Help me eat well at Nationals Stadium!
May 9, 2008 12:14 PM Subscribe
We are going to a Washington Nationals ballgame on Sunday. What good food is there in the new stadium? Which bars have decent beer? Thanks, folks.
The have Leinienkugel's on tap at several locations (there's a Leinie's Lodge, and then it is also in the "micro brew" beer stands).
posted by divka at 12:39 PM on May 9, 2008
posted by divka at 12:39 PM on May 9, 2008
I'd avoid the Red Hot & Blue BBQ. Unless you want an incredibly dry pulled-pork sandwich, that is. Boardwalk's fries, as always, are quite tasty.
Beer selection did seem pretty poor, from what I saw. There are two full bars, though. One on lower level out past first base, the other on the upper deck in left field. They may have better beer selection. And if they don't you can pay $8 - $12 for a cocktail.
Food that I wanted to try, but didn't, include the aforementioned Cantina Marina (upper deck, right field) and the sausage cart behind section 223.
posted by iwhitney at 12:40 PM on May 9, 2008
Beer selection did seem pretty poor, from what I saw. There are two full bars, though. One on lower level out past first base, the other on the upper deck in left field. They may have better beer selection. And if they don't you can pay $8 - $12 for a cocktail.
Food that I wanted to try, but didn't, include the aforementioned Cantina Marina (upper deck, right field) and the sausage cart behind section 223.
posted by iwhitney at 12:40 PM on May 9, 2008
Ben's will give you the real DC experience. I believe it's a city ordinance that everytime one mentions Ben's, one has to mention that it's Bill Cosby's favorite.
posted by MrMoonPie at 12:53 PM on May 9, 2008
posted by MrMoonPie at 12:53 PM on May 9, 2008
iwhitney: I never actually tried out the Red Hot & Blue, so I wasn't sure if it was actually as good as most of the stand alone locations. I had a friend snack there, and he said it was pretty good, so I was going on anecdote.
I didn't see the sausage cart, but now you've given me something new to try.
I'm also astonished that I can't seem to find a giant list of all restaurants/food served at Nationals Park. Surely, someone must have that published somewhere.
posted by SNWidget at 12:55 PM on May 9, 2008
I didn't see the sausage cart, but now you've given me something new to try.
I'm also astonished that I can't seem to find a giant list of all restaurants/food served at Nationals Park. Surely, someone must have that published somewhere.
posted by SNWidget at 12:55 PM on May 9, 2008
There's no "giant list" largely because it's a dozen vendors with multiple locations. The About.com Guide to DC lists these, which looks fairly comprehensive to me:
* Ben's Chili Bowl
* Boardwalk Fries
* Cantina Marina
* Gifford's Ice Cream & Candy Co.
* Kosher Sports
* Krazee Ice
* Hard Times Café
* La Piccola Gelateria
* Mayorga Coffee
* Red, Hot and Blue
* Noah's Pretzels
You CAN bring in your own food, so throw a couple bottles of water and a bag of peanuts in your backpack, and use the money you'd save for the pricey beer.
Kate
posted by nkknkk at 1:01 PM on May 9, 2008
* Ben's Chili Bowl
* Boardwalk Fries
* Cantina Marina
* Gifford's Ice Cream & Candy Co.
* Kosher Sports
* Krazee Ice
* Hard Times Café
* La Piccola Gelateria
* Mayorga Coffee
* Red, Hot and Blue
* Noah's Pretzels
You CAN bring in your own food, so throw a couple bottles of water and a bag of peanuts in your backpack, and use the money you'd save for the pricey beer.
Kate
posted by nkknkk at 1:01 PM on May 9, 2008
Half-smoke with Ben's Chili Bowl Chili all the way. By which I mean, order it "All the way."
You don't have to get it from the Ben's stand though, any of the hot dog stands can do a half smoke with Ben's chili. The Ben's line can get realllly long.
Hard Times Cafe has a stand too, and I'm a big fan of their Cincinnati chili Frito Pie. Comes with corn bread as well!
Giffords Ice Cream has a stand as well, and they have some delicious ice cream. Though they won't give it to you in a little Nationals helmet. You have to go to one of the soft serve areas for that.
By the way, Ben's is Bill Cosby's fav.
posted by tittergrrl at 1:05 PM on May 9, 2008
You don't have to get it from the Ben's stand though, any of the hot dog stands can do a half smoke with Ben's chili. The Ben's line can get realllly long.
Hard Times Cafe has a stand too, and I'm a big fan of their Cincinnati chili Frito Pie. Comes with corn bread as well!
Giffords Ice Cream has a stand as well, and they have some delicious ice cream. Though they won't give it to you in a little Nationals helmet. You have to go to one of the soft serve areas for that.
By the way, Ben's is Bill Cosby's fav.
posted by tittergrrl at 1:05 PM on May 9, 2008
OH! Also note, the Metro is having a switch replaced on the Green line... FOR THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS. They have posted this advisory (emphasis mine).
"Yellow and Green Line Track Maintenance
Metrorail customers traveling between the L’Enfant Plaza and Mt. Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center Metrorail stations should add 30 to 45 minutes of travel time for their trips because of switch maintenance work at the Mt. Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center Metrorail station. Inbound and outbound trains between these locations will share one track from 11 p.m., Friday, May 9, to closing (midnight) Sunday, May 11. All Yellow and Green Line trains will operate every 24 minutes throughout the weekend and all Yellow Line trains will operate between the Huntington and Greenbelt Metrorail stations. To expedite train traffic, two trains in a row will share the same track and head in the same direction, between the L’Enfant Plaza and Mt. Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center Metrorail stations. Those trains will be about two minutes apart."
(As found here)
If you are taking the Metro, you can only get there by Green Line so I dunno how much this will affect travelling to the game or not. I'd err on the side of caution and either leave really early (you'll definitely get some Ben's that way!), drive, or go to Union Station and take the charter bus (which is free!)
Apologies for being off topic
posted by tittergrrl at 1:10 PM on May 9, 2008
"Yellow and Green Line Track Maintenance
Metrorail customers traveling between the L’Enfant Plaza and Mt. Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center Metrorail stations should add 30 to 45 minutes of travel time for their trips because of switch maintenance work at the Mt. Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center Metrorail station. Inbound and outbound trains between these locations will share one track from 11 p.m., Friday, May 9, to closing (midnight) Sunday, May 11. All Yellow and Green Line trains will operate every 24 minutes throughout the weekend and all Yellow Line trains will operate between the Huntington and Greenbelt Metrorail stations. To expedite train traffic, two trains in a row will share the same track and head in the same direction, between the L’Enfant Plaza and Mt. Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center Metrorail stations. Those trains will be about two minutes apart."
(As found here)
If you are taking the Metro, you can only get there by Green Line so I dunno how much this will affect travelling to the game or not. I'd err on the side of caution and either leave really early (you'll definitely get some Ben's that way!), drive, or go to Union Station and take the charter bus (which is free!)
Apologies for being off topic
posted by tittergrrl at 1:10 PM on May 9, 2008
I have been to 7 games so far, and I will give you this advice with the assumption that you are not in the club level (mmmm nachos and free cookies...), avoid red hot and blue, its not as good as it is outside. get a Ben's Half Smoke all the way, and boardwalk fries, and go to the liquor store across the street from the parking garages on N and South Capitol and buy a couple little bottles of liquor to make your lemonade more interesting (please note that you will need to sneak in the bottles, but they are little so its easy).
Even the "cheap" bear is going to cost you at least 7.50 a bottle.
The neighborhood is going to come around, but currently its a wasteland outside the stadium so you won't really have any bars to choose from.
posted by BobbyDigital at 1:16 PM on May 9, 2008
Even the "cheap" bear is going to cost you at least 7.50 a bottle.
The neighborhood is going to come around, but currently its a wasteland outside the stadium so you won't really have any bars to choose from.
posted by BobbyDigital at 1:16 PM on May 9, 2008
Response by poster: Thanks everyone. I was googling around for lists, and I did see the washington post one but personal recommendations are always better IMO. Looks like Ben's for sure. And thank you tittergrrl - that's useful. We're staying at the Hilton on 16th and S(?) so will be getting there via some sort of public transport.
posted by gaspode at 1:17 PM on May 9, 2008
posted by gaspode at 1:17 PM on May 9, 2008
re: tittergirl's point, the metro stop at Capitol South (blue/orange) is just a little further away but is still a very do-able walk. It's my choice for LEAVING the game no matter what... the escalators at Navy Yard just can't handle all the people leaving after the game and it gets really clogged up there.
posted by nkknkk at 1:22 PM on May 9, 2008
posted by nkknkk at 1:22 PM on May 9, 2008
« Older Get a mortgage from an unstable bank? | Where can I get the best deal on a VPS or Ded... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
I prefer the REAL food in the stadium - ie, stuff you could get outside, but of course, tastes better because you're watching a ball game.
The Washington Post put an article out in March about what kind of food to expect.
My favorites? The Ben's Half-smoke dogs with Chili is always a hit. There's also a Five Guys for your burger needs, Red Hot & Blue for your BBQ needs, and Cantina Marina for other such tasty things.
Beer is tougher - it's hellishly expensive within the park, with a bottle of Miller Light going for something like $7 or $8 if I remember correctly. The cups of Bass Ale, however, are the same price, so I went for those instead.
ALSO if none of that interests you - you can bring your own food into the Ballpark.
posted by SNWidget at 12:24 PM on May 9, 2008