. Pepperoni? Check. It’s a good night.

Pass And Stow is an eatery with indoor and outdoor dining that replaced the somewhat shaky McFadden’s Pub. It’s a good pre- and post-game spot for your night out…there’s no view of the game from Pass and Stow, but there are 44 TVs to watch the action if you want a break.

Pass and Stow has a beer garden, and wood-fired brick oven pizza from Foundry Pizza made with pepperoni or margherita-style. The menu is somewhat limited, but they have decent pub fare like skillet nachos and sandwiches, which all gets good reviews from what I’ve read.

Wouldn’t it be great if you actually could grow beer?

The nice thing about Pass and Stow is that there’s plenty of space and seating, which can’t be said for Harry’s on a crowded evening, and it’s not a bad place to duck out of the elements with lots of shades, fire pits, and indoor and outdoor seating. It’s a considerably more pleasant atmosphere than McFadden’s, I can testify. In case you never saw National Treasure, Pass and Stow is named for the foundry workers who cast the original Liberty Bell. Philadelphia thing, you see.

A Shackburger. Take it in.

The Shake Shack first became known for ballpark burgers at Philly’s rival ballpark Citi Field, but the Phillies took it a step further, giving the Shack…whose burgers are well known for attracting long lines…its own sit down spot, occupying the rest of the former McFadden’s space. It’s not anything fancy…think fast food joint…but it’s ideal for grubbing tough on the world-famous Shackburgers, crinkle-cut fries and hand-spun shakes.

I don’t know if the situation is similar to Citi Field, but people really love the Shake Shack, and if you’re looking for a quality burger at Citizens Bank Park, this is the spot…especially since other than Boardwalk Eats and the generic joints I can’t think of any other stands here that sell burgers.

I am especially a big fan of Shake Shack’s fries, and truthfully it’s better to have a sit down spot to enjoy it. Shake Shack is open along with the rest of the concessions, but not after the game like Pass and Stow is.

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Does this picture not create a sense of good things coming your way?

Citizens Bank Park Food, Part 2) Cheesesteaks

Cheesesteaks are, of course, why you come to Philly, and Citizens Bank Park has several to choose from, including from two Philadelphia icons. You can even have a serious argument comparing them. If you want to try one of the big name cheesesteaks at Citizens Bank Park, again, get to Ashburn Alley early.

Six each of the broccoli rabe and hot peppers, please.

Tony Luke’s is the mainstay of Citizens Bank Park, and they are as famous with the locals for their roast pork sandwiches with provolone as for their ribeye beef cheesesteaks with Cheez Whiz. It’s that garlicky broccoli rabe, probably…don’t forget to ask for it.

The selection is limited compared to their actual restaurants; there aren’t any cheesesteak hoagies here, but they do sometimes have additional items like panzarottis.

Tony Luke’s is well known in the area (he did beat Bobby Flay after all), and the stand here grows long lines that don’t diminish from about a half hour before the game starts to about the 7th inning. If you’re early enough, you can jump on that roast pork with provolone and broccoli rabe from Tony’s before the line gets long; on high attendance nights I wouldn’t wait.

And in this corner, the Heater with the Works!

Campo’s may not quite have the name recognition that Tony Luke’s does, but they are more than well-known enough among Philadelphians. The original deli on Market Street has been ranked the city’s best by AOL Insider and Philadelphia Magazine among others, so they can easily hold their own. The lines here can get about as long as for Tony Luke’s; the two stands are a short fly ball apart.

Campo’s has beef and chicken cheesesteaks, pizza steaks, even veggie steak sandwiches, which is a bit of an oxymoron. Their most popular sandwich is the “Heater”, with Buffalo hot sauce and jalapeno cheddar cheese. (It’s very hot, trust me, especially with jalapenos piled on it.) They also now have an award-winning meatball sandwich to go with the cheesesteaks.

The real winner in the battle of Citizens Bank Park cheesesteaks? The fans!

If you’re trying to choose between Campo’s and Tony Luke’s (gutless cop-out coming!), they both make a good sandwich. The difference is more the variety than anything…the Tony Luke’s roast pork sandwich and the Campo’s Heater are both great but very different.

Sorry if that doesn’t help; I’ll just say I’ve tried both and I’m in the Campo’s camp. I usually get a Heater with the Works included…which they’ll do for you if you ask. Campo’s was once voted the 2nd best ballpark food by USA Today, but my opinion is worth more than theirs.

The generic Buffalo chicken cheesesteak at Citizens Bank Park, finally emerging from the shadows.

Around the rest of the ballpark you can find stands like City Steak and Cobblestone Grill that serve the generic cheesesteaks. These aren’t terrible by any means, but you might prefer the authentic edition. I believe you can still get a Buffalo chicken cheesesteak, though, which is a favorite of mine.

I don’t know who makes the meat for the sandwiches; in the past it’s been Original Philly and Delco’s Original but the Phillies aren’t saying at the moment. I was a big Delco’s fan, so I wouldn’t mind running with that, especially at a smaller price than the Ashburn Alley sandwiches.

Philly sports food begins and ends with crab fries.

Citizens Bank Park Food, Part 3) Ashburn Alley – Pizza, Crab Fries, Sandwiches + Wings

I’ve already mentioned the iconic cheesesteak choices, but there is a plethora of excellent and Philadelphia-based food choices in Ashburn Alley beyond center field. If you want the true Citizens Bank Park food experience, get to the ballpark when the gates open and enjoy the shorter lines.

When you work with your evil twin to make pizza, the result is pizza genius.

When I saw that Manco & Manco’s Pizza had been added to the Citizens Bank Park food menu, I literally pumped my fist…a South Philly ballpark needs to represent on pizza. In case you didn’t know, Manco & Manco’s has been a staple of the Ocean City NJ boardwalk for longer than I’ve been alive (which is a long time), and a Jersey Shore boardwalk is not an easy place to thrive for a long time with a pizza shop.

Anyway, to explain, Manco & Manco’s pizza is a thin crust boardwalk style pizza, with sauce that has the right amount of zing and cheese that I think is a mixture of mozzarella and sharp cheddar. It’s a quality pizza worthy of South Philly, and you’ll probably see lines here similar to the outpost in Ocean City. They have plain, pepperoni, and a rotating series special pizza.

Now you know where to find a good Buffalo chicken wrap at the ballpark.

Long ago when I first started writing for the first class publication JerseyMan Magazine, they had me write a piece stacking up P.J. Whelihan’s against Chickie’s and Pete’s. I gave the nod to Chickie’s and Pete’s, but it was VERY close. P.J. Whelihan’s outpost at Citizens Bank Park has tasty and not overly hot wings and chicken wraps, along with several craft beer selections.

In 2022 P.J.’s introduced an alternative to typical ballpark nachos…the Wicked Chicken Nachos. Shredded cheddar and jack cheese, cheese sauce, scallions, sliced chicken, and any of their famous sauces. I’ve never had a bad meal at a P.J.’s anywhere, I think you can trust these.

And you thought Ryan Howard was a superstar as a player!
(photo courtesy of Colbie’s)

Colbie’s Southern Kissed Chicken is also new and a win-win for Phillies ballpark food. Colbie’s is partially owned by former Phillies star Ryan Howard, and the recipes for their “Southern-kissed” fried chicken sandwiches were inspired by chef Fabio Viviani of “Top Chef” fame. They have three other locations, including one in Kissimmee, FL, presumably for spring training fans.

Anyway, this is your spot for an amazing fried chicken sandwich Southern-style, including one called The Big Piece (bacon, lettuce, tomato and pickles and a Hawaiian bun). They also offer a Nashville Hot (Nashville hot sauce, spicy aioli, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and pepper Jack cheese), and for dessert get your Peach Spoon Pie or fried chocolate sandwich cookies (which I presume means “fried Oreos”, but I expect they can’t legally say that).

The fries don’t actually have crab meat in them, even though that would be cool.

You probably won’t be inside Citizens Bank Park for more than five minutes before you see someone carrying a bucket of Chickie’s and Pete’s Crab Fries. For the uninitiated, these are crinkle-cut fries jiggled in Old Bay-style seasoning, and with a cheese sauce that is a mixture of melted American cheese and ranch dressing.

Philadelphians swear by the crab fries (I remember their not lasting long in my first try…they are definitely addictive), and again, lines get long. But the lines move quickly, and there’s a neat mural of Phillies history to look at while you’re waiting.

Cheaper crab fries and a ride to the ballpark. Bryce doesn’t even get that deal!

If you’re bent on trying the crab fries and want to save a few bucks, try using the Taxi Crab to the actual Chickie’s and Pete’s and have a basket there. (More about the advantages of the Taxi Crab here.) It’s cheaper, and you get two cups of cheese sauce (as opposed to paying a couple dollars extra for one at the ballpark), you don’t have to stand in line, and you can get a much less expensive beer when the seasoning catches up.

Because when word gets out about the Bull Dogs, you need to make a lot.

Citizens Bank Park Food, Part 4) Left Field Plaza – Hot Dogs, Sausages, BBQ + Donuts

Older Phils fans remember Greg “The Bull” Luzinski and his titanic home run shots from the great late 1970s teams. As he did as a player, he’s giving fans their money’s worth at Bull’s BBQ, with smoked food cooked on a monstrous grill along with the opportunity to pose with and get the autograph of a Phillies great.

If he never hit a home run in his career, I’d still shake Luzinski’s hand for this.

Bull’s BBQ is, obviously, something of a homage to Boog’s in Baltimore, but it’s every bit as good as Boog’s in my humble opinion (and that is no knock on Boog). The Bull serves first-class pulled pork, big turkey legs, addictive mac and cheese, and the “Bull Dog”, a huge glazed kielbasa, with baked beans and slaw for sides. All get rave reviews.

There are kiddie plates here for a decent value meal, homestand specials, and sampler plates if you’d like to try all of it. If you like the BBQ sauce, you can buy a bottle of that, too.

When your donuts are this good, you call them Federal.

There was a big buzz about Federal Donuts being added to Citizens Bank Park some years ago, with a stand out in left field by the escalator, and with good reason.

Federal Donuts at the ballpark is known for just two things; fried chicken sandwiches and donuts, but it’s enough. Actually just the donuts are enough. The chicken is made in flavors like buttermilk ranch or chili garlic, and the crispy donuts are made with a “doughnut robot” and come in various flavors which change from time to time.

The cost of two donuts is reasonable for a ballpark, and the donuts come out warm and crispy if you like your donuts that way. Take my word for it, they’re superb donuts…whenever someone I know is going to a game, I always have them bring me back a couple. The fried chicken is no slouch either.

There’s no boardwalk, but there’s no pesky seagulls either.

The Boardwalk Eats stand doesn’t feature local eatery items like Chickie’s and Pete’s or Shake Shack, but that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with the food. They have Hatfield hot dogs and Italian sausages, along with fresh made burgers and fries…in other words, it’s like eating at one of the Jersey Shore boardwalk eateries on a good day. They have turkey burgers if you’re watching your waistline, along with veggie burgers and dogs.

In 2022 they introduced a peanut butter and jalapeno jelly burger…with bacon and cheese. Let me know what you think if you try that, since I doubt I could handle it.

Boardwalk Eats, like Bull’s BBQ, is next to a picnic area, making it easy to sit down with your grub.

The underrated part? No lines!

Citizens Bank Park Food, Part 5) Generic Hot Dogs, Sausages, Pizza, Etc.

As you get away from Ashburn Alley the food choices become significantly more generic, with the focus on Hatfield hot dogs and sausages, generic cheesesteaks (I can’t believe I just put those two words together), and pizza that last I checked is from Seasons.

Hatfield Quality Meats is a longtime staple in the region; they’ve been selling pork products in the region for over 125 years (although I think their hot dogs are made with beef). They make the point that their pork is “raised with no added hormones or steroids to enhance growth”. I thought that was illegal in baseball anyway, but whatever. You can buy Phillies franks on their website.

With rolls even!

The dogs and sausages are more than adequate, with some calling the sausage and peppers the best value for food in the ballpark. If you search a bit you might find a fancy hot dog; in the past the Phillies had one with broccoli rabe, roasted peppers and aged provolone called the South Philly Dog.

Sauce, cheese, and crust. It counts.

The Seasons Pizza at the generic pizza stands is no Manco & Manco’s, but they aren’t terrible if you’re not expecting gourmet quality pizza. Plain or pepperoni most of the time, and I believe they cost the same, so pile the pepperoni on. If you’re late to the Manco & Manco’s party, the generic pizza without the long lines works fine.

And now, for your viewing pleasure, Buffalo chicken tenders.

Similarly the Fairmount Fries aren’t Shake Shack or Chickie’s and Pete’s quality but again aren’t bad…they even leave the skin on…and a bit cheaper. You can get garlic fries last I checked, and I quite like the Buffalo chicken tenders at the Fries stands.

You can see why I’m including this, just in case.

In the past there was a Bull’s BBQ Express stand on the mezzanine level. It became just the BBQ Express later, and I don’t know if it’s still there, but it was a place to get BBQ pork or chicken nachos. Otherwise just the orange whiz glop and jalapenos, but a filling nacho meal at least. Again, don’t hold me to that still being there. I don’t see it on the team website.

Black bean burgers in case a Mets fan is sitting next to you.

Citizens Bank Park Food, Part 6) Vegetarian, Vegan + Gluten-Free

Citizens Bank Park has been voted multiple times by PETA as the most vegetarian friendly ballpark in baseball; Chickie’s and Pete’s crab fries might have something to do with that. All the same, you have a lot of vegan and vegetarian options here, even from the bigger names.

There’s a Vegetarian Grill stand behind Section 125, with cheesesteaks and sausages made from plants for people who insist they don’t miss meat. This stand carries an Impossible Foods® cheesesteak…with their brand of faux meat, Gouda cheese sauce, tomato jam and crispy onions.

When you think about it, it takes a bit of effort to pull off a vegan cheesesteak.

I mentioned trying and liking the vegan cheesesteak at Harry The K’s, but that was some years ago and I don’t know if they still offer it. That said, Harry’s is a good spot for healthier items, and you can usually find low calorie, vegan and vegetarian items there.

Chickie’s and Pete’s fries, Manco & Manco’s plain pizza, the veggie burgers and dogs at Boardwalk Eats, and the veggie steak from Campo’s are all vegetarian. Campo’s can make you a vegan cheesesteak with Impossible® non-meat too.

The MENU is there. You have to look harder for the food.

The Phils are kinder to the celiac-afflicted among us than some ballparks. They’ve dedicated a stand just for celiacs; it is located at Section 122 and features all of the classic ballpark options in gluten-free format: hot dogs, cheesesteaks, Bull’s BBQ sandwiches and pizza. The Phillies also occasionally host a Celiac Awareness Night.

Manco & Manco’s has a gluten-free pizza, but they state on their website that they can’t guarantee the safety of it, so I expect that’s probably the case at the ballpark too. Campo’s can make a gluten-free cheesesteak, but be sure to ask about the rolls. And if all else fails, Chickie’s and Pete’s crab fries are gluten-free. (Hooray!)

I’ll soon be discussing that you can get away with bringing in your own food to Citizens Bank Park, so if you need to bring in some Udi’s rolls or something and ask for your Bull Dog to be put on that roll, you can probably do it.

With a helpful picture of “ice cream”.

Citizens Bank Park Food, Part 7) And For Dessert…

When I researched this piece I noticed Turkey Hill and their “Graham Slam” ice cream is no longer at Citizens Bank Park. OK, I didn’t weep about it, but it did cause a tinge of sadness.

Anyway, Richman’s is the brand of ice cream at Phillies games now, and the soft serve in the miniature Phillies helmet with toppings is available at Boardwalk Eats, the Old City Creamery stands, and at other generic stands throughout the ballpark.

Richman’s claims on their website that their ice cream “tastes the same it did over a hundred years ago”. Props for their preservative technique! They’ve been around for over 100 years, so maybe there’s something to that South Jersey cows thing.

Colorful and tasty on a hot day, and there are plenty of those in Philly.

It turns out that Richman’s is owned by Philadelphia Water Ice, which explains the presence of both here. In addition to Richman’s ice cream, there’s the locally famous water ice kiosks on the mezzanine and third level, and usually in Ashburn Alley as well. I don’t know what flavors they have, but I expect orange, lemon, cherry and blueberry are prominent.

The water ice kiosks are very popular on hot days, so you might be waiting in line for it. On cold nights you might find hot chocolate and homemade soup here.

I don’t know if they still have the Pennsylvania Dutch funnel cakes, but cotton candy and Dippin’ Dots are easy to find just about anywhere at the Bank.

You can fit a few sandwiches in a 16*16*8 bag. Good ones.

Citizens Bank Park Food, Part 8) Bring Your Own + Other Tightwad Tips

Yes, you can bring your own food into Citizens Bank Park, sort of. You can carry a 16*16*8 bag into the place, so long as it does not contain alcohol, bottles or cans. That’s certainly large enough to hold your peanuts and crackerjack.

I mentioned the Taxi Crab from Chickie’s and Pete’s; you can get takeout crab fries there and get your cheese sauce included as opposed to paying extra for it. Saves a few bucks. In the Chickie’s and Pete’s plaza is also an excellent pasta shop and deli called Pastaficio’s; people rave online about their sandwiches and talk about including them in a trip to the game. (I’ve done that myself and not regretted it.)

A heaven-sent store for thrifty South Jersey Phillies fans.

If you’re a South Jersey native, here’s one of my favorite tricks: If you’re using the PATCO-SEPTA train combo from NJ, there is an excellent nuts and candy shop called “Nuts 2 You” on 13th and Walnut Streets…whenever I use the PATCO I stop there and fill up with their warm and fresh peanuts and sesame sticks.

There’s also Xfinity Live! across the street from the ballpark, of course; you can order takeout from a number of joints here, including Chickie’s and Pete’s crab fries and Geno’s cheesesteaks, but there’s a definite markup and I don’t know that there’s enough of a cost savings to make it worth the trouble.

If you’re taking using Regional Rail to get to the ballpark, at Suburban Station (where you transfer to the Board Street Line) there are several fast food joints and even sushi bars to load up your bag. Bring as much to drink in plastic bottles as you can; you will likely be thirsty.

Note the concentration of salt in the center of the soft pretzels. That’s actually authentic.

Before and after games there are vendors on Pattison Avenue, selling soft pretzels and bottled water much cheaper than inside. If you’re interested in a soft pretzel (the other food staple of Philly), you should get one outside, and get a water or two because they’re salty. If you think of it, have a couple of mustard packets on hand to put mustard on your pretzel so it isn’t so dry. You financial wizard you.

Here’s a few more tightwad tips to help you save money on food at Citizens Bank Park:

The Phillies sell souvenir cups of soda; they cost a bit extra but you get a free refill, making it well worth the extra couple of bucks. You can get a bottomless popcorn too, and you won’t get arrested if you share it.

Be a good sport and encourage your friends to have a few.

If you don’t plan to drink alcohol, you can get a coupon for a free soda at the Designated Driver Signup, in exchange for a pledge to drive your partners home. If you drink the soda fast enough you can fill your cup of ice with water at the fountains. Last I checked, the booth was near the kids play area.

If you have kids with you, or if you don’t mind smaller portions, there are Phanatic Kids Corner stands selling smaller dogs and PB&J sandwiches at reduced prices for kids. Smaller portions, but the kids won’t care.

The savings increase exponentially with every hot dog you eat!

The Phillies have about a half dozen Dollar Dog Nights each season, which is great deal of course, but remember that lines can be long. The best thing about Dollar Dog Nights, actually, is the shorter lines everywhere else, but a ballgame dog for a buck is pretty cool. And vegan dogs are now included.

The chicken parm panini. Making Philly baseball better.
(photo courtesy of Greens and Grains)

New Citizens Bank Park Food For 2023!

The Phillies have a great selection of food going on, particularly offering a taste of Philadelphia, and there isn’t a need to change much. But they did add a few nice items in 2023, including some healthy eats and a nod to the last World Series winning manager in Philly:

Greens and Grains is a vegan and vegetarian food joint with locations mostly in South Jersey, where I live. They’re offering up their Chk’n Parm Pesto Panini sandwich, the Gyro Pita sandwich (with what they call Homemade Seitan Gyro “Meat”), and a Moving Mountains plant-based vegan hot dog. I love gyros and they’re an underrated ballpark food, and I’m eating healthier these days, so I’m happy about this.

Uncle Charlie’s Steaks is named for Charlie Manuel, the even-keeled manager who led the Fightin’ Phils to their glorious championship of 2008. It’s fresh cheesesteaks on Liscio’s seeded rolls with Herr’s kettle chips.

I’m not sure if it’s Uncle Charlie’s recipe or not, but you now have another choice…this makes four types of cheesesteaks at Citizens Bank Park, not including the ones you can get at Geno’s at Xfinity Live! or at Oregon Steaks close to some of the satellite lots. Love that.

Some of the existing eateries are also offering some new items…Federal Donuts now has crispy chicken tenders with their “Everything Rooster” dipping sauce. Should be a bit neater than the fried chicken pieces they used to serve.

The Pass and Stow eatery how has South Philly Disco Fries, and listen to this lineup: fries topped with roast pork, melted sharp provolone cheese, broccoli rabe, and roasted red peppers. Think of the classic Tony Luke’s roast pork sandwich but with fries instead of bread. Ding!

They’ll also have Mexican street popcorn, with a Tajin chile spice blend, lime juice, and cotija cheese. A cool variation of Mexican street corn, and I’m surprised no one else thought of that to my knowledge.

Here’s one more pic of a Citizens Bank Park cheesesteak for you.

There you have it my friends…your complete guide to the Citizens Bank Park food menu. Philly sports fans have it pretty good, yes? You are now armed with the knowledge you need to make an informed selection at the game, and help your friends (or date) with the challenging selection too.

If you’d like to know how to choose a great seat at Citizens Bank Park, check out this highly detailed seating guide…and if you’d like to know how to score cheap Phillies tickets, the best way to get to there, and what to do with the kids, check out this highly informative and useful guide to Citizens Bank Park.

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Here it is, Red Sox fans and Fenway visitors: your complete guide to the Fenway Park food menu!

The culinary highlights at Fenway Park aren’t as fancy schmancy as at most ballparks, but it’s greatly improved from years past. Honestly though, their food guide doesn’t offer up much info about it.

So someone needed to step up and address this, and I’m just the guy for the job.

I’ve talked about Fenway Park food elsewhere, including the Fenway Frank, and the outside sausages, but this is your complete, all-inclusive, full Monty, whole shebang…(GET ON WITH IT!!)

Notice how the mustard spells “Mmmmmm”.

Here’s your table of contents in case you want to skip anything. (But don’t, there’s great photos!)

The Fenway Park Food Main Street
A Big Concourse With A Big Food Court
A Night Out At The Sam Deck
Behold The Fenway Frank + Monster Dogs
In Massachusetts, We Eat Lobstah.
Burgers + Other Sandwiches
Do Red Sox Fans Eat Pizza?
Healthy, Kosher, and Gluten-Free Fenway Eats
Fenway Park Desserts
Bring Your Own Grub
Lansdowne Sausages – A Baseball Tradition
Some Fenway Park Food Tightwad Tips
Fenway Park Food Updates For 2023

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Get your lobstah heah!

The Fenway Park Food Main Street

Jersey Street, formerly Yawkey Way, is a street that runs east of Fenway; the Red Sox close it off on game days so that fans can enjoy an experience similar to Eutaw Street in Baltimore.

It’s definitely where you want to enter the ballpark to try the better Fenway Park grub, such as…

For the record, no, that’s not Luis Tiant.

El Tiante serves up Cuban sandwiches (ham, pork, pickles, cheese and mustard) and the possible excitement of meeting Luis Tiant, the star pitcher from the 1970s Sox teams. Tiant is sometimes there to sign autographs, but I’ve not yet seen him, so I wouldn’t buy a Red Sox ticket just for that.

El Tiante also carries Italian and spicy sausages. I’ve seen Al Fresco sweet apple chicken sausages and jerk chicken sandwiches on the menu too.

Anytime fries and slaw are included, a sandwich isn’t a big risk.

The Fish Shack is the spot for fried seafood appetizers, like clams calamari (with jalapenos), fish and chips with a side of tartar sauce that Homer Simpson would approve of, and a fish sandwich (flounder I believe). They have surf and turf kabobs here, clam chowdah, and an impressive and expensive lobster roll that you can order hot or cold. (More about the Lobster Roll in a bit.)

Yankee Lobster (!) is the purveyor of the seafood items; I’m not sure who thought it was a good idea to have anything “Yankee” at Fenway Park. But anyway, with their addition comes rotating items on the menu, so you could see things like lobster mac and cheese here as well. If you want seafood at a Red Sox game, check out the Fish Shack first.

Authentic Dominican food, appropriate for the “Taste of Boston”.

Taste of Boston is a pretty cool idea. Each month of the season, two local favorites from Boston set up shop here. Taste of Boston has featured Mei Mei (bacon fried rice and cheesy nachos), Roxy’s Grilled Cheese (Green Muenster Melts) and Jake’s Boss BBQ (ribs and pulled pork sandwiches).

If you’re visiting Boston for a game at Fenway and want to try something popular and local, definitely check out Taste of Boston. Sometimes they will feature something related to the visiting team; in one of my recent visits the Blue Jays were in town, and the Blue Frog Bakery was there with Canadian bacon sandwiches.

An example of how clearly the Red Sox communicate food choices.

The Big Concourse – The Fenway Park Food Court

The Big Concourse (the Red Sox call it the Right Field Concourse, the Kids Concourse and the Bleacher Concourse, but it’s all basically the same spot) is a picnic area in right field large enough to feature picnic tables, with umbrellas even.

There aren’t many unique names for stands in the Big Concourse (unless you consider “Chicken Tenders & Fries” to be unique, which I guess it is). For the most part the stands in the Big Concourse are self-explanatory; Burgers & Fries and Sausages stands sell what they say they sell. Most all stands here sell Fenway Franks and Monster Dogs.

That aside, if you’re looking for the more unusual Fenway Park food items, like Grillo’s Pickles or the Franken Bean Hot Dog, the Big Concourse is where to find them.

Put them in a container and shake it.

The aptly named Nachos stands make very impressive plates of nachos…they pile on chicken, beef, cheese, salsa and sour cream. Best to get a fork and napkins for this one.

There are Corn & Co. stands here with varying flavors of gourmet popcorn. You can get souvenir refillable popcorn, but unless you really, really love popcorn or are sharing with hungry kids, I doubt you’ll be refilling that large thing more than once.

I love when you have to carefully protect the bonus fries.

Cavendish Farms is the provider of French fries at Fenway; their fries are coated and seasoned and  nice and crispy, and the typical size and shape you’d expect from French fries. (Incidentally, they are serious about their offerings for sporting events. Check this out.)

The Big Concourse even has vending machines with sandwiches and snacks so people don’t have to wait in line. No microwaves, so I’m presuming the machines are keeping stuff warm somehow.

So good you’ll want to protect the plate!

A Night Out At The Sam Deck

The Sam Deck is the revamped tavern in the Right Field Roof Deck and was formerly the Budweiser Brew House, before the Red Sox improved their tastes and made Samuel Adams the beer of choice.

This was once just a bar with better drink selection, but the Red Sox have turned it into a restaurant with a nice view and a high end menu.

Food choices include lobster rolls, mozzarella sticks, Bavarian pretzels, Buffalo chicken pizza rolls, apple fries; in other words, fancy stuff that you won’t find anywhere else in the park. There’s also craft brews, since that’s a big thing in baseball now.

I’ll talk more about the Fenway eateries like the Sam Deck, Game On!, and the Bleacher Bar in a future post, but for now you know that if you’re sitting in the upper right field seats, you can visit the Sam Deck for good eats.

The Monster-sized Fenway Frank, still unequaled.

Behold The Fenway Frank + Monster Dogs

Honestly, the Fenway Frank deserves its own post. Here’s my ode to it.

But just for basics…the Fenway Frank is still the go-to food item at Fenway. It’s made by Kayem Foods, who spiced up the Fenway Frank with more garlic and smoke when they took it over in 2009.

The inimitable Fenway Frank is served in a white bread bun for that mushy texture, which is unusual for a ballpark dog but shouldn’t be. If you’re too hungry for just one, there are Monster Dogs sold in several places, including on Jersey Street. They are indeed Monster-sized at ten inches long.

You can also get Fenway Franks in local supermarkets, of course.

A lobster roll is like revenge…it’s a dish best served cold.

In Massachusetts, We Eat Lobstah.

The Lobster Roll is a fan favorite at Fenway, and with good reason. A hunk of New England lobster on that same toasted white bread roll used to house the Fenway Frank. It’s still available most everywhere in Fenway, so it’s a popular item here.

Unfortunately, to my knowledge the Red Sox no longer serve the impressive Lobster Poutine Stak, but if I hear differently I’ll let you know.
 

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I just like how the grill looks like a car.

Fenway Burgers, BBQ, + Deli Sandwiches

Savenor’s is a highly regarded purveyor of beef in the region, and they are the Official Beef Provider of the Red Sox or something like that.

There are several types of burgers at Fenway, depending on where you are in the ballpark. There’s a basic burger/cheeseburger you can get pretty much anywhere. Then there’s the Bloody Mary burger in the Big Concourse, made with (ready for this?) Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise, lemon juice, vodka, and Bloody Mary mix. Don’t ask me where they put the vodka.

Finally, the new Truly Terrace has a Truly Awesome Burger, which is Savenor’s butter smash burger, topped with melted Vermont cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and Thousand Island dressing on a brioche roll.

Incidentally, if you’ve got a hankering for a burger at Fenway, there is a Tasty Burger on the corner of Jersey and Boylston just a block from the ballpark. The burgers there are cheaper and you have a much bigger selection of toppings. Just throwing that one out there.

Nothing makes a pulled pork sandwich like sloppy slaw!

Oh, and check out the King’s Hawaiian sliders.

Savenor’s is the provider of beef and turkey for other sandwiches, like steak tips sandwiches…something like a Philly cheesesteak, but with thicker slabs of meat. Or try an Italian beef sandwich if you can find one (look around Jersey Street or the Big Concourse).

Savenor’s is known for “using the whole animal for prime cuts”, and was voted Best of Boston by Boston Magazine. So they’re safe, as beef goes.

Yes, you can eat a fruit cup at a baseball game. Or two.

Finally, for deli sandwiches, check out the Fenway Farms Deli on the third base side and in the Big Concourse…build yourself a hand carved sandwich with Boar’s Head meats. Choose from hot pastrami, beef or turkey. Wraps and salads can be had here too as you can see.

There’s quite an impressive selection of condiments here: honey mustard, horseradish, savory remoulade, and deli mustard to name a few. The Fenway Farm items are actually grown on the roof of Fenway (they don’t, however, pass on the shipping savings to fans), and many of the ingredients in the sandwiches come from the farm, which is as fresh as it gets.

The name of this joint changes from time to time, so it might have a different moniker when you go, but the location has been the same.

Ah, they do have real pizza here! (wipes brow)
(photo courtesy of Sal’s Pizza)

Do Red Sox Fans Eat Pizza?

Believe it or not, yes. Pizza stands are just about everywhere in Fenway, serving Sal’s Pizza, the Official Pizza of the Boston Red Sox. They have about a dozen locations in the region, including one on Brookline Avenue very close to Fenway if you’d like to have a better selection. They even have food trucks going around.

Sal’s is good stuff, especially by ballpark pizza standards. They use 100% mozzarella and locally grown vegetables, but get their tomatoes off the vine from Northern California, so they’ll go great distances if needed for taste. If you’d like to try it outside of Fenway, you can get their frozen pizza at Boston area markets.

You can get a whole pie for a reasonable price (for a ballpark, anyway), but since it takes a while, you can order that first, get your Sam Adams and come back for it.

The food is gluten free too, not just the umbrella.

Healthy, Kosher, and Gluten-Free Fenway Eats

The Red Sox did a nice thing for celiacs and put a Gluten Free stand near the Gate D entrance. They have a Fenway Frank on a gluten-free roll, brownies and cookies, and the healthy stuff that’s never in danger of being contaminated: fruit cups, nuts, sushi, hummus, etc. My wife is allergic, so now I have something to sell to her for another trip.

At the salad bar in the Big Concourse, you can customize your own healthy salad, with items from the Fenway garden. The salad bar is another spot for deli sandwiches, with Buffalo chicken, turkey or roast beef.

If you’re interested in trying something truly different, try the Mings Bings, introduced to Fenway by chef Ming Tsai. Ming’s Bings are handheld pockets with plant-based cheeseburger or sausage filling. They’re wheat-free, gluten-free, and vegan, and they’re an ideal ballpark snack.

There are stands in the Big Concourse and the Third Base Deck dedicated to vegetarian and healthy choices, like wraps, Panini sandwiches, veggie dogs and burgers, hummus and Caesar or fruit salads. The veggie burgers and dogs don’t look all that appetizing under heat lamps, but I’m guessing they’ll give you a fresh one.

Fenway doesn’t have a large Kosher selection…there’s a kosher hot dog vending machine in the Big Concourse, and as of this writing I believe it’s the only way to get a kosher dog here. Feel free to correct me on that…

I’ll take the vanilla half.

Fenway Park Food – For Sweet Teeth

As of this writing, the Fenway Park dessert menu includes a “banana splitter”, with vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream between banana ends with hot fudge and sprinkles. The Red Sox have also added Jane Dough’s edible cookie dough, with soft serve ice cream and other toppings.

You can also get: Crackerjacks, cotton candy, fried dough, Hood ice cream, kettle corn, milk shakes and slushies. Try not to have them all at once. Most of them are available on all of the concourses; the ones that aren’t are usually in the Big Concourse.

They’re easy to find; for ice cream for example, look for a stand called “Ice Cream”. If you like Dippin’ Dots, there are “Ittibitz” available, which are the same thing.

There was a “build your own sundae” stand in the center field corner of the Big Concourse last I checked–soft ice cream in a souvenir helmet with your choice of Oreos, bananas, cherries, sprinkles, etc. Oreos complete ice cream, IMHO, so it’s worth a look.

I feel slick when I sneak one of these in.

Bring Your Own Food Into Fenway – Yes, You Can! No You Can’t Anymore…

Unfortunately the Red Sox no longer allow food to be brought into Fenway. See my 2023 update below…

If you look at the prohibited items list at Fenway here, you’ll see there’s no restrictions against bringing in a soft-sided bag smaller than 5*9*2, so long as you don’t have alcohol or potential projectiles in it. I’ve done this in almost every trip I’ve made to Fenway and have never had a problem.

This gives you some options to bring in just about any kind of cuisine, at least what you can fit, even from the numerous sausage vendors surrounding the ballpark (more about them in a second). There is also every type of takeout joint you can think of a short walk away, from Chipotle to the aforementioned Tasty Burger to the new Wahlburgers, if you want to grab a couple of less expensive sandwiches or burritos or whatever to take in.

If you’re parking near the Pru Center, there’s plenty of options in their Food Court, and there’s now a Timeout Market near the Fenway T station with tons of selections. Both of these are a bit of a walk to the ballpark though, so plan ahead on keeping the stuff warm.

“Two bags of peanuts were walking down the street, and one was a-salted!”

Should you have forgotten to buy your peanuts from a less expensive vendor (or the nearby Shaw’s market), you have two choices: buy them from the roasted peanuts kiosk on Jersey Street, or order them from a peanut vendor in the stands and have them fired at you with uncanny accuracy, which is sometimes worth the price.

Remember to be wary of just how big a bag you bring.

This is the one with the Inner Beauty hot sauce. Think yellow!

Lansdowne Street Sausages – A Boston Baseball Tradition

Few things are more quintessential Fenway Park food than the purveyors of outside sausages…you see and smell them as soon as you arrive from the Kenmore station.

The Sausage Guy and The Sausage Connection are two of my favorites and I gave them a separate post…but here’s a bit about some of the others:

Sausage King is probably the first visible stand on Lansdowne coming from the T; it has a red sign with a pig’s face on top. Sausage King has dogs, sausages, chicken teriyaki and steak tips; they serve them with an optional wicked red hot sauce that is close to Louisiana style.

The Original Che-Chi’s has the same sausages, dogs and chicken and steak as the rest; they’re further down Lansdowne a bit, and they’re another stand with a red sign. Che-Chi’s has a secret hot sauce, which is more of a smoky BBQ style sauce. They can be a mite cheaper than the rest, if you’re thrifty.

Yes, it’s a Cajun chicken sandwich, but we do make the best sausage too.

The Best Sausage Co. has a stand on the corner of Jersey and Lansdowne. The stand sells sausages and other sandwiches—they’re the only ones I saw with a Cajun chicken sandwich. Look for the blue stand…the vendors here seem to be having a better time than most hawkers; maybe it’s a requirement being on Jersey Street.

Fenway’s Best & Original I’ve read that this is “Artie’s” famous stand, but you won’t find Artie’s name anywhere. This one is near Gate D on the other end of Jersey Street, so it’s a bit further from the T station. They offer up “Bianco’s World Famous BBQ” (not famous enough for me to have heard of it, but just saying) and it gets nice reviews from Yelpers.

There’s a lot more sausage stands than I’ve covered here, and you can find cheaper ones if you look hard enough, but these are the prominent vendors on Lansdowne Street.

If this isn’t worth giving them your social security number and mother’s maiden name, I don’t know what is.

Some Fenway Park Food Tightwad Tips

I love that you’ve stuck with me this long about the culinary specialties in America’s oldest ballpark, so here’s a few helpful tips to save money on food at Fenway:

$ – You can sign up to be a designated driver at a booth in the lower concourse, and get a coupon for a free soda. They’ll put a strap on you though, so no fooling.

$ – The Red Sox have kids meals, where the little fan can get a grilled cheese or PB&J, a snack like animal crackers and a Capri Sun. All for just a fin as of this writing.

$ – Baseball loves MasterCard…using it to buy things can sometimes get sometimes score you a small bonus, like a free souvenir bucket for your popcorn.

$ – If you buy a souvenir soda cup, you get free refills for the rest of the game. It’s a lotta lotta sugar, but at least you’re getting your money’s worth.

They still have tasty burgers, just not with a capital T.

New Fenway Park Food Update for 2023 …

So like most teams, the Boston Red Sox have updated the menu slightly at Fenway Park for 2023. I don’t know what, if anything, has been removed…but if I find out I will update this post. Meanwhile, here’s some new Red Sox food knowledge for 2023…the most notable is the new restriction on bringing in food:

At the relatively new Truly Terrace stand, you can now get a New England maple bacon burger…that’s a tasty name even. It features a fresh (one would hope) beef patty with maple bacon (W!), caramelized onions, and Vermont cheddar cheese on a brioche bun. You can also get this behind home plate.

I’m not sure if it’s anything new, but I’m told that you can get grande nachos in a baseball helmet and steak and cheese sandwiches, so I’m just adding that here. You can usually find stuff like this in the Big Concourse in right field. Wash the helmet before wearing it…

The Red Sox have also added 2020s technology to their 1910s ballpark…with grab and go stands now in multiple areas of the ballpark. Don’t want to deal with those surly Red Sox cashiers (I’m kidding, they’re usually nice)? Try the self-checkout grab and go and get beverages, popcorn etc. easily. Well, easily if you’re under 50 anyway.

Darn, do I have to actually eat this now?

And unfortunately the Red Sox have changed their policy regarding bringing food into Fenway Park…it’s no longer allowed. (Big boooos on that.) Bags have to be 12*12*6 or smaller, and can’t have more than one compartment. You are allowed to bring in one 16 oz. bottle of water, so take advantage of that.

Ultimately this means you’ll just have to enjoy your Sausage Connection sandwich before you enter the gate, which most people do anyway, but it’s a bummer that I can’t bring in my own peanuts.

There you have it fans, a long overdue, completely complete guide to the Fenway Park food menu. If you enjoyed it, please support my sponsors! And of course, be sure to read this complete Fenway Park guide for your next trip to the home of the Red Sox!

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Here it is my friend: the complete, ultimate fan’s guide to the Wrigley Field food menu.

Read it well and read it often, because this is important! If a trip to the Friendly Confines is in your future plans, you’re going to want to sample Chicago-style dogs, local pizza and (not or, and) Italian beef. Or find cool nearby places and bring your own.

And of course, you’re going to want to tell your friends about the food in Chicago’s North Side ballpark.

Yes, I’m gonna talk about hot dogs. No worries.

Don’t skip anything, but if time is a factor, here’s your table of contents:

The Sheffield Counter Wrigley Field Restaurant
Yes, You’re In Chicago, Part 1: Chicago Dogs + Other Encased Meat
Yes, You’re In Chicago, Part 2: Local Pizza
Yes, You’re In Chicago, Part 3: Italian Beef
Chicken, Brisket, and Other Sandwiches
What About Burgers?
Fries, Nachos + Other Munchie Food at Wrigley Field
For Big Ass Cub Fan Appetites
Dessert At The Friendly Confines
Healthy Wrigley Field Food: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, + Kosher
Want To Save Money On Wrigley Field Food? Check Out This Tip!
And Yes, You Can Bring Your Own
New Wrigley Field Food For 2023

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The Attached Wrigley Field Restaurant

Because Wrigley has changed so much since my last visit, and time is a factor putting this out, I’m leaving an analysis of the new fancy clubs for a future post. You can read about them here on the Cubs website.

The Cubs seem to like the word “Corner” better these days, but the food doesn’t taste any different.

The Sheffield Corner restaurant is located at the end of the right field concourse, along Sheffield Avenue, and is open to anyone with a ticket. It’s a small sit down area with tables and window counters, so you can watch construction while you eat.

You can also order somewhat fancy chicken sandwiches, including the new Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich in 2022, cheeseburgers and dogs, Big Slugger nachos, and a healthier items like a vegan Sloppy Jane sandwich. The Big W Burger and Cuban Burger were available here in my last visit.

The Corner is open two hours before game time, but it does get packed, and you’ll be tight with your neighbor if you don’t arrive fairly early.

Yes, You’re In Chicago, Part 1: Chicago Hot Dogs

Hot dogs are Chicago, and Chicago is hot dogs. The Wrigley Field food menu includes them in all of the necessary forms:

Poppy seeds, grilled onions…this can really soften the blow of a Cubs defeat.

Chicago Dog kiosks are found in most all of the concourses, on both levels and on the Bleacher Patio. Chicago Dog has Vienna Beef franks or Polish sausages on poppy-seed buns, on which you can add a big pile of raw or grilled onions, chopped tomatoes, sport peppers, mustard, sauerkraut, celery salt and that bright green relish that make it a dog “dragged through the garden” as Chicago visitors call it.

Lines get long at Chicago Dog stands, and people scarf up the toppings, so you should hit one early. They might still be cash-only, so have some on hand. Chicago Dog used to carry bison dogs; there is a separate cart for that now (read on).

With a logo like this, you know it’s a great dog. (image courtesy of Hot Doug’s)

Hot Doug’s: “Hot Doug” Sohn was the owner of the most popular hot dog stand in Chicago–as in lines around the block popular. He became successful enough to retire, but the Cubs liked his unusual dogs enough to give him a stand in the bleacher section, behind the center field scoreboard. There you go; another reason to get a bleacher ticket at Wrigley, which is the only place you can order Hot Doug’s sausages. Lines get very long at this stand too, so jump on it early if you can.

Hot Doug’s famous dogs are sold in various forms named after Cubs’ greats, which they rotate for each homestand. For example, you might see the Tinker to Evers to Chance double play combination (Trivia question answer: Harry Steinfeldt.):

Joe Tinker: A veal saltimbocca sausage with crispy onions, sage mustard and Swiss cheese.

Johnny Evers: A jalapeño and Jack cheese pork sausage with caramelized onions, sweet and spicy mustard and more Jack cheese.

Frank Chance: A spicy Polish sausage topped with cilantro aioli, pico de gallo and Chihuahua cheese.

The logo features a three-legged bison…which is presumably easier to catch.

The High Plains Bison people are the Official Lean Meat of the Chicago Cubs, and they have separate carts at Wrigley that sell hot dogs, Italian sausages and brats made from lean bison meat. On your sausage you can get peppers, sweet onions and/or marinara.

The High Plains bison dog itself doesn’t taste very different from a classic dog except for a smokier flavor, and the meat is leaner and healthier, as they clearly state on this kiosk. I had one in my last trip and it was very good.

So why choose a bison dog? According to the High Plains website, bison offers 45% fewer calories than beef, 87% less fat, and 100% more iron. And of course, you have the option of getting one at Wrigley Field.

Nothing says smoked beef like a hand-operated scoreboard look.

Wrigley Field Smokies: I didn’t know this, but smoked sausages were a popular thing at Wrigley, so the Cubs brought them back. The Smokies cart sells hickory-smoked beef sausages with a secret blend of seasonings, and no artificial colors or flavorings. I don’t know how to describe a smoky flavor, but that is the selling point. Smokies are also made by Vienna Beef, and they’ve informed me that they offer them on their website for limited times.

The Smokies are slightly larger than the Wrigley dog and cost a bit more; you can get one with grilled onions and stuff. I don’t see them on the current Cubs menu, so if you can’t find the cart, you can probably order them at Chicago Dogs or another stand.

Well, the picture was cool.

Apparently, the Decade Dogs stand is unfortunately no more; it was another spot for unusual hot dogs that were named after the decades when such items were popular, like a 1970s “TV Dinner” dog. The Cubs fetched $1,000 for charity selling the sign. If you want unusual dogs, go for Hot Doug’s or the Sheffield Counter.

Here, I proudly display my own handiwork of dressing a dog Chicago-style. I get stingy with that neon green relish.

One last note about Wrigley Field hot dogs. If you buy a dog from a vendor as opposed to the concessions kiosks, the dog will be steamed coming from the vendor as opposed to grilled. Not that one is better than the other; the religion of Chicago dogs isn’t clear on the matter.

The vendor steamed hot dog is wrapped up and the roll can get good and mushy, which some folks (including myself) like. Still, you’re missing out on the whole dressing up of the hot dog this way—with a vendor you’re limited to mustard packets.

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Yes, You’re In Chicago, Part 2: Home Run Inn Pizza

The local favorite Home Run Inn Pizza is now the pizza of the Cubs; you can find it pretty much anywhere around the ballpark. In case you don’t know who Home Run Inn is, they’re a Chicago-based local chain with nine locations in the area, and they sell frozen pizzas as well.

They’re not deep dish, unfortunately, for reasons unknown the Cubs went with a thin crust purveyor. But Home Run Inn has been around since 1923, and in Chicago, you must be doing something right to stick around that long.

True, I don’t want to watch someone else eat this.

As a big fan of Giordano’s deep dish pies, I’m sorry to see they’re not featured at Wrigley anymore…but while the convenience of trying a deep dish pie at Wrigley was great, Giordano’s has an actual location just a few blocks away, with better selection of pizzas and toppings anyway. It’s just a 12 minute walk from Wrigley, and just steps from the Belmont Red Line Station.

I know it’s not on the Wrigley menu, but I liked the picture.

Yes, You’re In Chicago, Part 3: Italian Beef

Is it me, or does the sun shine brighter on Italian beef?
(photo courtesy of the Chicago Cubs)

For you non-Chicago natives, the Italian Beef is roast beef that is sliced thinly, slow cooked in au jus gravy and seasonings, and then dumped on a roll with hot pepper giardiniera if you like. It’s a little bit like a Philly cheesesteak, but different enough to make it a Chicago thing. You’ll need napkins for this one.

One thing, BTW, don’t call it an “Italian beef sandwich” in front of a native. Just Italian Beef.

Buona Beef is the official Italian Beef of the Cubs. Buona is a popular chain of about 17 restaurants, with an excellent diagram on their site about how to make an Italian beef sandwich. I trust them.

You can find the Italian beef at Bleacher Platform 14, and also at the Chicago Dogs and Marquee Grill stands.

A nearby and equally authentic authentic Italian beef. (photo courtesy of Al’s Italian Beef.)

Nothing against Buona, but if you’d like to try a true classic Italian beef, no need to go far… Al’s restaurant is just a short walk south on Clark Street. Lots more choices of toppings, and Al’s is a true vintage classic in Chicago. And I’m not just saying that because they let me use this photo.

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Other Sandwiches: BBQ Chicken + Others

Nothing like leaving your teammate a Chick-Ago sandwich in the on-deck circle!
(photo courtesy of the Chicago Cubs)

Here’s a fun one…the Chick-Ago Sandwich. It’s pickle brined and seasoned chicken thighs with tempura sport peppers, vine ripe tomato chunks, and dill aioli on an onion roll with celery salt. Kind of like a Chicago Dog, but with chicken. I don’t know if the Cubs still offer this, but it might be in the Sheffield Corner if you look.

New in 2022 was a smoked brisket sandwich courtesy of Lillie’s Q; Lillie’s Q is another very popular chain of restaurants in Chicago and Florida, from chef Charlie McKenna. They’re known for zero sugar BBQ sauces, which sounds great, so I presume that’s available at a Cubs game too.

The Wrigley Field food menu also mentions an Italian seasoned grilled chicken sandwich with pesto aioli, and a crispy pork sandwich with breaded pork strips and toppings on a pretzel bun. A chance to go beyond a simple burger.

Speaking of Burgers…What About Burgers?

Chef Tony Mantuano designed this masterpiece. This is why the Chef Series was necessary.
(photo courtesy of the Chicago Cubs)

The fancy burgers recently available at Wrigley are no more…sorry to get your hopes up with this photo.

Various stands throughout Wrigley sell the aptly named Big W burger. It’s basic, simple, and American: a fresh beef patty with American and cheddar cheese, the classic burger topping triad of lettuce, tomato and onion, with secret sauce (something like Thousand Island dressing if I’m not mistaken, since Big Macs still sell). Get crinkle cut fries with it for the ideal American meal.

More on the Impossible Veggie Burger and gluten-free burgers in the Healthy Section…

Even More Wrigley Field Food: Fries, Nachos + Other Munch Foods

I remember when going disco was a bad thing. This rocks, pun intended.
(photo courtesy of the Chicago Cubs)

They don’t offer “Disco” fries anymore as far as I can tell, but the Cubs still have something on their menu called “Loaded Garlic Fries”. What they’re loaded with, the Cubs haven’t told me, but I’m guessing it’s similar to what’s in the photo. You can find them at a few stands including the Clark Street Grill.

There was more chili in it when I purchased it. Honest.

Here’s a picture of a Walking Taco from a Chicago ballpark. Well, okay, I took this one at a White Sox game. But it’s the same deal, a bag of Fritos with chili con carne, nacho cheese, pico de gallo and pickled jalapenos. Not the healthiest thing, but a cheaper and easy snack.

You can find ordinary nachos at Wrigley, including the soon-to-be-discussed Big Slugger Nachos, but if you like your nachos with different stuff piled on them, try the Italian beef nachos at Bleacher Bums. Of course, you need a bleacher ticket for that one…

Popcorn so good, you’ll buy a seat for it! (photo courtesy of the Chicago Cubs)

Finally, Nuts on Clark has unfortunately departed, but Garrett’s gourmet popcorn is a more than adequate replacement. Garrett’s is the famous popcorn maker in Chicago…and you have to be pretty good to be famous for food in Chicago…and at Wrigley you have the choice of their Cheese Corn or Caramel Crisp. Or mix the two and put it in a souvenir Cubs tin!

Wrigley Field Eats For Big Ass Cub Fan Appetites

The dipping sauces alone could put strain on a marriage.

If you look around the Wrigley Field food stands, especially in the bleachers, you may come across the North Side Twist, Wrigley’s version of the 2-pound soft pretzel. This monster, served in a pizza box, comes with three different dipping sauces chipotle honey mustard, beer cheddar cheese and cinnamon cream. All of which work very well.

They’re not cheap, but it’s easily enough for two people. You should get here early if you want one, these do sell out on occasion.

Only if you have them in a batting helmet!

If you’ve got a nacho jones and/or are sharing, try a helmet of Big Slugger nachos…two pounds of nachos served in a helmet with a ridiculous amount of toppings, including ample salsa and jalapenos.

Two pounds is a lot of nachos, so be sure you can handle this for the cost.

In the past at the Italian Hot Spot stands I’ve seen a Big Cheese Rip-N-Dip, a large amount of focaccia bread covered with cheese and served with dipping sauces. I don’t know if it’s still around, but if you like dipping bread sticks this could be for you.

Dessert At A Cubs Game

“Don’t get any cookie crumbs on my scoreshee… Oh, Prairie City? Never mind.”

Prairie City Cookies are the Official Cookie of the Chicago Cubs, just in case you were wondering. They’ve also been the “Snack of The Day” on the Rachael Ray Show, an equally impressive achievement. You can get a couple of tasty cookies fairly cheaply for a ballpark.

Food stands everywhere offer dessert varieties; they have Oatly’s ice cream and several other sweet treats like lemon chills, licorice ropes and giant cookies. And on cold days you can get a hot chocolate. There’s also a frosty malt cup that has been a Wrigley staple for many years. It even inspired this blogger to make her own.

Do your part for the cows while you’re at Wrigley!
(photo courtesy of Oatly’s)

Speaking of Oatly’s, in case you haven’t heard of them and/or think it’s an odd name for ice cream, allow me to briefly explain…Oatly’s ice cream is made from oat milk, see, which makes it vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and a whole other lot of things healthier types like. I’ve tried it and it’s in fact very good…you won’t miss the dairyness, take it from me, and the Oatly’s people are good folks.

Wrigley Field not only has different styles of wine coolers and frozen drinks that lady Cub fans like (mai-tais, vodka lemonades, etc.), they also have ice cream in the souvenir helmet for you collectors. The helmet is not actual head-size, though, unless you have an extremely small head.

Healthy Wrigley Field Food: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, + Kosher

Impossible Veggie Burgers, best enjoyed from the Bartman Seat.
(photo courtesy of the Chicago Cubs)

The aforementioned Impossible Burger is a vegetarian burger with a plant-based vegan burger patty, topped with chipotle lime aioli, American cheese, lettuce and tomato on a brioche bun. Remove the cheese and it’s a vegan burger. It can be found in Left Field Classics, Right Field Classics, and at the Red Line Grill in the bleachers. Apparently they don’t want you near home plate with it. You can also get a Beyond Sausage at Wrigley too.

Would definitely assist in digesting the also-vegetarian Home Run Inn pizza or Garrett’s popcorn. You can also find that chopped salad in most fancier stands.

My celiac-afflicted then-girlfriend did not like Wrigley Field when I took her for a visit (astonishingly, I married her anyway). Maybe this will get her to go again: the Cubs have gluten-free dogs and burgers. Go to the Marquee Grill stand behind home plate and ask for one…according to this blogger, you should tell them to use gloves.

Celiacs can also go for veggie chopped salads, pistachios and gummy bears. You may also have some GF options at the Sheffield Corner. Redbridge gluten-free beer is sold at Wrigley.

The Cubs had sold kosher dogs at several stands, but in 2017 they installed a spot devoted exclusively to the art of kosher food. DanZtand is run by Danziger Kosher Midwest, a caterer based in Chicago. At their Wrigley outpost, you can get Romanian hot dogs, Romanian Polish (?) sausages, and pretzels, and presumably they would be available for Friday night or Saturday games.

Want To Save Money on Wrigley Field Food? #KillerTip

I felt truly empowered when I learned this.

Because you’ve stuck with me this long, I’m sharing a killer tip with you…

For the first hour that the gates are open at Wrigley, food and non-alcoholic drinks are 25% off their regular price at all of the non-kiosk stands. This includes the Sheffield Corner if you’re looking for something there, but it doesn’t include the fancier items, unfortunately. Still, 25% off anything is great at a ballpark.

The discount comes up automatically, no need to ask for it. Get your Home Run Inn pizza early, and then when the price returns to normal, get your fancy chicken sandwich on.

Speaking of saving money…

Yes, You Can Bring Your Own Grub

Subway subtly gives away the secret for thrifty fans…

It’s becoming more common knowledge now that you can bring your own food into ballparks, within reason. Here is the Cubs official policy: you can bring in a bag that is smaller than 16*16*8, which should be large enough to carry anything you need. Your bag will be searched, and anything that could contain alcohol or be used as a projectile will be removed.

So take advantage of that loophole and save a few bucks…I’ve offered up three places to fill up your goody bag here, but Wrigleyville has tons of other takeout joints, including McDonald’s, Subway, and vendors selling peanuts and water around the ballpark but especially at the Addison Red Line station.

I left the delivery phone number in the photo for you!

Coming from the north, you can get off the Red Line at the Sheridan station just a few blocks away from Wrigley and stop at Byron’s hot dogs, another classic Chicago dog joint. Get that Dogzilla half pound skinless beef hot dog with the Chicago fixin’s.

So thanks for hanging in there with me…oh, and since there’s some new stuff…

Wrigley Field Food Updates 2023 | New Chicago Cubs Eats

They would have added “crispy”, but then there wouldn’t be any space for “good to eat”, which is still the main selling point.

So the Cubs have updated the menu with some new items for 2023…thankfully the team doesn’t change the basics of the Wrigley Field food menu very often. Here’s what’s new to eat at Wrigley (unfortunately the Ballpark App doesn’t tell me where this stuff is, if I find out I’ll update this post):

Small Cheval Burgers. Another reason to sit in the bleachers in addition to Hot Doug’s…there is now a Small Cheval Burgers stand! Small Cheval is a retro burger joint with about a half dozen locations in Chicago, and they’re very basic with burgers and fries…which means, especially in Chicago, that they do it right.

The Crispy Chicken Bao Bun. This is a crispy chicken thigh covered with Thai chili sauce, baby arugula, cucumber and carrot on a bao bun. Good for healthier sorts, which we’re seeing more of these days.

Greek Loaded Fries. I’m all in on this at my next Cubs game: steak fries covered with gyro stuff, including meat, feta, Kalamata olives, tomatoes, red onions, pepperoncini, and feta cream sauce. Get your gyro and fries mixed together as nature intended!

The Burger Brat. This is a split bratwurst sausage on a brioche bun, loaded with brat-seasoned ground beef, cheddar cheese, yellow mustard and sauerkraut. Goes well with beer I’m certain.

Crispy Chicken Torta. What’s with the Cubs and crispy chicken? Anyway, the Crispy Chicken Torta is a torta roll (surprise!) with Homestyle (as opposed to Awaystyle…snort) crispy chicken, mayo ancho cabbage and cotija cheese.

Quesabirria. I don’t know what this is, I’m just proud of being able to spell “Quesabirria”. Seriously, this is barbacoa, Spanish onions, and chihuahua cheese on a crispy flour tortilla, covered with ancho chili sauce.

One other note for 2023: in case you weren’t aware, Wrigley Field is cashless now (so much for the Chicago Dogs guys keeping the change)…so credit or debit cards or mobile apps are the only form of payment you can use. Personally I’m fine with this, so long as they don’t insist on my using my own credit card.

Hungry yet? Is that it? Wow, seems like I was just getting started!

There you have it my friends, your full Wrigley Field food menu analysis. Feel free to let me know if anything changes. If you’d like to know where to find any of these items, the Cubs have a listing here that you might be able to use for a while…

Be sure to check back for any changes, and share this with anyone planning a trip to Wrigley!

Interested in finding out more about the Friendly Confines? Click here to read my complete Wrigley Field Guide…and become an expert on finding deals on tickets, choosing a great seat, how to get to the ballpark, landing a parking spot and more!

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The Great American Ball Park food menu isn’t overly complicated. The Reds don’t have the ridiculous amount of options that, say, the Mets do. I didn’t see a sushi or lobster roll stand there. But there is a decent variety, and you should be able to find something that fits your taste, especially if you’re an American and like hot dogs at the game.

There’s also several stands that celebrate the local chains, and each one has something that makes for great ballpark food.

Gametime has your cheap Reds tickets…with a lowest price guarantee, panoramic seat view photos, and great last minute deals…even after the game starts!

(See why Ballpark E-Guides loves Gametime here!)

In case you’d like a hot dog with your cheese.

Great American Ball Park Food Tip #1: The Skyline Chili Cheese Coney. If there’s a go-to item at Great American, at least judging by the number of them I saw being purchased, it’s probably the Skyline cheese and chili dog.

Skyline chili is a very popular chain that can be found all over Cincinnati, known for the local style of chili—which is probably different from the way most people outside of Cincinnati know it, with both cocoa and cinnamon as ingredients(!). There are several Skyline stands at Great American.

The Skyline Chili Cheese Coney is a small hot dog with a generous amount of Cincinnati-style chili and a nice helping of shredded cheddar piled on top. They’re not very long, only about four inches or so…and they’re economically priced so most people get two of them.

Definitely get a fork and some napkins for this one, but it’s good eats.

Buffalo chicken fries with bleu cheese. My day is complete.

Great American Ball Park Food Tip #2: Fry Box Buffalo Chicken Fries. The Fry Box stand at Great American ranks near the top of fry stands I’ve seen at ballparks, and remember I live in the home of Chickie’s and Pete’s in Philly.

Put Buffalo-style chicken on cheesecake and it would probably taste good. But put it on hand cut fried potatoes…which is pretty much nature’s perfect food…and add a generous helping of ranch dressing and blue cheese, and you’ve got a classic why-have-I-been-settling-so-much-in-my-life ballpark dish. When you need a fork to eat your loaded fries, they’ve been done right.

OK, so maybe it isn’t the healthiest thing, so walk it off along the riverfront…

Most pizza chains would need a plastic pizza replica to make their pizza look this good.

Great American Ball Park Food Tip #3: LaRosa’s Pizza. I would be giving LaRosa’s a shoutout anyway, since I visited one while I was in town and the folks there couldn’t have been nicer to me. But it’s pretty good pizza in its own right, and I’m a South Jersey pizza snob. I live in an area with several chains: Domino’s, Papa John’s, Little Caesar’s, Pizza Hut. LaRosa’s is easily better than all of them, and I hope they open a few in New Jersey.

At Great American LaRosa’s is represented with a few stands in the upper and lower concourses; you can get a plain slice, a slice with pepperoni, and a Montgomery Inn BBQ sandwich for some reason. According to the Reds website, they sell a calzone too, but I didn’t see it. Don’t be put off by the congealing slices that have been sitting on display for a while; your slice should be a little fresher.

Never drive to a Reds game without a plan…

Book your parking spot now with my friends at SpotHero!

I like this guy. He looks a bit like Johnny Bench.

Great American Ball Park Food Tip #4) Frisch’s Big Boy Burgers. Frisch’s is another chain that started in Cincinnati; they were added to the long list of local chains featured in Great American once they figured out how to install their topsider grills. The stand in the main concourse actually has a statue of the big Frisch’s mascot in a Reds uniform. Very cool.

Frisch’s stands have the famous Big Boy burger, the double decker with two 1/8 pound patties, lettuce, cheese, pickles and Frisch’s famous tartar sauce (heavy on mayo and pickle relish). If you like that tartar sauce, you can get some extra for your burger.

It’s pretty tough to stand out with ice cream, but Graeter’s makes it happen with their black cherry. No lie.

Great American Ball Park Food Tip #5) Graeter’s (Black Cherry) Ice Cream. Cincinnatians know who Graeter’s is; heck, I’m from New Jersey and I know who they are. I once spent an hour searching through town for one; thankfully I can just go to a Reds game now.

Even though they’ve been in Cincinnati for almost 150 years. Graeter’s is probably the only brand of ice cream you need to know in town; they have a kiosk near Gapper’s Alley. I don’t know if they’ll have every Graeter’s flavor, but try the black cherry or the raspberry chocolate chip if they’re there.

That’s just a few of the great food items at Reds games; here’s the Reds menu if you’re looking for more. (Honestly though, these five are all I need.)

Want More Great American Ball Park Tips?

Ballpark E-Guides is happy to do the research for you for all of your ballpark tips, tricks and hacks…find out more useful and money-saving advice for your next Reds game here. Be sure to check out this excellent Reds parking guide too. And Follow Ballpark E-Guides on Facebook for plenty of great tips at your favorite ballparks!

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So you want to visit Nationals Park? You came to the right place my friend…this complete Nationals Park guide will tell you everything you need to know, especially about how to save money at Nationals games, on everything from tickets to transportation to food. These are my best Nationals Park tips, both for newbies and regulars at the Washington ballpark.

The home of the 2019 World Champions, in all its glory.

Nationals Park Guide Sections

I’ve broken this extensive Nationals Park guide down into parts, so you won’t want to break me into parts:

Finding Cheap Nationals Tickets
Choosing A Seat At Nationals Park
The Best And Other Ways To Get To Nationals Park
Nationals Park Food
Bringing The Kids
Nationals Park Accessibility
The President’s Race and Other Stuff

Gametime has your cheap Nationals tickets…with a lowest price guarantee, panoramic seat view photos, and great last minute deals…even after the game starts!

(See why Ballpark E-Guides loves Gametime here!)

OK then, let’s get you started with some killer Nationals Park tips!

I’ll bet you would surprise the crap out of an operator by actually calling and asking about tickets.

Nationals Park Guide, Part 1 – Finding Cheap Nationals Tickets

Finding cheap Nationals tickets – or at least finding the best deal – is all about choosing the right avenue for buying them.

Say you’re looking for a high demand game…such as Opening Day, July 4th, or when the Yankees, Phillies, or Orioles are in town on a weekend. Your best bet is usually to pay face value for tickets, either through the Nationals website or their box office.

So do this right now: subscribe to the Nationals e-mail newsletter here.

The Nats will make you aware of ticket deals, pre-sales, fan club memberships, giveaway nights, etc. It’s a very easy way to score much better deals on Nationals tickets.

Well worth the effort to park a bus in D.C.

Here’s just a few things the newsletter has informed me about: free tickets for military members; the very cool NatsPass; Value Days with discounts on everything for families; sweet deals for group tickets; you get it. It never hurts to check your newsletter.

If you’re confident the game won’t sell out, visit the box office on game day and save considerable cash avoiding online fees.

For low demand games – weeknight games, April games, etc. – you can often save on face price through a third party, like StubHub or TickPick.

One caveat though. Don’t buy from third parties before tickets go on sale to the public. The only seats available will be from people that have bought from pre-sales, and prices could be ridiculously inflated. Your best bet with third parties is to generally wait until game day a few hours before the game.

Counterfeit merchandise? You mean the peanuts aren’t real?

As for scalpers, you can usually find quite a few of them, especially on Half Street leading to the ballpark from the Metro station. Treat scalpers with common sense, especially for high demand games…check the date and opponent and look for anything amateurish.

And if you’re considering trying Craigslist for tickets, check out my advice here about that.

Never mind the view from the seat. Check out that price!

Here’s a great Tightwad Tip…as of this writing, the Nats still offer a limited amount of $5 tickets at the box office, on game day, for almost every game. The seating is in Sections 401-402, among the worst seats, but you should be able to move to a better upper level seat. Nationals Park also has some of the better standing room in baseball. (More about that in a minute.)

Five dollar tickets can’t be beat, especially in an expensive town like D.C.!

So remember, subscribe to the newsletter, check TickPick, and use the box office instead of the website if you can.

The Nationals apparently forget about the demographic that just wants to know where Ben’s Chili dog is.

Nationals Park Guide, Part 2 – Choosing A Great Seat

There’s a wide variety of seating sections and prices at Nationals Park. I have provided helpful advice elsewhere on this site…check out this about the cheap seats, or this post about expensive seats, or this post about what to avoid and the great standing room.

But for here and now, I’ll just break it down into budget levels.

You wouldn’t pay more for seats this size on an airplane, but in a ballpark? Heck yes!

Really expensive seats at Nats Park include the Delta Club seats behind home plate, PNC Club seats behind them, and the recliners in the Dugout Club that you need to lose a lot of money in a casino to get.

All of these include access to really fancy clubs and great food, in-seat wait service, all of which is nice. In my opinion, though, they’re overpriced for any team, and if you’re looking to score a seat in these sections try looking elsewhere, even though technically the Nats don’t allow resales of premium seats. If you can score a deal, it’s worth it, especially with parking thrown in.

Unfortunately this nifty scoreboard is gone, but the Infield Club still has made-to-order nachos AND carpeting!

The mid-range priced seats at Nationals Park include Infield Club on the mezzanine level, and most of the field level seating, especially in the infield.

Given D.C. weather in the summer, I would choose having access to a climate-controlled club to field level seats if you’re comparing similar costs. It gets very hot in this place. Plus the Infield Club features great eats with shorter lines, such as brick oven Enzo’s pizza, sushi, a carvery etc., all with places to sit and enjoy.

Field level tickets do offer proximity to NatPack girls. And Screech.

But seating on the field level does offer some fine views, and this is a place where you’ll want to stay low. If you can score tickets in, say, Sections 118 or 127, you can almost reach into a premium seat holder’s lap and grab a hunk of “complimentary” grub that they paid twice the price for. (Don’t actually do this. I’m just saying.)

Low budget seating includes outer mezzanine seats, upper deck (Gallery) seats, scoreboard porch seats, etc. There’s a large number of cheap seats here, but most of them aren’t great.

The outer mezzanine seats aren’t bad for the price and offer decent shade for afternoon games, but you need to make a trek up or down to find any concessions, so just be aware of that and grab your grub before you sit.

At least they make sportswriters sit further back.

In the upper deck, the 300 level seats cost significantly more than the 400 seats, but they’re worth it. The 400 level here is sky high, and it also involves much more climbing of steps. It’s not for the acrophobic.

That said, if you’re on a budget, I prefer 400 level seating in the infield to outfield seating…especially the Right Field Terrace and sections in front of the scoreboard, both of which are very far from the action. The lower level outfield seats under the right field overhang are probably the worst seats in the ballpark, except in the rain…you will have no view of the scoreboard or fly balls.

And in mere seconds after finishing your beer, you can be back at your seat!

One cool thing about upper outfield seating, though, is that it’s close to the upper level outfield concourse that is among the best in baseball…there’s a couple of bars (with drink specials even), and eateries like the Shake Shack and a BBQ joint that shouldn’t be missed. If you’re a ballgame socializer, it’s not a bad spot.

Finally, there’s lots of quality standing room at Nationals Park, should your seat not meet your dreams. In the upper outfield level especially, there are counters to rest your elbows and your grub, mist spraying fans, even some stools if you’re early enough.

If you’re on a strict budget, try the aforementioned $5 ticket and stake out a spot.

It’s what Nats fans do.

Nationals Park Guide, Part 3 – Fastest, Cheapest, and Some Unusual Ways to Get to Nationals Park

Driving to Nationals Park isn’t the worst as big city ballparks go, but it’s expensive, and chances are you’ll be sitting in traffic if you don’t arrive early. Most people recommend the Metro, but we’ll cover all the bases here. (Check out this post if you’re coming from Baltimore.)

The Navy Yard – Ballpark station on the Green Line of the Metro (officially the WMATA, but it’s called the Metro by everyone here) is just steps away from the ballpark. It’s also a neat approach, probably by design, with the inside of the ballpark in full view from Half Street and a plethora of cheap peanuts and non-alcoholic drinks vendors lining the path to the entrance. It’s baseball as it should be.

Wait! You forgot your cheap peanuts!

You’ll need a “SmarTrip” card both to ride the trains and pay for parking at a station. Needless to say, have enough value on it for the trip back, rather than wait in line behind folks who can’t figure out the machine. (There’s always one, take it from me.) Parking at Metro stations is relatively inexpensive and free on weekends.

If you’re planning to drive to the game, let me start with this extremely key suggestion: book your parking beforehand. (Check out the coming widget for using my friends at SpotHero.)

OK, now then. The Nationals provide directions from every direction on their website, along with this nice interactive map to help you get to the game easily.

“Keep driving. I know there’s an R lot somewhere.”

Currently the Nats run seven official lots: the Geico (formerly the “B” lot before the B people pulled out) and C lots attached to the ballpark, which are ultra-convenient and ultra-expensive; Lots L and H a block away on Half Street which cost almost as much; and the more distant T, U, and W lots east of the ballpark. You can buy parking passes through the Nats, but you’ll pay a fee for that. Check your third parties; you might find a deal.

The W lot is the cheapest, most tailgate friendly, and one of the easiest to exit back onto the highway, but it’s a good hike away.

“Yeah, pay Marc. He’s that guy in the phone booth with the funny mask on.”

There are a few independent lots too. The former HH lot some blocks north on South Capitol is still there last I checked, and it’s among the cheapest you’ll find. Long walk, though…longer than the W Lot even.

The best deal for something less than a half mile away is probably off of Tingey Street east of the ballpark. Just east of Lot W are more and cheaper lots, but again, they’re also a lengthy walk.

Want to try free street parking? Don’t. Or at least, I highly recommend against it. The city of Washington works hard to ensure you pay out the wazoo for meters during games.

Again, Nationals Park is a place where I would seriously recommend booking your parking beforehand.

This website, by the way, is all about what you didn’t think of – Here’s a few cool and unusual ways to get to a Nats game:

Less crowded than a subway car, cheaper, and a better view. But slower.

The D.C. Circulator bus is a cheaper way to travel around the city; great if you’re making a day around town. The Circulator’s Blue Route stops at the Navy Yard/Ballpark Station entrance. The Blue Route (but only the Blue Route) extends service on game days.

It doesn’t look like much, but they’ve cornered the market on Nationals Park shuttles!

The Ugly Mug is a tavern on 8th Street about a mile from the ballpark. They will run you to the game in a golf cart with a proof of purchase, and they have game day specials. Parking is not free or easy to come by, though, so this is best for folks wanting a meal and a drink before or after the game.

There is a specific location for Lyft and Uber riders, on the west curb of New Jersey Avenue between M and N Street. Ride sharing is expensive here, especially with surge pricing. If you can get someone to go in with you on the cost, though, it might work for you, and you won’t have to worry about service being available after the game…like you sometimes will with Metro.

You can even take a water taxi from Alexandria or nearby docks, courtesy of the Potomac Riverboat Company. The price for two is reasonable…about what it costs to park at the game. If you print out the ticket online, parking at the Chadwicks Restaurant is free.

A bicycle valet may be nice, but a rented bike allows for a quick escape without tipping!

Should you decide to bicycle to Nationals Park, the Nationals actually have a bicycle valet in Garage C. It starts two hours before gametime and closes one hour after the last pitch. The Riverwalk along both banks of the Anacostia makes for a swell bike ride, but I have read about some incidents, so keep your wits about you. I’m told it’s very cool lit up at night, if you’re comfortable cycling then.

Finally, you can borrow a bicycle from Capital Bikeshare; there are several stations near the ballpark, including right across the street.

Finally, I’ve gone into much more detail about the Metro and other ways to get to a Nats game in this post…well worth a read for important tips!
 

Never Drive To Nationals Park Without A Plan…

Book Your Parking Spot NOW With My Friends at SpotHero!

I’ll take the table by the window, and watch the grounds crew.

Nationals Park Guide, Part 4: Food + Drink

Since the Nationals Park food menu changes so frequently, I’m just going to cover my favorite mainstays here. Here’s the truly good stuff…if you want some more options, check out this Nationals Park food post:

The Budweiser Brewhouse is the restaurant behind the red seats in left center field. It has indoor and outdoor seating, and it’s best to go either just after the gates open or around the fifth inning if you want a seat.

The Brewhouse sells quality food like steak salad or jerk chicken at ballpark prices. The menu changes a lot, and there’s usually something unusual. It all can be washed down with Bud-owned microbrews like Goose Island and Shock Top. Upstairs is the Bud Light Loft, with a full bar, misting fans, and a bird’s eye view of the game from left center.

This chili dog will escalate your opinion of Nationals Park.

The Chili Half-Smoke from Ben’s Chili Bowl is a spicy sausage, with Ben’s special recipe chili piled on, along with cheese, chopped onions and yellow mustard. It’s a truly amazeballs chili dog, just grab some napkins and maybe a spoon for the abundant chili. Ben’s also has chili cheese fries, and they don’t skimp on the chili or cheese.

While we’re talking encased meat, Haute Dogs & Fries has some truly innovative offerings of gourmet beef dogs on New England rolls, including the Haute dog with brown onion relish, mayonnaise and celery salt, and a Banh Mi dog with jalapeno, carrots, cucumber slaw, cilantro and sriracha mayo. That’s just some examples…they might be different when you visit.

And you thought Max Scherzer was a good acquisition.

I’ve loved me some smothered tater tots at See. You. Tater., named for Bob Carpenter’s signature home run call. Get a bowl of tots covered with Buffalo chicken and blue cheese, crab meat and crab queso, or whatever else they may be offering.

Steak Of The Union stands still manage to hang around Nats Park, selling the classic Philly cheesesteaks, and they keep it simple: just beef, onions, peppers and Cheez Whiz. Or get some cheesesteak nachos. I would get a fork for the spillage either way.

This dude knows good pizza.

For pizza, Enzo’s serves up decent pizza in my opinion, at least by ballpark standards, with thin crust and ample pepperoni. It’s greasy stuff though…pat it with a napkin if you care about that.

The Scoreboard Pavilion in right field is home to some cool spots:

The Shake Shack is a Citi Field staple (there’s one in Philly now too) but it is equally popular here; lines get very long for the Shackburger, a fresh beef patty topped with lettuce, cheese, tomato and Shack Sauce on a potato roll. There’s also milkshakes excellent enough to have a separate line, and I can vouch for the quality of the fries too.

Even the sign looks appetizing.

But if you like fries, Box Frites (another Citi Field delicacy, SMH) is it…crispy boardwalk-style fries with several dipping sauces that change periodically. You might find smoky bacon or black pepper parm sauce or something like that. Try the garlic parmesan fries…you’ll thank me.

The Old Hickory BBQ Grill is fairly new, but Nationals Park’s BBQ has always rocked it. Old Hickory has smoked hot sausage with slaw and BBQ sauce, pulled pork and brisket sandwiches, and pulled pork nachos with house made chips.

You also have some healthy choices of course:

Featuring Kevin Costner as Ray Kinshallot. (Admit it, you laughed a little bit at that.)

There’s a Field of Greens stand with mushroom burgers, salads, wraps, and hummus; it’s a good spot for vegan sorts. They also have a Gluten Free Grill in the center field plaza, featuring hot dogs with gluten-free rolls, burritos and pizza; Nats Park has a larger selection than most ballparks with GF stuff.

Is it appropriate to have gelato at a ballgame?

Finally, if you want something different for dessert, try Leilani’s Shaved Ice or Dolci Gelati…Dolci has gelato in multiple cool flavors like “Stracciatella”.

I’m really just scratching the surface here; Nationals Park has a seriously long menu. But I still want to talk about beer and drinks very briefly.

You can find some excellent brews at District Drafts from local breweries like Atlas, DC Brau, Mad Fox and others. Atlas created a special brew sold only at the ballpark called 1500 South Cap Lager, named for the address of Nationals Park.

This is right there at the $5 section…so your craft brew could cost twice as much as your ticket. Baseball’s weird.

Or try the Devil’s Backbone offerings at their lodge in the upper left field corner. They’ve developed a brew exclusively for Nats Park called “Earned Run Ale”…a light IPA with a lemon and grapefruit taste to it.

For other mixed drinks, there’s some cool offerings at Distilleries of the DMV and District Coolers spots. Or at any of the bars around the concourse and in the clubs.

Thanks for sticking with me; here’s some Tightwad Tips for Nationals Park food…

Notice the people walking past the vendors? You’re about to be smarter.

$ – You can bring your own food into Nationals Park; they allow a 16*16*8 bag (no backpacks). Coming from the train station, there’s a bunch of vendors with hot dogs, peanuts, bottled water etc. I always fill up a goody bag with a big bag of peanuts and a few big waters for less than $10. Well worth it.

$ – If you’re ordering tickets through the Nationals website, you can add concession credit to your ticket, and they’ll give you a few extra bucks’ worth. Not big savings, but there’s no reason not to use it.

Not even the Budweiser sign scared off these gentlemen from an ice cold $5 ballpark beer.

$ – In the upper outfield concourse behind the Big Board, the bar features a Happy Hour with discounted beers ($5 as of this writing) that ends 45 minutes before game time. Well worth getting to the ballpark early, even if it’s Budweiser products.

The real Nats Park “Rookies” are the adult fans that paid more than $5 for beer!

Nationals Park Guide, Part 5: Bringing The Kids

I’ve dedicated a separate post to bringing the kids to a Nats game, but here’s a few things worth knowing.

The Family Fun Area has simulated pitching and batting cages, a nice kids’ playground area with a jungle gym, a picnic area, photo booths and penny press machines. The racing presidents greet fans here and pose for photos.

Kids can run the bases after Sunday games, and if you enter the kids in the Jr. Nats MVP Club, they’ll get front of the line privileges for this (and believe me, that’s worth the price). Kids club membership also includes team store discounts, a lanyard, and lots of other cool stuff. Definitely look into it for your offspring.

You can get your kid tagged at Guest Services just inside the center field gate, in case he decides to migrate. If it’s the kid’s first game, ask for a certificate.

Now featuring the seal of approval from Mrs. Ballpark E-Guides.

Recently the Nats added a nursing lounge on the first base side, a private area with comfy chairs, a play area for toddlers, and TVs for busy moms to watch the game. My wife tested it out some years ago (she was legitimate) and had nothing but nice things to say about it.

Thankfully, they placed the disabled seats in front of the counter.

Nationals Park Guide, Part 6: Accessibility

There are handicapped seating areas all over the park, with folding chairs included. There are also plenty of elevators to get to the upper level, and you’ll need them. You can also borrow a wheelchair at the Guest Services locations.

The Ballpark Metro Station is fully accessible, with a brand new elevator. Should you require the elevators elsewhere on the Metro, check WMATA’s website before you go, since they do have occasional issues with them.

You can drop off people by car at most entrances, but after the game, they can only be picked up from South Capitol Street on the first-base side. There are no curbs between O and P Streets on South Capitol, but there is a walkway on South Capitol to ease crossing the street.

He may not win much, but Teddy is clearly the most jovial of the Racing Presidents.

Nationals Park Guide, Part 7: The President’s Race And Other Stuff

The President’s Race in the middle of the fourth inning (and the 13th, if the game goes that long) is always entertaining, although it was a little more fun when Teddy Roosevelt never won for various reasons. Teddy’s long losing streak finally ended in 2012, not coincidentally the first year the Nationals won the NL East.

Remember, once the visiting team is finished batting in the top of the fourth, get your camera/phone out to video the event.

Throughout the season the Nationals have theme nights, like “Pups In The Park”, “Stitch N’ Pitch”, LGBTQ “Nats Night OUT”, or Georgetown cupcake night among many others. Special nights are listed on the Nats website, and they’ll be in your newsletter.

Before Sunday games, two Nationals players will sign autographs for about 20 minutes, so get a voucher at Section 103 (free) and arrive early.

Just in case anyone forgets the words.

There is a cool cheer for when the Nats score: a group behind home plate in the upper level chants “N-A-T-S Nats Nats Nats Woo!”, and repeats it twice for two runs, three times for three runs, etc. The words are now displayed behind Section 313, but it’s grown to other parts of the ballpark and it’s unique to D.C.

Finally, I can’t think of a ballpark I’ve been to with nicer staff than at Nationals Park, and I expect it’s part of their training. Everyone is extremely courteous and friendly and willing to help with any sort of need; and they’re plentiful to boot. Kudos to the Nats for this.

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There you are my friend…your complete, detailed Nationals Park guide, for fans who do live baseball right. I hope this helps you save some money and enjoy a much better experience; thanks for reading and supporting my sponsors!

You’re welcome…see you at the yard!

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Here you are my baseball fan friends, your complete, detailed, and extremely helpful Oriole Park at Camden Yards guide! I’m here to help you save money on Orioles tickets, find the best seats at Oriole Park for your budget, learn how to get to Camden Yards and what to eat at the Baltimore Orioles ballpark.

Whether you’re taking a trip, bringing the kids, or are a visiting fan…heck, even if you’re a regular…this Camden Yards guide is full of useful tips for you.

Oriole Park at Camden Yards Guide – List of Tips

Finding Cheap Orioles Tickets
Choosing A Great Seat
Best Ways To Get To Camden Yards
What To Eat At Camden Yards
Camden Yards With Kids
Photo-Ops + Other Tips

You’ve arrived.

So now after this quick word from our sponsor, we’ll get started! (+ thanks for your support!)

Gametime has your cheap Orioles tickets…with a lowest price guarantee, panoramic seat view photos, and great last minute deals…even after the game starts!

(See why Ballpark E-Guides loves Gametime here!)

Unfortunately the Orioles still have people checking to see if you have a ticket.

Camden Yards Guide, Part 1: Finding Cheap Orioles Tickets

So your first task is, of course, to find your cheap Orioles tickets.

The most common route to buying Orioles tickets is on the team website or through the MLB Ballpark app. This is perfectly fine, although you can often find better deals through a third party like Gametime. We’ll get to that.

If you’re planning a trip to Camden Yards, or even if you go regularly, sign up for the Orioles’ ticket alert newsletter. The Orioles will inform you about pre-sales and when tickets go on sale, and you’ll want to know about this. Face price when tickets go on sale is often the best price for games against the Yankees or Red Sox (and sometimes the Nationals, Mets and Phillies too).

Just in case you didn’t know, the Orioles have a website.

The newsletter will also inform you about discount and giveaway nights, and the O’s offer some cool swag like Hawaiian shirts. It’s well worth the couple of minutes to sign up.

If the Orioles are contending, September games can be in high demand, but normally July and August weekends and Yankees and Red Sox games are the most expensive tickets. So if all you want is to visit Camden Yards, try for a weekday game in April or May if you can. You might score a great deal then.

Yes, believe it or not, they still sell paper tickets. Which make great souvenirs, incidentally.

There’s also the Orioles box office, which I usually prefer because a) there’s no “convenience” fees, which are significant, and b) I like having a ticket for a souvenir.

For most games you should be able to walk up to the box office on game day and pick up whatever seats suit your taste, and again, it’s cheaper without the fees. You might have to stand in line a bit, but the wait isn’t usually long.

Then there’s the third party market, and you should always shop around if you’re buying tickets online. Gametime is my favorite outlet (and an affiliate of mine); they usually have deals as good or better than others, especially when fees are added.

Speaking of fees, if you’re comparing prices between third parties (and the team website, for that matter), go all the way to the checkout screen to know what you’re actually paying.

You sometimes might find a broker hiding behind this sign.

If you’re looking for scalpers or people with extras at Oriole Park, you might find stragglers north of the Eutaw Street entrance, in the retired numbers plaza (where the Babe Ruth statue is). The sign says it’s illegal to resell tickets on “Stadium Controlled Property”, which I suppose means you can simply walk across the street and sell your extras.

People with extras can also sometimes be found at Pickles Pub or Sliders near Gate F (left field) before the game. There’s always a crowd there and you can ask around.

For non-prime games like a weekday game against Oakland, this is a buyer’s market, and you can wait until just before game time and make an offer that suits you.

The Orioles consider this a high demand game. Plan accordingly.

Finally, if you’re considering Craigslist for Orioles tickets, I’ve written about that here, but quickly, treat Craigslist sellers like scalpers…check the tickets carefully, especially the date and opponent, and if something doesn’t feel right don’t buy them. Sometimes you can find a great deal, but remember that there’s no protection from you being scammed. If the deal seems too good to be true…you know the rest.

So now you have some idea how to save money on Orioles tickets…there’s a different avenue for getting tickets that works best for demand. Just plan ahead and compare. With a little effort, you can score a great deal for a game at one of baseball’s best ballparks.

Incidentally, the Orioles offer some of the better prices on the high end seats in baseball; if you want to splurge on Club seats or Field Box behind home plate on your ballpark trip, Camden Yards is the place to do it.

It looks a whole lot more complicated than it is.

Camden Yards Guide, Part 2: Choosing The Best Seats

Camden Yards truly doesn’t have many poor seats, but there are a few you should probably avoid, and some sections are better than others. (If you really want the knowledge on landing a great seat here, check out this complete Oriole Park seating guide!)

Here’s a bit about what the best seats are for each budget level:

For just an extra $100, sit in the shade behind these folks!

Money Is No Object Budget: Believe it or not, if you have the means you can get a suite at Camden Yards for a single game for you and your buddies; and it’s actually not a bad price. Food isn’t included, but you can have things catered for a fee.

If I were going to try this, I would do it in April or July when a climate controlled room behind your seat is a very welcome feature. There’s TVs and couches inside to watch the game on TV if you need a break from the weather.

This is why you put in the overtime.

Large Budget: The Field Level seats between the bases are cushioned and comfortable, and they’re reasonable by ballpark standards. All of these seats are good; whether you want something closer to Eutaw (first base side) or a straight ahead view of the warehouse (third base side) is your call; either is great.

“Relaxing here isn’t it? How about a crab cake sand…oh crap! I forgot there’s a game here!”

The club level seats are among the most expensive, but they include access to the spacious climate-controlled Camden Club, with excellent food choices, a full bar and a lot of cool Orioles memorabilia. If you’re interested in club access but don’t have endless cash, try to find a deal on the All You Can Eat seats in left field, which also includes access.

Club seats here are worth splurging for, but check and see if you can score a deal on a third party site first of course, especially for low demand games.

Okay, it’s not technically an obstructed view, but by Ballpark E-Guides standards, it counts.

Medium Budget: Terrace Box and Lower Reserved are more affordable seating, but there are a couple things to be mindful of. Terrace Box can be a great deal for the money if your row is low enough, but in the higher rows the overhang blocks your view of the scoreboard and such, and part of the appeal of Camden Yards is the great views.

The lower level seating past the bases is noticeably cheaper than seating between the bases, but it’s still more expensive than the upper level, so if you like being behind home plate (as I do), you’ll probably prefer upper level seats.

The Orioles usually draw better than this. Well, okay, maybe they don’t. But the view is still very good here.

Cheap Seats: The upper level at Camden Yards is as good as any deal in baseball; they’re not as high as in many ballparks, and they offer a sweet view of the warehouse, skyline and city for your baseball backdrop. Interestingly, only the upper box (lower rows between the bases) cost more than the bleachers, and they’re significantly better seats IMHO.

As you get past the bases, though, especially in left field, upper level seats get less appealing…outer sections are farthest away and don’t have angled seats…although in right field there’s great people watching on Eutaw Street if the game bores you.

Proximity to Boog’s is never a bad thing.

The Eutaw Street Bleachers are among the cheapest seats in the ballpark, and usually feature loud fans of both teams on the field. They’re close to Boog’s BBQ and other Eutaw Street attractions, but there’s no view of the big scoreboard or the out-of-town scoreboard, which is a bummer. One plus is that they’re real seats, not benches like in many ballparks.

Prime home run territory, even since the departure of Esskay.

Standing Room: If you’re trying standing room at Camden Yards, behind the right field scoreboard is a popular location, but left field has some okay spots behind the bullpen too. You can watch pitchers warm up there and there’s a picnic area. The concourses aren’t open here, so unfortunately you can’t watch from behind home plate.

See the game the way the center field camera operator does!

If you’re a socializing sort, the Roof Deck above center field is a happening spot too. There’s a full bar (no view of the game there, however), and some seating with counters along the wall that is reserved these days. It’s a decent standing spot, but I don’t know if I’d pay the price for seats that far away.

It might be miserably hot and blinding, but it looks nice.

Finally, as far as shade, the sun sets on the third base side, so the bleachers and right field seats are the last to see shade on a summer day. Baltimore can get very hot in July and August especially; be prepared with water, shades, UV protection, all that noise.

That said, there aren’t many sights on the planet more beautiful than Oriole Park at sunset.

Featuring a helpful photo of the ballpark!

Camden Yards Guide, Part 3: Best Way(s) to Get to Oriole Park

There’s a few ways to get to Camden Yards; which one is best for you depends on where you’re coming from, and whether you’re a tightwad like me. We’ll cover as much as we can here.

Despite its location in the heart of downtown, Camden Yards is actually surprisingly easy to get to by car. Well, most of the time. It’s right off of I-95 and not far from I-83, and there is sufficient parking in most cases.

You’ll see these when you get close.

Coming from I-95 it’s simple; exit onto I-395, which becomes Cal Ripken Way heading to the ballpark. It’s a little tricky getting to the Orioles lots and neighboring lots at the Ravens’ stadium (lots you should probably use from this direction); just after getting on I-395, get off at MLK Boulevard and use the ramp towards Lee Street; there’s plenty of parking there.

I-83 is best coming from north and west of the ballpark, but traffic can get very heavy heading downtown at rush hour, especially on Friday nights when the Inner Harbor becomes a destination. You might want to exit a few stops before the end of the highway; on Friday I might consider the Light Rail instead, which follows basically the same path.

You basically can’t miss at this point.

There’s plenty of parking lots and garages in the ballpark area, and the Orioles offer helpful links with directions to get to each one on their site. In addition to the Orioles-owned lots, there’s a bunch of garages north and east of the ballpark a short walk away, and in some of these you can find a really good deal, especially if you’d like to enjoy the Inner Harbor before a game. The Orioles’ lots don’t open until an hour before the ballpark gates do, so you’ll need to use a garage to enjoy other stuff in the area.

A great spot to visit Camden Yards and/or the Inner Harbor.

So now for my most important tip for Oriole Park at Camden Yards parking: book your space ahead of time. You can save yourself some money and a LOT of time, putting a pre-paid address in your maps app.

Seriously, definitely do this…I speak from some highly annoying experience of looking for an affordable parking garage in the agonizingly slow traffic of downtown Baltimore.

The Orioles offer pre-paid passes as well, and I would definitely go for lots B or C if you can (plan ahead), since for the price and proximity it’s a great deal. There’s also ample parking at the Ravens’ stadium that is affordable, especially south of the stadium, although this can be a bit of a hike from the ballpark.

The Inner Harbor area east of the warehouse is heavily traveled and parking is more expensive in that direction, and west and further north of the ballpark can be a less neighborly area, so avoid them if you can.

I highly recommend you check this view out for yourself.

There are a few lots on Eutaw Street, most prominently the Marriott or Redwood Street lots. Walking south from a Eutaw Street lot offers arguably the best incoming view of a ballpark you’ve seen. You’ll also pass by some outside vendors with cheap grub coming from this direction…more about that in the food section.

You might find street parking where you could feed the meter cheaply until 6:00 PM, and there is a Horseshoe casino about a 15-minute walk away where I believe parking is free, but this being Baltimore, it’s not something I would do especially for a night game. Better to just book something ahead of time fairly close to the ballpark. Parking isn’t super expensive here.

Whoops…forgot they play football here too.

One last thing about driving to Camden Yards by car: if something is going on at M&T Bank Stadium or the Royal Farms Arena on game day, get to your pre-paid spot VERY early, or use the soon to be discussed Light Rail. I speak from hard experience on that too.

Don’t want to drive? Baltimore’s got your back.

OK, about this Light Rail. The MTA Light Rail Line has only one route that travels north and west along the I-83 path, but it’s got a lot going for it. The Light Rail is cheap to ride, parking is free at many of the stations, and it drops you off literally at the ballpark.

There’s even a couple of stations a short walking distance away, which you can use after the game for a better chance of having a seat on the train. Try getting on at the Convention Center if you’re heading south or the Hamburg Station if you’re going north.

No, there’s no one hiding in the machine, although that would be pretty cool.

The Light Rail can get crowded on game days especially after the game, and locals refer to it as the “White Snail”, which should give you an idea how long it can take to trudge through red lights in Baltimore at street level. Still, most people consider Light Rail to Camden Yards worthwhile and once you get to wherever you parked, you won’t be dealing with traffic hassles…which can be significant here, especially north of the ballpark.

No, I’m not washing D.C.

There is also a MARC train station right there at the ballpark; the MARC’s Camden Line starts there and goes all the way to Union Station in D.C. Unfortunately this is a commuter train and is only good for weekday games, but if you can use it it’s a great deal coming from D.C.

Baltimore also offers a free-of-charge Charm City Circulator bus that goes to popular destinations…including the Penn Station and Amtrak trains…but these buses get very crowded and you probably won’t be sitting. You can also use Light Rail to get to and from Penn Station, and it’s probably worth the few bucks by comparison.

Get here early to grab a prime spot!

The Orioles have a bunch of bicycle parking; there are bike racks near the Babe Ruth statue off of Howard Street, and there are also corrals near the east side warehouse entrance of Dempsey’s. There isn’t a bicycle share program as I write this, though, and I don’t know if I’d ride through parts of town.

The O’s list Pratt Street between Eutaw and Greene Street north of the ballpark as their Uber pick up location…personally I don’t know if I would use a rideshare, since that spot is in the heart of Baltimore and again, traffic is very slow there. It would be expensive with the meter running.

Ah, there it is! Just need to look through the trees.

So to sum this up, if you’re coming from I-95, driving and parking is generally easy enough, but definitely book your parking beforehand, and check to see if other events are happening in nearby venues. The Light Rail is also a viable and inexpensive option, and I prefer it to driving in on I-83 and dealing with downtown traffic. Either way works fine; just plan ahead.

Never Drive To Camden Yards Without A Plan…

Book A Great Parking Spot NOW With My Friends at SpotHero!

Plus you get to meet Boog and all that.

Camden Yards Guide, Part 4: What To Eat at Camden Yards

Like most ballparks these days, Oriole Park at Camden Yards food offers several local favorites…which here means crabs just like Philly means cheesesteaks.

Since some things have changed since I first published this, I’ve dedicated a separate page to some of the best food choices at Camden Yards. You can read that here, but I’ll cover some other things you should know.

Named for the World Series MVP…oh wait…

Sadly, Dempsey’s is no longer a fixture on Eutaw Street. It’s been replaced by the Superbook restaurant.

Inside the atmosphere hasn’t changed much; it’s an air conditioned sit down meal spot that features a lounge with big TVs and odds boards for people who are into betting on baseball (insert Pete Rose joke here). The menu includes what Levy Restaurants calls “elevated gameday fare“, like tater tot nachos, crab dip pretzel rolls, burgers, sandwiches, and craft brews among other things.

Superbook’s prices are about what you’d expect at a ballpark restaurant; but it’s popular for the food and craft beers and TVs, and you should get here as early as you can if you want to try it. Lines get very long, especially on high attendance nights.

Sometimes, a dog or two is all you need.

The Orioles offer an all you can eat deal with club access, that includes all the dogs, popcorn, peanuts and even salads that you can handle. The seats aren’t great, but it’s a great deal considering that you can duck out of the Baltimore heat.

Another cheap deal the Orioles offer is the $4.10 stand, so named for the Baltimore area code. This stand features inexpensive items like hot dogs and popcorn and peanuts. Good for saving money with the kids, and they won’t care about the size. You can always get more.

Good thing the Ampersands don’t play baseball in Baltimore.

Around the rest of the concourses you can find a few other decent food items…chicken tenders at the Charm City Chicken Shack, Buffalo tenders at the Hot Corner, and of course, O-shaped soft pretzels.

For healthier and vegan/vegetarian choices, there’s the Birdland Market on Eutaw Street, and a Birdland Fresh stand near home plate, with turkey burgers, Impossible burgers, vegan hot dogs and Beyond sausages. And Greek salads.

Again, for the best choices of food at Oriole Park, read this post. (It’s worth the time, trust me!)

This is what baseball food should cost.

Finally (whew!) you can bring your own food into Camden Yards;unfortunately they’ve gotten more restrictive with their policy. You’re allowed a clear plastic bag no larger than 12″ x 6″ x 12″, so you can’t squeeze as much grub as you could in the past.

That said, this is a great ballpark to fill up a goody bag beforehand; there are vendors surrounding the ballpark selling hot dogs, sausages, peanuts, even crab cake sandwiches if you search. That kind of stuff makes baseball great.

My favorite spot for cheap eats is across the street from the left field entrance, where you can find Pickles Pub and Sliders; they set up grills and offer everything from dogs to peanuts much cheaper than in the ballpark. You can also have a couple of inexpensive Natty Bohs there before the game…all part of the Baltimore baseball experience.

And O’s employees even come out on cold days.

Camden Yards Guide, Part 5: Bringing the Kids to Oriole Park

If you’re visiting Camden Yards with kids, you have some advantages – cheap tickets, for one, with the O’s struggling at the gate even in winning times. And plenty of inexpensive parking and outside food vendors.

Here are three things parents should know when bringing the kids to Oriole Park…

I only wish it was free from ’72 through ’79 when I was a kid.

Camden Yards With Kids, Tip #1) Bring The Kids For Free! Yes, you read that right…for each upper level ticket you buy as an adult, you can order two more tickets for kids nine and under absolutely free of charge. This includes every game except Opening Day…including “Kids Opening Day”, which is sometime in April.

Not while the game is going, of course.

Camden Yards With Kids, Tip #2) Go on Sunday. On Sundays the Orioles offer cool activities for the kids, like face painting and autographs. And kids love to run the bases after the game…but get in line early if you can, because it’s a very popular promotion. There are a LOT of kids in the play area on Sundays, but it helps them burn up energy.

And if the kids are into play areas at the ballpark…and they always are…

Because noting gets a little one into Orioles baseball like a birdhouse play gym.

Camden Yards With Kids, Tip #3) Sit In The Right Field Corner. The kids play area at Camden Yards with the moon bounce, pitching and batting cages…and now a “Bird House”, a treehouse-shaped gym…keeps them occupied for a while. It’s at the south end of Eutaw Street, near Gate H. The Bird House is in the shade, while the moon bounce and other activities are in the sun, so you can imagine which is more popular.

They have food stands with smaller portions and prices for the kid in the Kids’ Corner, but you can find the kids’ portions anywhere in the ballpark now.

Watch the kids race up the steps…and then back down the ladder!

One more thing…don’t forget the little one’s “first game” certificate, which you can pick up at Guest Services on Eutaw Street. The Orioles can also tag your kid here for you so that the little one doesn’t get lost.

Family restrooms all have diaper changing tables. You can check in strollers at the Guest Services locations, and the Orioles will let nursing moms use a private room on the Club level.

The one ballpark that was built exactly right.

Camden Yards Guide, Part 6: Photo-Ops and Other Tips

As you probably know, Camden Yards started it all…the modern sports venue boom that is arguably out of control these days. Here are a few of my favorite photo-ops at the classic and beautiful downtown Baltimore ballpark:

The Warehouse, the Bromo Seltzer tower, Eutaw Street, capture it all in one shot.

Camden Yards Photo-Op #1) Eutaw Street From Above. If you go to the upper level and stand at the end in the right field corner, you can capture the amazing shot you see here, and see happy baseball fans walking in wonderment along Eutaw Street next to the warehouse.

The Gold Glove is so obvious, but I still love it.

Camden Yards Photo-Op #2) Player Statues. It’s difficult to imagine it even for thirty-somethings these days, but the Orioles were indeed once a very good team. There’s Eddie Murray, Jim Palmer, Frank Robinson, Earl Weaver and of course, Cal Ripken Jr.

You have to go outside the ballpark to see Brooks Robinson and his Gold Glove along West Paca Street, but it’s worth it.

Imagine a time when antacids were a popular enough commodity that they could put their name on a city building.

Camden Yards Photo-Op #3) The Bromo-Seltzer Tower. The view of the vintage Baltimore tower is blocked by the large Hilton these days from much of the seating, which a lot of fans complain about, but you can still capture it from the right spot.

The most durable player in baseball history.

Camden Yards Photo-Op #4) Retired Number Statues. There are large numbers in the plaza at the north Eutaw Street entrance, and if you’re an older O’s fan you can tell people whose numbers they were. Incidentally, there’s a statue of native Baltimorean Babe Ruth here as well.

All is good and right with the world.

Camden Yards Photo-Op #5) The Warehouse at Sunset. Few things I have witnessed are more striking that seeing the sun shine on the huge warehouse in the early evening. Don’t miss that.

That’s just a few, but you’ll probably break your camera out a lot here.

Finally, just a few more Camden Yards tips…but they’re pretty important ones.

Baltimore weather reaches all the extremes, and it can be brutally hot in July and August here. If you’re sitting in the upper level on a hot day, you might find yourself moving to an upper row just to be in the shade of the roof. Shoot for the third base side for a hot night game, where the shade comes in earlier.

They have the same stuff one gate over!

Giveaway nights are popular at Oriole Park, and people arrive early for their swag. If you want the free stuff, enter the ballpark at Gate G, a short walk from Gate A on Eutaw Street (the Light Rail gate)…it will be far less crowded.

If you take a walk on Eutaw Street (and you should), look down: you’ll see small baseball-shaped plaques in the cement where home run balls have landed.

The other reason to visit Baltimore.

The Inner Harbor two blocks west, with its museums, views, restaurants and shopping, is worth a visit. Don’t venture too far from the Inner Harbor or ballpark area though. There are less than ideal parts of downtown just a few blocks north and west, like the strip club littered East Baltimore Street, and it’s not a place you’ll want to be at night.

Baltimore fans are more polite than most to opposing fans, although this may be a by-product of being frequently outnumbered by them. For the most part, Orioles games are a pleasant environment for visiting fans. But if you’re coming from Boston or New York, don’t call the ballpark “Yankee Stadium South” or “Fenway South”, lest you bring bad karma on your team.

You’re most welcome!

Get all that? Seriously, I hope this Camden Yards guide has been helpful to you, and that you can use the tips to save money and have a blast at your next Orioles game. Feel free to contact me with any questions, and if you’re adding a Nationals game to your baseball trip, I’ve written a helpful guide for that place too.

Thanks for reading this complete Oriole Park at Camden Yards guide, and for supporting our sponsors!

(Note: this article contains affiliate links. If you use an affiliate link to make a purchase, Ballpark E-Guides earns a commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!)

Want to know more about Camden Yards? Check out the links below!

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Here it is baseball fans, your complete and extremely helpful Progressive Field guide! Your favorite ballpark expert is here to help you save money on Guardians tickets, choose the best seats for your taste and budget, learn the best ways to get to Progressive Field (including great parking options), and choose from the truly amazing menu of Guardians game food. It’s all here, and you’ll be a much smarter fan armed with these tips.

There’s a lot to review here, so I’ve broken it down for you:

Finding Cheap Guardians Tickets
Choosing A Great Seat
Best Ways To Get To Progressive Field
What To Eat At Progressive Field
Progressive Field With Kids
Photo-Ops + Other Tips

I’ll help you get around the place. The food’s really good.

Okay, we’re mostly done with the key phrases to make Google happy (well, almost done: Progressive Field Tips!) so after this quick word from our sponsor, we’ll get started.

Gametime has your cheap Guardians tickets…with a lowest price guarantee, panoramic seat view photos, and great last minute deals…even after the game starts!

(See why Ballpark E-Guides loves Gametime here!)

You didn’t get tickets yet? OK, we need to back up a bit.

Progressive Field Guide, Part 1) Scoring Cheap Guardians Tickets

Your first task going to a Guardians game is to order tickets of course, so I’ll talk about each method and its advantages. Pay attention here…this can save you a lot of money.

The first and most expeditious route is to use the Guardians’ website or the MLB Ballpark app to buy tickets from the team; the first thing you should do is sign up for the Guardians’ ticket alert newsletter. The newsletter will alert you to pre-sales, giveaway nights, discounts, and other worthwhile deals. Sometimes they do cool stuff like waiving ticket fees.

Just in case you happened to have brought a few bucks.

The Guardians use “dynamic pricing”, meaning ticket prices go up and down according to demand, but they claim that tickets are cheapest when they first go on sale. If you’re looking to go to a high demand game such as Opening Day or a weekend game against the Yankees or Cubs, it’s best to get tickets as soon as they go on sale, since there will likely be a markup on these later.

If all you want is to visit the ballpark, the lowest demand games are easily in April (you’ll see why), but if you’re coming in the summer, try to get a weekday game if you can. Choice of opponent doesn’t matter too much, but the Cubs draw pretty big crowds so plan ahead for that.

Four windows open? Must be April.

If you don’t want to pay the online fees, which are considerable, you can get tickets at the box office at the ballpark; you can also pick up tickets at the team store if you want to avoid lines. There are ticket kiosks at the ballpark, but they do charge convenience fees for using them.

On non-game days the box office is only open from 10:00-2:00 on weekdays, and it’s closed on weekends, so you need to time it to save on the fees. They also charge a small day-of-game fee too, but it’s not as much as the convenience fee.

In case you didn’t bring your smartphone.

Then there’s the third party route, which can save you significant cash if you plan it right. The lower the demand for the game, the cheaper tickets will be, especially since the Guardians offer a lot of multi-game deals that leave people with extras. Closer to game time on a mid-week April game, you could find a steal on good seats.

I love Gametime for Guardians tickets, but if you’re comparing, just be sure to go all the way to the checkout page to see what your tickets really cost. Those fees are a b***. Generally, Gametime seems to offer better deals than most, just saying.

Remember that for high demand games, it’s usually cheaper to buy from the team when tickets go on sale; but if you haven’t planned ahead, try waiting till the last minute when prices can drop. Just don’t wait too long; typically sites shut down sales around two hours before the game.

If they don’t know the name of the team, that’s probably a red flag.

The Guardians prohibit re-sale of tickets at any price, but of course you will see scalpers and people with extras on occasion, especially on the E. 9th Street and Ontario Street sides of the ballpark where most people enter.

I’m not sure if it’s just that I’ve gone on low attendance nights, but I don’t recall being pursued by brokers too much in my visits to Cleveland. Maybe it’s my “I’ve already got tickets” look.

Finally, I’ve written more about buying tickets on Craigslist here…but the short version is that while you might score a great deal on tickets, there’s no checks in place, so treat a Craigslist seller like you would a scalper. Check the date and opponent on the ticket and look for smudge marks or uneven scissor cuts. If your gut tells you not to buy the tickets, don’t.

There are many thousands. You should be able to find a good one.

Progressive Field Guide, Part 2: The Best Seats You Can Afford

OK, so you’ve found a route to get Guardians tickets; so choose your seats carefully.

I’ll talk about seats for every budget level here and what you should know. I’m skipping the suites, including the Dugout Suites, since they’re mostly for corporate types, but here’s the skinny for the rest of us. (If you really want to get in depth, check out this much more detailed post…)

If you pay enough for your seat, you won’t have to sit in it.

Money Is No Object Budget. The Guardians’ premium-priced seating includes the Diamond Box seats and the Field Box Front seats behind home plate; the Field Box Front seats are slightly more expensive than the Field Box seats behind them.

Field and Diamond Box season ticket holders have access to the swanky Lexus Home Plate Club; an indoor club with a full bar, some of the great new food items (more about that in a bit), and a glass enclosure to view the game.

Don’t let the empty seats fool you, they’re good seats too.

That big mezzanine section that juts out on the first base side is the Club section, with padded seats, drink rails, and access to the Discount Drug Mart Club, which is climate-controlled…no small thing here. Club seats include food from multiple stations, including build your own burgers, a meat carving station, nachos, pizza, etc.

Food and non-alcoholic drinks are all included with your ticket, and the seats offer a terrific view of the field and the Big Board. These seats come in three price ranges, and you can definitely save a few bucks with the “outfield” club seats without sacrificing much in view.

Just sit somewhere on this side. Not under that overhang.

Large Budget. If you care at least a little bit about what you’re spending, you can sit in the back rows of sections between the dugouts, or in closer seats past the bases and out to the foul pole. They’re still very good seats, but don’t include Club access.

If you’re sitting in the lower level, I prefer the first base side for its straight ahead view of the left field scoreboard, one of the most striking features of this ballpark, and the Cleveland skyline beyond it. However, you need to get a low row…with the Club section creating a big overhang, anything from Row AA up could lose the view.

You can even sit in front of the bullpens and let pitchers heckle you!

Medium Budget. The Guardians don’t start calling lower level seats “Lower Reserved” until you get into right field. These seats are about half the price of Field Box seating, and they do have some advantages despite being outfield seats…for one, they’re close to the Right Field District, and some amazing food offerings, and Section 103 is close to the bullpens; watching pitchers warm up and offering encouragement is always fun.

Stay warm in the lower seats!

The upper level seats at the Prog are divided into three price levels, four if you count the “front row” increase…View + Upper Box (400), and Upper Reserved (500). With the open concourses and suite levels, the upper tier is pretty high up, which is likely why these seats are cheaper than most lower level seating. It can also be cooler up here, so bring a jacket for the cooler nights.

Despite the height, I’ve sat on the first base side in the upper level a number of times and have always enjoyed it…the view of the scoreboard and skyline are superb, even if you’re not very close to the action. Not bad at all for inexpensive seats.

There is a secret escalator to get to the mezzanine, in case you don’t want someone to find you.

Cheap Seats and Standing Room. If you’re going as cheap as possible or want to bring the family without breaking the Venmo account, there’s several ways to do it.

The Family Deck is a similar level of seating to the Club area, but it’s in right field and doesn’t offer Club access. It’s great for families though…tickets are cheap and there’s a great indoor-outdoor play area that I’ll talk about in a bit. If you choose this spot, use the escalator in the right field concourse, and bring sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat.

“Too high? What does that mean, too high?”

The bleachers in front of the scoreboard are among the cheapest of Guardians tickets, but the team actually sells season tickets to this spot, so it’s popular among fans. The bleacher seats have backs, so they’re more comfortable than at Wrigley, but I would still bring a cushion to sit here. The closer rows cost more than the back rows, so shoot for Row L if you’re going cheap.

Unfortunately, John Adams, the team’s drummer, has passed away. RIP John.

Underway at the Corner of Carnegie and Ontario.

More so than most teams these days, the Guardians offer some really sweet standing room options, and they sell a District Ticket that includes a beer for a very nice price. Both outfield corners feature standing spots with counters, and there’s a good spot behind the bullpens too if you’re into heckling.

In the right field corner is the two-level Corner Bar, a nice spot to duck out of the cold even if drinks are pricey. Visit the very cool fire pit upstairs to warm up; it’s a pretty happening spot on cold nights. (I’ve even almost had conversations with women there!)

Cleveland’s got you covered if you like some haze with your baseball.

Finally and probably most importantly, the first base and right field sides are the last to see shade for night games, something to be mindful of on a hot day…or a cold one.

See Guardians baseball, with both right and left handed hitters!

Progressive Field Guide, Part 3: The Best Way(s) To Get To Progressive Field

It’s easy enough to take your car to the Prog for a game, and you can usually find a good spot for parking. (More about your best Guardians game parking options here.) But there’s public transit options and shuttles too, and we’ll talk about all of that.

But first, driving to the ballpark and parking. Progressive Field is easily accessed by I-90/I-71 from the southeast and I-77 from the southwest, but the ballpark exits lead to streets you probably want to avoid if you can, if you’re getting there an hour or less before game time.

Hopefully you’ve programmed your GPS for a parking spot…you can’t park here.

To avoid traffic, try using exits that approach the ballpark from the north or west, like the E. 14th Street exit from I-77 or the E. 22nd Street exit from I-90/I-71. The Shoreway (OH Route 2 from I-90 east of the ballpark and U.S. 6/20 west of the park) is sometimes an easier approach. It might be easier to exit going north and using I-90 to get to I-77 or I-71.

Note the presence of an arena just inches away on the map.

Remember that the Cavaliers play here too. If there is a Cavs game or other event going on in the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse that night (and you should check), either get to the ballpark very early or use the soon-to-be-discussed RTA.

I’ll talk about some popular parking spots here, but my #1 tip for Guardians game parking is to book it ahead of time.

Here are some parking tips, after a highly applicable word from our sponsor:

Never drive to Progressive Field without a plan…

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The bridge to the ballpark is gone, but the parking lot is in the same spot. Much harder to move a garage.

The Gateway East Garage is the closest thing to an “official” garage; it’s right across the street and fairly reasonable by near the ballpark standards. Definitely reserve this one beforehand, though.

$20 parking, but no parking anytime! Hmmm…

The East 9th Street lots east of the ballpark are right off of I-77 and allow for a pretty easy exit, but you’ll pay more for the privilege. You can usually find cheaper lots if you go north a couple blocks.

If you can handle the goofy ramps, it’s not a bad deal.

The Tower City Garage is a bit of a walk and not any cheaper, but the walk is mostly through an indoor covered walkway until you get to the Cavs arena. Not bad on cold nights, and an easier out after the game.

There are plenty of other choices for parking, just consider where you’ll be coming from, and book something ahead of time!

Might not be worth saving a few bucks.

Be warned that as you get north and west of the ballpark in the Prospect/Bolivar/E. 14th St. area, it’s a less safe part of downtown, and you’ll see signs like the one above. If cheap matters to you more than convenience, try going east of the ballpark on Carnegie Avenue.

If you’d like to beat the man and park for free at Progressive Field, there are some streets where meters are inactive on weekends, like Carnegie Avenue east of the ballpark. You’ll need good timing to land one though. Or you could try the numbered streets north of the ballpark; many spots are free after 6:00 PM and weekends; you can feed the meter cheaply if needed.

The city is tougher on street parking for high demand games, so I would avoid trying it then. Like I always say, street parking is at your own risk.

Worth getting up early for on game day.

Finally, here’s my favorite parking tip for Guardians games, if you can pull it off: if you’re making a day of visiting Cleveland (and there are plenty of reasons to), find a lot that offers an “early bird” special…there are a few around the Euclid-Prospect-Huron St. area.

Park your car for $5 for the day, visit the Science Center or Rock and Roll Hall, and easily get back to your car and to your cheap spot after the game. Just be sure they’ll let you stay through the game, some lots might kick cars out before gametime.

Stand here long enough and some sort of transit will take you back to your car.

RTA transit trains are also a perfectly easy way to get to a Guardians game, if you can reach a station easily enough. Parking is free at most stations, the train ride is cheap and comfortable by big city public transit standards, and the train drops you off at Tower City, a ten minute walk to the ballpark. Most of the walk is through a covered walkway.

Clearly labeled to avoid confusion with an “ambleway”.

Some things to know about using the RTA: for one, you pay your fee downtown, getting on or off. Also, if demand isn’t great, which is often, the RTA will sometimes substitute buses for trains to get to the outskirts of the Blue or Green lines.

The RTA is especially useful for high demand midweek games, or when the Cavs are playing and traffic gets heavy. Enough fans ride the RTA that you can follow them back to the station after the game, but you shouldn’t have a problem finding a seat.

No time like the present!

The RTA has some other options you can use for getting to games, like their eco-friendly Healthline buses and the free downtown trolleys that run during the day on weekdays.

I can’t think of an advantage of using the Healthline unless you’d like to enjoy some nightlife on E. 4th Street after the game and need a bus that runs all night. Similarly, there are only a small handful of weekday games, but if you can park for free near a trolley station it’s a nice deal. Try it if you’re going to Opening Day.

Without the logo, you’d almost feel like a secret agent.

You can also use a shuttle to get to the Guardians game. The Flat Iron Café is located on Center Street near U.S. 6/20; there is a very inexpensive lot nearby but you shouldn’t have a problem finding free street parking there, especially after 6:00 PM and on weekends.

At the Flatty, you can enjoy a less expensive Irish pub meal and couple of brews, get a free ride to the game and back, and enjoy an easy exit afterward. I don’t know if I’d say it’s a well-kept secret, but everyone I talked to in my visit to the place loves this option.

I like the picture so I’m including it.

The Great Lakes Brewery used to run their Fatty Wagon to game and back from its location near the West Side Market, but as I write this it isn’t in service. This may change, so it doesn’t hurt to check if you like a quality burger and brew and a ride to the game.

Cleveland’s got a lot of people on it when it comes to bicycling in the city.

Finally, you have some bicycle riding options, believe it or not. There is a “Bike Rack” facility a short walk from the ballpark where you can use the outside racks for free or pay a small fee to secure your bicycle inside. They have showers and everything.

That said, the Prog is in an area heavily trafficked by cars. The Bike Rack people describe it as being for “intermediate” or “experienced” cyclists. It’s pretty heavy traffic around here, and bicycling isn’t something I’d recommend doing with your kid if they’ve just shed the training wheels.

This picture is what I call an “attention getter”. Now let’s talk some Cleveland ballgame grub.

Progressive Field Guide, Part 4: What To Eat At A Guardians Game

Progressive Field has so many fantastic food options that I’ve dedicating a separate post just to the best of the Progressive Field menu. But if you don’t want to go through all of that, I’ll list some of my favorite choices here…including an important bit about Ballpark Mustard.

So first, sit down restaurants.

Fine dining and bar service with a view of the outside world. And nachos.

I’ve already discussed the Club Lounge in the seating section, and it’s a great deal if you have the means. The Club Lounge offers chef-prepared stuff, including from Asian, pasta, and carving stations, and they’ll sometimes offer regional stuff based on who’s in town. (I was there for a game against the Mariners where they had Space Needle Grilled Beef. Sounded good anyway.)

At least no one screams “Down in front!”

There’s also the Terrace Club, on the mezzanine level in the left field corner. It’s a meal with a great view of a ballpark, although the view of the actual action isn’t great. You can order pre-game or during the game reservations, but with pre-game seating you’re only allowed there for 90 minutes.

Still, the Terrace Club is definitely a cool experience, and the Indians have high-end buffets available for an amount of money that you could spend on inferior food around the ballpark. Aside from the buffet there is a high end if somewhat pricey menu with food that by most accounts is very good.

Outside of the restaurants the team has created several “Districts” that showcase some of the iconic eats in Cleveland. I’ll briefly cover the selections here; lots more detail on my Progressive Field food page (coming soon!).

In the Right Field District:

This sandwich barely stayed intact long enough for this photo.

Melt Bar & Grilled has a variety of grilled cheese sandwiches made with Texas Toast; try the chorizo and potato or the mushroom sandwich with grilled onions…that might be the best vegetarian meal I’ve had at a game.

This might have been the best thing I’ve eaten at a ballpark.

Barrio allows you to build your own tacos, or at least suggest to the person behind the counter what to do. Their tacos get high marks but I can tell you their nacho plate is truly awesome. Very salty chips though.

I remember the dark days of only Budweiser available at ballgames. You kids have no clue how good you have it today!

The Great Lakes Brewery is known for their craft beers (as they should be), but they have some cool food offerings too, like brats covered with onions, peppers and Ballpark Mustard.

Enough said.

Cleveland Dogs & Shakes isn’t based on a local eatery, but if you like extra stuff piled on your hot dog, this is the spot; ten inch dogs covered with things like pierogies, bacon, banana peppers or other stuff. Get your dog on a pretzel bun here.

Just getting warmed up here…

In The Infield + Left Field Districts:

Just this description has me planning a trip to Cleveland.

The Brew Kettle is mostly about their craft beers, but they also carry the Wisconsin Brat Burger: a spicy pork burger with Swiss cheese and their homemade kraut relish on a pretzel bun.

Not sure how people are walking by, although it could be the nachos.

If you’re into high end pizza, Dante’s Inferno is a creation of chef Dante Boccuzzi, and at the Prog you can get a hand crafted pizza with spaghetti and meatballs on it, or the spicy Inferno pizza with sausage, pepperoni, olives and hot peppers.

Because great ballpark food goes best with craft beer.

At the appropriately named Fat Head’s Brewery, get your big appetite on with their “Headwiches”…sandwiches the size of your head (almost). Try the Fat Italian or the Southside Slopes – a kielbasa with pierogies, American cheese, grilled onions and horseradish sauce

Get froot loops on your hot dog. Only in Cleveland.

Happy Dog might be my favorite of the fancy food eateries at the Prog…for no other reason than they’re the first outfit I could think of to put Froot Loops on a hot dog. True. They have lost of other unusual options for baseball’s classic food here, so check it out.

Not done yet! The Prog is a great place to get your Mexican food fix on, even if I wouldn’t argue that Barrio is more than good enough for the task:

Now that’s some nachos!

Momocho has nachos and quesadillas; with made to order chips and homemade guac and salsa. Top your chips with chicken, pulled pork or sausage. It’s a great plate of nachos, although I still slightly prefer Barrio’s.

They even made a bigger tray for the street corn. Ohio City Burrito don’t play!

Ohio City Burrito is your destination for baseball’s most underrated food, the burrito. They fill your burritos with beef, pulled pork or chicken and the standard fillings, roll them with outstanding accuracy, and serve them with homemade salsa.

You’d be amazed at how difficult it is to get a charred dog at a ballpark. But not in Cleveland.

As you can see, pardon my French, but the Prog offers a kick ass menu with your baseball, and that’s not including the generic stands that sell very large hot dogs. I’ll just mention a few other things here:

In my last visit there was a Charred Dogs stand; I think it’s behind home plate. If you want your hot dogs blackened on an open fire grill, check this spot out.

At many ballparks, footlong dogs are just stretched. The Guardians, on the other hand, care about their fans.

Speaking of those hot dogs, they’re still made by Sugardale; and at the also aptly named Sausages & Dogs stands, you can get the really hefty half pounders. These are like the footlongs you find at a lot of ballparks, only thicker…and with peppers, onions, and Ballpark Mustard piled on, it can be a great value by ballpark standards.

I don’t know why I don’t just get one of these. I’d use it.

OK, so let me talk about the Bertman’s Mustard briefly. Joe Bertman’s spicy brown mustard served at Guardians games has been part of Cleveland since the 1920s; Bertman’s takes pride in not watering down their Dijon-style mustard and using the vinegar, and you can definitely taste the difference.

Some folks, myself included, have picked up “Stadium Mustard” in Cleveland area markets thinking it was the same thing, and it’s not…it’s a very similar version that I’ve read was created by a former associate of Bertman’s. They’re very similar, but Bertman’s is the real thing if you’re interested in ordering some…and it’s definitely the best mustard I’ve tried in a ballpark.

If you’ve ever witnessed an inane Twitter argument, you might like this…someone who refused to identify himself emailed me about this and angrily accused me of spreading “mustard propaganda”, and who knows, he might be right, even if I laughed MAO at the accusation.

If you happen to be in the West Side Market, pick me up a bag. I’m good for it.

I’m just glossing over the impressive food selection at Progressive Field, but just one more note. You can bring your own food into the ballpark. The Guardians allow a 16*16*8 bag, and they don’t specifically prohibit food, although they do say you can bring in one sealed bottle of water.

You can add some eats to your bag at several shops in Tower City if you’re using the RTA, and there are peanut vendors across E. 9th Street from the ballpark, and Aladdin’s Bakery on Carnegie Avenue has gyros and halal sandwiches. You get the idea.

I got my certificate!!

Progressive Field Guide, Part 5: Bringing The Kids

Few ballparks are as kid-friendly as Progressive Field these days. They’ve added the Kids Clubhouse on the mezzanine level, and this has become a two-story interactive play area with a big slide and everything, and parents can watch the game while kids play. As I’ve said, the Family Deck is a good spot for families, but definitely bring sunscreen.

This pitcher’s pretty good. Nothing hit out of the infield yet.

Also on the mezzanine level, the Rookie Suite and Slugger’s Sandlot are playgrounds for kids of varying ages, including a “Little League Park” wiffle ball field (with a short porch for your young slugger), a climbing wall, video games and batting cages among other fun stuff. You need to sign a waiver for the kids. They’ve even included a nursing room in case Time Magazine’s cover girl shows up.

Is it me or does this mascot not exactly strike fear in opponents?

Most of the play area is in the outfield near the secret escalator (it’s behind the right field seats), with interactive baseball games and a mock-up of Slider, the team mascot, sitting on a bench (sometimes the real Slider or hot dog mascots will make an appearance). This is a very popular place for families (it’s air-conditioned in spots), so be prepared.

The Guardians offer discounted tickets for kids with the purchase of an adult ticket, and the Guardians have a fan club for kids that includes some cool Guardians swag, discounts on gear, and exclusive experiences for a price that makes it worth it.

The cool part is high-fiving a third base coach.

Sundays are Kids Days, with animals or other attractions in the plaza on Eagle Avenue; kids can actually interview players and are allowed to run the bases after the game. The run the bases promotion is very popular, so you may want to bring the kid to the first base side early. They also set up a Kids Play area with bounce houses and such on Kids Days.

Hey, I get excited about Sugardale too.

The Indians run Sugardale Hot Dog Races after the fifth inning of each game. The hot dogs are Guardians employees disguised as franks covered with various condiments. Ketchup wins a lot of races, but is known to cheat. When not racing, the Sugardale dogs will greet fans in the concourse areas.

At Guest Services you can put a tag on your kid with the seat location, and get them a first game certificate they’ll file away forever.

I haven’t been there since they changed the team name, but I’m sure the scoreboard is just as impressive.

Progressive Field Guide, Part 6: Photo-Ops + Other Tips

OK, we’re almost done…thanks for sticking with me this far! Just a few things…starting with a few of my favorite photo-ops here:

Hitters hated facing him almost as much as the Japanese did.

Progressive Field Photo-Op #1) Player Statues. You can find statues of Indians greats Bob Feller, Jim Thome, Larry Doby and Lou Boudreau outside the ballpark in their classic poses, including Feller’s high leg kick windup. Good meeting spot for fans too.

Cleveland has some cool baseball history. Not just the movie “Major League”. Although that counts.

Progressive Field Photo-Op #2) Heritage Park. The Heritage Park area in the outfield commemorates Cleveland baseball greatness, including a statue of Frank Robinson and a dedication to Ray Chapman, an Indian who died from being hit by a pitched baseball. It’s worth a look for baseball history buffs; get there early to avoid the crowds.

Smart move to add a skyline view to a ballpark. Probably have the Orioles to thank for that.

Progressive Field Photo-Op #3) The Big Board + Skyline. I’ve said earlier that the view of the huge scoreboard and Cleveland skyline is worth sitting on the first base side of the field; its especially impressive from the upper level. I haven’t been there since the team’s name change, so this is the latest edition I have of the view.

Wide highways, as far as the eye can see…the vision of Ohio is indeed a grand one!

Progressive Field Photo-Op #4) The Upper Concourse View. Even if you’re not sitting in the upper level, take an escalator up and have a look at the surrounding area from the upper concourse. It’s pretty boffo, especially at sunset.

Chicks dig the blog!

Progressive Field Photo-Op #5) Hot Dog Race Mascots. Before the game you can usually find the hot dog mascots that will be running in the race, and they’re happy to pose with fans as shown with this lanky goofball.

Progressive Field is a beautiful ballpark…there’s a lot of great spots to point your camera.

The obviously not so secret escalator, but secret enough.

Getting around the ballpark, it’s a long way to the top (if you wanna rock ‘n’ roll) of the Prog, so there are several escalators to use; the impressive main escalator is near the team shop on the first base side; the other is the previously alluded to “secret” way to get to the mezzanine in right field. Escalators go up only, but you can use an elevator at Section 559 to get down.

Gate A is the most popular entrance, being near the box office, play areas, and home run porch. If you want to avoid long lines at the gate, you’re better off with Gate D near Broadway Avenue. Or use the redesigned Right Field Gate, with the impressive statue of Bob Feller. This gate is the first to open; for the first hour or so fans are confined to the outfield, but with the food selection there that’s all good.

Don’t mention it. The menu was worth it.

Whew! No idea there was so much to know, right? Anyway, I hope you’ve enjoyed this Progressive Field guide and that the tips I’ve shared here help you save money, time, and aggravation, and enjoy the wonderful experience that is baseball in Cleveland. If you’ve got any questions, by all means drop a line…and there’s more stuff below if you’d like more details, by the way.

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Planning a Phillies game? Visiting Philadelphia for some baseball? This highly detailed and useful Citizens Bank Park guide will help you land cheap Phillies tickets, choose the best seat for your budget, find a good parking spot, and choose what to eat from the impressive Phillies game menu. It’s all here…everything you need to know.

I live about 20 minutes away from the Phillies ballpark; I’ve been there many times and know all the tricks. Stick with me; I’ll help you save money at Citizens Bank Park and get the most bang for your buck at your next Phillies game.

Welcome to the first capital of the United States.

I’ve got a lot of great and helpful tips for you, so let’s break this down:

Finding The Best Deals on Phillies Tickets
Choosing A Great Seat
The Best Way(s) To Get To A Phillies Game
What To Eat At Citizens Bank Park
Bringing The Kids To A Phillies Game
Citizens Bank Park Photo-Ops + Other Tips

So after this quick word from our sponsor, we’ll get started!

Gametime has your cheap Phillies tickets…with a lowest price guarantee, panoramic seat view photos, and great last minute deals…even after the game starts!

(See why Ballpark E-Guides loves Gametime here!)

It’s almost like they don’t want you to know there’s a box office.

Citizens Bank Park Guide, Part 1: How to Score Cheap Phillies Tickets

You have a number of ways to get Phillies tickets…and finding the best deal on tickets is a function of choosing the right avenue and contest. If all you want is to visit the ballpark, low demand games are in April and May, and September if the Phillies aren’t contending. Friday and Saturday nights are the toughest tickets; midweek games are much easier.

If you really want to see the Mets, Yankees, Red Sox, or fireworks nights, plan ahead and try getting tickets when they first go on sale; it’s a good idea to subscribe to the Phillies ticket alerts. They’ll let you know when tickets go on sale, where face value is often the best price. The newsletter will also alert you to theme nights, giveaway nights, etc., so it’s well worth it.

A World Series game is usually a “premium” game.

But if you just want to visit the ballpark, try a game against a West Coast opponent (other than South Jersey native Mike Trout’s Angels, who always draw a crowd); the Marlins only have about 60 fans so they are almost always a cheap game too.

There are several advantages to gathering a group of folks to go to a Phillies game…certain games are available much more cheaply and the group leader will get tickets to a future contest. If you know a lot of Phillies fans, try looking into this.

Just because she doesn’t look enthusiastic doesn’t mean it’s not a good deal!

The Phillies have a “Fightin’ Phils Fan Club”, where for a small membership fee you get a decal, a hat, discounts on merchandise, and best of all, game tickets and pre-sale opportunities. It’s well worth the price, especially if it can get you into a game against, say, the Red Sox at face value.

So that’s a short primer for buying tickets online.

Go straight ahead, and then make a right, where the old McFadden’s used to be.

The main ticket office is at the third base gate, and there are other ticket windows around the ballpark. You won’t pay fees at the box office, and that’s a considerable chunk of change. If it’s not a high demand game, you shouldn’t have a problem getting tickets.

Neither one is any easier for left handed people.

There are also ticket kiosks at the box office where you can buy and/or print your purchased tickets, and I don’t think you’ll pay the convenience fee using them either. Definitely beats waiting in line for tickets…or paying fees.

You forgot to sign up for the newsletter, didn’t you? Sigh…

If you’re going with a low demand game or failed to plan ahead, include third parties in your search; Gametime is my favorite because they often have the best prices around, and they only show you the better deals. If you want to compare prices with the Phillies website or another third party, be sure to go all the way to the checkout screen to see what you’ll really be paying for tickets. It can be a big difference.

With third party sites, most of the time tickets will become cheaper and more available closer to gametime, so wait until the last minute if you can…remember, though, that ticket sales shut down two hours before game time. If the game is important for you to attend, keep checking for a deal you can live with starting about a week before.

These seats should be very cheap on a hot day.

If you’re flexible and can go to a game on a moment’s notice, and demand being what it is for Phillies tickets when they’re good, try waiting for a hot, muggy day or perhaps a cold day in April, when season ticket holders might decide against coming to the ballpark. You might score a worthwhile deal on Gametime especially then. You can also usually land a great deal on a cold day in September if the Phillies are out of the race.

No, the bar codes do not recycle after 12 years. This ticket is no longer valid.

Even though it is illegal and the Phillies make this clear, I have seen scalpers practically right at the gate of the ballpark. They frequently hang out around the marquee across from the Mike Schmidt statue, and they get desperate to unload their tickets as game time approaches.

When the Phillies are good, scalpers can be tough negotiators, but when the Phillies aren’t performing well brokers are less plentiful and more eager to unload, and you might score a great deal. It’s at your own risk of course, check your tickets for the date and the opponent if you try it.

I’ve written more about buying baseball tickets on Craigslist here. The sellers there aren’t all crooks and you might score something, but treat them the same way you would a scalper…again, check the date and opponent on your ticket, and look for smudges or other irregularities. Trust your gut, especially with a high demand game.

Go ahead, just pick one. They’re all good.

Citizens Bank Park Guide, Part 2: Choosing A Great Seat

There is a general opinion among forum dwellers that most all of the seating at the Bank offers an acceptable view of the action. I don’t disagree; I’ve had what could definitely be called bad seats and have never been terribly unhappy. In most all cases, seats are angled towards home plate, and very little of the field is obstructed even in the furthest seats.

When buying tickets on the Phillies website, you can now choose individual seats on their seating map, which is great for landing aisle seats or two and two in front of each other, whatever works.

I’ve written a much more detailed guide to the seating at Citizens Bank Park here, but I’ll keep it simple and break it down by budget here for you.

Cushioned seats and cup holders say “We care”.

Premium Phillies Game Seats: Diamond + Hall of Fame Club

As premium seats go, the high end club seats at Citizens Bank Park are fairly reasonable by MLB standards. A full season package in the Hall of Fame Club works out to about $65 a game, and if you pick the right contest you should be able to get a great deal on Gametime. Try for a midweek game against Miami or Colorado.

The Diamond Club seats are directly behind home plate; in the front rows you’re closer to home plate than the pitcher. The seats are padded and wider, and you can order food from your seat.

Nothing says “you’ve made it in life” like a meal in a ballpark club.

Diamond Club members have access to the Diamond Clubhouse Lounge, a beautiful climate-controlled spot with gourmet chef-prepared dining (the burgers are all that). Most of the food and drinks aren’t free, but there are some complimentary side dishes like pasta salads. The Clubhouse also features a view of the batting practice cages.

Because we should all have better seats than sportswriters.

The Hall of Fame Club seats are on the 200 press level, just above the suites. In addition to a nice bird’s eye view of the action, these seats are also wide and padded with more leg room. (That matters to big dudes like me.) There’s only a few rows in each section, so it’s easy to get to your seat.

Just in case they run out of baseballs during the game.

The large Club behind the seats is also climate-controlled, and includes food and bar stations. The food isn’t included, but this privilege allows folks to wait in short(er) lines for food items (including Chickie’s and Pete’s fries), which can come in handy in a rain delay.

Again, you can sometimes find good deals on third party sites for Club tickets; remember my “uncomfortable weather” tip; I’ve seen tickets available for less than half the face value on low demand nights.

Popular seats as you can see, even out of the shade.

Large Budget: Field Level Seating

The Infield and Baseline seats at Citizens Bank Park are not cheap, but there isn’t much of an incline and the view is great from just about anywhere. There is a notable price decrease as you move towards the outfield; Section 115 is significantly cheaper than Section 114, for example. The Phillies charge more for the front few rows in the infield sections.

The most important thing I can tell you about the lower level seating here is that the sun beats hard on the first base/right field side late in the day especially. If your timing is wrong it can be fairly miserable on a hot day; I’d go for the third base side.

That aside, most of the lower level seats here are great, and the Bank is a place where lower seating is preferable, for reasons I’ll get to in a minute.

The plentiful ushers might have tissues in the event of a nosebleed.

Medium to Small Budget: Terrace Level Seating

The upper deck seats at Citizens Bank Park are called the Terrace (300 sections) and the Terrace Deck (400 sections). Like in the lower level, the price drops as you get further from home plate.

With the suites, the Hall of Fame level, and open concourses pushing things up, upper levels here are pretty high, and these seats aren’t for the acrophobic. I’m not saying they’re bad seats by any means, though; the Phillies did a nice job of angling upper level seats for a great view of the field.

This is the easy part.

Another thing to keep in mind in the is that the 400 seats (Terrace Deck) require about a dozen steps just to get to your section. Try to get your food and take care of nature’s call beforehand, because this can be a pain. If lots of steps are a problem for you, spend a couple of extra bucks for the 300 sections.

Incidentally, if you need to duck out of the weather (Philadelphia gets both ends of weather extremes), the High & Inside Club on the upper concourse is a good spot. The game is on TV there.

The Scoreboard Porch, so named for its lack of view of the scoreboard.

Small Budget: Outfield Seats + Scoreboard Porch

The outfield seating is typical of any ballpark here, but it does have the advantage of being close to Ashburn Alley and the world class Philly food items that I’ll get to in a bit.

The Scoreboard Porch seats are just below the scoreboard; these are pretty far from the field and obviously don’t offer a view from the scoreboard. (There is a smaller scoreboard in right field that works just fine for needed info, however.) These and the upper seats in right field are my least favorite seats in the ballpark, but the Porch is a popular spot for groups if you’re interested.

“Hey pitcher! Your mom is inconsistent!”

In right field, the outfield seats are also close to the bullpens, where you can offer Philly-brand encouragement to opposing pitchers. Remember what I’ve said about the sunlight; right field is the last place to see shade for night games.

For people ready to catch a 600-foot home run.

Tightwad Budget: Rooftop Bleachers + Standing Room

The Rooftop Bleachers section is a small makeshift-style grandstand above Ashburn Alley in right field, below the neon Liberty Bell; it’s made to look like the stands people built on rooftops across from Connie Mack Stadium. They are, I believe, the cheapest seats in the ballpark, and with good reason…they’re quite a distance from the field. If the game bores you, it does offer people watching in Ashburn Alley.

You know it’s a good spot if it’s where ushers hang out.

Standing room in Citizens Bank Park is a pretty good deal. There are counters around the concourses everywhere in the ballpark to lean on and rest your food, and you might even land some barstool seats in center field if you’re early enough (good luck with that). If you get tired from standing late in the game, the folks at Harry The K’s might let you take a seat.

The Phillies offer a standing room only Ballpark Pass; for a reasonable fee you can attend every home game for a month. Well worth it if you use it a few times.

This is the point where you can shut off your GPS.

Citizens Bank Park Guide, Part 3: The Best Ways To Get To A Phillies Game

In most cases, driving your car is the best and easiest way to get to Citizens Bank Park. There is ample parking in the sports complex, and traffic generally isn’t terrible for a ballpark.

If you’d like to get into some detail about parking at Phillies games, including tailgating, the Taxi Crab and other stuff, check out this much more detailed guide to Citizens Bank Park parking!

The only exception is when there is another event going on, especially an Eagles or Flyers game…if you can’t get to the ballpark very early on such days, you might prefer the Broad Street subway. If there is another event, your best bet is to approach the ballpark from the north on Packer Avenue.

Coming from Penrose Avenue offers advance warning for when you’re about to see some serious parking.

Penrose Avenue from the west, I’ve learned through experience, is a good route to approach the park, since it’s accessible from I-76 and I-95 and you can turn onto Pattison Avenue towards Penrose getting out, away from the frequently used exits that get backed up after the game.

If you find yourself with tickets for a Friday night game during the summer months, don’t even try to use I-76 eastbound. The traffic headed to the Jersey Shore could well make you miss half of the game. Use I-476 and I-95 north to get around it all, or look into using a Regional Rail train and just make sure you can get back.

A helpful and detailed map to help you find parking at the ballpark, once you’ve parked.

The lots owned by the Phillies are all north of Pattison Avenue and mostly west of the ballpark; pre-paid lots for season ticket holders are close but don’t offer any kind of easier out. You can buy a pass ahead of time from the Phillies, but if you’d like something cheaper, easier to exit, or more tailgate friendly, read on.

Don’t let a little rain stop your pre-game party!

Tailgating is not permitted in the Phillies lots; for pre-game partying you can use the lots south of Pattison Avenue. Lincoln Financial Field (Eagles) has sizable lots; the Linc is the most popular of tailgating spots. There are ample port-a-potties, and large solar panels covering rows of parking that provide cover or shade from the weather.

East of Lincoln Financial is the Jetro Warehouse, also a popular tailgate destination. Jetro doesn’t offer the “car ports” that the Linc lot does though, and it isn’t any cheaper except from a good distance away, so if tailgating is your thing and you’re early, try the Linc lot first.

If you use my Penrose suggestion, you won’t be too tired from the traffic to pay someone else to park your car.

The Xfinity Live! complex west of the Linc lot offers valet parking for about the same price as other parking (although you’ll probably tip the valet guys a few bucks). It’s just steps away from the ballpark and good if you want to hang out here for the party afterward.

Colorful shuttle buses are a part of baseball.

Chickie’s and Pete’s on Packer Avenue valet parks your car for a bit less than what Phillies charge, and they run a free shuttle called the “Taxi Crab” that will take you from their restaurant to the game and back. I’m a fan of this option if you’re making a day of it…enjoy a somewhat less expensive meal at a popular local institution, avoid waiting in line for their famous crab fries, catch a ballgame, and generally avoid the traffic leaving. (Please don’t drink and drive, at least not in that order).

Just so you know what it looks like, in case you follow my next suggestion.

There is a church (the Stella Maris Catholic Convent) on 10th Avenue north of the ballpark that is cheaper than the Phillies lots, and it’s also an easier out. Not too long of a walk and a nice view coming towards the ballpark, just use caution crossing Packer Avenue. This spot is just a five minute walk from Oregon Steaks, incidentally, if you want a popular Philly cheesesteak.

Off of Pattison Avenue east of the ballpark, you can often find lots that are a few bucks cheaper and easier to exit.

With bicycle racks at the front entrance for an added level of security.

The lots behind Lincoln Financial Field are further and aren’t any cheaper, but there is also a lot behind the Jetro warehouse that offers a cheaper rate. This one is a hike and dark at night, however, and they claim to prohibit tailgating.

Get any closer and I’ll ticket you, I mean it!

If you love to beat the Man and park for free, your best bet for free street parking might be on the western side of 7th Street north of Packer Avenue; I saw cars parked there and employees of the team coming from that direction. I’ve done this without a problem, but you need to be early and it’s a bit of a hike.

People used to park on South Lawrence Street, but the city started handing out $50+ tickets for this, so I wouldn’t try that one.

You’ll want to be closer than this.

Speaking for myself, in my opinion the cheaper parking at Citizens Bank Park isn’t worth the considerably longer walk, unless you’d like to get out more easily. My favorite lot is Lot G south of Pattison; it’s almost across the street from the ballpark and it’s easy to exit going west on Pattison towards Penrose.

Remember when they called them “stadiums”?

The Distant Second Best Way to Get to Citizens Bank Park: SEPTA

The Broad Street Line is a SEPTA subway line that drops off fans at the NRG Sports Complex Station, a short walk from the ballpark. Because of the crowds, the subway is considered generally safe for games, but I would avoid going north of City Hall.

Gangway! Philly sports fans coming!

SEPTA runs a Sports Express service to and from Citizens Bank Park on game days; these trains make for a much quicker ride. Usually there are 4-5 of them starting about an hour before the game. Coming from the PATCO Line in South Jersey, the Express will take you straight to the ballpark non-stop from Walnut-Locust. If you get a chance to use the Express, do it. You’ll thank me.

The Broad Street Line isn’t the most pleasant train you’ll ever ride (it probably won’t even make your top 20), but it is good for avoiding traffic, which can be very slow. It’s popular especially with people visiting Philadelphia and staying in the heart of the city, but it doesn’t get too packed like NYC or Chicago ballpark trains do.

Well yeah, I guess some Phillies fans live in NJ.

Coming from South Jersey where I live, the Broad Street Line is easily accessible from PATCO. Riders can take PATCO to the 12th/13th Street or the 15th/16th Street station, and from there follow the orange signs to the Broad Street Line, about a five-minute walk. Coming back, exit the SEPTA train at Walnut-Locust.

Here’s a Tightwad Tip for PATCO: You can get a discounted round trip transfer ticket that includes the Broad Street ride at the PATCO station, which is slightly cheaper than two SEPTA tokens and considerably cheaper than driving and parking from NJ.

If you live somewhere on this map, you can take a train or two to the game.

All of SEPTA’s Regional Rail suburban train lines stop at Suburban Station, about a 5-10 minute underground hike to the Broad Street Line. Regional Rail is a much nicer ride from most areas of southeast PA, but check the schedule if you do this and know when the last train leaves.

The tricky part is making that left turn in ballgame traffic.

Citizens Bank Park isn’t in an area that would be a short bike trek for most people, and I don’t recommend bicycling in the area, but should you make the trip on two wheels, there is a bicycle rack on the north side of the ballpark, and Packer Avenue nearby has a bicycle lane.

Philadelphia has a shared bicycle rental service called “Indego”, and there’s a station next to the NRG subway station. It even has some electric bikes, but there isn’t a large quantity there, so I wouldn’t depend on there being one after the game.

This is why you come to Philadelphia.

Citizens Bank Park Guide, Part 4: What to Eat at Citizens Bank Park

If you’re really interested in making a solid food choice at a Phillies game, I go into much more detail about the menu in my Citizens Bank Park food post here, but here’s a shortened version of all of that. I’m not bothering with the Club items, I’ve already talked about that a bit.

If you’ve never had cream of artichoke soup before, here’s your chance!

Harry The K’s is named for the Phillies’ late broadcasting legend Harry Kalas. Harry’s has an outdoor but covered seating area behind the left field seats and serves adequate tavern fare at reasonable prices for a ballpark.

Each season the Phillies introduce new food items to Harry’s menu; they might have unusual hot dogs or different kinds of turkey club or roast pork sandwiches. Harry’s is a good spot to find healthy items; I enjoyed a fairly good vegan cheesesteak there some years ago.

This nation was founded so people could eat good pizza at the ballpark.

Then there’s Pass and Stow and the Shake Shack, sit down eateries that took over the space once occupied by McFadden’s restaurant. Pass and Stow is mostly for outside libations, but they do have a brick oven pizza on their menu, and Shake Shack of course features the ever-popular Shackburger, fries and shakes, all of which I can testify are very good.

This is a Campo’s “Heater” chicken cheesesteak sandwich with the “Works”. Ask for it by name.

If you want to enjoy the taste of Philly stuff at Citizens Bank Park, head out to Ashburn Alley in center field…that’s where you’ll find the two iconic cheesesteak sandwiches: Tony Luke’s and Campo’s. I’m a Campo’s guy, but Tony Luke’s does have a good roast pork and provolone sandwich with broccoli rabe. For a great and spicy cheesesteak, get the “Heater” from Campo’s. (Ask for it with the “Works”!)

No need to get your donuts at the state level.

But don’t pass on the other Philly favorites here…there’s P.J. Whelihan’s and their flavorful boneless wings, amazing Federal Donuts and their chicken sandwich, and of course the popular Philly favorite…

Tell them you want the ones that spilled out too.

Chickie’s and Pete’s crab fries…crinkle-cut fries with crab seasoning, one of the most iconic food items in Philly. I’ve talked about Chickie’s and Pete’s on Packer Avenue earlier…at the restaurant you get two cups of cheese sauce, here you have to pay extra for that. Might be worth using the Taxi Crab, just saying.

Mr. Manco likes to make pizza with his alter ego.

Manco & Manco’s Pizza is new but long overdue; it’s a very popular pizza shop from Ocean City NJ’s boardwalk, and it’s much better than the generic pizza. (Philly area folks don’t excuse bad pizza.) Colbie’s Southern Fried Chicken has chef-inspired fried chicken sandwiches, and they’re part-owned by former Phillies slugger Ryan Howard, so you’re supporting local baseball.

Here’s your tip of the day.

Finally, don’t miss Bull’s BBQ, named for 1970s Phillies slugger Greg Luzinski, who chats and poses with fans most games. The large BBQ area in the left field corner serves up first-class pulled pork, big turkey legs, addictive mac and cheese, and the “Bull Dog”, a huge glazed kielbasa. You can create a nice sampler plate. As ballpark BBQ goes, it’s one of my faves.

Just about everything I’ve tried in Ashburn Alley has been great; it’s worth the few extra bucks to get your Phillies game grub on there. Get there early; it gets crowded.

Hopefully this helps you find the hot dogs at Citizens Bank Park.

The rest of the concourse areas mostly feature generic ballpark items; aside from Hatfield hot dogs (another local legend), the cheesesteaks, fries, wings and other stuff is adequate but unremarkable. The sausage and pepper sandwiches are very good. Of course, you can get Richman’s ice cream in a small Phillies helmet.

The Phillies occasionally have Dollar Dog Nights; it’s a popular promotion but lines can be long.

Nothing gives a deli credibility like a decorated van.

Finally, you can bring your own food into Citizens Bank Park (in a 16*16*8 bag), and there’s some decent selections not far away. I’ve already talked about the Taxi Crab from Chickie’s and Pete’s; bringing takeout crab fries will save you a few bucks.

If you’re using the Taxi Crab, the Chickie’s plaza also has a popular deli called Pastaficio’s, it’s a prime spot to order a high quality and cheaper sandwich you can bring in with you. (You can take my word on that.)

Check them out…they ain’t kiddin’!

My favorite trick as a South Jersey native is to go upstairs after exiting the PATCO train, and stopping at Nuts 2 You, which is in the path to the Broad Street subway. They have an amazing selection of fresh roasted peanuts, snacks, and candy, and the still warm peanuts keep me fed all night for just a few bucks.

Parents aren’t allowed in the habitrail, but it doesn’t stop them from trying.

Citizens Bank Park Guide, Part 5: Bringing The Kids

The home of the Phillies is one of the most kid-friendly ballparks I’ve been to; there are two play areas here that are both great fun for little ones. The Phanatic Phun Zone features a habitrail that makes me jealous when I see my kids running around it, and The Yard in the left field corner has a wiffle ball field shaped like a mini-version of the ballpark.

Kids can also pretend to operate a concession stand, and get started young living the dream of being a ballpark concession worker. The Phillies smartly placed only one entrance at the Phun Zone, so parents can safely wait there.

It’s not actually 401 to straightaway center; unless that’s some metric measurement.

The Yard in the left field corner is an artificial turf (normally frowned upon in baseball, but probably a good idea here) wiffle ball field that’s made to look like a miniature Citizens Bank Park. And it’s got a short porch in left…if you get a hold of one, you can easily reach the scoreboard with it!

You have to wait in line to get your licks at the plate, but the kids can play in the field as much as they like. It’s a great opportunity to teach your child the value of strong defense up the middle. The Yard gets crowded pretty fast, so try to get there when the Left Field gates open (a half hour before the rest of the gates).

Phillies employees can put a curve on a wiffle ball pitch with the best of them.

If you’re bringing the kids, the first base side is usually better, since the Phanatic Phun Zone is near the first base entrance and the Yard is in the right field corner. It’s also a better view of the Phanatic dancing on the Phillies dugout. However, keep in mind that this spot can see some serious sun; if that’s a concern try the third base side, or bring water and sunscreen.

If you want to save a few bucks on tickets for the kids, check out the fan clubs. Membership is relatively cheap and usually includes two game tickets, plus souvenirs like a drawstring bag that you wouldn’t think to buy otherwise; both clubs include discounted ticket opportunities. The Phillies don’t have many “run the bases” days, but the fan club offers front of the line access for it, and that’s well worth it if it’s in your plans.

“Go ahead, swing for the fences kid!”

Kids under two get in free, but they have to sit on the parent’s lap (which is mighty difficult for nine innings), and you can either check in a stroller or fit it under your seat.

There are Phanatic Kids Corner stands selling smaller dogs and PB&J sandwiches at reduced prices for kids, so you can save a few bucks on food that way…and don’t forget about bringing in your own snacks.

Finally, you can bring the kid to the Guest Services booth and get them a First Game Certificate…they’ll treasure that forever.

If you didn’t know who he was, you probably wouldn’t let him in either.

Citizens Bank Park Guide, Part 6: Photo-Ops + Other Tips

I’m listing some of my favorite photo-ops at Citizens Bank Park, you’ll want some shots of these things when you go:

It’s even cooler at night, just saying.

Citizens Bank Park Photo-Ops, #1) The Liberty Bell. Try to get video of this after a Phillie hits a home run or the Phillies win. It’s also cool to get close to it and see how huge it really is.

This statues talks about as much as Lefty did. He let his curveball do the talking.

Citizens Bank Park Photo-Ops, #2) Phillies Statues. Steve Carlton, Mike Schmidt, Richie Ashburn, Robin Roberts, and longtime announcer Harry Kalas are all enshrined at the ballpark; Harry’s statue is inside the ballpark near the restaurant that bears his name. Everyone in Philly loved Harry.

Blending a ballpark in with a bunch of tall buildings is harder than it looks.

Citizens Bank Park Photo-Ops, #3) The City Skyline View. The Phillies got some grief for not placing the ballpark in the heart of the city, but this view works. Check it out from the upper level concourse in left field. (Nice view of the Walt Whitman Bridge there too.) Worth the trek up the ramps.

Does anyone think the Athletics should move back to Philly? I’m in that camp.

Citizens Bank Park Photo-Ops, #4) The Philly Baseball Walk of Fame. Some very good teams played baseball here; not just the Phillies but also Connie Mack’s Athletics. You can find this in Ashburn Alley, on the other side of the batter’s eye wall. It’s a fun timeline to read.

I was these kids’ age when most of these guys were playing.

Citizens Bank Park Photo-Ops, #5) The Diamond Club Mural. You may need to ask permission from an usher if you’re not a ticket holder to see it, but inside the Diamond Club is a very cool mural of a clubhouse full of Phillies greats; in the picture are Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and of course, the Phanatic, Harry Kalas and Richie Ashburn. Pete Rose isn’t in the picture…he’s represented by fallen rose petals.

It would have been a bear writing a fan’s guide for this one.

Citizens Bank Park Photo-Ops, #6) Connie Mack Stadium Replica. Connie Mack Stadium was my father’s favorite ballpark; I unfortunately was born too late to visit it. But they do have a replica in the Hall of Fame Club, again, you might need permission to go in and see it.

And last but most definitely not least…

I think Stallone chose to film Rocky in Philadelphia because he liked the Phanatic.

Citizens Bank Park Video-Ops, #1) The Phanatic. The Phillie Phanatic, the best mascot in sports, drives his ATV out on to the field in the middle of the fifth as the cleaning crew smooths out the bases…he’s always a blast to watch, carrying on and behaving like a Philly fan (check out my interview with original Phanatic Dave Raymond here). He also dances on top of the Phillies dugout in the late innings, and his antics can get R-rated at times. Get some video of him if you can…you’ll laugh.

Feeling smarter about your next Phillies game? Great! Just a couple more things.

Personally I liked the Spectrum better.

Xfinity Live! across the street is kind of a sports mall food court, with Philly sports-themed restaurants like the Spectrum Grille and the Broad Street Bullies Pub, and very large TV screens showing games featuring local teams, anything a fan needs for a post-game party or to gather with other Philly fans.

It’s definitely not the cheapest place for a post-game meal or drinks, but it’s easily the most convenient, and you have choices for whatever grub you’re interested in, including Geno’s Steaks and Lorenzo and Sons Pizza.

Oh, like your city doesn’t do this stuff…

Finally, about those Phillies fans. For half a century now, the story of Eagles fans throwing snowballs at Santa Claus has been cited as proof that Philadelphia is home to the meanest, most hideous sports fans. I’ve written about the Santa Claus story here; give it a read if you’re not familiar with it. The actual story is probably very different than what you imagine, and it’s actually pretty funny. R.I.P. Frank Olivo.

In truth most Phillies fans are perfectly well behaved and can be as passionate as any in the game. Yes, there are some obnoxious ones, like there are in every city, but you probably won’t encounter much more than good-natured heckling if you come here wearing Mets or Nationals gear. (Cowboys or Penguins gear might be a different story.) Don’t poke the bear and you’ll be fine.

Don’t forget the space. You’d be surprised how many fans leave out the space.

If any fans get on your nerves or you have some other problem, you can send a text message to the staff and they’ll come running. The ushers and staff are very nice here, and will make you think Philly is full of nice people after all.

Which it is.

I hope that this Citizens Bank Park guide has been helpful to you and saves you some time, money, and aggravation at your next Phillies game…because after all, this is supposed to be fun! Have a look below at some more tips for the home of the Phillies…and please support our sponsors.

Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you at the yard!

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How I Saved $75 At Citizens Bank Park

I live in South Jersey, about a 15-minute drive from Citizens Bank Park. Recently a few of my wife’s relatives visited from North Carolina, and they asked me about going to a game, since none of them had yet seen the “new” Philly ballpark. I get nervous about things like this, since I have something [...]

This is your complete, all-inclusive, Amazin’ly helpful Citi Field guide – everything you need to know about getting tickets, seating, getting to the ballpark and food at the beautiful home of the New York Mets!

Citi Field is well worth a visit for any baseball fan…it’s a eye-catching ballpark with terrific sightlines (in most cases), and possibly the best food selection in the major leagues. Oh, and a good team to boot these days. Sure, go to Yankee Stadium if you want to see the history and all that, but don’t make a trip to New York and miss out on the first class ballpark in Flushing.

Here’s a few helpful ground rules for a game at Citi Field.

I’ve gathered plenty of knowledge about the place and am happy to share it with you…there’s a lot to know, especially about getting here and the food, so let’s break this down:

Finding The Best Deals on Mets Tickets
Choosing A Great Seat
The Best Way To Get To Citi Field
What To Eat At Citi Field
Citi Field With Kids
Great Citi Field Photo-Ops + Other Tips

Lots to cover here, so after this quick word from our sponsor, we’ll get started!

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The “secret” spot for getting tickets.

Citi Field Guide, Part 1: Finding Cheap Mets Tickets

OK, so your first job is to get tickets to the game. You have numerous options for getting Mets tickets, and you can save a bunch of money choosing the right one. And that depends on whether you’ve chosen a low or high demand game.

High demand games are Opening Day obviously, as well as any contests against the Yankees, Red Sox, or Phillies, so pick a game against Oakland or other west coast opponent if you want a cheaper ticket. Similarly, Friday and Saturday games sell many more tickets than weeknight games, and July and August games are more populated than April or May games. You could find a steal on tickets for a game against Colorado on an April weeknight.

There’s nothing like free swag to make a ballpark your Friday destination.

As you’re reading this, you should sign up for the Mets’ ticket alert newsletter. The newsletter will alert you to dynamic pricing bargains, pre-sales (where you can often get tickets for Yankees games at face price), and giveaway nights. The Mets offer discounts that you’ll see in the emails, including waiving ticket fees on occasion. You also might score a nice deal on your birthday.

If you order through the website, you’ll probably need the MLB Ballpark app; have the tickets loaded onto your phone and you won’t need to remember to bring them.

Did you know that Mr. Met gets cash rewards with his Citi card? You can too!

Remember the name of the ballpark…if you aren’t a Citi credit card holder, I highly recommend that you sign up and ask for one. In fact I ordered my Citi MasterCard for this very reason. Citi cardholders get deals on tickets, food and merchandise, and you may have access to pre-sales before non-Citi people do.

You can also sign up for the Mets fan club, Club Mets, which includes tickets and other benefits that make it well worth the price. Get the kids into the Mr. Met Kids Club too…although you might have to go to a few games to make that worth it.

Go ahead, try it! Come on, you want to be cool, don’t you?

Aside from the Mets’ website, you can also obviously buy tickets at the box office like we did in the days before electricity. Remember that there’s more than one ticket office at the ballpark, and if the front gate ticket office has long lines you can find another gate and ticket office. Or use the ticket kiosks…you’ll be amazed at how fast they spit out your tickets, and for some reason people don’t use them.

Take a left here.

For a high demand game, you’re best off planning ahead and getting your tickets from the Mets as soon as they go on sale; for low demand games you can choose a third party site like Gametime and wait as late as you can for prices to come down (they usually shut down sales two hours before game time). Try to get tickets from a season ticket holder; these tix include some nice club access, great on hot days or cold nights.

If you choose to go third party, remember the fees and go all the way to the checkout screen to compare. See what you’re really paying; there can be a sizable difference.

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Be smart. Bring a seating chart.

In my Mets game travels I haven’t seen a whole lot of scalpers; you can generally find a few on the way to the ballpark from the 7 or LIRR stations. In those paths, incidentally, you might find someone with extras willing to part with them at a better price. There is a radius around Citi Field where scalping is illegal, and the train stations are within that radius, so be mindful.

If you do use a scalper, check the date and the opponent on the ticket, and look for any type of uneven cuts or anything.

I’ve written more about buying baseball tickets on Craigslist here; but as you probably know, there’s no checks in place on Craigslist. Most people selling tickets are legit, actually, but treat them as you would a scalper and check the tickets carefully, especially for a big game. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t buy it.

Hmmm…so many seats to choose from here.

Citi Field Guide, Part 2: Choosing A Great Seat

OK, so you’ve decided to get tickets, now you have to decide where to sit. This is a big decision, believe me…part of enjoying the Citi Field experience is choosing a good seat. I speak from experience on that.

If you’re interested, and have plenty of time on your hands, I go into much more detail about Citi Field seating here; but for this guide, I’ll try to keep it simple and help you get the best bang for every budget.

This is a good reason to work harder.

If cost is no issue to you (baseball can always find a way to test the meaning of “cost is no issue”), go for the Delta Club seats; they are large, padded, and behind home plate, and they include access to the Delta Club and its chef-prepared food offerings. But if you want club access with good food and don’t quite want to pay that much, the Hyundai Club seats have a sweet birds’ eye view, and a club with food and non-alcoholic beverages included in the ticket.

Because gourmet food just makes baseball better. And vice versa.

The food for both of these clubs is high quality, and you can also order food service and have it brought to your seat. If you get the really high end Clover seats in front of the Deltas, your ticket includes  complimentary food from anywhere in the ballpark, but you’ll pay a price for that.

Where you can easily turn away from an annoying fan on your left.

For medium budgets…again, you’ll be defining “medium”, but just saying…the Field Level seats at first and third base and beyond are a decent deal. For some games, just being one section over from the Delta Clubs can be a triple digit difference in price. The field level seats are angled toward the infield, so you can a comfortable view without turning your neck.

Cookie Crumz cookies with Mets sprinkles, a reason to get Highball Club access.
(photo courtesy of Maggie Wiggin)

If your budget is small to medium, I recommend going for the Promenade Box seats, closer to home plate if you can. It’s a good view for upper level seating, and you’ll have access to the Jim Beam Highball Club, which is worth it just for the outstanding food offerings.

Walk by quickly so people behind the glass can watch the game with their chicken and biscuit sandwich.

The 400 level of seating is considerably pricier than the Promenade Reserved 500 seats in the section above them, but you also have the peace of mind of no obstructed view (more on that in a bit). If you still want the club access without the additional price, you can try to get Promenade Reserved seats from a season ticket holder. (This is one of my favorite Citi Field tricks.) Season ticket holders get access to the Caesars Sportsbook restaurant in left field, the Highball Club, and the Piazza 31 Club. Try ‘em all out for size.

“No Pepsi, Coke.”

The Coca-Cola Corner seats are the sections underneath the big Coca-Cola sign in right field; these are pretty affordable seats. The view isn’t great, and the sun beats down hard on these sections well beyond any other section. But there’s a fun play area and a separate concourse.

Don’t let the dudes wearing suits fool you. They probably got left field landing tickets too.

The Coca-Cola Corner seats, like the Left Field Landing seats also on the Mezzanine (Excelsior) Level, also include access to the Piazza 31 Club behind home plate. This is helpful not just for better food choices, a nice view of 7 trains coming in, and a space to duck out of the climate, but also to avoid having to move to another level just to get to the other side. Useful knowledge if you use the wrong entrance.

Not great seats, but some people buy them. The Mets are appreciated around here.

If you just want as cheap a seat as possible, the Promenade Outfield seats are the cheapest in the ballpark as of this writing, and for good reason…they’re high and far, especially in left field, and on a windy day the upper left field seats can be unnerving.

This can put a damper on your Mets game experience.

You also might have to deal with the obstructed views from glass landings on the Promenade Reserved level. To keep it simple, stay out of the low rows (1-3), or at least look for a high-numbered seat in a row. Seat 1 is always on the home plate side. If all else fails, you can call the Mets Fan Assistance (646-438-5000) and they should help you find a better spot.

It’s not an ideal standing room view, but you can toss some cornhole bags if you get bored.

Finally, for standing room at Citi Field, you have counters to lean on throughout the lower level concourse, so you can usually stake out a relatively comfortable spot. Lots of SRO types get their Amazin’ Mets pass, which includes entry to all of the games in a month for a reasonable price if you use it a lot.

Center field is a popular spot for standing room, probably because of the superb food selection. (I’ll get to that, I promise.)

Didn’t “LIRR” play guitar for Primus?

Citi Field Guide, Part 3: The Best Way(s) To Get To Citi Field

I stated in my guide to Yankee Stadium that it takes skill to drive a car in New York City, and Queens is no different than the Bronx in this regard. If you’re a first time visitor to this ballpark especially, I highly recommend against driving to a game, but if you insist, I’ll help you with that.

But first, the best, easiest, and probably cheapest way to get to Citi Field is by train…either the MTA 7 train, or the Long Island Rail Road.

The purple 7 is synonymous with Mets baseball.

The 7 train is cheaper, but it’s considerably slower and gets much more crowded; it’s elevated most of the way through Queens from Manhattan, and the ride isn’t appealing to the eye unless you like graffiti. It’s 19 stops from Times Square to the Mets-Willets Point station; if you can get on the express (the one with the diamond around the 7), it’s just nine, so use the Express if you can. The MTA usually runs several express trains back to Manhattan after the game…definitely wait for a diamond train if you can.

The nice thing about the 7, other than sharing a ride with lots of Mets fans, is that the train drops you right there at the ballpark, and it’s pretty cool to watch Citi Field come into view, so get a seat on the left side of the train if you can.

The 7 train is nowhere near as bad as Braves reliever John Rocker was once reported as saying (Google it if you want to know). Just be aware that for Mets games it gets packed, especially after the game. You’ll probably be standing after the game unless you wait for a few cars to leave.

The easy-to-find stairway to the Mets ballpark!

All of this is why I prefer the LIRR; the Mets-Willets Point station of the Port Washington Branch is a few more steps away from the ballpark, but the LIRR train is a much more pleasant ride. It’s a couple bucks more than the 7, but you’ll likely have a seat (and a more comfortable one than on the 7), and it’s just two stops from Penn Station in Manhattan and can be used from many points in the other direction.

Believe me when I tell you, the LIRR is worth both the extra few bucks and the extra walk, even if you have to do it on both ends. Standing on a 7 train for 19 stops after a ballgame can be rough. (Done that, and I’m happy to share tips based on hard experience too.)

Wherever you’re coming from, those are basically the two trains you should find your way to. Unless you are indeed taking on the monumentally frustrating task of driving your car to and from Citi Field.

Never Drive To Citi Field Without A Plan…

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Pretty much your main roads to get to Citi, right here.

The first thing you need to know is that traffic backs up considerably within an hour before game time (naw…really?). In my experiences I’ve observed that the worst traffic backups come from the Whitestone Expressway (25A) north of the ballpark; the Van Wyck Expressway (I-678) and Grand Central Parkway both dump traffic onto Whitestone at their Citi Field exits. If you can avoid that junction, do it, or just get here earlier if you can.

See how they’re blocking your way out?

Similarly, after the game the Citi Field parking lot is, of course, a parking lot, and can take a very long time to exit. The Mets’ “A” parking lot north of the ballpark is where the employees park, but you can get a spot there if you’re early enough, and it’s an easier out onto the major roads. You should be able to buy a pre-paid parking pass from the Mets, but jump on that as soon as you can.

Apparently the Mets give themselves a good grade for their parking.

You can also pre-pay for your parking; while you won’t find much in the way of garages close to the ballpark, you should be able to find something in NYC you can use close to a 7 station, and from there take a cheap train ride to the ballpark. You’ll still come out ahead in cost and aggravation if you do it right.

Don’t mind the puddles. It’s cheap and close.

Finally, here’s my favorite Citi Field parking trick…the Southfield commuter lot across the street from the ballpark doesn’t kick in its game rate ($30 as I write this) until 9:00 for day games or noon for night games…so get there early, park for a fin, and take a train somewhere in NYC and enjoy a day in the city and a deli sandwich or something. Come back to the ballpark, enjoy the game, and it’s a short walk back to your car next to the suckers who paid $25 more.

Ballpark in view, just make sure your parking brake is good.

You can find some free street parking west of the ballpark; the side streets along 114th and 114th Street itself usually have some space where you can park with no meters. It requires crossing a freeway exit ramp to get there, but it’s easy enough with basic caution, and this spot is almost as close as the $30 west lots at the ballpark. I’ve read accounts of people having success with this, but this is Queens, so try it at your own risk. I wouldn’t park a Benz there.

They inexplicably don’t yet have Citibikes at Citi Field yet. But here’s a picture of what they look like in case they ever do.

Honestly, Citi Field isn’t a place where I’d ride a bicycle to the game, even though the Mets have bike racks. But if you do try it, there’s plenty of NYC bicycle maps available on the web to plan your route; it’s 9.3 miles and about an hour ride from Grand Central if that’s your starting point.

I also recommend against taxis or rideshares…it will be a long ride with the meter running, especially after the game. Find a way to get to the LIRR if you’re willing to shell out that much.

Citi Field has you covered even for waffles and ice cream. With Mets colored sprinkles again.
(photo courtesy of Maggie Wiggin)

Citi Field Guide, Part 4: What To Eat At Citi Field

I’m happy to help you decide what to eat at Citi Field, but there are so many great options here…the Mets might have the best food selection in baseball. So I’ve devoted an entire blog post to Citi Field food…with appetizing pictures and everything. You can read that here; there’s much more detail about the restaurants and healthier items too.

But for this guide, I’ll go over just a few things you should know to help make the truly challenging decision of what to eat.

Equally impressive without the wax paper.

First, the center field food court…called the Taste of The City…is the spot for the classic NYC eats, and there’s a bunch of them. Most prominent is the Shake Shack and their Shackburgers, which are so popular that people will miss World Series innings waiting in line for one.

Sometimes it’s as simple as keeping the buns warm.

You can also find Pat LaFrieda’s steak sandwich cart here. LaFrieda is one of the prime purveyors of beef in NYC, which is probably saying a lot, and if you like caramelized onions, you’ll like this sandwich.

There’s also the Metropolitan Fry Factory, with crazy editions of loaded fries AND deep fried hot dogs, and the Tater Kegs from Amazin’ Chicken Co.

In the right field corner is the World’s Fare Market, where you can find healthier items. The Lobster Shack with expensive but tasty lobster rolls, and also a market with sushi and gluten free items.

Believe it or not, I am just scratching the surface and haven’t covered a wealth of other items, but this Citi Field guide is already clocking in at 4,000 words and there’s other stuff you need to know. Again, have a look at the full food post here (there’s even pictures of dessert waffles!).

Pat LaFrieda beef and Nathan’s fries…that is a first class meal regardless.

But I will add this…even the basic stuff at Citi Field is pretty good. Nathan’s hot dogs (and their equally iconic fries), Premio sausages and Pat LaFrieda beef burgers are all very good, and the Mets even offer some great condiment stands with things like sauerkraut and NYC onion relish. There is no shame in going for the generic food items here.

So to keep it simple: think center field food court, right field market, and Hudson Club. And generic = just fine.

It’s a train stop away and has good cheap dumplings, but it’s a lot of work to get it to the ballpark.

Finally, you can bring your own food into Citi Field (the Mets allow a 16*16*8 bag and don’t specifically prohibit food), but there isn’t much as far as takeout joints within a stone’s throw from the ballpark. Or a $3 train ride for that matter.

You could find some good ethnic eats on Main Street in Flushing a train station away (it’s actually not a long walk), but this is a lot of hassle just to save a few bucks. Bring a bottle of water since you’ll be thirsty and maybe some peanuts.

Dunk the Cardinals fan! Well, okay, dunk the Mets employee with a Cardinals jersey!

Citi Field Guide, Part 5: Bringing The Kids To A Mets Game

The Mets made their ballpark kid-friendly, with lots of activities both in the Mr. Met area in center field and also in the Coca-Cola Corner concourse. Kids can dunk a Mets employee dressed in the visiting team’s gear, play on a wiffle ball field, and toss cornhole bags in the Corner.

Sunday is by far the best day to take the kids, with a bunch of activities like face painting and a promo item for the little ones. (Arrive early for the swag.) Plus they’re usually day games, so the kids get home at a reasonable hour. Sundays include kids running the bases (the “Mr. Met Dash”), which is always a popular promotion.

You can find these booths at the ballpark, but you’ll already be there then.

If you’re bringing the little ones, have a look at the Mr. Met Kids Club and see if it’s worth your while. With membership your kid gets ticket vouchers, discounts on gear, and front of the line privileges on run-the-bases days…and you’ll want front of the line access for that. You can even take the kids to a Brooklyn Cyclones game with your free vouchers.

You can find discounted food items and kids meals at generic food stands, especially near the kids area in center field. Remember the bag policy; if you need to save money, bring your own bags of snacks for the kids to munch on.

Keep in mind the shade areas as well. If you’re sitting in right field and in the Coca-Cola Corner especially, bring a hat and sunscreen for the kids.

Finally, I wouldn’t take kids onto the 7 train, not because it’s dangerous but because trains get very crowded especially after a game, and it’s tough enough to keep an eye on little ones in NYC. If you can, either drive to the game and get there as early as you can, or use the LIRR.

Wait! There’s still some stuff to see!

Citi Field Guide, Part 6: Citi Field Photo-Ops + Other Tips

If you’re a Mets fan especially, or a baseball fan in general, the Mets Hall of Fame and Museum is worth a visit. It’s got plaques of Mets greats, the 1969 and 1986 World Series trophies, a jersey worn by Tom Seaver and multiple other tributes to great Mets moments.

We miss you, Tom Terrific.

It’s on the right as you enter the Jackie Robinson Rotunda gates, and you should go through as soon as you get in because it can get crowded. Conveniently, after jogging your Mets fan sentiment, the Hall drops you right into the Mets gift shop.

Jackie signs the deal with Branch Rickey’s favorite cigar manufacturer.

Despite the fact that he didn’t play for the Mets, it’s fair to recognize Jackie Robinson, since he broke the color barrier here in New York City, in the National League. The Jackie Robinson Rotunda inside the main entrance gates is indeed impressive and a fitting tribute to one of baseball’s greatest heroes. You can check out the nine values he was committed to and see beautifully arranged large scale photos of the man and his life.

Along with the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, there are some popular photo-ops at Citi Field, and I’m throwing in one most people probably don’t think of, at no extra charge.

Still the Ultimate Answer.

Citi Field Photo-Ops, #1) The 42. Inside the main entrance in the Jackie Robinson Rotunda is the number 42, about six feet high reminding us all of the Ultimate Answer. This is a very popular photo-op, though, so you might want to wait until after the game to pose with this one.

Two world class ballpark enthusiasts at the Shea Stadium home run apple.

Citi Field Photo-Ops, #2) The Shea Stadium Big Apple. The Mets brought over the home run apple from Shea Stadium; it’s on the plaza in the path from the 7 train station to the ballpark, so you can’t miss it. It’s a favorite spot for traveling fans to pose, like I did with my good friend Joe Mock of Baseball Parks here.

Unfortunately you can’t test drive it in the concourse.

Citi Field Photo-Ops, #3) The Mets Hyundaimobile. As far as I know, this car is still inside the ballpark, just outside the Hyundai Club level. If you’re a Mets fan, you’d love driving it.

Preserving the memories of Ebbets Field. Except it’s in Queens. And a different team plays there.

Citi Field Photo-Ops, #4) The View From The 7 Station. Citi Field is a quite impressive on the outside, and approaching it from either the 7 or LIRR gives a sense of both its size and its classic ballpark structure. You get something of a sense of what Ebbets Field was like except for the big parking lots.

Fortunately, they didn’t bring New Coke to Citi Field.

Citi Field Photo-Ops, #5) The Coca-Cola Sign. If you can, you might want to actually get some video of the Coca-Cola sign in the right field corner, especially at night…the sign changes colors, has white suds flowing through it, etc. It can be fun to watch if the Mets aren’t holding your interest.

And don’t miss this one…

As you can see, this modern urban ballpark blends in seamlessly with its surroundings.

Citi Field Photo-Ops, #6) Bonus tip! The View of Queens. Take a trip to the concourse behind the Coca-Cola Corner and take a look at the neighborhood this beautiful ballpark is in…muffler and auto glass shops for blocks. One of my favorite things about Citi Field is this beautiful ballpark in the heart of a hard urban community. It’s classic NYC.

Finally, I’ll concede that Citi Field does have some flaws…like some less than stellar seats and insufficient access by car…but it’s truly a beautiful ballpark to walk around in and the food selection is second to none. It’s a great place to see a game if you know what you’re doing, and it’s an ideal counterpoint to its neighbor in the Bronx. Citi Field has grown on me a lot, and it will on you too.

Now you can do Citi Field right!

I hope that you’ve found this Citi Field guide to be helpful in saving money and avoiding the pitfalls…if you’d like to know more about the Mets ballpark, you can check out this much more detailed seating guide with lots of helpful tips, and this complete guide to the duly impressive food menu at Citi Field. If you’re doing a NYC baseball trip, be sure to read my guide to Yankee Stadium too!

Thanks for visiting…please support our sponsors, and I’ll see you at the Yard!

Note: This Citi Field guide contains affiliate links. If you use the links to make a purchase, Ballpark E-Guides earns a commission at no extra cost to you. We appreciate your support!

Here it is my baseball fan friends…your complete, incredibly useful and necessary Fenway Park guide! I’ve put together my best tips for visiting one of my favorite ballparks, and I’m sharing them with you to help you not only save money at Fenway Park, but also get the best bang for your ballpark buck. Whether you’re a frequent or a first time visitor, there’s plenty of useful information here for you.

Fenway Park, I often tell people, is not for amateurs. I learned from my first couple of games there that there are lots of pitfalls to avoid…insanely priced tickets and parking, obstructed views, distant seats, crowded trains, game day traffic, you name it. Think of anything that’s exasperating about going to a ballgame, and Fenway’s got you covered.

Baseball as it is meant to be watched.

But when you know what you’re doing, Fenway is one of the greatest experiences in baseball…an opportunity to take in the experience the way fans have for over 100 years, surrounded by beautiful green walls and red seats, in a space with location-necessitated dimensions…most notably that imposing 37-foot wall in left field.

This essential Fenway Park guide will help you avoid the pitfalls and fully enjoy a memorable Red Sox baseball experience. I’ve broken it down into parts for your easy reference:

Find Deals on Red Sox Tickets
Choosing The Best Seats
The Best Ways To Get To Fenway Park
What to Eat at Fenway Park
Fenway Park With Kids
Photo-Ops and Must-Sees

So after this quick word from our sponsor, we’ll get started!

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You’ll need these, just saying.

Fenway Park Guide, Part 1: Finding Deals on Red Sox Tickets

There are, of course, multiple ways to get tickets to a Red Sox game…and it may take a little effort, but if you plan properly you can save a lot of money on tickets. If you really want to get detailed about it, I’ve written this much more in-depth guide to finding cheap Red Sox tickets, but for this guide I’ll keep it relatively simple.

A big part of the equation is the game you plan to see. High demand games at Fenway are any games against the Yankees, July and August weekend contests, and Opening Day. The Red Sox are aware of this, making tickets available for low demand contests first before the season starts. Low demand contests are games during the week, non-Yankees games in April and May, and September games if the Sox aren’t contending.

Ah, there’s still a few available!

So if you just want to visit Fenway, choose a midweek game in April or May…and go for a day game if you can, because you’ll likely want to be in the sun in Boston during those months. Try to choose a game against an opponent that is over 1,000 miles away and not doing well.

If you choose a low demand game, definitely go through a third party rather than through the Red Sox. I have paid a third of the face price for pretty good seats at Sox games doing this.

Now you know what gift to get for lady Sox fans.

However, if you want to pay as little as possible for a July weekend game against the Yankees, going through the Red Sox website (or the box office if you can, to avoid the fees) might be your best bet.

You need to plan way ahead for this…sign up for the Red Sox ticket alert newsletter so you know exactly when tickets go on sale and get them at face price, which is probably the cheapest that you’ll find them. The newsletter will alert you to any specials, too.

The Sox also sell multi-game packs of tickets, so you can see a Yankees game if you’re willing to pay full price for a midweek game against Oakland. They’ll let you know.

It’s tough waiting in line just steps away from sausage vendors.

If you live in the Boston area or know someone who does, you can get your tickets at the box office and avoid the “convenience” fees…which are considerable at Fenway.

It’s well-known to Sox fans that the Sox always have a handful of tickets available on game day, and a line usually starts forming well before game time…and well well well before game time for Yankees games.

I know several Sox fans who use this option all the time and haven’t been turned away, so if you don’t mind the wait, it’s a good way to see a high demand game. Kind of a tradition here.

They actually don’t even use this. It’s just there for Yankees fans.

Again, if you’re just looking to visit Fenway and you’re flexible, choose a weekday over a weekend, and try a game against a far away team that isn’t good. These are your best contests for third party seller tickets. My friends at Gametime are my favorite resource for third party tickets…they often have the best deals and ticket guarantees, which is why I made them an affiliate.

But shop around a little bit. When comparing prices through third parties, be sure to go all the way to the checkout screen and know what you’ll really be paying.

So to find scalpers, don’t go to Gate C.

There are plenty of scalpers around Fenway, and they are very skilled hagglers. Usually they are legit, but check the date and opponent on your ticket, and if you see anything fishy or your gut tells you something isn’t right, don’t buy the tickets. Be willing to walk away or even wait until after the game starts…both could lower the price. In the scalp-free zone, ticket holders with extras can sell them at face price or less, so try that out first. It’s usually at Gate C.

Most importantly, do NOT buy a ticket that says “OV” on it. More about that in a bit.

I say the same thing to people about buying Red Sox tickets on Craigslist…treat them like scalpers and be careful. If you’re willing to take the risk, you might find the best deal out there. (More about buying baseball tickets on Craigslist here.)

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Here’s where you really see the oldness of Fenway Park.

Fenway Park Guide, Part 2: Choosing The Best Seats

When choosing a seat at Fenway, the goal is to get the best seats that are within your budget…and the smaller that budget is, the more careful you have to be to avoid a seat you won’t like.

The most expensive seats at Fenway Park are mostly behind home plate…the Dugout Box and Field Box seats on the field level, and the two tiers of club seats on the mezzanine. All of these offer very good views, cushioned seats in many cases, and usually club access where the food is better. Depending on the type of ticket you get, it may include a parking pass…whether that’s worth the price is up to you.

Green Monster seats at Fenway…where you pay more because you can.

Green Monster seats are also among the most expensive and are difficult to come by; this is another case where you’ll need the help of your newsletter to know when they’re going on sale. Incidentally, if it’s a good view you want, avoid the Green Monster seats…they’re more for the experience than the view, which would be the worst in most ballparks. If you’re not in the first row, you’ll lose a good portion of left field in the view.

Still close enough to hear the crack of the bat (eventually)!

This is similarly the case with the right field Ultimate Deck seats…they’re very far away and the view isn’t great, so for the price the Red Sox throw in access to a bar and tables to sit at for eating or drinking. This space is popular with ballgame socializing types, so maybe you could meet a future Red Sox fan mate here, since a ballgame 500 feet away isn’t likely to be a distraction.

Red seats = no blocked views.

If your budget isn’t quite that expansive, the Loge Box seats are very good, and cost significantly less than the Field Box seats in front of them. The only slight problem is that Rows AA-CC are “walkway advisory” seats, meaning you’ll have people walking in front of you a lot. With MLB cracking down on people finding their seats during at-bats, this is less of a problem than it used to be.

Not too bad without multiple levels of suites under you.

Similarly, since the mezzanine/upper deck at Fenway isn’t that high at all (support poles are your friend!) Pavilion seats offer a great bird’s eye view at a fairly affordable price compared to most seats here.

If you want to save a few bucks more on even that, you can go for Pavilion standing room, which offers a counter and a nice view, better than most standing room here. You might even be able to snag a seat if someone leaves.

Be sure to sign the foul pole!

The Right Field Box and Right Field Upper Box sections are also a decent value for the buck at Fenway. They’re down the right field line past the Field Box sections, and they’re the cheapest seats that close to the field in foul territory. The seats face the outfield, so you’ll be turning your neck, but it’s not that big a deal. If you’d like to be a step above the cheap seats, these might be the best deal for you.

So now we get into cheap seats, for those of you on a budget, and we’ll start with the Grandstands.

An intimate setting where every fan is your close friend!

The Grandstand seats are behind the field level seats, and they’re covered by the upper level. They’re wooden, small, and tight with little leg room, and of course, there’s those support poles that will likely block your view of some portion of the field (more about that in a minute). That said, they’re very inexpensive by Fenway standards, and in the middle of a hot or rainy day, you’ll appreciate the cover. It can be a good deal, but you have to work for it.

Note the complete absence of shade.

There are a lot of Bleachers seats in the outfield, and in some cases a Bleachers seat might be preferable to a Grandstand seat (for more details on that, see my seating guide for Fenway). But there’s up to 50 rows of seats in some Bleachers sections, so many seats are very far from the field, and sitting there you could have the sun directly in your eyes in the late afternoon.

There are some advantages, though; Bleachers seats are close to the bullpens, and also close to the Big Concourse if you like better food selection. If you are going for a Bleachers seat, try to get as low as you can.

You probably won’t catch a foul ball back here either.

Finally, the cheapest standing room tickets basically just get you into the ballpark…and you are limited to spaces behind the concourse walkways even, so you will have a very hard time finding anything resembling a decent view. Paying whatever amount you need to for an actual seat will almost always be a better alternative.

Ah, here’s the trick…just sit in FRONT of the poles!

Avoiding obstructed views: If you’re going for a Grandstand seat, there are ways to minimize the obstructed view and not have the support pole be too annoying. I go into much more detail about that on this page, but for this Fenway Park guide I’m going to keep it simple.

If you can find a ticket in the first row that doesn’t say “OV” on it, you will likely have a great view, since the pole is usually in the first row. “OV” means Obstructed View, obviously, but it has to be really bad before the Red Sox will admit to it, so avoid “OV” tickets at any cost.

The obstructed view seat is a perfect place for your bag.

Otherwise, in most sections (the right field corner excepted), if you get something between Rows 5-10, and avoid low-numbered seats if you can, you should be okay. Again, these rules don’t apply to the sections in the right field corner; honestly, take a bleacher seat over those. It’s cheaper and the view is better.

Believe me, you can get much more scientific about this, and I can’t guarantee that you won’t have ANY view problems following this advice, but use the 5-10 rule if you can’t get the first row…something in Rows 5-10 and even seats numbered 5-10, is often the best policy for avoiding poor views. Any higher rows may start losing the view of the scoreboards to the overhang.

Click here if you’d like to know more about the dreaded obstructed view and how to avoid it.

Once you get to this point, you’re good.

Fenway Park Guide, Part 3: How To Get To Fenway Park

If you’re a Fenway newbie, I highly recommend against driving to the ballpark, for several reasons. Traffic is extremely slow closer to game time, it’s difficult to get around Kenmore Square, and parking is scarce and extraordinarily expensive. I’ll talk about what to do if you want to drive in a bit, but for your first time, take the T.

The MBTA (called the T in Boston) runs trains on their Green Line to Fenway Park; all but the “E” train stop at Kenmore station, which is a block away from the ballpark. You can park your car much more cheaply at just about any perimeter station and get to Fenway with at most one transfer.

Easy peezy, and this is how most fans get to the ballpark…so to avoid sardine-level packed trains (and I am not joking about that), leave as early as you can. Remember, use the Kenmore station, not the Fenway station on the Green Line.

Yes, what they said.

One key thing, get enough value on your trip card for the way back. A crowded station is not a place to be trying to put more money on your card, and it will take a while.

If you don’t mind a bit of a walk and would prefer a less crowded train, you can use the ill-advised E line after all and get off at the Prudential station, where many Sox fans park their car cheaply to get to Fenway. It’s just under a mile walk, but it’s not bad on a nice day.

There’s also the Lansdowne station of MBTA’s Commuter Rail, on the Framingham/Worcester Line. This station is just a fly ball from Fenway, so if you can easily catch this train it’s a nice ride, and you’ll likely have a seat. The station is in the same spot as $50+ parking lots, to give you an idea of its convenience. The Back Bay station is on this line; I’ll explain the advantage of that shortly.

Yes, they stack cars on top of each other. You’ve been warned.

OK, so you have two viable train lines to get to Fenway, but if you still want to try driving, I’ll help you as much as I can.

As you can imagine, traffic in Kenmore Square gets super slow on game day, so it’s a given that you should arrive as early as you can. Most routes to the ballpark involve Storrow Drive, so avoid that if possible. Keep in mind that if you park close to Fenway, it’s likely going to take you a fairly long time to get out, and there will be pedestrians everywhere.

Yes, you read that right…

For almost any parking within a block or two…and even for some lots a half mile away…you’re going to pay at least $50-60. You can, if you’re willing to walk a bit, drop that price quite a bit, and this is a great time for me to tell you about pre-paid parking.

Here is my number one, most important tip for driving to Fenway Park…Book. Your. Parking. In. Advance. I have a favorite money-saving trick for this: book your parking at the Prudential Center or at the 100 Clarendon Street lot. You can use my friends at SpotHero for great Red Sox parking, including that garage.

It’s about a 15-20 minute walk from there to Fenway (I usually walk it); but if you don’t want to do the walk, the Back Bay Commuter Rail station is right there and it’s just a couple of bucks to get to Lansdowne station. You save quite a bit of money, ride a much less crowded train, and can get off the train right at Fenway at a spot where people paid three times as much to park.

Your helpful parking landmark!

It’s also easy to find your way back, with the very tall Pru Center visible from inside the ballpark.

There are some fairly close streets where you can park for free, especially on Sundays. More about that in my detailed guide for Fenway parking.

Keepin’ it green at Fenway.

If you’re a green sort or just like riding a bicycle in a city where even cars barely fit on the streets, the Red Sox reward you with a free bicycle valet service. The valet stop is at 73 Brookline Avenue. You also have the Bikeshare option; Bluebikes has close to ten stations very close to the ballpark. (Not sure about the bicycle availability after the game, but I presume it would be okay given the number of stations.)

The perfect size vehicles for Boston streets.

And finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Boston Pedicabs, cyclists who pedal rickshaws from numerous destinations in the city, including the aforementioned Prudential Center. You can flag one of these guys down if you’re tired after the game and it’s a fun experience riding through Boston.
 

Never Drive To Fenway Park Without A Plan…

Book Your Parking Spot NOW With My Friends at SpotHero!

Outdoor dining at its best.

Fenway Park Guide, Part 4: What To Eat at Fenway

For a while, Fenway had some interesting food selections, like the Lobster Poutine Stak, but they’ve scaled them down a bit. Still, you have some perfectly good options for Fenway Park grub…especially when you include the famous sausage vendors outside.

If you’d like the much more detailed edition of the menu, check out this guide to Fenway Park food. But for this guide, I’ll just go over some classic items and some new ones.

The Monster-sized Fenway Frank, still unequaled.

The Fenway Frank (and the much larger Monster Dog edition) is still the go-to food item at Fenway; it’s a Kayem hot dog served on that famous mushy white bread. The Monster Dog is close to a footlong, so bring an appetite for that one…well worth it.

The Red Sox close off Jersey Street before and during games, making it accessible only for ticket holders. They need to feed all these people of course, so there are several worthwhile stands selling classic Fenway stuff and some unusual items.

For the record, no, that’s not Luis Tiant.

Most notably, El Tiante, named for Sox star Luis Tiant, is (I think) the only spot in Fenway where you can get a Cuban sandwich and Luis Tiant’s autograph (although he’s never there when I go). Jersey Street offers most of the non-hot dog food items.

In addition to Jersey Street, the Big Concourse area beyond right field also has a wider variety of food selection than most stands. You can find unusual items here, like the Bloody Mary Burger, Grillo’s Pickles, and a “Franken Bean” hot dog.

This is your favorite part of this guide, isn’t it?

Lobster rolls are another classic at Fenway; they used to be made by Yankee Lobster Company but I think Sox fans may have had enough of that. The Lobster roll is cold by design, and obviously given that it’s seafood in a ballpark it’s expensive, but the fans still get them. It’s Boston after all.

There’s always pizza at Fenway Park; currently the provider is Sal’s. Sal’s has numerous locations in New England, and in 2022 they offered a free small pizza with the purchase of a large following a Red Sox victory (at their restaurants, not Fenway). I’ll keep you posted if that changes.

Burgers AND fries? Sold!

Burgers and steak tips sandwiches at Fenway feature beef from Savenor’s…who was once voted Best of Boston by Boston magazine, so you know it’s good quality beef. In addition to the aforementioned Bloody Mary Burger, at the new Truly Terrace behind the Bleachers, you can get a Truly Awesome Burger, with (deep breath) Savenor’s Butter Smash Burger, melted Vermont cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and Thousand Island dressing on a brioche roll. (Okay, maybe that’s not that awesome, but I like the butter smash bit.)

There were a couple of new items that I definitely want to give a mention to. One solid addition in the ballpark food realm is the Mings Bings, created by Chef Ming Tsai. Mings Bings are vegan pockets with a brown rice wrapper, filled with vegan-based cheeseburger or sausage and peppers. They’re a healthy snack that you can easily carry around and eat in a ballpark, and gluten-free to boot.

There’s also Fluffernutter Fries…sweet potato fries topped with crushed peanuts, peanut sauce, and marshmallow cream. I loved Fluffernutters as a kid and cannot believe no one has ever thought of this.

If you are looking for more adventurous food selections, Jersey Street and the Big Concourse are your best destinations.

A chicken teriyaki sandwich with Inner Beauty hot sauce. Because you.

Now then, I can’t ignore the outside sausages, and neither should you. Surrounding Fenway Park on game day are numerous sausage carts that sell hot dogs, sausages, and chicken and steak tips sandwiches. Lansdowne Street is the best spot for these, being in the path from the Kenmore station.

I talk more about these different vendors in my much more detailed Fenway Park food page, but I’ll just tell you that The Sausage Connection is my favorite…they offer a good value, tasty sandwiches, and their amazing Inner Beauty hot sauce, which is a mustard-style hot sauce that goes great on any sandwich. Visit the yellow stand and tell them Kurt sent you.

You can bring in a much smaller bag. If you’re not hungry.

You can bring food into Fenway Park, but the Sox now only allow a small bag – 5*9*2 inches as I write this, and they will search it. (Killjoys.) You should be able to pack a sandwich from an outside vendor into a bag that size, but adding a drink with it might be tough.

Finally, there is a wealth of restaurants walking distance from the ballpark at Fenway, and some of them can even be reasonably priced. There’s a lot of good grub at Fenway Park, but don’t feel like you have to get the feedbag on at the game, especially since you might have to wait a while after the game to leave anyway.

Get your picture taken with a seating chart!

Fenway Park Guide, Part 5: Bringing The Kids to Fenway

If you’re planning to bring the little ones, check out Red Sox Kid Nation…the Sox offer a free game ticket with their free membership (I presume they are still doing this as of 2023, but I’ll keep checking). The paid membership is even better…it includes a backpack, a jersey and chances to get other stuff. Well worth the price. You still have to buy a ticket for you of course, but a free ticket to the most expensive ballpark in baseball is a nice thing.

As I’ve mentioned, you should be subscribed to the Red Sox newsletter, and part of that will be promotions dedicated to kids, such as Star Wars Day.

If they lock your kids out, you can at least take a selfie.

Fenway wasn’t always much of a kid-friendly ballpark, but it’s gotten much better with entertainment and face painting and such on Jersey Street, and in the Big Concourse there is a play area called Wally’s Clubhouse open after the 3rd inning (currently closed as I write this, but the Sox will likely re-open it). Use the Gate K entrance, it’s designed for the young ones.

The kids’ area features a virtual reality batting cage, face painting, beanbag tosses and a visit from Wally the Green Monster. They can even sign a mock-up Pesky’s Pole. There is no view of the game though, so decide for yourself if you want the kids to be aware of this.

When taking kids keep in mind their restlessness; not that kids won’t enjoy the game, but it’s tight quarters and you may have an easier time in the Pavilion or Roof Box seats. Keep a close eye on them in crowded areas, and the Big Concourse and Jersey Street are less congested if they need to walk around.

Sometimes employees will try to score some of the swag. You can’t blame them.

First-timers at Fenway get some small gifts at the Fan Information Booth—last I checked it was a sticker, a free photograph and a welcome message on the scoreboard. And a Fenway bingo card. And you’ll want a memento of your first trip here.

You can get free diapers or sunscreen at booths at Gates D and E should you need them, and the family restrooms have changing tables. The Sox have also added nursing areas at Fenway (and NO, I don’t have photos of that); they’re also in the family restrooms. They’re not sweet lounges like in Cincinnati or Washington, but they’re there.

The Red Sox designate games where kids can run the bases after the game (my kids love this). They will tell you which games on their promotions page.

This number is called “25 Or 6 To 4”!

Fenway Park Guide, Part 6: Photo-Ops + Extra Tips For Newbies

Finally, there’s a few more things you should know about your first (or next) visit to Fenway.

As of 2022, Fenway Park is cashless, so no need to bring along a wad for the inside vendors. I’m pretty certain the independent sausage stands will still take cash, though. Incidentally, MasterCard holders get occasional deals, so at least bring your MasterCard.

Keep in mind the New England weather; there’s a very good reason that April and May Red Sox games are the cheapest. Dress very warmly, especially if you will be sitting in the shaded Grandstand, and have a place to go to warm up if you need to.

Here are some of my favorite photo-ops at Fenway:

You’re pretty much right with the world in this spot.

The Green Monster. When my wife surprised me with Red Sox tickets for my birthday, my father recommended sitting in the Right Field Box seats for that solid view of the most iconic feature of Fenway. He was right.

Very well guarded as you can see.

The Big Papi Lego Statue. David Ortiz is one of the greatest heroes in Boston sports history, so of course someone took the time to build a Lego edition of him. It’s in the main concourse.

I would love to have the set for this. With instructions of course.

The Fenway Lego Model. This is located in the concourse in the left field corner…a Fenway Park built with Legos. Can I buy the set?

I had to hold the camera sideways.

Big League Brian. He’s the guy on stilts wandering around Jersey Street before the game, posing and playing catch with fans. Pretty easy to find him; look for the stripes on his pants.

Wally likes to let his guests have the spotlight.

Wally Statue. This one’s popular with the kids, Wally even sits perfectly still for your shot.

Enjoy the game!

Well, that’s a wrap. Hopefully this detailed Fenway Park guide is of some use to you…as I’ve said, it’s well worth knowing how to avoid the pitfalls, even if the difficulties are part of what makes Fenway Park great.

If you’d like to know more, I’m happy to help! Check out my much more detailed guide to getting the best deals on Red Sox tickets, this complete guide to Fenway Park seating, the complete menu of food both inside and outside of Fenway, and my very helpful Fenway parking guide. And feel free to drop me a line and let me know what you think!

Please support my sponsors and help this website help baseball fans. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you at the yard!

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If you’re planning a visit to Yankee Stadium, or if you’d like to know more about saving money and other tips, Ballpark E-Guides is here to help. This is your complete Yankee Stadium guide – covering how to get tickets, choose a seat, get to the stadium, and what to eat…and best of all, ways to save money on all of it!

If you’re serious about this and would like even more details, I can help you with that too…I’ve written this helpful guide for Yankee Stadium seating, details on the many ways to get there, a complete and very helpful primer on parking, and a long list of available food items. Oh, and of course you’ll want to save money on tickets. But this page will cover all the basics you need to know.

One ground ball, one blooper, one flare a week…or one ticket…and you’re in Yankee Stadium.

I’ve broken this down into chapters for easy reference:

Getting Yankees Tickets
Choosing The Best Seats
Best Ways To Get To Yankee Stadium
What to Eat at Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium With Kids
Photo-Ops and Must-Sees

So now after this quick word from our sponsor, we’ll get started!

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Yankee Stadium Guide, Part 1: How To Get Yankees Tickets

I’ve listed a few tips for saving money on tickets here, but if you really want to go all out, check out my complete guide to finding cheap Yankees tickets!

The Yankees are among the toughest tickets in baseball most every year. They usually average over 35,000 a game, and are always near the tops in attendance even in lean years. Cheaper seats especially move very quickly, so plan ahead. High value games include games against the Red Sox, Mets and Phillies, Opening Day, Old Timer’s games, and weekend contests in the summer draw quite well too.

For high value games, you’re best off getting tickets early through the Yankees, via their website or the box office. The Yankees have an excellent seating map that actually gives the locations of available seats, which is terrific for getting an aisle seat or seats in front of each other. They will even let you select a price range for tickets.

The Yankees no longer accept print-at-home tickets, so when you order from the website you have to do it well enough in advance to have them mailed to you, pick them up at will call, or you can download the tickets using the MLB Ballpark app on your smartphone and scan them.

You can, of course, buy tickets at the box office and avoid the convenience fees, but I recommend against doing this on game day…there is a not insignificant price increase on game day, and lines could well be long.

For low demand games, such as midweek contests in April or May against bad teams, the Yankees offer some pretty fair deals on tickets for MasterCard holders, so get a MasterCard if you don’t have one. If you’re visiting New York for a Mets game, get a Citi MasterCard, because that will help you save money at Citi Field as well.

StubHub briefly had an outpost at Yankee Stadium. It was promising for about ten minutes.

But for low demand games, you should definitely shop around third party sites, like StubHub and others. As you’ve seen, I have a favorite third party seller (and affiliate) in Gametime; they often have the best deals, and they have a buyer’s guarantee as well.

Remember when shopping third parties to go all the way to checkout to compare prices, and check the total price. There could be a big difference (another reason I like Gametime).

There are plenty of scalpers roaming around the Stadium; especially in Macombs Dam Park across the street or near the train station on 161st. Some of them have been known to hang out in Stan’s Sports Bar nearby. For high demand games especially, be sure of some basic things when you look at the ticket…check the date of the game and opponent. If you can wait until after the game starts, prices drop quite a bit.

I talk more about buying baseball tickets on Craigslist here, but the short version is to use the same diligence you do when scalping. There is a small chance you could get scammed.

Just in case you didn’t know the web address.

Tightwad Tips – Saving Money on Yankees Tickets

Before you pay face price for tickets through the team, take a look at specials that the Yankees offer first. Some very good bargains to be had…

Cheap Yankees Tickets, Tip #1) Use The Team Newsletter. You should subscribe to any team newsletter if you would like to see a game, but the Yankees newsletter especially is full of terrific offers.

The team offers half-price tickets, discounts for kids and seniors, and even some $5.01 (sponsored by Levi’s, get it?) tickets for low demand games. Remember the MasterCard though. Always pay attention to the newsletter before paying face price; you can definitely find some deals there.
 

A key benefit of fan club membership: ushers won’t pretend they can’t see you.

Cheap Yankees Tickets, Tip #2) Yankees Universe. The Yankees have several levels of Yankees Universe fan club membership, with varying prices, but they all include tickets…often for good seats…to a game that make it well worth the cost. The MVP level membership includes those padded field level seats, and the membership price is much less than the face price of the tickets would be.

You get extra stuff with membership too, like a separate entrance to use (which you’ll appreciate, believe me), gear and bobbleheads, and deals on available premium tickets.

The Yankees often celebrate the last year they sold $10 tickets.

Cheap Yankees Tickets, Tip #3) The Pinstripe Pass. If all you want is to get into the stadium and socialize, the Pinstripe Pass is for you; it’s an inexpensive ticket and includes a free drink…which at Stadium drink prices, makes the ticket almost free.

It’s a standing room ticket, but if you need a place to sit, the party decks have some barstool seating, and the ushers aren’t too strict if you manage to find a spot in the upper Grandstand.

The more blue the sections in the map, the more the fans in that section care.

Yankee Stadium Guide, Part 2: Choosing The Best Seat

Where you sit at Yankee Stadium depends on your taste and budget, of course. I have gone into much more detail here about the various levels of seating at Yankee Stadium, but for this overall guide, I’ll keep it somewhat simple.

There are four tiers of seats at Yankee Stadium; the Field Level has comfortably padded seats throughout and generally go for triple digits in price. To get inside the moat for the Legends seats behind home plate, if you have to ask, you probably can’t afford it. Lots of amenities come with those, including high end grub, which is why you never see people sitting in them.

Just slightly above the really expensive seats!

The Main Level is the tier above the Field Level; these are generally very good seats that are almost as close to the action and much cheaper. Behind home plate these are club seats, which are higher in price but include entry into one of the fancy clubs and complimentary popcorn (whoopee!).

The next tier is clubs and suites, so the Terrace Level and the Grandstand Level in the upper deck are pretty high up and Grandstand seats especially might not be for the acrophobic. Terrace seats cost significantly more than Grandstand seats but are closer to the action; again, behind home plate the Terrace Level is Club seats.

The Grandstand is probably the best value for penny pinchers. The seats are high up and you may need binoculars in the outer reaches, but there’s good deals to be had on seats here, especially for low demand games. If you are up near the top, you get to see the frieze up close and you’ll be protect from the sun, which can be really welcome in the summer.

Yeah, it’s hot, that’s why no one is sitting there yet.

Finally, the Bleachers at Yankee Stadium were brought over from the old Stadium; but here they are placed behind the much more expensive Field Level seats and the bullpens. They’re the cheapest tickets other than the Pinstripe Pass, with good reason…they’re hard metal and backless and can be very hot. The right field bleachers are home of the Bleacher Creatures; they’re generally not a place for kids or people wearing opposing team’s gear.

Yankee Stadium actually has several levels of standing room…you can learn more about that here, but one piece of advice: avoid Terrace Level standing room at all costs. It’s behind the handicapped seating and offers terrible views.

In all cases, seating is most expensive behind home plate and decreases quite a bit as you get towards the outfield…and outfield seats can lose the view of the scoreboard, if that matters to you.

The sun sets on the third base side, so keep this in mind in both weather extremes; there’s much more heat in the first base side. For night games, it can get blinding in right field.

That’s the basics…again, for more detailed knowledge, check out my Yankee Stadium seating page.

Seriously, just let someone else drive.

Yankee Stadium Guide, Part 3: The Best Ways to Get To Yankee Stadium

If you’ve never been to New York City before, there’s one thing you should know: it takes real skill to drive a car here. The best way to get to Yankee Stadium in most cases is via public transit, although driving a car to the stadium isn’t as terrible as it could be. If you do choose to drive and park, here’s a much more detailed parking guide (including free street parking!), but I’ll cover that more in a bit here.

So anyway, Yankee Stadium is very well served by the MTA. Three MTA subway lines—the B, D, and 4—take riders to Yankee Stadium from Manhattan and Brooklyn. They all stop at the 161st St./Yankee Stadium Station, which is right at the main entrance of the ballpark.

All of them get the job done just fine, but I prefer the 4 for a few reasons:

Unlike from the B or D, you know exactly where to go from here!

1) The View. The 4 becomes elevated in the Bronx, as opposed to the B and D which remain subway trains. From the 4 platform you can see the Stadium come into view, which is as it should be.

2) Less Confusion. The B and D lines don’t always stop at the Stadium; both lines run the same route but stop at Yankee Stadium only at certain times of day.

I think I have this figured out, but I’m never sure: the B goes to Yankee Stadium during rush hour on weekdays, and the D goes there at all other times. At any time you can use one of them, but I’m never sure which one…maybe look for fans wearing jerseys and follow them.

See, we’re leaving already!

3) Speed. The 4 line has more stops but is an express train most of the time, including when you will likely to be headed to the game and need it most. From Grand Central to 161st is 13 stops, but on an express train it is only five. Not so the B or D.

4) Great Pizza. Here’s a bonus tip for pizza lovers. The 4 and 6 trains share the same line (Lexington Avenue), and using the 4 after a day game allows you to hop off, and get on the 6 to Little Italy and Lombardi’s Pizza. (I’m not a one-trick pony!)

One last thing; if you’re coming an hour and a half before game time or less, any train you use will start to get packed with fans. If you can, try to hop on somewhere south of Grand Central for a better chance of landing a seat.

As with the 4, it’s easy to find the Stadium from the Metro-North station.

In addition to the MTA subways, there’s also the aptly named 153rd Street/Yankee Stadium Metro-North train station just a few steps away from the stadium; this station is served by Metro-North’s Hudson, Harlem, and New Haven lines, and it’s just two stops from Grand Central Station.

Metro-North runs game day service directly to the Stadium on the Hudson Line, and there is a shuttle train that runs from both Grand Central Terminal and the Harlem 125th St. stations in midtown Manhattan, which takes just 16 minutes from midtown.

Unlike with the B-D-4 subways, you’re far more likely to find a seat with Metro-North, and a more comfortable one at that. It’s a bit more expensive than the subway, but it’s well worth it if you have the means. Tickets are cheaper when bought in advance.

One thing, don’t dilly-dally after the game, because the last post-game train leaves 45 minutes after the last out, and it does take a few minutes to walk there.

Just saying, the people on the train above these cars are getting there faster.

OK, so do you still want to drive and park with all of these convenient trains to use? No problem, I’ve got your back.

Yankee Stadium is actually pretty easily accessible from I-87 considering its location. Obviously traffic gets worse on game days, but if you’re early enough you should have little problem getting to your spot before game time.

I use Google Maps to route me through traffic, but there are some alternate routes you can use…for brevity I’ll direct you to my Yankee Stadium parking page to see those. (I even indexed it for you!)

Did I mention booking your parking beforehand? I am NOT kidding on this one…definitely reserve your spot before you go. The Yankees have a link on their website to their garages.
 

Never Drive To Yankee Stadium Without A Plan…

Book Your Parking Spot NOW With My Friends at SpotHero!

Try not to get distracted by bacon on a stick…oh, who am I kidding.

Yankee Stadium Guide, Part 4: What To Eat and Drink

There’s quite a selection of food at Yankee Stadium, and the Yankees do introduce cool new stuff every season, but there’s also some constants that stick around. Again, much more details in this Yankee Stadium food post, but let’s briefly cover things here. First I’ll talk about some classic mainstays, then I’ll mention some new things:

Nothing makes food look tastier than radioactive green neon!

The Yankees still offer Nathan’s hot dogs, which you can’t blame them for; they’re the only hot dogs people will willingly eat 70-something of in an hour. Incidentally, Nathan’s fries are no slouch either, so you could do worse than just a dog and fries at a Yankees game.

There’s just something about beef in NYC.

Lobel’s sandwiches are more expensive than you’d expect even for a ballpark, but they’re made with premium beef that you can actually watch being cut in front of you. The Lobel’s sandwiches are a mainstay here and one of my favorites.

The scouts call this one a “can’t miss” prospect.

The garlic fries are very popular here; they’re covered with parmesan cheese, oregano and drizzled with olive oil. I’ve tried these and they’re indeed awesome, but I wouldn’t get them if you’re on a date unless you’re sharing.

Here are some recent additions to the menu at Yankee Stadium:

It’s the rolls. Chicks dig the rolls.

The Kings Hawaiian folks have brought their amazing bread to Yankee Stadium; offerings featuring this stuff include (as of 2022) a sweet and smoky chicken sandwich and a Kanak Attack burger.

Ballparks must have BBQ, because Boog Powell.

Mighty Quinn’s BBQ has an outpost at Yankee Stadium; their brisket is smoked for 20 hours (hopefully in a row), and they offer pulled pork, chicken wings, you get it. Great for your BBQ fix at a game.

No, this Jersey Mike is not Mike Trout.

Jersey Mike’s cheesesteaks are still available at Yankee Stadium to my knowledge. I have a Jersey Mike’s near me where I live, and I am a fan…and it’s no small thing to make a standout cheesesteak in South Jersey. You should be fine with this.

I’ve asked the Yankees for permission to use the photo since I don’t have one, but they’ve added Bobby Flay’s burgers to the menu…and since he is not only a NYC chef but also a Food Network guy, I trust his stuff is probably pretty good. Especially the Nacho burger and Bacon Crunch burger.

Well worth a visit to see the signatures.

Finally, there are two restaurants attached to Yankee Stadium (not counting the clubs); there’s a Hard Rock Cafe and the ever popular NYY Steak. The Hard Rock offers typical if limited Hard Rock fare, and the NYY Steak has filet mignon, New York strip, etc. at prices that are probably lower than you’d expect for a New York City steakhouse.

You can also bring your own food into Yankee Stadium last I checked. I talk more about some options you have with that here…you can save a ton of money and get decent grub for the game this way.

There’s a few things for you to chew on, but I’m barely scratching the surface of what to eat in this Yankee Stadium guide…if you’d like a much more detailed version of what’s on the menu, check out my Yankee Stadium food guide here.

Cheap souvenirs for the kids even!

Yankee Stadium Guide, Part 5: Visiting With Kids

Visiting Yankee Stadium with kids is easier than it once was; there are the aforementioned cheap Yankees tickets options and more things to do for the young ones these days. If you’re making a day of a Yankees game with the family, here are a few things you should know…

Featuring the Yankees Shrink-a-tron, which reduces ushers to 1/10th their actual size!

Yankee Stadium With Kids, Tip #1: The Kids Clubhouse. It’s not as big and fun as some ballparks’ kids sections, but the Yankees did finally add a spot with a lot of soft surfaces and games and slides for the little ones. Kids can throw pitches, run bases, and put their faces in photos. The kids area is in right field in the upper level, and you can usually find cheap tickets for nearby sections.

In a recent visit I took my kids and this was their favorite part of the venture (they’re too young yet to appreciate a well-executed sacrifice). There’s also a nursing area in the same spot. Not a bad view of the Bronx from there, if you like looking at the Bronx.

Much cheaper stuff in this and other stores; it’s a good reason to park close.

Yankee Stadium With Kids, Tip #2: Park Close And Arrive Early. Yankee Stadium is shoehorned into a very congested area, and it’s the very urban part of New York City. Trains going by are loud, and as game time approaches it gets very crowded.

It’s definitely not cheap to park close to the stadium, but if you don’t have the option of using Metro-North or the MTA, you won’t want to be too far away, especially if you’re not familiar with the area.

You can let the little ones play in Macombs Dam Park for a while to burn off some energy before the gates open, and if you use the River Avenue garage, you’ll be close to souvenir shops that are much cheaper than inside.

OK, so it’s not Dollywood, but give the Yankees credit for the effort.

Yankee Stadium With Kids, Tip #3: Take Advantage of Specials. The Yankees do make some tickets affordable for families. There are discounted tickets for kids on weekends, and Yankees Universe memberships for kids that include tickets and fast track entry into the Stadium. If you want to take the kids to just one game, I highly recommend looking into Universe memberships especially. It can save you quite a bit of cash.
 

I love these models. They make architectural firms very rich.

Yankee Stadium Guide, Part 6: Photo-Ops, Museums, and Other Tips

Of course you’ll enjoy the ballgame, but there are some Yankee Stadium photo ops you should take the time to visit, which is another great reason to arrive early—forgive me if they’re fairly obvious.

Always my Pop’s favorite player, even though he hated the Yankees.

Yankee Stadium Photo Ops, #1: Monument Park. Get to Yankee Stadium early, or use a gate close to center field (I think Gate 8 is closest), and make Monument Park in center field your first stop. Monument Park is where the busts of the greatest Yankees are found, with tributes to their careers, along with pinstriped retired numbers. The big bust of Boss George Steinbrenner was added overlooking all of them, which I think is kind of comical.

Again, get here early though, because it fills with visitors very quickly, and the line may be so long that you might not make it in before it closes 45 minutes before game time.

Mickey Mantle said you could smell liquor on Don Larsen’s breath that day.

Yankee Stadium Photo Ops, #2: The Yankees Museum. The excellent Yankees Museum is located near Gate 6, up a ramp to the Main Level. It features artifacts all through the team’s great history, dedicating them by the stars or each era, e.g. “The Derek Jeter Era” of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

You’ll see a very old flyer advertising “See Babe Ruth In Action”, World Series trophies through the years, Thurman Munson’s locker, and a long glass casing of baseballs signed by Yankees from all eras. In the center of the room are two statues, depicting Don Larsen throwing the final pitch of his World Series perfect game to Yogi Berra. Well worth a visit for any fan of baseball history.

The Yankees Museum is open throughout the game, so you can visit it if the climate is too rough or the Yankees aren’t having a great day. The game is broadcast in the room. No flash photography.

Photos several times larger than the people looking on.

Yankee Stadium Photo Ops, #3: The Great Hall. As if Monument Park and the Yankees Museum wasn’t enough, the Great Hall serves as another reminder of all of the players you either loved or hated depending on your world view.

The Great Hall is where two of the main entrances to the Stadium are, so it gets crowded before the game, but it is spacious enough to accommodate a typical Yankee Stadium crowd. You can look around and see larger than life photos of Billy Martin, Goose Gossage, Reggie Jackson and many other Yankee greats.

The Great Hall is actually best viewed from above, in front of the entrance to NYY Steak, which is where the above photo was shot. You can overlook and people watch from this vantage point, without anyone bumping into you.

Anything else you need to know? No? Well great…I hope that this Yankee Stadium guide has been a great help to you in planning your next game. I have added much more detailed posts below if you’re interested in finding out more.

Thanks for reading. Be sure to drop me a line and let me know if you enjoyed it, and please support Ballpark E-Guides sponsors!

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Here it is my friends: your definitive guide to Yankee Stadium food, with far more detail than even the Yankees’ own helpful, but less detailed menu!

I’m covering everything I can in this post to help you make a truly educated decision on how to spend your considerable Yankee Stadium food dollar. So read on my friend…some of the pictures are tasty, like this one…

Quality pizza should be available for everyone.

Anyway, here’s the breakdown of Yankee Stadium food on this page, in case you want to skip some parts:

Yankee Stadium Restaurants
Yankee Stadium Burgers – Bobby’s Burgers, Johnny Rockets and Sliders
Other Sandwiches – Cheesesteaks, BBQ, Lobel’s, King’s Hawaiian and Streetbird!
Relax, There’s Hot Dogs. Good Ones.
But Is There Any Pizza? (Next.)
Cheer Up, We Have Gyros and Burritos!
Want Some Fries With Your Garlic?
Alternative Finger Foods
Yankee Stadium Milkshakes: Here’s Why This Team Has So Many Fans
Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, and Produce. True.
Yes, You Can Bring Your Own

Gametime has your cheap Yankees tickets…with a lowest price guarantee, panoramic seat view photos, and great last minute deals…even after the game starts!

(See why Ballpark E-Guides loves Gametime here!)

Imagine how amazing it would be if they served food!

Yankee Stadium Food Means Baseball and Restaurants!

Yankee Stadium Restaurant #1: The Audi Yankees Club. The Audi Yankees Club is the restaurant in the upper level in left field. It used to be a members only place, but single tickets are available to fans at a price, discounted with a MasterCard, and on occasion you might find a deal with a third party ticket. (I’ve done this, because I’m really good at ballparking, but the food is still extra. A lot extra.)

The food buffet is chef-prepared stuff like filet mignon, lobster, sushi, salads, etc. The beef is Lobel’s, which you’ll soon learn equals very high quality. At ballpark prices, you’d have to bring quite an appetite to get your money’s worth, so I don’t know if I would do this one just for the food. Quite a few reviewers say it’s not worth it, but judge for yourself.

The Yankees do offer some deals on the Audi club, like discounted game day tickets for games against lesser opponents and group outing specials through the Yankees’ e-mail newsletter.

OK, I know it’s not a food photo, but this is probably the coolest reason to visit the Hard Rock Yankee Stadium.

Yankee Stadium Restaurant #2: The Hard Rock Café. The Hard Rock Yankee Stadium is at Gate 6, visible almost immediately after exiting the train station. It’s a typical if smaller Hard Rock with slightly higher prices, except that the stars in the photographs are wearing Yankees gear which is pretty cool.

In case you didn’t know, Hard Rock is known for their Legendary® burger (true, they registered that term), which just on its own features smoked bacon, cheddar, and an onion ring. Or get variations on it like double the meat or triple the cheese.

If burgers aren’t your thing…wait, what? Am I even asking that? Choose from sandwiches made from chicken or pulled pork, entrees like steak or ribs, and of course, milkshakes…like that cookies and cream edition with Absolut vanilla. (I’ll have more to say about milkshakes, but that one has alcohol.) It’s also a good spot for healthy eaters, with grilled chicken salads and noodle bowls and such.

Tightwad Tip! One cool thing about the Hard Rock is that they continue to serve beer and drinks after the 7th inning, at reduced prices or at least much cheaper than inside the ballpark.

A chicken sandwich, because not even New Yorkers live by steak alone.

Yankee Stadium Restaurant #3: NYY Steak.The NYY Steakhouse, just above the Hard Rock, is a Manhattan-style upscale steakhouse, which is saying a lot. They carry high-end USDA prime steaks, seafood, and fine wines. The Steakhouse is also open all year, but you need a ticket on game days. It’s not always packed, but it’s a good idea to get reservations in advance.

You can view the menu here, but just so you know, your steak choices include a 32 oz. NYY Longbone (!), an 14 oz New York Strip, 20 oz. Delmonico Ribeye and a 8 oz. Filet Mignon. Wash it down with Yankee-themed drinks like the Bronx Bomber or the Yankeetini.

The food and service are excellent here by most accounts. The portions are large enough to help you leave satisfied (32 ounces!). It isn’t quite bargain dining, but it’s actually surprisingly reasonable for a New York steakhouse, especially inside a ballpark. You can get a sandwich here at a fairly nice price for lunch.

A NYY Steak Express is located on the Main Level near the big Food Court, and you can get a quality steak sandwich there, a bowl of wings, or the popular steak-covered fries with au jus and onions. File that one away, you may need it.

Iron Chef Battle Burger should be at Yankee Stadium!
(photo courtesy of the New York Yankees)

Yankee Stadium Burgers: Bobby’s Burgers, Johnny Rockets, and Sliders

In case the Hard Rock burger doesn’t work for you, you’ve got other burger choices inside the Stadium…

No, I’ve never seen a veggie burger that looked this good either.
(photo courtesy of the New York Yankees)

The Yankees recently brought in Bobby’s Burgers, from (Iron Chef connection coming!) chef Bobby Flay, who as you probably know gained fame on the Food Network in various forms. I’m negotiating with the Yankees on letting me use a photo, but so you know, the offerings include a Crunchburger with potato chips on it, the Palace Classic burger with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickles, and the Nacho Burger with queso, tomato salsa and pickled jalapeños. Most all of Bobby’s Burgers include “Bobby’s Sauce”.

Bobby’s stand also offers fries and milkshakes, which could make your milkshake decision tougher here. (More about that in a bit.)

I don’t know how long it’s been sitting, but I think I’ll pass on the original hamburger.

Johnny Rockets is the popular 50s-diner-style chain, serving their famous single or double burgers, chicken tenders, Nathan’s dogs, fries, and shakes. They’re a little harder to find now with the addition of fancier burger stands, but you may find one on the Main Level somewhere. (As of 2022 I don’t see it in the Yankees dining guide, but I’m leaving this here in case ’cause teams get their own stuff wrong a lot.)

If you’re familiar with the chain, you know what you’re getting. The one difference is that burgers are not made to order, so try to get a fresh one rather than a heatlamp-radiated burger. Variations of burgers include bacon and cheddar or “smokehouse”.

For some reason, Yelpers hate this location, but don’t let that sway you.

Not that you’ll need it to eat an intoxicatingly good burger, but the wine is here for you.
(photo courtesy of the New York Yankees)

The fairly new City Winery joint offers up some fine burgers to go with your wine, just in case a beer is too much for you. They have a GOAT Burger, with drunken goat cheese (I’ll let you chew on the visual of a drunken goat for a second), balsamic fig spread and arugula. Goes good with the Pinot Noir I’m told.

City Winery also has rotisserie chicken with house made pesto and rosemary garlic potatoes, which doesn’t sound like the easiest thing to eat at a ballpark.

3 for $12 sounds great until you see they’re about the size of a quarter.

Finally, there’s sliders…Yankee Dingers at the outfield terrace are smashed cheeseburger sliders with onions and mustard for some reason on a potato bun. That’s for the standing room folks hanging out there. They get hungry. And Lobel’s steak stands offer up a meatloaf burger. Speaking of Lobel’s…

Sliders count as sandwiches too. Well, at least from King’s Hawaiian anyway.
(photo courtesy of the New York Yankees)

Yankee Stadium Food Includes Sandwiches!

There are at least five noteworthy stands here for sandwiches. It is New York, after all. Settle back, this’ll take a bit.

Because life’s too short for cheap beef.

Lobel’s has been a provider of prime meats in New York City for over 150 years. You can actually watch them carve up the meat behind the glass.

The meat is cut to order in a generous portion, soaked in au jus, and served up on a soft onion roll with sides of horseradish sauce if you like (which has a nice kick). It comes at a premium price, but so far, no one I know has declared the Lobel’s steak sandwich not worth the money. Seriously. It is messy, so have napkins on hand.

Stand back, got some burnt ends here!

Mighty Quinn’s, the BBQ joint in Yankee Stadium got their start in NYC and are now international. The chef at Mighty Quinn’s, Hugh Mangum, put together a recipe that is a meld of several different styles of BBQ…including that “smoke it for a really long time” bit.

Here you can find beef, pulled pork, and chicken brisket sandwiches, slow-smoked chicken wings with chili lime sauce, and “dirty fries” with ample burnt ends and other nice stuff piled on them. A meal in itself.

But the real star at Mighty Quinn’s is the “Brontosaurus Rib”, a full pound of tender short rib on the bone, just like in the famous cartoon. And S’mores bread pudding, the perfect ending to a perfect day.

OK, so this is what they call an “artist’s rendering”, I think. An amazing sandwich nonetheless.

King’s Hawaiian is a bread company that started in Hilo; today they’re known for buttery-flavored and soft sweet bread for sandwiches and desserts. The bread is available in stores (and even at the Stadium, from what I’m reading); two stands in the lower concourse offer several sandwiches on that famous bread.

Choices include the Sweet and Smoky Chicken Sandwich with mango yuzu glaze, Gochujang mayo, and pickled cukes (sorry, I have no ideas what those things are), and a Kanak Attack Burger with pineapple mango salsa and (drum roll) grilled Spam (yes, I said that!).

This is in addition to the mainstays, the Big Island Lava Crispy Chicken Sandwich with fried tempura pickles, a sweet pineapple BBQ Kalua pork sandwich with slaw, and a Kona BBQ brisket sandwich with macaroni salad and pepper jack cheese.

They have some truly innovative nachos here, incidentally…with wontons instead of chips, covered with pineapple smoked pork and spicy cheese sauce.

You can get other sandwiches around the ballpark with King’s Hawaiian rolls, incidentally.

Let’s see Mike Trout make one of these!
(photo courtesy of Jersey Mike’s)

In case you’re not familiar with Jersey Mike’s, they got their start in Point Pleasant, NJ in 1956 back when subs were relatively new. As I write this they have 2,300 locations, so like Waffle House, they’re doing something right. And no, they’re not named after Mike Trout, although they smartly advertise in Angel Stadium.

At the ballpark it’s just beef or chicken cheesesteaks but it’s enough; get them topped with cheese and/or peppers and onions. Thankfully, they’re still selling that two-foot “tape measure” cheesesteak for hungry folks to share.

I live in South Jersey near several Jersey Mike’s locations…I’m a fan, and it’s not easy to make a standout cheesesteak here. So use that info for your benefit.

DAMN, look at that!
(photo courtesy of the New York Yankees)

New as of 2022 is Streetbird, from chef Marcus Samuelsson, which originated in Harlem and has locations in Las Vegas, the Bahamas, and now Yankee Stadium (the pinnacle). Streetbird is dedicated to something there isn’t enough of in ballparks: quality spicy fried chicken!

At the Stadium outpost you can get the Hot Bird Sandwich, a boneless thigh with spicy chica shake, slaw, and pickles; and while I know it’s not really a sandwich, they have chicken and waffles here too, with waffles made from Marcus’s Aunt Mabel’s cornbread. Baseball needs more of this stuff.

Hot dogs? Are you kidding me? Yes.
(photo courtesy of the New York Yankees)

Um, This Is Baseball…Do They Have Hot Dogs?

Well, yes, of course Yankee Stadium has hot dogs…and they’re made by none other than Nathan’s…the only brand that any human would be willing to eat 72 of in ten minutes. Like their neighbors in Queens, the Yankees hired Nathan’s to be their main hot dog vendor.

Nathan’s – Now featuring radioactive fun meals!

They are a little harder to find than most; there’s one Nathan’s on each level and Nathan’s dogs are sold at the two Triple Play Grills and on the Kids’ Cart at Gate 2. If in doubt, there’s one in the Main Level Food Court. You can also get a kids dog at a lower price.

This isn’t enough to feed the Stadium, especially during the playoffs, so grab one now.

I don’t know if this is the official policy, but the vendors in the stands already have the hot dogs made and wrapped in foil. You know that this means the bun will probably be soggy if it is warm…but you might prefer that like I do. If you don’t, run to Nathan’s and get a dog there.

The Highlanders stands just serve up typical ballpark fare but in a throwback style; vendors wear the uniforms bearing the name of the New York team before they were the Yankees, and dish out Nathan’s dogs and Premio sausages. (Premio is Italian for “prize”, and I suppose that could apply to a ballpark sausage. It’s definitely something you earn.)

Finally, the Yanks look out for their Orthodox fans too…Hebrew National kosher hot dogs are available at some NY Grills and at Highlanders, and there is a Glatt Kosher stand in the Great Hall.

Hai! (photo courtesy of Sumo Dog)

If you’re one of those people that likes those crazy hot dogs that are appearing everywhere these days, the Sumo Dog stand in the bleacher section is for you. Sumo Dog actually comes from L.A. – it’s an invention of chef Jeffrey Lunak, who once toiled for (another Iron Chef connection coming!) Masaharu Morimoto.

Sumo Dog offers some large hot dogs with some seriously imaginative toppings: the Sumo Dog itself features Wasabi relish, pickled peppers, spicy mayo, teriyaki sauce, wasabi furikake, minced onion, and kizami nori. (Pause for a second and imagine what ballpark hot dogs used to be like.) There’s also the chili and cheese dog, the Godzilla (with a metric ton of Asian-style toppings), and Sumo Tots smothered with beef chili, togarashi cheese sauce and other fine stuff.

We interrupt this post for an important announcement:
Bacon On A Stick! Everyone remain calm!

They let me go behind the counter to take this photo. They get it.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled Yankee Stadium food post.

This fan is clearly disappointed enough to go elsewhere.

Um, This Is New York City Too, Any Pizza?

In a city with hundreds of classic pizza shops, and in a Stadium a train ride from Lombardi’s, the Yankees don’t appear to have any pizza listed on their menu. You have to go to one of the clubs for it. I’ll correct this if I hear differently.

(Dumbfounded, lengthy pause.)

Anyway, to cheer you up, I included a picture of Justin’s Pizza joint a short walk up the street. It gets okay reviews.

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The portability factor is key, but hot sauce puts it over the top.
(photo courtesy of the New York Yankees)

But We Do Have Gyros + Burritos at Yankee Stadium! (I feel better.)

Gyros to me are a seriously underrated ballpark food…they’re easy to carry, reasonably healthier than most menu items, and they taste pretty good most times, especially in New York City. Maybe it’s the water after all.

At any rate, the Yankees have recognized this and added The Halal Guys, an obvious choice, with offerings in the Great Hall and on the upper level. The Halal Guys have been offering up gyros and other great NYC street food since 1990, and they’re emblematic of the first class food truck culture here.

In the Stadium they serve their beef and chicken gyros, served on platters with lettuce, rice, tomatoes and pita bread.

Finally having authentic NYC gyros at the Stadium can save you the hassle of patronizing numerous food carts outside of the Stadium and hoping for the best, even if it costs a little more.

Your ballgame experience is complete.
(photo courtesy of Benihana)

I love when ethnicities mix to create a new and better food item, and it’s especially appealing when it’s done in an environment as American as baseball. The Benihana stand has been serving hibachi steak, chicken and shrimp made on the grill, which you would expect. But in 2022 they took a step in the true embracing of diversity and introduced sushi burritos…and burritos are my second most underrated ballpark food after gyros.

Benihana’s now has sushi burritos in the form of tuna or salmon, mixed with (take a deep breath) avocado, cucumber, lettuce, chopped jalapenos and cilantro; topped with chili mayo and rolled into a burrito; all served with a side of chili mayo.

See, the Yankees aren’t all bad.
 

All you need for your meat and potatoes fix.
(photo courtesy of the New York Yankees)

Let’s Talk About Fries.

The Yankees may not have the variety of fries as their neighbors across town, but you still have some superb choices here.

Baseball just keeps getting better.

The aptly named Garlic Fries at Sections 108 and 331 are said to be so overpowering that people sitting in nearby sections can smell them. Garlic fries typically are a west coast delicacy, but here a handful of garlic, basil and oil are just dumped onto the fries. Sounds lazy, but sometimes lazy works.

They’re great, but under no circumstances should you order them if you’re trying to impress a date. Unless you’re sharing, in which case definitely order them. You can add cheese to your fries if you want.

Probably a good idea to clean the helmet before you wear it.

Then there’s Nathan’s, whose fries could be easily taken for granted and never should…thick, crinkle-cut fries with the Coney Island feel.

There are Lobel’s outlets elsewhere in the park that are selling steak-topped fries, for you meat-and-potatoes guys. See what I said earlier about Lobel’s and their high quality beef!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Believe it or not, there are multiple places where you can get your sweet potato fries on at Yankee Stadium; Bobby’s Burgers offers them up with honey mustard horseradish sauce, Streetbird has their version, and there’s a couple of stands around the Field Level where you can find them. The sweet potato fries are vegan even!

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Admit It, You’re The Munchies!

A double helping of cheese? Am I in the club section?

In the arena of alternative finger foods, you can get a nacho helmet with Tostitos…and I presume you’re familiar with Tostitos…cover them with cheese, salsa, beef, guacamole, and/or jalapenos. Definitely enough for two and can hold you over for the game.

Or go with the Tater Kegs…I could go with it just on the sound of it. Tater tots on a stick drizzled with sour cream, bacon bits, scallions and cheddar. Might make a nice breakfast (see: Yankee Stadium food for hangovers). You can find these at the Garlic Fries stands or at the standing room spots in center field.

Then there’s Wings of New York, which is a creation of the Nathan’s brand we all trust here. At the wings stands you can, of course, get boneless or traditional wings. This includes four choices of wing sauces: Classic Buffalo, Barbecue, Sweet Chili and Garlic. But another big draw of Wings of New York is chicken and waffles, and you can get your waffles topped with boneless wings or chicken tenders. With butter and real maple syrup. You are near Harlem after all.

The logo is a bit different, but Big Mozz sticks are still the shiznit.

Finally, the Mets’ recent loss is the Yankees gain…inexplicably, the Mets are no longer offering Big Mozz mozzarella sticks at Citi Field to my knowledge…so hop on the 7, transfer to the 4, and get these at Yankee Stadium.

With pesto dipping sauce. You’ll thank me.

Yankee Stadium Milkshakes: Here’s Why This Team Has So Many Fans

Scrumptiously delicious AND handicapped accessible milkshakes!

If you want a fancy dessert, head over to the Grand Slam Shakes stand in the food court. They have some impressive, diabetic nightmare shakes here, like the Pinstripe with vanilla ice cream, Cracker Jack, churros, caramel drizzle and cotton candy, or the Chocolate All-Star with chocolate ice cream, chocolate chip cookies, Oreos, a fudge brownie and M&M’s.

Here’s the menu of Yankee Stadium milkshakes in 2022 (all but the Blue White and Gold can be made with vanilla or chocolate ice cream):

The Bronx Bomber: Caramel drizzle, Baby Ruth fun size pieces (get it?), peanut butter cups, Cracker Jack and Yankee sprinkles.
The La Dulce Vida: Dulce de leche, tres leches cupcake pieces, churro bits, and Yankee sprinkles.
The Little Italy: Chocolate drizzle, mini cannoli, and Yankee sprinkles.
The Sunny Skies: Strawberry/raspberry drizzle, rainbow layer cake, and funfetti crumbs.
The Blue, White & Gold Milkshake: Vanilla ice cream, fresh blueberries, cheesecake chunks, graham cracker crumbs, whipped cream and gold glitter.

I’m liking the Bronx Bomber, but that’s ‘cause I’m all about the Baby Ruth bar.

For some reason, they don’t list the calorie counts on these things like they do everywhere else; I’m sure they’re off the charts. Expensive too. But who cares. These are some amazeballs-looking milkshakes.

Is taste what matters to you? Then you’re good. (photo courtesy of Oatly)

The Yankees don’t say much else about their available desserts besides milkshakes; but I will point out that they’re now serving Oatly brand soft-serve ice cream. Strange name for ice cream? Well, see, Oatly is made from oat milk, making it vegan (and gluten-free, if that matters to you). I tried a package at my local Wegman’s at the encouragement of the Oatly people, it’s delicious and they’re good folks, so give the Yankees credit for embracing it.

Healthier Choices of Yankee Stadium Food? Yes, Vegetarian, Gluten Free, or Just Produce.

Having a celiac-afflicted wife, I need to be aware of these things, so here we go:

They look genuinely surprised that they have a potential customer.

There is a Gluten-Free NY Grill in the Great Hall, with Nathan’s dogs or Premio sausages on Udi’s gluten-free buns. Mighty Quinn also have GF choices and is a good spot for celiacs at Yankee Stadium. Redbridge Beer is sold here, and last I checked you can get Kozy Shack pudding at Highlanders.

For vegans, there’s the aforementioned Oatly soft serve, but also the Impossible Burger, also found at the Gluten-Free NY Grill.

I guess they figure anyone who would chuck an apple at an opposing player wouldn’t be seen buying produce at a ballpark.

There is a Melissa’s Produce stand at Gate 4 selling relatively inexpensive fresh fruits (apples, pears, and oranges) and salads. Melissa’s has been here since 2009 and has managed to survive in a ballpark full of tantalizing caloric bombs. Maybe because you’re not allowed to bring uncut apples inside.

And you thought corn on the cob was boring.
(photo courtesy of the New York Yankees)

New to the Stadium recently is a fun if not entirely healthy way to eat corn on the cob: Bronx Street Corn. It’s a cob from Melissa’s covered with cilantro lime crema, cotija, and taki crumbles. I’m not sure why the Yankees would allow a potential projectile to be sold in the outfield, but there’s been no problems as far as I know.

Benihana, btw, also has veggie sushi and edamame, which isn’t a bad ballpark snack for healthier sorts.

Finally, I figure this bit belongs in the healthier section: due to a New York City ordinance, food stands are required to post calorie counts for each item sold there. You’ll probably be surprised at some of them; the popcorn, pretzels, and pan-fried tofu are through the roof, while the Lobel’s sandwich and garlic fries aren’t scary at all. If you’re watching your figure to fit in the bleachers without cheek rubbing, look around a little bit.

All At Ballpark Prices Of Course. Can I Bring My Own?

Super cheap peanuts, on the opposite street corner from the Stadium. Do the Yankees even know???

Yes you can my friend. I cover three great outside deli spots on 161st Street here, just a few steps from the Stadium.

Here’s the official policy: The Yankees allow bags 16*16*8 inches into the Stadium, which will be searched. They don’t say you can bring food in, but they don’t say you can’t either, so bring your own peanuts and deli sandwich.

The Yankees don’t even specifically prohibit alcohol, but I wouldn’t try bringing in a six-pack. Sealed bottles of water smaller than one liter are okay. If nothing else, bring a few bottles, since you will get thirsty. Fruits like apples and oranges must be sliced lest they be deemed weapons.

There are also lots of Yankee Stadium food trucks close to the train station selling hot dogs, halal food and bottled water, and you can get peanuts and drinks at the Foodtown market on 161st. There are vendors in the path from the Metro-North station too.

There you go baseball fans…the definitive guide to everything you need to know to make an educated decision on Yankee Stadium food. There’s plenty more info on this website by the way, especially about finding cheap Yankees tickets, choosing a seat on a budget, getting to the Stadium and bringing the kids. Or you could just read this complete guide to Yankee Stadium. (It’s what I do!)

(Note: this article contains affiliate links. If you use an affiliate link to make a purchase, Ballpark E-Guides earns a commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!)

Here it is my friend…your completely useful, completely informative, and completely entertaining Wrigley Field guide – with all the info you need for your next Cubs game (or any other event) at the Friendly Confines!

I’ve written other helpful stuff about Wrigley, from the impressive Wrigley Field food menu, the best ways to get to a Cubs game, to this helpful guide to Wrigley Field parking, and a detailed guide to Wrigley Field seating. And if you’re serious about saving money on tickets, this post is for you.

But this Wrigley Field guide covers all of the most important stuff. With lots of nice pictures. Please support our sponsors using the links below.

I’ve broken this down into chunks for you…

Finding Cheap Cubs Tickets
Choosing A Seat At Wrigley Field
The Best And Other Ways To Get To Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field Food
Bringing The Kids
Other Stuff

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Did you bring your Cubs parka?

Wrigley Field Guide, Part 1: Cheap Cubs Tickets

Cheap Cubs tickets is something of a relative phrase. But that’s all the more reason to read this useful Wrigley Field guide.

You can, with some effort, save a lot of a money on Cubs tickets…by being aware of all of your ticket buying avenues, choosing the right contest, and paying attention to things like the Cubs ticket alert newsletter. (If you haven’t already, subscribe to that now.) I will be putting together a full primer about finding cheap Cubs tickets soon, but here’s some basic help.

I’ll start with how the newsletter can help you. For high demand games, you are best off planning ahead and paying face value for tickets if you can. Your newsletter will (for free!) inform you of when tickets go on sale, including pre-sales. This is an opportunity to get tickets for high demand games at face price, which will likely be the cheapest price.

If you live in Chicago or know someone who does, get your tickets at the box office and avoid the considerable online fees.

OK, so I haven’t been to Wrigley since Anthony Rizzo was a Cub! Does that make me a bad person??? (Don’t answer that.)

High demand games are July and August weekend games, and games against the White Sox, Cardinals or Yankees. The easiest games are April weeknights, and when your behind is stuck to your frozen seat you’ll know why.

So if you want cheap Cubs tickets, and you have a choice, choose a weekday game over a weekend, and try for something in May (or September if the Cubs aren’t contending). If a weekend is your only choice, try for a Friday or Sunday.

You’ll need the MLB Ballpark app if you don’t get your tickets in person. The Cubs don’t allow printed tickets, because of their concern about fraud (whatever). You need the app anyway, for this reason: If you go the third party route, StubHub isn’t a bad choice, but search around, because other agencies might be offering better deals.

I always include Gametime in my searches. (And they are also an affiliate.)

Gametime, like StubHub, shows you available tickets from online sellers, and you can list them by price, and even choose from elite sellers. For low demand games especially, you can often find tickets for significantly less than face price, so check with Gametime first.

Gazebo + Bike Racks = Legit!

If you decide to try the many agencies near the ballpark, take a seating diagram with you so you can see where your potential seats are. They are very skilled hagglers, these guys…as are the scalpers…so wait until close to game time to get a better deal.

There are lots of scalpers here, but honestly, unless you have sick haggling skills like my buddy Andrew Van Cleve (who once lived near Wrigley Field), I would choose another route.

Here’s a key tip: Most of the agencies near Wrigley have their own websites, so if you’re using StubHub in your search for tickets, try comparing the price of your ticket to an equivalent ticket on the agency website. I’ve read that some agencies will list their tickets on both outlets, but it will be cheaper on their own site, and you should be able to pick up the tickets at the game.

And one last killer tip: bleacher seats during the season are general admission, so if you need more than one, try searching for some combination of the total you need for a better deal…e.g. if you need five, try searching for three singles and a pair. You might save quite a few bucks this way.

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I guess it kinda doesn’t matter when you’re at Wrigley. But we’ll discuss anyway.

Wrigley Field Guide, Part 2: Choosing The Best Seat

If you really want the nuts and bolts of how to choose a great seat at Wrigley (and it’s worth the trouble, especially if you’re a first timer), check out my extremely detailed Wrigley Field Seating guide.

But for the purposes of this simpler Wrigley Field guide, I’ll break it down by budget:

Friends of The Ricketts Budget: If money isn’t an issue, the Cubs have added a bunch of high end seats as part of the recent renovation; these include most of the closer seats between the dugouts. The visitors’ dugout is on the first base side, if you’re seeing your team at Wrigley.

These seats include all kinds of amenities like access to the swanky new clubs, so if you can afford a ticket at this price, you don’t need me to help you save money at Wrigley.

Large Budget: If you have triple digits to drop on Cubs pasteboards, the Bullpen Box, Club Box and Field Box seats are the closer lower level seats, and for low demand games you can find much better prices. Seats in the infield cost significantly more, as they do on the upper level, so if you’d rather be low than behind home plate, go for the outer Club or Field Box seats.

Avoid the first few rows of Field Box seats; there’s a walkway between Club and Field Box sections, and the foot traffic can be annoying.

This is the view from the Bartman seat. Do you think you wouldn’t have gone for the foul ball?

If you’re looking for the Steve Bartman seat, go to Section 3 and ask an usher…they can always point you right to it. (Wikipedia is no help with this.)

Medium Budget: For the folks who still prefer a craft beer to wine and cheese, the Terrace and Upper Box seats are within your range. Both have their advantages, but they’re very different. Choose the Upper Box for April or September games; the Terrace sections are almost entirely covered and get little sun, and that matters here.

As I’ve said, Upper Box seats are a great value, even at the current price; the upper deck at Wrigley is as close to the action as at any ballpark.

Small Budget: If you’re going for cheap seats at Wrigley Field, you can start with the Upper Reserved sections, especially the ones in the outfield; but a small step above them in price are both the Bleachers and the Terrace Reserved seats, both of which are much better.

If you do go with the upper level, be aware that there are only nine rows, so if you get Row 9 you will be at the very top of Wrigley Field. This isn’t such a bad thing, but if you struggle with steep steps you won’t like it. Stick with Terrace Reserved if that’s a problem for you.

Shade. It matters here.

With Upper and Terrace Reserved seats, you will very likely be covered by a roof. Being in the shade in Chicago can get chilly at any time; I’ve shivered there in late June. Just be prepared; put on an extra layer of clothing or two, or sit in the uncovered bleachers.

I talk more about the Wrigley Field bleachers here; but remember a few simple things: bleachers are general admission, so get there very early (I’m talking three hours before the gates open for high demand games). The seats are also metal and backless; bring a cushion if you’ve got a sensitive behind.

The bleachers feature seriously dedicated Cubs fans, some of whom probably drink more than they should. It might not be the best place for kids or fans wearing opposing teams gear. If you catch a visiting home run ball, throw it back. It’s not worth what you might endure if you don’t.

Here’s the trick…just get the seat next to the support pole!

Avoiding Obstructed Views: With Terrace and Upper Reserved, you also have obstructed views from support poles. I’ve written more about that here; but if you want to keep it simple, avoid low numbered seats and low numbered rows in Upper Reserved; in the Terrace try to stay between rows 10-15. (Or get the “Preferred” seats with little to no obstruction; worth a couple of extra bucks.)

One last bit about seating: the sun sets on the third base side, so the shade comes early there. For chillier evenings, the right field seats that aren’t under a roof will be warmer. Again, this is Chicago, and you should be mindful of this.

The bleachers aren’t covered at all, and the Cubs offer sunscreen dispensers there.

We’re here! Okay, where do we park?

How To Get To Wrigley Field

I’ll cover the basics of getting to the Friendly Confines here, but I cover this topic in much more detail in this post, well worth a read!

Most Wrigley goers, including the esteemed author of this respectable Wrigley Field guide, will tell you that the easiest way to get to Wrigley Field is by using the CTA Red Line. It’s cheap, it drops you right at the ballpark at Addison station, it runs 24/7, and there’s even a bunch of places to fill up your goody bag (yes, you can bring food into Wrigley Field).

If you use the Red Line, here’s a couple of tips: stand on the ends of the platform where the cars are less crowded; and try the station before Addison after the game if you want a seat (e.g. use the Sheridan station if you’re heading towards downtown).

In addition to the Red Line, the CTA has several other rail routes you can use to avoid standing on a packed train.

Not the same Addison station where Wrigley is. Don’t walk it from here.

You can use the Blue Line to the Addison Station (it’s not the same station as the Red Line Addison, by the way) and the #152 bus, which also drops you at the ballpark, or use the Brown Line…which takes you a couple of blocks from the ballpark at the Belmont station, on a much less crowded train. Much more pleasant ride, this, through some attractive parts of Chicago…I’ve used it and thought it was preferable to the Red Line given the choice. The Brown Line doesn’t run 24/7 however, so check the schedule.

Metra Rail can take you from most of the suburbs of Chicago to downtown, but you’ll still probably be using the Red Line to get to Wrigley.