Anything Good around McAfee Stadium?

[Skunk2Racer]

Taking my God Son to first Baseball game. A's Vs Giants. Takning BART from fremont to Oakland Any Recs? Thanks Also Anything Not to miss trying ath the game?

[nancyhudson]

First ballgame ever? You've GOT to do ballpark food at the ballpark! Have fun, and I'm with Ruth...GO A's!

[Skunk2Racer]

Thanks for all the Recs. The Little Guy is almost 5 years old. Guess we'll do hot dogs, & the BBQ sandwich sounds good.

[wontonsoup]

Five years old! Hot dogs, peanuts, and malts for sure! You should have one of each with him. Have a great time -- we have yet to take our little girl, almost 5 also.

[rahir]

Yes, go early enough (1 1/2 hour before game on weekdays, 2 hours prior to first pitch on weekends) and watch BP. Go down to section 128-130 (home side) or corresponding area on visiting side and try to catch fly balls. Pitchers often will come over after practice and sign balls/autographs.

There's a BBQ place over near section 130 or 131. Don't miss the peach or sweet potato pie (warm with whipped cream). On a hot day, I'm also partial to the sno-cones (via the mobile seller dudes) and the hand-scooped ice cream (ask at the customer service desk where this is- I want to say 126 but this sounds wrong). There's also hand-squeezed lemonade somewhere near 121 (near the ramp by the customer service table).

[Skunk2Racer]

K Thanks Will do!

[chocolatetartguy]

If I were you, I would just eat whatever looks good at the Stadium rather than going to Fruitvale or wherever. The point of the exercise here is baseball, not food. You'd be doing fine with a hot dog, a beer/soda, peanuts, popcorn, ice cream.

[junesix]

The NY Times mapped out the hits and misses in every baseball stadium. For McAfee Coliseum, they recommend the "famous ball tip sandwich" from Kinder's BBQ: hoagie roll stuffed with sliced barbecue sirloin, lettuce, tomatoes, and Kinder's smoky-sweet sauce. They say to avoid fried fish, fried chicken, and fried anything.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/20...

[Ruth Lafler]

That sandwich is actually pretty good.

[kc72]

nice. will have to try it next time I'm at the park.

I sat in one of the sections by their stand on the last homestand and didn't notice much bbq smell -- at least not as much as the bbq stand on the other side.

[Ruth Lafler]

Comments on Kinders at the Coliseum from another thread: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/43885...

[Robert Lauriston]

The main article says that reviewer hit 12 parks around the country in "a few weekends," and doesn't even mention Oakland except in the context of a game in Seattle. I'm skeptical that he ate enough to have an informed opinion.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/tra...

[Nina]

If you forget to bring soft drinks, you can buy them (in plastic bottles) from the stand in the BART station before you go over the bridge.
If you actually need to buy food in the stadium, your best bets are Kinder's or the other BBQ stand, on either side of the field level concourse just before you hit the bleachers. Saag's sausages are perfectly okay, but no different from Saag's sausages you can make at home, except for the overpricing and the long line. Avoid the fish and chips.

[Skunk2Racer]

Thanks I'm Clueless, Just a Dodgers/Angels Fan from LA. Ok NOT taking BART we have 2 VIP parking spots. We have a Luxury box. What to get now?

[kc72]

No food ordered to the luxury box?

If you want more of a sit-down meal, you can eat in the WestSide Club (2nd deck between home and 1st) -- you can go to the host stand and get on the list for a table, or you can sit down at any of the tables behind the bar and ask one of the waiters/bartenders for a menu. They also have a couple of food stations in the Westside Club to choose from also

[rworange]

So ... does that mean you are now driving from Fremont to Oakland? Does that mean any place from point to point would be considered? What type of food does the god son like and how old? Are you looking to eat before or after the game? Day or night game? What day of the week?

I know this sounds picky, but within a half mile of the stadium, there's limited choices.

I'm not sure if food is included with a luxury box. There's something about "Guests with Plaza Club tickets have an optional Westside Club meal included in the ticket price. "
http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/oak/ballpark/oak_ballpark_guide.jsp

Here's some similar queries about food near the coliseum
http://www.chow.com/search?search%5Bq...

[PorkButt]

The only times I've been in the luxury boxes have included a buffet and open bar by the host, but I'm pretty sure that you have staff at your disposal to get items from the concessions.

You also have many more food options. I remember the dogs to be bigger than the standard dogs and there were dishes like carnitas, black beans, and tortillas but you may have to order in advance.

FYI the dogs are made by Miller's and can be much better than those awful Weinerschitzel dogs in Anaheim.

[Xiao Yang]

Right across San Leandro St. from the BART Station there's a little place called Sonny's BBQ that puts out pretty good 'cue and fried catfish, along with excellent burgers.

[Ruth Lafler]

I've been wondering about that place -- it's fairly new, used to be a burger joint. On the weekends there are usually a couple of taco trucks parked on Coliseum Way (the street that deadends into the north parking lot entrance). But otherwise, the area around the Coliseum is commercial/industrial, and of course the complex itself is surrounded by acres of parking lot.

For a first baseball game, though, I think you should go for the classic ballgame experience: hot dogs, chocolate malts, etc. Bring your own peanuts and soda, though (you can bring food and drink in as long as they're not in glass or metal containers and the bag you're carrying meets the stadium guidelines (no backpacks or large bags)). Go A's!

[Xiao Yang]

It's been Sonny's since at least September, 2006. I know because it fed me on one of my last work efforts before I retired -- fielding a survey of AirBart riders, with the Coliseum Station as a base. I only had the catfish (twice), but my field survey crew vouched for the burgers and the BBQ. I think it's a family or a husband-wife operation; very nice people, but they operate at a leisurely pace.

[rworange]

Haven't eaten there but the rules of the restaurant are funny ... some, but not all of Sonny's 10 commandments ...

- This is not Mac Donald's
- Don't rush Sonny or his food
- Read the menu, read the menu, read the menu & read the menu
- Leave my cook alone. She get confused easily! Talk to the cashier
- Do not expect us to be perfect. As far as we know only Jesus was perfect

Have a Sonny Day

-----
Doug's #1 BBQ
7127 San Leandro St, Oakland, CA 94621

[Ruth Lafler]

So I checked Doug's (formerly Sonny's) out the other day, and it was kinda pathetic. I ordered a pork ribs and tri-tip combo with hot sauce. There was no discernible smoke, and if that was the hot sauce, I can't imagine the mild, 'cause there was no heat at all. That said, the ribs were juicy and flavorful, just not barbecue. I gave the tri-tip and the sides away after a couple of bites.

[rworange]

Thanks for taking the bullet.

[ML8000]

That's really disappointing to hear. No smoke makes it more disappointing.

Did you see smoked turkey on the menu? Their smoked turkey at the old location was very good...but things don't sound promising.

[Ruth Lafler]

I do not believe this location has any connection with the old Emeryville Doug's. The people working in the food-prep area appeared to be Asian.

[chipman]

I'm with you Ruth. First game? Get there early let your God son watch BP and infield practice. A hot dog a coke he will love it and so will you. Sometimes it's not about the food.

[mitzimarmle]

Not to mention that if you go on Wednesdays, the dogs are a buck apiece (with a 10 dog limit per visit to the stand).

I generally freeze a liter of water overnight and as the game goes on, it thaws and I'm good to go. Backpacks are okay, as long as they meet the size guidelines. I see people bring them in all the time, so no worries there.

I guess the A's are more leniant than other stadiums I've been to that allow no outside food whatsoever (Seattle being the most strict about this). As Ruth said, no cans or glass bottles for your drinks and you're good to go.

[a_and_w]

Also, while it's been some time since I watched a game at the Coliseum, I do remember the sausage selection being better than average by ballpark standards. Certainly superior to what's available at ballparks back east like Fenway, Yankee Stadium, and Shea, where I've attended many games.

[Ruth Lafler]

Yeah, they serve several different Saag's sausages, and they also sell some different sausage at the Gordon Biersch stands. And as was pointed out, the hot dogs are Miller's and are pretty good.

[JasmineG]

No, not if you're on BART. Your better bet is to take BART farther into Oakland and go to one of the places near the Fruitvale stop, or the 12th St. or 19th St. stations (at 12th is Chinatown, among other options, 19th is near Luka's).