Here it is baseball fans, your astoundingly detailed, enticingly illustrated, and incredibly informative guide to the Citi Field food menu (updated for 2026)!

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. Whether you’re looking for fancy sandwiches, classic tastes of NYC, simple hot dogs, desserts, and even vegan and gluten-free items, we’re covering it all.

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

Ballpark Restaurants
A Taste of New York City
Battle of The Burgers
Other (Very Good) Sandwiches
Ethnic Eats – Pizza, Asian, Indian, Hispanic + Greek
Big And Fancy Sides
Generic Stuff – Hot Dogs, Burgers, + Sausages
Cookies, Ice Cream + Other Desserts
Kosher, Vegan, and Gluten Free
Bring Your Own + Other Tightwad Tips

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Citi Field Food, Part 1: Ballpark 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 Metro Market restaurant is in the left field corner on the mezzanine (Excelsior) level. It’s available to everyone except Promenade less than-Gold and Coca-Cola Corner non-season ticket holders. (You can see here what tickets have access to clubs.) 

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.

 

The food selection includes the basic ballpark stuff like Napoli’s pizza, hot dogs and ice cream, but there are two selections that are unique to the Metro Market. Seoul Bird and New York Panini are probably worth the trouble to find a season ticket holder and use their ticket for access. 

Seoul Bird is a creation of Chef Judy Joo, host of “Korean Food Made Simple” on the Food Network and Cooking Channel.

Try Judy’s double fried and brined chicken wings with spicy gochujang sauce, the “Seoul burger”, which is still a chicken sandwich but with burger sauce, or a Seoul Bowl with (I quote): “signature soy barbecued chicken, famous Korean fried chicken, or the “delectable grilled ginger infused portobello mushroom”. And your choice of sauce.

There’s also Bulgogi Cheesesteak Spring Rolls, and it seems like they add items to their menu on a periodic basis. Well worth checking out if you’re a fried chicken aficionado.

 

New York Panini is in fact a brand; the name is simple but works perfectly. It’s a Long Island institution on Wall Street (the one in Huntington), and they’re very popular for their excellent panini sandwiches. Kudos to the Mets for finding and including them.

At the Market they offer two of their favorites – the Verrazano, a breaded chicken cutlet with fresh mozz and vodka sauce, and the Flatbush, with cracked pepper turkey, fresh mozz, crushed BBQ chips (!), and spicy mayo.

You can also get Napoli’s Pizza at the Metro; that’s available in the concourses as well so I’ll talk more about them in a bit.

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 Heineken Diamond Lounge, on the Excelsior (mezzanine) level behind home plate. Like the Metro Market, 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.

The Lounge used to be a place where you could get fancy food items, like the Rao’s Pizzaiola beef sandwich that I listed among my all-time favorites. Unfortunately that’s not the case anymore, but the selection is more than adequate. There’s Napoli’s pizza, Goya loaded nachos, Nathan’s hot dogs and Pat LaFrieda burgers. There’s also veggie dogs and burgers. For sweets you can have a cotton candy or a Dole Whip.

It’s definitely a nice spot if you have access; there’s plenty of seating, air conditioning is always useful in July and the view of the Unisphere and 7 trains coming in is pretty cool.

 

The Willets Point Brewery replaced the Ebbs Brewing Company recently; it’s not an actual craft brewery per se now like Ebbs was, but there is a decent selection of brews here.

The current menu features a couple of fancy burgers like a Backyard BBQ burger, chili cheese dogs, fish and chips, Reuben potato skins, and a few other items that are unique to the Brewery. They also feature Aramark’s 9-9-9 Challenge for professional eaters (do not try this at home kids); which means watching the game on their TVs I guess.

The beer list includes Montauk, Allagash, Brooklyn Summer, Dogfish Head and some others, as well as basic domestics. Unfortunately, or so I’ve read, beer prices aren’t any cheaper than inside the ballpark; feel free to correct me if I’m wrong about that.

The K Corner has unfortunately closed; not sure what the Mets will do with that space yet. Stay tuned.

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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. I’ll get to Shake Shack in the burgers section, but here are some classic NYC joints represented in the Mets’ ballpark:

Pig Beach BBQ exists in both Brooklyn and Queens (and Florida and Boston now, but I digress). They describe their approach to que as “an alchemy of multiple cooking disciplines, with a strong focus on live wood fire.”

They change their menu from time to time, but as I write this you can still get the classic Pig Beach Platter, with a quarter pound each of pulled pork and smoked beef brisket, mac and cheese and creamy purple slaw. (BBQ slaw should be creamy and purple, right?)

You can also get just mac and cheese loaded with their brisket or pork, or the pork or brisket sando (that’s “sandwich” for those of you born before 2007).

 

You’ll see Pat LaFrieda’s name a lot at Citi Field, and with good reason; Pat is one of the most well-known purveyors of meat in a town where you better not suck at it.

The location 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 addition to his stand in Taste of The City, Pat’s stand on the Promenade (Upper) Level offers Loaded Fries: Sidewinder fries with Black Angus beef, white cheddar cheese sauce, sautéed sweet Vidalia onions, beef au jus, and scallions. Might be worth buying a cheaper upper level ticket and using that leftover cash for grub.

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

 

Fuku’s spicy chicken sandwich 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.

It’s a little trickier to find Fuku than it was, but it’s worth the search. You can find the sandos in the Home Plate Market or behind Left Field in the Excelsior (mezzanine) level. And at Yankee Stadium, incidentally.

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.

 

Chiddy’s Cheesesteaks was originally featured in the Home Plate Market; apparently it passed the test for an NYC ballpark cheesesteak, no easy thing. They are now available in the left field corner of the lower level and on the first base side of the Promenade Level.

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. It’s definitely Philly-style, with an ample amount of Cheez Whiz on it. Take it from a Philadelphia area native; Cheez Whiz kills it on a cheesesteak.

 

Taste of Queens is a new idea that features items from local Queens eateries; which is a very cool idea, since you can eat well in Queens. As I write this it’s The Queensboro, a Jackson Heights favorite.

On Opening Day 2026 through July 14 they featured a jerk spiced chicken sandwich with cabbage and pickled onions on a potato bun, and a kimchi Reuben with corned beef, Swiss cheese, fennel kimchi, and red cabbage apple slaw on rye bread.

And you thought you couldn’t get better food at the ballgame. This may change by the time you read this, but if you’d like a true taste of Queens, have a look in the outfield food court.

There’s a lot of ethnicities represented in the Citi Field food menu. I devoted a separate section to that – keep reading. (Hungry yet?)

Citi Field Food, Part 3: Battle of The Burgers

If you’re a burger fan, Citi Field presents several options, not including the Backyard BBQ Burger at the Willets Point Brewery:

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.

 

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.

The Shack has expanded its selection; try a Shack Stack with the regular and ‘shroom burger mixed together, or the Smoke Shack, a cheeseburger with cherry peppers, applewood smoked bacon and Shack Sauce.

Nothing against Nathan’s of course, but the Shake Shack also offers a flat-top hot dog, with cheese sauce on top if you like. There’s also shakes of course; I’ll talk more about those in the dessert section.

Shake Shack gets very long lines. I would hit it up as soon as you get in the ballpark; fans have missed World Series game innings waiting for a burger.

 

If you’re a foodie, you know who Adam Richman is; he’s the original host of the inimitable Man vs. Food show on Travel Channel. He’s also a Brooklynite, so his name works here.

Adam’s Burger Hall of Fame stand in the right field corner features favorites inspired by Richman’s travels to…wait for it…Citi Field. It’s still Pat LaFrieda beef, thankfully, but you can get an Adam’s Classic with American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, bread and butter pickles, and Adam’s secret sauce on a potato roll.

Or try the Caprese, a meatball grind patty topped with an heirloom (?) tomato, fresh mozzarella, and basil aioli on garlic butter ciabatta bread.

So who wins in Shake Shack vs. Adam Richman’s Burger Hall of Fame? Mets fans, of course.

 

At the generic food stands – you know, like the ones that say “Burgers & Fries” to leave out the mystery – you can get a simple burger with Pat LaFrieda beef. It’s not going to be the biggest burger, but it’s passable and a bit cheaper than the fancier ones that the Shake Shack offer. Shorter lines too.

Actually I’ll let young Mr. Ballpark E-Guides Jr. speak of his experience with the generic cheeseburger at Citi: “It was a good cheeseburger, they really melted the cheese, and I really loved it. But it wasn’t the best, also I would get extra ketchup for the fries if you like ketchup.”

The Mets have some of the best condiment stands I’ve seen at a ballpark, incidentally, so go ahead and pile stuff on.

 

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Citi Field Food, Part 4: Other Sandwiches

OK, on with other sandwich options, of which there are plenty.

Hot Pastrami on Rye is another idea that passed the original one-stand test. You can find these in multiple locations in the Field and Promenade Level concourses. Mets fans like these; in fact they rank them among the better pastrami sandwiches in the city,. (I have read some grumblings that they aren’t as good as they once were, but judge for yourself.)

The pastrami is slow cooked and braised for tenderness, and it’s served on Jewish style seeded rye bread from Anthony & Sons bakery. So you know, they’re not just serving up the generic stuff. The Mets describe it as “Our Own Hot Pastrami” – okay – piled high on rye with deli mustard with a kosher dill pickle.

As the great Mitch Hedberg said when asked if he wanted anything else: ”yeah, a loaf of bread and some other people!”

 

The Hudson Whiskey NY Club behind home plate on the Promenade Level, I will tell you, is worth whatever it takes for you to have access. Mostly because there’s always a nice choice of food items. Even from former Met greats like team stolen base leader Mookie Wilson, who, in case you weren’t aware, comes from a family that has crushed BBQ for generations.

The Legacy Catering spot in the upper level club offers a bunch of their best known items (and what older Mets fans don’t love Mookie?) Get a smoked pulled chicken sandwich, with bread and butter pickles and classic golden BBQ sauce, or a smoked sliced pork sandwich with vinegar sauce and pickles.

Mookie’s joint also offers southern style mac and cheese, butter basted corn on the cob, and BBQ platters with all of these items on one plate. Check out this video of their turkey being pulled.

 

The French Dip sandwich is new as of 2026; you can find this gem in the left field corner near the Amazin’ Deli. The French Dip is shaved peppercorn crusted prime rib, caramelized onions, Boursin horseradish spread, and melted provolone on onion ciabatta bread with au jus.

It’s not cheap even by ballpark standards, but it does get rave reviews. If you have the means and don’t want to be disappointed with the value of ballpark food, give the French Dip a try.

 

Have you ever had a steak sandwich or ballpark sausage and thought, this meat really needs to be chopped? The Mets read your thoughts and answered with the Amazin’ Deli stands. There’s one in the Taste of The City area in center field and another behind home plate on the Promenade Level.

At the Amazin’ Deli stands, you can get a chopped cheesesteak, with Pat LaFrieda beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and “ballpark sauce”. I am told the ballpark sauce is typical Thousand Island style burger sauce. Or order the Chopped Italian, chopped Premio sausage with chopped braised peppers and onions, and pesto aioli (probably not chopped).

There’s also a “B.E.C” for day games: it’s griddled whole eggs with crispy bacon and melted American cheese on a Kaiser roll. We all know that bacon, egg and cheese are the Geddy, Alex, and Neil of the food world.

 

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.

 

The Mets and chef Marc Murphy seem to have parted ways, but there’s still the aptly named Roast Pork Sandwich stand in the right field corner on the Field Level. If you’re not attached to Murphy, it’s a 14-hour porchetta rubbed roast pork sandwich, with Italian long hots and broccoli rabe relish, topped with roasted garlic aioli, and melted provolone on seeded semolina bread.

Thankfully you don’t have to actually wait 14 hours, but the long roasting helps break down the tough and fatty parts, and it renders the heavy fat into crispy crackling. Just in case you thought a microwave could do it faster.

Citi Field Food, Part 5: Ethnic Eats – Pizza, Asian, Indian, Hispanic + Greek

Impressed yet? I know, Citi Field is a serious food destination. And we’re nowhere near done; stay with me here.

I will cut the Mets some slack on seemingly not being able to decide which NYC pizza works best for their ballpark. It changes a lot. But Napoli’s is it for now, and you could do worse as pizza goes. You can find their pizza in right field on the Field Level, behind home plate on the Promenade Level, and in the Metro Market and Heineken Lounge.

To my knowledge, Napoli’s isn’t an NYC pizza joint. (Feel free to correct me on this if needed.) There’s nothing wrong with it though; my 10-year-old enjoyed it (yes, same kid).

You can order a cheese or pepperoni slice, but the star is the “Signature Square”, with sliced Nathan’s hot dogs, chili, and a mozzarella/cheddar mix. All with Cheez Whiz and raw white onions. Go for it, weird food is baseball at its best.

 

Food trucks are as American as it gets, and the Mets recognize this. In the Coca-Cola Corner in right field, they are currently featuring local small businesses. As I write this it’s Taqueria Ramirez, a Brooklyn street taco joint. They’re mostly modest on their website, but they do get some rave reviews.

Currently your taco options here are – Nopales: two tacos with sautéed Mexican cactus covered with onions, garlic guajillo, and Cotija cheese, and Suadero: two slow cooked beef confit tacos with traditional salsas.

Check them out while you can; this may change soon.

 

Eat In The Cave is another local joint the Mets feature in the ever-changing in a good way Hudson Whiskey NY Club. Eat In The Cave is one of the most popular food trucks in New Jersey, best known for their Puerto Rican soul food offerings. They were actually recommended to the Mets by a Citi Field employee; nice that the team listens to its people.

In the club space you can order their empanadas; at the moment it’s the beef and cheese edition or the vegan version with rice, cilantro, sweet pumpkin, chickpeas, and potato. Filling for sure, and an easy ballpark snack.

If you want to visit the actual food truck, it’s in the parking lot of the NJ Transit Dunellen station.

 

Gyro Jimmy’s Greek Grill is in the center field food court; they are a Long Island institution in Carle Place. They proudly offer authentic homemade Greek gyros, and they insistently only use the best ingredients. At the ballpark, you can get a traditional beef and lamb gyro with tzatziki, lettuce, tomato and onion, or the chicken gyro with the same adornments. Both come with a side of fries.

Jimmy’s gyros are highly rated by most all forums where folks rate gyros, and I often speak about gyros being underrated as ballpark food.

 

Interested in Muslim cuisine instead? You can find Naz’s Halal Food behind home plate on the Field Level; just take a left at the top of the escalator. Naz and Kareem are two cousins who were both public school teachers; they started a food truck as a side business, graduated to an actual restaurant, and they now have over 40 locations.

At the ballpark the menu is as simple as it needs to be; your only decision to make is chicken or lamb. They offer platters with chicken or lamb gyro meat on basmati rice, with lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers. It’s a good sized platter, with a nice variety of food mixed together.

I don’t know if I’m the only one who noticed that the Halal food stand was located right next to a Hot Pastrami on Rye location, but it warmed my heart to see it.

 

Last but by no means least, you can get your Asian grub on at Wok N’ Roll in the center field food court. Like New York Panini, Wok N’ Roll is a Huntington institution; the two might be actually related. Wok N’ Roll is known for their egg rolls, or more correctly the cool things they do with egg rolls.

The menu at the ballpark changes based on what opponent is in town; I was there for a Braves game where they offered a Verrazano egg roll with chicken cutlet, mozzarella and vodka sauce, a classic New York egg roll, and a Cookies and Cream egg roll with Oreo cookie and cake filling. I’ll remind you about that in the dessert section.

The Mets state in their dining guide what you’ll see based on coming opponents, I might come to a game against Detroit just for the Coney Dog egg roll. 

Citi Field Food, Part 6: Big And Fancy Sides

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 three house made sauces: pickle jalapeno ranch, honey mustard, and chicken dippin’. You can get your fries with Big Apple Blend seasoning, which is Cajun-style.

In addition to hand cut fries, there’s also fried pickles, and more importantly, Oreo churros – cream filled Oreo churros, rolled in cookies and cream crumbs with Crème Anglaise. Not to worry, I’ll remind you about those when we get to desserts. (You saved room, right?)

 

Yet another reason to spring for a ticket with access to the Hudson Whiskey Club is Chef Kwame’s Patty Palace. Kwame Onwuachi is a Top Chef award winner; he’s also the owner of the Tatiana restaurant in Lincoln Center. (I lose count of the number of chefs whose recipes are featured at Citi Field, but it’s usually a high number. They don’t mess around here.)

Onwuachi is popular for his imaginative takes on Jamaican patties (among a lot of other things obviously); the Citi Field offerings are no slouch. Choose from curry chicken patties, jerk mushroom patties, NY chopped cheese patties, and even coco bread sandwiches that include a patty.

Most of the patties include green seasoning aioli and jerk BBQ, and you can request Peppa or habanero hot sauce on the side. Be warned, I’ve read those hot sauces will blow out the back of your brain.

 

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, and Amazin’ Chicken sandwiches, a good-sized chicken tender with hot honey, ballpark sauce, lettuce and tomato on a Martin’s hot dog roll.

There’s also “cheesy tater kegs” – a deep fried potato filled with a three cheese blend. And General Tso’s chicken tenders, free range chicken with Tso’s sauce, sesame seeds and scallions.

Amazin’ Chicken offers 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.

 

Swingin’ Wings isn’t a local food spot in NYC; but no need to worry. These wings are a Danny Meyer recipe; yes that Danny “Shake Shack” Meyer. So you can trust the effort.

At Swingin’ Wings you have three distinct choices of flavoring for the bone-in wings; choose from the classic Buffalo flavoring, BBQ sauce, or Big Apple Blend seasoning (Cajun-style dry rub). They’re not cheap even by ballpark standards, but sufficient for a wing jones.

You can get your wings with bleu cheese, ranch, and/or celery sticks, and even eat them out of a souvenir helmet for an additional fee. I’d wash the helmet before wearing it, unless you’re just really into fun with wings.

 

Finally, if you’ve got an itch for local grass fed dairy farm fresh mozzarella sticks – and we all get that from time to time – the Brooklyn catering crew at Big Mozz has a Vendy Award-winning version. You can find it at the Home Plate Market on the Field Level. The nice-sized mozz sticks come with marinara dipping sauce.

I’ve tried Big Mozz and they’re definitely a high quality mozzarella stick, so I’m happy to see them back in Citi.

Citi Field Food, Part 7: Generic Stuff – Hot Dogs, Sausages, Burgers, + Nachos

There’s no shame in going to the generic food stands at Citi Field. You could save a few dollars, and you’re still getting name brand stuff.

As I’ve said, Pat LaFrieda’s plan is to take over the Mets world, his burgers are the Official Burger of the Mets. The aptly named Burgers & Fries stands sell LaFrieda burgers, Nathan’s dogs, and veggie dogs, plus chicken tenders if you aren’t yet impressed. They also have veggie burgers and veggie dogs at the generic stands. 

Maybe it’s not the Shackburger, but it’s high-quality beef, and 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.

 

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.

 

Finally, a good sausage at a ballgame should never be considered underrated – 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.

 

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.

Your helmet full of nachos can include jalapenos, black beans, pico de gallo, and lettuce in addition to standard stuff like cheese, guacamole and sour cream. 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.

Citi Field Food, Part 7: Cookies, Ice Cream + Other Desserts

Whatever your sweet tooth desires, the Mets have got you. So let’s roll:

Remember the Shake Shack? Those long lines aren’t for nothing. In addition to their popular burgers, they offer a nice variety of shakes too.

Your milkshake options include (deep breath):

• Vanilla Shake – house made real vanilla frozen custard
• Black and White Shake – vanilla custard and chocolate fudge sauce
• Apple Pie Shake – vanilla custard with apple pie mix topped with sprinkles
• Mets MVP Shake – vanilla custard with chocolate and chocolate chip cookies topped with cookie crumble and sprinkles

Premium custard and high quality ingredients; you get it. If you’re gonna wait in line, get the shake too.

 

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”. That must have been some craving given the result.

They offer two of their faves for cookie lovers: the Chunky Dunk, a classic chocolate chip cookie packed with milk and dark chocolate chips, and the Fun-“Met”-I, a white chocolate chip cookie with blue and orange sprinkles. And you thought Citi Field didn’t rep the Mets enough.

The menu on their site is pretty amazing looking, and you can order from them directly if you like the Citi Field editions.

 

The Mr. & Mrs. Met’s Candy Shop is a little tricky to find; it’s in the right field corner on the Excelsior level, steps away from the Coca-Cola Corner.

The kids will like this spot; it’s got chocolate covered strawberries, home run candy apples, Mr. Met chocolate whoopie pies (shaped like Mr. Met’s head, true), and Hildebrandt’s ice cream, with their Citi Field exclusive “Blue and Orange Skies”. It’s containers of vanilla ice cream with M&M’s and marshmallow, a flavor any Met fan could approve of.

Hildebrandt’s is a Williston Park spot; they’re worth visiting just for the classic sign.

 

At the Walk-Off Café in the right field corner of the Field Level…you’ll like this…there’s beautiful looking donuts. The most enticing, of course, are the ones with orange and blue sprinkles and the Mets logo of course, but you can order your donuts with blue and orange drizzle and M&M’s too. Tough call.

If donuts don’t quite work for you (?), they have cannolis too; you can have some nice additives like chocolate chips and Oreo crumbs. Or get the candy apple, the Mr. Met whoopie pie, or the Walk-Off bucket of cookies for the family.

You get it; it’s a good place for sweet teeth.

 

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.

You can get a milkshake at Mister Softee stands now as well, and I’m sure it’s adequate.

 

But if you’d like a healthier sweet snack, try the Dole Whip (here’s the recipe!). There’s actually a Dole Whip stand in the center field food court; you can find one at 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.

By the way, don’t miss the Apple Pie Nachos at the Dole Whip stand – cinnamon sugar tortillas with apple pie compote and powdered sugar, all topped with vanilla gelato. If they’re better than the Apple Pie Nachos at Yankee Stadium, let me know.

 

If you blink you could miss it, but at the Napoli’s Pizza stand in right field they are offering Uncle Louie G’s Italian Ice. You can order a rainbow or chocolate ice last I checked.

Uncle Louie G’s started in Brooklyn, and they’re expanding a bit and popular, so you can find a location if you like in the area. There are plenty in Queens. If they’re in more than one spot in Citi Field, I didn’t see it, but maybe at the other Napoli’s.

Not sure why the Mets don’t make it more visible, but that’s why I’m here.

 

Finally, when all else fails, Zeppole. Glad they’re naming it properly as opposed to the passé “funnel cake”, with the stand in the right field corner.

These aren’t actual funnel cakes, however; they are fried dough bits in a bag with powdered sugar. They wisely advise you to ”shake the bag”.

 

And briefly; let me re-mention the Oreo churros at Metropolitan Fry Factory, and the Cookies and Cream egg roll at Wok N’ Roll. Didn’t want you to forget about those.

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

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. Keep in mind they are closed on Saturday.

 

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. And a Mushroom Melt.

You might be able to talk me into going vegan now.

 

The World’s Fare Market in the right field corner has grab and go stuff, like bags of pistachios and peanuts. It’s a good destination for vegetarians and healthy eaters, if a little pricey.

Beyond Nightlife Sushi seems to exist to supply sushi to arenas, and I can’t object to that. There’s a pretty impressive selection of sushi here, actually; and while you are allowed to bring in your own food to Citi Field, raw fish isn’t the kind of thing I’d bring in on my own.

 

The World’s Fare Market is also definitely the spot for celiacs; they actually have a nice selection of gluten-free items. Burgers, chicken sandwiches, even pastrami sandwiches on gluten free buns, along with Nathan’s fries, gluten-free cookies and everything. Maybe I can get my wife to come to a Mets game after all.

Finally, for a healthier dessert, the World’s Fare Market also offers smoothies in three flavors: banana chocolate, strawberry banana, and berry blast. Nice cool treats and not too rough on the waistline.

Citi Field Food, Part 9: Bring Your Own + Other Tightwad 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.

Coming from the 7/LIRR train stations, you’ll probably pass by a hot dog cart or two; I actually even saw vendors selling beer on the way from the LIRR. Obviously you can’t bring beer in, I even question whether it’s legal, but apparently no one complains.

In addition, if you’re coming from Penn Station, there’s plenty of food stores there obviously, and I believe there are very cheap vendors at the Jackson Heights station where the E meets the 7.

 

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.

If you’re saving money, there are 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.

 

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 near the Home Plate Market, and they’ll give you a code for a free soda. Line gets long before the game though.

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; with the Yankees having their own impressive selections, you can really eat well in the New York City ballparks..

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If you ask most New York Mets fans how to get to Citi Field, their answer is likely to be along the lines of “don’t drive”. Traffic, parking prices, tolls, etc., you don’t need that noise.

Having both driven myself and rode with others to the Citi Field parking lot, I can testify that that is sound advice. I will cover driving and parking options in a future post, but for now, I’m going to list your options for how to get to Citi Field for a Mets game. Without driving.

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This being NYC, you have numerous transit choices, so I’ve broken them down:

From Inside The City: MTA 7 Train
From Long Island + Manhattan: Long Island Rail Road
From New Jersey: NJ Transit + PATH
From Connecticut and North Suburbs: Metro-North Railroad
From Area Shopping Malls – The New Mets Shuttle
By Boat (From NJ + Staten Island): Seastreak Ferries
Also From The City: MTA Q90 Bus
From Other Cities: Amtrak + Megabus
Taxicabs + Rideshares
Bicycles + Bikeshares
Save Money Getting To Citi Field

How To Get To Citi Field, Tip #1)  From Inside The City: MTA 7 Train

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority operates the subways, buses, Metro-North trains and the Long Island Railroad, all of which can be used in some combination for a Mets game. Probably since the Mets came into existence, the ubiquitous 7 train has been how the majority of Mets fans arrive at a game.

The aptly named Mets-Willets Point Station is right there at the ballpark. The train runs all the way to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, with stops at Grand Central Station, Times Square, 42nd Street and Jackson Heights.

The 7 connects with many other NYC subway lines. (Here’s the subway map.) It runs all day and all night, so you don’t have to worry about extra innings. The ride from Grand Central to Citi is just over a half hour on a local train.

 

The MTA is kind enough to offer a “Mets Express” train before and after night and weekend games, which skips a bunch of stops and makes the ride about 20 minutes. At night express trains have a lit red diamond around the number, while local trains have a lit green circle.

You may need to go around to the other side of the platform or wait for a couple of trains, but the Express is worth it, since it cuts the time of the trip to Manhattan in half. By the way, if you struggle with mobility, the Express platform is not accessible. The rest of the station is.

NOTE: As I write this, the Mets Express isn’t skipping many stops; you can read about that here. When it’s at normal service, it’s significantly faster.

 

7 trains get very crowded with Mets fans before and especially after games, but MTA runs them pretty frequently, so you can wait out the crowds on the first couple of trains.

The MTA now allows you to use your contactless credit card or smartphone to tap and ride at the turnstile, so you don’t need to stand in line for a ticket after the game. If you’re not comfortable showing your credit card at every turnstile (which I understand), you can order a loaded OMNY card at the station, but do that going to the ballpark, not from it.

 

You can take the train in the other direction one stop to Flushing-Main Street in Chinatown (maybe grab some excellent and cheap grub). The train will head back in the direction you’re going. Much easier to get a seat that way. Chinatown isn’t a long walk, incidentally, but I wouldn’t do it at night.

Not that there’s anything wrong with being surrounded by Mets fans, of course. Riding the 7 train is definitely an authentic element of the Mets game experience. I can only imagine how much fun it is when the Phillies are in town.

 

That said, the 7 isn’t the most pleasant of rides. It runs through the heart of Queens, and you’ll see an urban environment at its most urban, with plenty of decorative graffiti for you independent artwork fans. It’s not unsafe enough to worry about, just be wary of your surroundings, and obviously don’t display valuables.

Sound advice: I recommend installing the MTA app on your phone, especially if you’re not familiar with the city. It will plan your trip for you, show you service status, and let you know of any alerts. The NYC subway system is complicated; you can always use the help.

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How To Get To Citi Field, Tip #2) From Long Island + Manhattan: Long Island Rail Road

Part of the construction of Citi Field was the new Long Island Rail Road station, also called Mets-Willets Point to avoid confusion. The station is a few yards further from the ballpark, but still very convenient. You’ll also probably see a few inexpensive T-shirt and drink “vendors” on the way.

The LIRR’s Port Washington Branch runs from Penn Station in Manhattan to Citi Field in just under 20 minutes, with just one stop on the way. Depending on when you buy a ticket, you may need to transfer at Woodside. (Here’s the LIRR/Metro-North map.)

It costs a few bucks more, obviously, but it’s much quicker, more comfortable, and you probably won’t have to stand on the train. Many fans, myself included, will tell you they’ll never use the 7 again after riding the LIRR.

 

You can transfer to the Port Washington Branch from any other LIRR branch at Woodside; it also stops at Grand Central Station for transfers from just about anywhere.

Again, it’s a very good idea to have the MTA’s TrainTime app on your phone. It makes it much easier to buy tickets, see train status, and even see seat availability. Buying tickets on the train is more expensive.

One quick last thing. LIRR trains don’t run as frequently as MTA trains, so you could be on the platform for 10-15 minutes longer than you would be waiting for a 7. Trust me; it’s worth it.

How To Get To Citi Field, Tip #3) From New Jersey: NJ Transit + PATH

I wish the Yankees made getting to their stadium from my home state as easy as the Mets do, but here we are.

Aside from driving and parking, which I definitely do not recommend from Jersey, the lovely folks at NJ Transit offer two options for getting to the Mets game. Or at least getting you somewhere where you can get a ride.

Again, have the NJ Transit app on your phone; it makes life much easier for buying tickets and seeing real-time alerts.

 

The first route, of course, is their rail system (here’s the map), which covers much of North and Central Jersey. Excepting the Atlantic City Line, every rail line stops at Penn Station. From there you can use the aforementioned LIRR for an easy ride, or use a subway line to the 7 for a cheaper ride.

The 7 doesn’t stop at Penn, but it’s fairly easy to transfer. The easiest way in my opinion is using the E towards Jamaica Center, and transferring at Jackson Heights. Transfers don’t cost extra if you don’t leave the station. There’s lots of steps at Jackson Heights, but there’s an elevator.

 

Express 7 trains don’t stop at Jackson Heights, BTW. If you want to use the Express, try the N from 34th Street Herald Square (which is close to Penn) and transfer at Queensboro Plaza. Get all that, city slickers?

The last Northeast Corridor train (which I would use) departs Penn Station at 1:22 AM on weeknights. Just saying; check the schedule and remember that it takes some time to get to Penn from the ballpark.

 

NJ Transit trains aren’t cheap; if you’d like a less expensive alternative, you can take their 320 bus from the North Bergen Park and Ride, located at Exit 16E from the NJ Turnpike (Lincoln Tunnel). Of course, then you pay for the Turnpike, but this is cheaper with multiple people.

You can park for a reasonable fee in the North Bergen lot for the day, and hop on the relatively inexpensive 320 bus through the Lincoln Tunnel to the Port Authority Bus Terminal. From there, take the 7 to Citi. Easy peezy and cheaper.

Again, the 320 doesn’t run all night; the last bus leaves at 2:00 AM on weeknights. I presume you can be back by then, even in the city that never sleeps.

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Then there’s the PATH system, which, unless you’re coming from Hoboken or Jersey City, isn’t optimal for Mets games. Still, I’m including them because it’s cheaper and easier than driving from their locations.

PATH doesn’t have a connection to the 7, unless you’re willing to walk about ten blocks. From the 33rd Street station, you can use the N to Queensboro and transfer to the 7. Or use the M line from 23rd Street, etc. There’s numerous options, but with any of them it’s more than an hour and two transfers each way. (Not much slower than driving, however.)

 

So you might want to find an easier path (get it?). It might work if you’re living or staying close to a station in Jersey City, but otherwise I’d seek another alternative. The Secaucus Junction NJ Transit station is a short drive from both cities, for example.

If you don’t mind riding a bus, there are multiple NJ Transit buses that stop at the Port Authority Bus Terminal for an easy transfer to the 7, including from Hoboken and Jersey City.

PATH has a service app, and their trains run 24/7. Don’t panic if the PATH train turns towards Hoboken (I learned this from experience); at certain times of day the Yellow Line covers stations that other lines don’t service. The train will change direction at Hoboken and hit the rest of the stops.

How To Get To Citi Field From Connecticut and North Suburbs: Metro-North Railroad

If you’re one of those ballpark nerds (like me), who wants to do a game at Yankee Stadium and Citi Field on the same day, the Metro-North to Grand Central and then the LIRR to Citi is the move.

Seriously, that aside, you can use any Metro-North train from Connecticut and the northern suburbs of NYC to Grand Central, and then take an LIRR or 7 train to Citi. Simple enough and far easier than driving.

Like the LIRR, Metro-North trains are more expensive than subway trains, but are light years better to ride, with larger and cushioned seats, fewer riders, and fewer stops. Coming from Yankee Stadium using the Metro-North and LIRR, it’s just four stops. Using the subway it’s 23.

 

Since I brought it up, if you’re planning that double (both teams are home at the same time on rare occasions), it’s easier to do the day game at Yankee Stadium. Transferring from Metro-North to LIRR at Grand Central is much easier than going in the other direction.

The MTA Train Time app is for both the LIRR and Metro-North services; using it makes the trip much easier.

How To Get To Citi Field From Area Malls – Mets Shuttles

This is a long overdue idea but the Mets finally made it happen in 2026. They now offer Mets game shuttles from various points in every direction.

It’s a great way to avoid navigating Citi Field traffic before and after games, pay much less for parking, and save quite a bit of cash on gas.

They aren’t free, but it’s definitely a better deal than driving and parking. You must buy tickets ahead of time; do it by clicking your preferred location on this page.

Here are the Google Maps locations of each bus station:

Roosevelt Field in Garden City, NY
Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington, NY
The Mall at Bay Plaza, Bronx NY
Newport Centre in Jersey City, NJ
Paramus Park in Paramus, NJ
Woodbridge Center, Woodbridge, NJ

Parking is free at most stations (excepting Bay Plaza which is cheap), and obviously you won’t have to drive in the traffic after the game which is great. And you get to ride a bus with other Mets fans…not unlike the 7 train, but with seats on a much more comfortable bus. That might be the best part!

Buses arrive at Citi 90 minutes before first pitch (hopefully) and leave 30 minutes after the final out (or after a post-game fireworks show ends), so I wouldn’t dawdle after the game.

How To Get To Citi Field By Boat: Seastreak Ferries

We’re lucky in my home state of New Jersey. Entities are always coming up with great ways to get to New York, even with boats. The folks at Seastreak even have their own ferry service to Citi Field. The ferry leaves from the Highlands Marina in New Jersey, and also stops at Staten Island.

Seastreak drops you off a short walk from the outfield entrances at World’s Fair Marina, and it’s free to park at their Highlands dock. There’s a full service bar on board (score!).

From NJ, the trip takes about 90 minutes, from Staten Island it’s about 45. The boat leaves 45 minutes after the last out of the game (I’m not sure what they do after post-game concerts). Could make for a nice date night with your Mets fan honey.

 

The ride itself is not cheap, so bringing a family could add up (although depending on where you’re coming from in NJ, gas, tolls and parking will too). Traffic is, you know, bad, and public transit from Staten Island to Citi isn’t the most pleasant of picnics either. So it’s an alternative that might be worth trying.

Seastreak offers packages that include a ticket to the game, but the seats at the ballpark aren’t great. If you’ve got the kind of cash to shell out on a boat, I’d skip the package and order better seats. Here’s some help with that.

How To Get To Citi Field From La Guardia Airport: MTA Q90 Bus

Citi Field is not far from La Guardia Airport (and you’ll know you’re near an airport at the game). If you’re staying at LGA and decide to go to a Mets game, the Q90 bus is nice and convenient. It drops you off right at the ballpark, at the corner of Roosevelt and 126th.

The Q90 replaced the slower Q48 in 2025; the idea was a more direct service with fewer stops from the airport to Citi Field. I expect this is with the coming casino in mind. Anyway, it works. Nice and cheap, let someone else drive and save on parking.

The Q90 ends at Main Street in Flushing, so you can use it from there if you have a reason. Or go there first for pre-game dumplings or shrimp toast.

How To Get To Citi Field From Other Cities: Amtrak + Megabus

If I were coming to a Mets game from Boston, Baltimore or D.C. (and possibly Philly), and if I had the means (which I sometimes do), I would consider Amtrak as an option.

As long as there aren’t delays the Northeast Regional can get you there pretty quickly, especially in an Acela. It’s easier than driving, and you can find some cheaper fares if you’re willing to leave at an off-peak time.

The Northeast Regional stops at Penn Station; from there you can follow the E-7 or LIRR directions above. Numerous other Amtrak lines stop there as well, so it’s an option from places like Pittsburgh or Cincinnati. Plan ahead though; I would arrive as early as possible.

 

If you’re coming from one of these cities and want a cheaper way to let someone else drive, numerous bus lines stop at the Port Authority Bus Terminal. From there take the 7, for a ride that’s much easier on the wallet.

Megabus is my favorite; if you can book well ahead of time you might score a $1 fare for the ride. I went from NYC to Boston and back once for $2.50 doing this. It might be a bit more with the booking fee now, but that’s quite the steal over gas and tolls.

 

You can sign up on Megabus and receive emails when tickets go on sale and have a chance to score the ride for a buck. If you miss it, you can still book the ride for cheaper than Amtrak trains.

Greyhound, Peter Pan, and many other bus lines also stop at the Port Authority terminal. This is probably the best way to go cheap if you’re flying solo; shop around using Busbud or Wanderu. (And be sure you can get a ride back.)

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How To Get To Citi Field – Taxicabs + Rideshares (Not Good)

I won’t tell you not to use a taxi, Uber or Lyft to get to and from Citi Field. I’m all for people knowing all of their options. That said, I generally advise against taking a cab or rideshare to ballparks, especially this one, for a couple of reasons.

First, after the game you’ll be in a crowd of people all waiting for rides to arrive after the game. Second, it can be way costlier than it’s worth, possibly triple digits if you’re going far enough, which is ridiculous even for NYC.

Most services charge extra for post-game ride zones, and you’ll also be in traffic with the meter running. Coming from LaGuardia, the Q90 bus is perfectly convenient and much cheaper.

 

The Mets have set aside rideshare pickup spots on Shea Road, on the northern side of Lot A, which is somewhat out of the way. (More about that here.) You’ll walk a small bit, which hopefully clears some traffic out.

Some forum dwellers suggest using the 7 one stop in either direction and then calling on a rideshare from there. I don’t know if this would be quicker, but it would certainly save you a few bucks. Seems like a lot of hassle to me, but whatever works if that’s your thing.

Again, nothing against rideshares, but you have better options.

How To Get To Citi Field – Bicycles and Bikeshares

New York City’s Department of Transportation actually has advice for riding in the city on a bicycle, which at times can be faster than NYC traffic (I’m only slightly sarcastic). They even have a downloadable PDF bicycle map, which you can use to plan your route. (You can order one here.)

For kicks, I requested a route on Google Maps from Grand Central Station to Citi Field by bike. It returned an 8.2 mile route and estimated the travel time at 48 minutes.

If you’re confident enough in your cycling skills, there isn’t any gas, tolls or fares to pay for, and you get some exercise. All that said, bicycling in NYC isn’t for the faint of heart. I get nervous enough driving.

 

Citi Field has ten racks around the park to lock a bicycle. Better yet, Citibike offers a bicycle valet service for most games, so they can look after your bicycle if you like. 34th Avenue features a bicycle lane, and the Mets say it’s an easy ride from Jackson Heights and Astoria.

Bikes are allowed on MTA and LIRR trains, but it’s doubtful that you’ll be able to get a bicycle on a 7 train after the game (at least with the first half dozen trains), so make sure you have a route back.

 

Good news, Mets and bicycle sharing fans, there’s now two Citibike stations at Citi Field – one of them is right at the front entrance (and there are several more nearby). Citibike, as you probably know, is the bicycle sharing system in New York City. For a small monthly fee you get unlimited 45-minute rides all month. That might not be enough, but there’s plenty of stations where you can take a break and switch.

Citibike features over 25,000 bicycles, including some e-bikes, at over 1,500 stations, even extending into Hoboken and Jersey City. There’s your alternative to PATH! I kid, but obviously Citibike has a wide reach if you’re a bikeshare fan.

 

Remember that Yankee Stadium to Citi Field thing I suggested? You can do that via Citibike now; there are several stations near Yankee Stadium too.

Google clocks the ride by bicycle as being just over an hour; if you ever try this email me so I can talk about your coolness to my readers. (From what I’ve read, Citibikes aren’t the best for long rides.)

Here’s the Citibike app download page if you want to sign up for some urban cycling.

How To Save Money Getting To Citi Field

So as you can see, there’s a plethora of ways to avoid paying for gas and tolls. And there’s still some ways to save a few bucks for a Pat LaFrieda steak sandwich.

When it comes to getting to a Mets game as cheaply as possible, the 7 train is your friend. Use it. It’s just a few bucks each way, and you should be able to transfer for free from just about anywhere in the city.

If you’re coming from outside the city, the Port Authority Bus Terminal is also your friend, for NJ Transit and coach buses that are much cheaper than train rides.

 

For inexpensive parking near an MTA station using the 7, good luck with that, but you can certainly try using my friends at SpotHero and book a spot beforehand. You can probably find plenty of cheap options along the 7 route.

NJ Transit, LIRR and Metro-North offer multiple discounts. Kids 11 and under ride NJ Transit for free on weekends and holidays (a not insignificant savings); NJT also offers reduced fares for military, seniors and students. (See NJ Transit discounts here.)

 

You can save a few bucks on LIRR and Metro-North by buying off-peak tickets, before 4:00 PM on weeknights. (I don’t mind getting to a ballpark early.) Weekends are always off-peak. Both railroads offer discounts for seniors, disabled, children, and military. (See their discounts here.)

If you’re really trying that rideshare route after all, at least go before the game rate starts. I know there’s not much to do surrounding Citi Field if you don’t need a muffler, but it will save you mucho dinero.

I’ll cover Citi Field parking in depth more in a future post, but if you were looking at this post for free parking options, you can find a bit about that here. (Scroll down to the parking bit.)

 

There you go folks, the complete primer on the many ways to get to the beautiful Flushing ballpark. There’s plenty more helpful Citi Field tips on this site: check out this detailed guide for choosing a seat, the amazin’ selection of food at Citi, and this helpful guide for everything else. And I’ve got plenty of knowledge here about that other ballpark in New York City.

More coming soon, be sure to sign up for the newsletter and Follow Ballpark E-Guides on Facebook for essential ballgame knowledge.

Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you at the Yard!

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.

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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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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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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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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.

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.)

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. You can read my deep dive about the 7, LIRR and many other ways to get to Citi on this very helpful page.

 

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.

 

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.

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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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

Again, much more about your options to get there, from inside the city and from other places, on my Citi Field transit guide page.

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.

 

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.

 

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!).

 

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.

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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.

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.

 

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.

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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…

 

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.

 

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!

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If you are planning a trip to see the home of the Mets, or even if you’re a regular who would like to improve their view of the game, we’ve got your back. Here is your complete, user-friendly Citi Field seating guide – with everything you need to know to find the best seats at Citi Field, for whatever your budget size!

Citi is a great ballpark, but there are some seats to avoid, and some seats have great advantages, like club access for a lower price than you’d think. 

(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!)

So here we go, broken down for some simplicity (it’s a lot, but for good reason, I promise!):

Citi Field Seating Chart + Layout
Really Cool + Pricey Club Seats
Group + Party Areas
Field Level Seating
Excelsior (Mezzanine) Level
Cheap Seats + Coca-Cola Corner
Promenade Level (+ More Cheap Seats)
Avoiding Obstructed Views
Standing Room at Citi Field

By the way, be sure to check out my complete guide to Citi Field, full of money-saving tips, and definitely know what’s on the superb Citi Field menu before you go!

There’s a lot to know here, so let’s get started after this quick word from Gametime…thank you for supporting our sponsors!

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Citi Field Seating, Part 1: Citi Field Seating Chart + Layout

The Citi Field seating layout is simple enough. The one- and two-digit numbered sections are the low seats behind home plate—club seats that are triple digits in price. The rest of the ballpark’s sections are numbered in three-digits. The lowest level (100) is the Field Level, the mezzanine with the Piazza 31 Club and Box seats is called the Excelsior Level (300), and the upper deck is the Promenade Level (400 and 500).

The numbering starts with 101 and 301 in right field and increases clockwise around the ballpark. The Promenade level starts in the right field corner with 401 and 501. The numbering continues until the Big Apple Reserved seats in center field at 140-142. The Coca-Cola Corner in right field is Sections 301-305.

 

Seat 1 in any row is closest to home plate, and in the Promenade level sections there are 17 rows to the top of the ballpark, where you can wave to pilots in the planes taking off from LaGuardia International. (Incidentally, if you want a better view of the planes, sit on the first base side of the field. It’s actually kind of cool.)

Short of the obstructed view seats (I’ll talk about that), generally most of the seats get high marks for the view of the field. If you’re just a foodie going to the game for the delicacies (and that’s definitely understandable here), you’d do well to sit down the line in right field or in the left field landing seats.

Depending on which types of seats you buy, you’ll have access to certain clubs; which ones will be listed on your ticket and the Mets have a chart on their website to help. It’s way too complicated to explain here – if this matters to you, check out the access chart.

So here is the breakdown, going from most to least expensive (I’m not bothering with the suites):

 

Citi Field Seating, Part 2: Really Cool But Pricey Club Seats

Delta Sky360 Club seats are nine sections of those padded, comfortable monsters directly behind home plate. They can cost as much as a half a grand and like in many sections, the first two Platinum rows of each section are costlier than the rest.

The Mets charge quite a bit for these tickets, and you can often find a better deal for them from Gametime or another third party seller. Delta Silver seats are directly behind the Delta Gold seats and cost about half the price; the markup probably isn’t worth “Lounge” access.

 

These seats come with access to the Delta Sky360 Club directly behind home plate. Two full service bars and chef-prepared dining, since that’s what baseball is about. The low end items like hot dogs and coffee are complimentary, gourmet items are not.

The restaurant has no view of the field, but it does have a view of the Mets batting practice cages. Like in all of the clubs, there are TVs to watch the action. In-seat service is included.

Recently the Mets have turned the first eight rows behind home plate into the Clover Home Plate Club, which they deem as “a perfect fit for companies looking to entertain their current or prospective clients in the best seats at Citi Field.” How can I become a “prospective client”?

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Everything from Shackburgers to gourmet pizza and non-alcoholic beverages are all included in the Clover Club and can be ordered right from your seat. No small thing given typical Shake Shack lines. You can also use your ticket to get free food anywhere in the ballpark, which is pretty cool, but probably not worth the extra several hundred dollars.

Incidentally, the last rows of Delta sections have seats in front of aisles, making for an awful obstructed views with people walking in front of you. Avoid Row 20.

 

The Hyundai Club seats are the two lower level areas behind the Delta Club seats at first and third base. There’s a very cool-looking car decorated in Mets colors outside the club if you’re looking for it.

These seats are also usually triple digits in price, but you can get a reasonable deal on a midweek, non-Yankees game in April or May; it’s a better deal than the Deltas and worth it for the club access. Most of these go to season ticket holders, so you may find a better deal on Gametime or elsewhere, just be sure to compare the price to the Mets website.

 

This was originally called the “Ebbets Club”; it was renamed in response to Mets fans complaining about the tributes to the Dodgers at Citi, and pictures and memorabilia of the 1969 and 1986 championship teams have been added here.

The Hyundai Club includes a high end buffet with a carvery and pasta bar, and a dessert cart that is rolled out during the 7th inning. All of this, with non-alcoholic drinks and in-seat service, are included with the ticket.

 

The Piazza 31 Club Infield seats are on the Excelsior (Mezzanine) level between the bases. These tickets are now “Excelsior Gold” or “Excelsior Box”, and cost about half of what the Deltas cost.

Most of these seats are padded and covered by the upper tier, and there aren’t many rows, making getting in and out of your seat easy enough.

 

The Piazza lounge, on the Excelsior (second) level behind home plate, is open to Promenade Gold ticket holders and anyone else that paid more for their tickets. It is on top of the rotunda, and offers fine views of Flushing landmarks like the Unisphere and the Citi Field parking lot, but there is no view of the game. There are leather sofas though.

Inside the Club are food stands with high end grub, soft pretzels and cookies (check out Whole Hog BBQ), and there are a few stands where you can avoid lines. You have to pay for the food here, unfortunately, but there’s plenty of space to sit and eat.

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Those are the seating areas for the well-to-do New Yorkers among us; before I tackle the rest of the seating areas, let’s go into the party areas for groups, which are numerous:

 

Citi Field Seating, Part 3: Group + Party Areas

After moving the Citi Field fences in for 2012 to accommodate whiny sluggers, the Mets discovered they had more party space for groups. Here is a list of spots where you can reserve tickets for a group with some perks included:

 

Big Apple Reserved seats are the field level seats in straightaway center, right next to that Big Apple that pops up whenever a Mets player hits a home run. Directly behind the Big Apple seats are tables where people can stand and watch while eating a gourmet food item; these are the closest seats to the center field concourse with its fancy food and Mr. Met kids area.

These seats used to only be available for groups, but you can get a ticket for a single game these days. For some reason, they’re popular on weekend nights and priced accordingly; but for weeknights they’re among the cheapest tickets in the ballpark.

 

The Citi Pavilion at Shea Bridge was formerly the “Shea Bridge Terrace”; apparently the Mets needed a more unwieldy name to help fans with its location. The sets of tables and chairs in this landing are just in front of the Shea Bridge, over the bullpens in right center field.

The Mets have updated this space, and there are now drink rails and tables with comfortable seating and phone chargers. They’ve also added a bar with “light snacks” exclusively for this section.

The Citi Pavilion is a group area and is now a drinks-inclusive ticket, at least if you don’t mind drinking Bud Light throughout the game. The seats go for triple digits in price though, so you’ll need to find a lot of enthusiastic fans.

 

The Honda Clubhouse is underneath the right field reserved seats, for a true field-level view of both the field and the bullpen. There are windows that can be closed on cold nights. The seating is table seating with padded seats in front.

There aren’t a lot of seats here, so if someone invites you, get to the game early. It has been expanded to accommodate the fences being moved in, but that just means there will be more people at your outing.

The Clubhouse is also for groups only—it includes buffet service and hi-def TVs to watch the parts of the game you miss at the odd vantage point. The Mets actually mentioned as one of the group benefits “Scoreboard Greeting (not visible from area)”. Yes, I laughed too when I read that. This spot can be reasonable for a night out with your friends, and as a group leader you get four tickets to a future game.

 

M&M’s Sweet Seats. The high left field wall is still here, but there’s a new and closer to home plate fence in front of it, so the Mets dedicated the space between the two fences to the iconic candy bits. Tickets include food and drinks served to your seat (or stool); before the game fans can chow on Nathan’s dogs among other food items. Nothing high end, unless you consider Nathan’s high end, which it is I suppose. They’ll even give you a cookie late in the game.

Again, tickets to a future game are included for the group leader.

As the Mets state, this is a prime spot to catch a batting practice home run ball in the newly hitter-friendly Citi Field, and it’s exclusive so you won’t have to push those pesky kids out of the way.

 

OK then, now on to seats for the rest of us, or some of us…again, from most to least expensive:

 

Citi Field Seating, Part 4: Field Level

The Metropolitan Box seats are on the lower level to the outside of the Delta Club seats. They come in four flavors, Gold, Silver, Bronze and good old Metropolitan Box, and the better ones have better club access that probably isn’t worth the markup of sometimes double the price.

If you’re looking at back row Field Level tickets (31 is the last row in most sections) and have a choice, try the Excelsior Box seats instead. The view is just as good, better even than top rows of field level seats that are covered and lose the scoreboards, club access is the same, and Excelsior seats are cheaper.

 

Field Level and Baseline Box seats are beyond the bases towards the foul pole. These seats are nicely angled towards the infield, making for less neck-twisting, and if you’re in Section 104, you’re facing directly towards home plate. Like just about everywhere else in the park, the first two rows of Field Box sections are more expensive, and not worth the significant markup in my opinion.

Lower level seats down the lines cost a bit more than even a team with the Mets’ recent success probably should, so this isn’t the place to look for bargains unless you’re using a third party seller, and look for low demand games.

 

Citi Field Seating, Part 5: Excelsior (Mezzanine) Level

The Excelsior is the Mezzanine (second) level; I’ve already talked about the Excelsior Gold and Box seats that are near to the Piazza 31 Club, but there are specialized outfield sections as well. Like the infield sections, the outfield sections are covered by the overhang of the upper deck, great for the shade, although in the upper rows you may lose some of the big scoreboards.

The rest of the Excelsior seats belong in the “cheap seats” section (including the Coca-Cola Corner):

 

Citi Field Seating, Part 6: Cheap Seats + Coca-Cola Corner

The Left Field and Right Field Reserved seats in the lower level have had their pricing lowered and are now the cheaper seats. Most of the seats are covered, especially in the Right Field area that is overlapped by the Coca-Cola Corner–nice on a hot or rainy day but it offers no view of either of the impressive big scoreboards.

These seats are close to both the center field concourse area and the World’s Fare Market, so you have plenty of very good grub choices just a few steps away, but I don’t know that it’s worth the very limited view.

 

Left Field Landing seats are on the Excelsior level in left field. Like the Piazza 31 Club seats, most of them are covered and there aren’t many rows. Out in left field here, you’re pretty far from home plate, so try to get the first couple of rows if you can.

These seats, like the Coca-Cola Corner seats, include access to the Piazza Club. This is important to know not only for club access (they are the cheapest tickets that include it), but also so that you don’t have to go up or down a floor to get from one side of the Excelsior level to the other. Good to know if you use a farther entrance.

Like with the Piazza Club, the Left Field Landing and Coca-Cola Corner are now available for group packages with food and beverage included.

 

Now about that big section under the Coca-Cola sign: The Coca-Cola Corner is that five sections of seats in the Excelsior level in right field, which hang over the Right Field Reserved seats.

These seats are sort of set aside from the rest of the park, and the Coca-Cola Corner has its own concourse area with sofas, cornhole games, a picnic area with Coke bottle top tables, and a landing to view lovely downtown Flushing. It’s a perfect view of Queens…blocks of muffler shops. Enjoy the urban renewal.

Coca-Cola Corner seats cost about the same as Left Field Landing, although they’re very different atmospheres. The Coca-Cola seats used to be about the same price as Promenade Infield, but they are more now, so apparently the Corner is becoming a popular place. Batting practice homers land here, for one. It’s also, with its extra entertainment, a decent spot for kids.

 

If you’re sensitive to the sun, though, this definitely isn’t the best choice, since you’ll bake during day games and it’s the last place to see shade for night games. Highly recommended to bring a hat, sunscreen and sunglasses here.

 

Citi Field Seating, Part 7: Promenade Level

The cheapest seats in Citi Field are in the Promenade (400-500 sections) level past the bases. The Promenade Reserved Infield seats are only slightly more expensive than the Promenade Reserved (500 sections past the bases)–nowadays the outfield sections of the Promenade Level are the cheapest seats in the ballpark (and rightly so). They are very far away, and can be downright frightening on a windy day.

The Promenade Gold and Box seats in the upper level (400 section) are considerably pricier–sometimes more than double – than those in the 500 section directly behind them. Twice as good seats? For the peace of mind of avoiding a glass landing being in front of you, maybe–but you can often find a deal with a third party.

 

The Jim Beam Highball Club on this level is available to just about everyone except for the Promenade Reserved ticket holders. It is behind home plate on the upper level, offers some amazing food choices and two full bars in an air-conditioned place to come in out of the rain or heat. That’s worth something. You can watch the game from there, but a lot of people do this, and the view isn’t quite optimal.

I’ve read that the ushers can be somewhat lax in checking your ticket there, in case you’re looking to crash a party.

 

Citi Field Seating, Part 8: Avoiding Promenade Obstructed Views

In many cases, obstructed views at Citi Field are a by-product of placing seats close to the field, something the Mets weren’t willing to compromise and is common in most ballparks. You shouldn’t miss much with those. But in some instances, especially in the Promenade level, glass partitions are placed in a manner that can block as much as a quarter of the field to people sitting in the wrong spot.

The Mets have started labeling such tickets as having a limited view, but you’d do well to know what to look for beforehand.

 

The worst problems by far are in the Promenade Reserved seats past the bases, so pay attention buying seats there. Since Seat 1 is always closest to home plate, you should be okay with a higher-numbered seat in a low row. Otherwise, try to get a seat in Row 4 or higher.

If you do end up with an obstructed view seat, you can call Fan Assistance (646-438-5000) and nicely ask to be moved to a better seat. The Mets will probably accommodate you.

 

Citi Field Seating, Part 9: Standing Room

The Mets occasionally make standing room tickets available for popular contests like Opening Day, and they will announce availability in your newsletter or their other social media outlets. They also offer an “Amazin’ Mets Pass”; for a very reasonable monthly fee you can attend most all of the Mets home games that month, (Yankees and Opening Day games excluded). You need the MLB Ballpark app for this to get the barcode on your phone. A chance to sample all of the killer food options at Citi.

I read a great suggestion on Reddit about this…if you go on a couple of giveaway nights, you could sell your swag on eBay and recoup a good portion of the cost.

 

Should you have gotten into the ballpark this way (or should you be otherwise unhappy with your seat), the open concourse throughout most of the field level creates plenty of standing space, and there are rails to lean on. You can also find spots for standing and tables for food in the center field food court, which is closer to the action than upper left field seats.

Lots of space in the Coca-Cola Corner too, if you like a good hangout spot. If you’re not picky, you could probably grab a seat in the lesser Promenade level seats.

 

Feeling educated? I hope this extensive Citi Field seating guide has been helpful to you; being able to land a great seat makes a big difference at this ballpark. I speak from experience.

Plenty more Citi Field info on this site for you. Check out my complete guide to Citi Field, including details on the best ways to get to the ballpark and some great photo-ops…or have a look at the delicious looking photos on this very detailed Citi Field food page.

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A few years after it opened, the Mets changed the Citi Field dimensions, moving the fences in a few feet in response to complaints from hitters. They put in an 8-foot wall in front of the 16-foot wall in left field, and the right center field fence was moved in a full 25 feet. (They painted the fence Mets blue, however, which gets a thumbs up from me.)

When I first heard that the Mets would be changing the dimensions to make the ballpark more hitter-friendly, I groaned. My first thought was “Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?”

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Of course, if Joe Di were playing in the age of free agency, where power hitters command figures in the hundreds of millions, he probably wouldn’t have stayed in Yankee Stadium–or the Yankees probably would have moved the fences in.

In DiMaggio’s era, the left center field fence at Yankee Stadium was 457 feet from home plate. That’s inconceivable today. Billy Martin said in his autobiography that Joe Di hit 30 or 40 450-foot outs every season, and that he would have broken every home run record ever set in another ballpark.

When Mike Hampton signed with the Rockies to pitch in Coors Field some years ago, he became a hero of mine. I love that he was willing to go where his ERA would surely double (and I believe it did). I love ballplayers that are willing to play in a ballpark where they’re going to have to step up to get their stats up. Unfortunately, if it costs them a couple of million dollars, it’s not likely to happen.

The Mets’ reasoning for giving in to this reality, I suspect, is that they would have trouble attracting a power hitter free agent to the Mets if he knows his production will suffer from playing in a ballpark that is pitcher-friendly. After Jeff Francoeur left the Mets for Kansas City, he was heard calling Citi Field “a damn joke”.

When the Tigers opened Comerica Park, the fences were so far from home plate that someone was quoted as saying “they don’t have outfielders, they have park rangers”. Power hitter Juan Gonzalez demanded the fences be moved in to resign him as a free agent. They didn’t at the time, but eventually the Tigers decided that they needed to draw power hitters and moved the fences in.

I understand baseball and economic realities, but I dislike this type of thinking. What happened to tailoring your team to your home ballpark? If Citi Field is so rough on hitters, wouldn’t that make it more attractive to pitchers…and fast, light hitting outfielders?

If you know that the deep dimensions of the ballpark are going to rob some home runs, why not build your team around pitching and speed? Why not go after defensive-minded outfielders with great range, proven base stealers and strong pitching, with high-average contact hitters in the middle of the lineup?

You might not score as many runs without the big hulking power hitter in the cleanup spot, but you won’t be giving up as many, either. And best of all, you could put a competitive team on the field at a much lower cost. The Mets had an opportunity here, not a problem. It’s just my opinion, but I think they dropped the ball.

Earl Weaver once said that while he encouraged his hitters to swing for the fences, even in fairly large Memorial Stadium, he would strategize differently if his team’s home ballpark was Royals Stadium (now Kauffman Stadium). I know home runs sell, but a winning team sells more, as the Royals had been certainly proving.

This fan likes pitcher’s parks. There’s enough hitter-friendly ballparks out there. I like the idea of an opponent coming to Citi Field with a big bunch of power hitters who furiously slam their bats down on the ground after hitting a 400-foot out.

There aren’t as many canyon ballparks as there used to be, which is a shame. Sometimes the dimensions of a ballpark change the game itself, and that’s a good thing, and it would be great if there were more originality with it in baseball.

Oh, OK, in case you were wondering…as of 2017 the Citi Field dimensions are: Left Field foul pole, 335 ft.; Left-Center, 370 ft.; Center Field, 408 ft.; Right-Center Field, 370-380 ft.; and Right Field foul pole, 330 ft.

Interested in learning more about the home of the Mets? Check out my complete Citi Field Guide!

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