Stadium Questions: Busch and US Cellular

[dayzedcrewfan]

If this is in the wrong areas mods please move, but I have a few stadium questions for those who have traveled. First, I'm going to the final series of the year in St. Louis and was wondering how the stadium/fans are? Good places to eat etc. Secondly, my wife is a big Red Sox fan (she assures me shes a Brewers fan first!!), so for our anniversary I got us tickets to US Cellular in September for the White Sox/Red Sox series. We are staying at the Hyatt Regency off of Michigan Ave. (Wacker Dr.). Any advice on transportation, comments on the stadium and area, places to eat, etc. Any comments, advice or otherwise would be appreciated. Thanks all!!

[stoutdude04]

Me and some friends went to Saturday night Sunday morning games in St. Louis. The fans were nice and I actually liked the stadium a bit. This of course was before we were any good and we got our cans handed to us.

[bball123h]

St. Louis fans are awesome. I was at the Brewer series last season, and they couldn't have been friendlier. I'd recommend getting a hotel downtown and just walking to the game. There's tons of bars/restaurants in the area, so you should have no problem finding a good place to eat.

 

You're also within a mile of the arch, if you like cramming yourself into a miniature transport for a view of downtown.

[BrewCrewRising]

If this is in the wrong areas mods please move, but I have a few stadium questions for those who have traveled. First, I'm going to the final series of the year in St. Louis and was wondering how the stadium/fans are? Good places to eat etc. Secondly, my wife is a big Red Sox fan (she assures me shes a Brewers fan first!!), so for our anniversary I got us tickets to US Cellular in September for the White Sox/Red Sox series. We are staying at the Hyatt Regency off of Michigan Ave. (Wacker Dr.). Any advice on transportation, comments on the stadium and area, places to eat, etc. Any comments, advice or otherwise would be appreciated. Thanks all!!

 

St. Louis is OK. Fans are OK, I don't dig on the new stadium that much, but that's just me. Don't remember any must-eat places to eat.

 

For US Cellular: Transportation is simple. If you go via the subway, take the red line south toward 95/Dan Ryan, and get off at Sox/35th. You're within a block of the stadium. Or you can get on the green line on the EL and get off at IIT/35 and you're within about 4 blocks of the stadium. Red line is more populated. So, less of a crowd with the green line to the game. After dark though I don't mind sticking with the red line because the EL can be a bit dodgy at night and the numbers offer safety.

 

Places to eat: so many! You could stop at China Town on your way down. It's a stop away on the red line at the Cermak stop. But around your hotel there are tons of places. You could amble up toward Water Tower place and near that area are some of the more popular Chicago Style pizza restaurants. Or you could venture west of the loop and go to Greek town. But north of Water Tower and in and around there you can find plenty to satisfy you.

 

The food at US Cellular is pretty good though. I usually sit in the bleachers because they're cheaper compared to everything else, and they're so close to good concessions. You do get the biggest meatheads sitting by you though. Avoid the upper deck though because it's dizzying and just not a good place to watch a game from IMO.

[Outlander]

There are obviously a lot of quality places to eat in Downtown Chicago where you are staying at but not a whole heck of a lot around US Cellular. The only bar I saw around there was Jimbo's and it was a pretty dumpy bar. As far as travel is concerned I didn't mind taking the red line which drops you right off by the stadium and even though it's not in the best neighborhood there are plenty of cops around there on game days. Otherwise there is parking around there that is expensive and make sure you don't get lost on the south side.

[galaxtico]

Who has pictures or videos of our stadium?

http://www.stadiumzone.net

will have a complete MLB section soon. When was the stadium inaugurated?

[MkeSouthSide]

Just make sure to keep your shirt tucked in at all times so as to not disrespect anyone.

[ewizabeff]

Much of the information you're looking for regarding St. Louis is in this thread.

[snyttri]

If you have transportation in St. Louis going to one of the Italian restaurants on the Hill could be fun. There are highly regarded places in all price ranges. Cunetto was good.

 

If you want to see Bridgeport when you're at the Cell some of the limited offerings are Franco's restaurant at 31st and Princeton and Freddies, a takeout place with lots of formica table seating at 31st and Union. Bridgeport is nothing special to see but it seemed fairly safe during the day. Freddie's is cheap, popular and has good Italian ice and the Chicago specialties.

[brewcitynick]

i went to stl last year for the double header and the fans where good and they knew baseball... and in between games we went to hooters which was in walking distanse from bush, that worked out really good.

[lodiness]

St. Louis fans are good for the most part. Always a couple that ruin it for the others. As far as places to eat the breakfast at Ed's Chili Mac is the best

[Bring Back the Stein]

I'll try not to be redundant here, but for New Sox Park all you'll have to do is walk up to State and Randolph and hop on the Red Line. Nothing really great around the park bar-wise, but someone already cited Jimbo's, which is good for local flavor. Or walk across Armour Square Park to some other of the local dives. Chinatown stop just north of Sox park can yield you some great dim sum, including Potsticker House, at 30th and Halsted. If you're not afraid of cities, I recommend the Negro League Cafe over on 43rd, a short cab ride from the park. Great soul food and really nice family atmosphere.

 

Your best dining options downtown include my favorite, Frontera Grill/Topolobampo, which is at the corner of Clark and Hubbard. You're spitting distance from The Goat, Billy Goat's Tavern on Lower Mich., the basis for the absurd goat curse thing which, absurd as it is, still brings me great joy.

[apirk]

I live in St. Louis so if you have any specific questions feel free to PM me. Also, if you haven't bought tickets I have a bunch of buy one get one free coupons. I really enjoy going to games at Busch, the fans are great and even when I am decked out in my brewers gear I don't get too much crap, just the usual drunks who are everywhere. For the most part the fans just like talking baseball.

 

Food wise if you have transportation go to the Hill. There are very expensive places and also very affordable places and they are all very good. Downtown Mike Shannon's is a nice spot, pricey but nice. I usually recommend a place called BBS Blues Jazz and Soup. It is close to the stadium, has great food and usually some nice live blues every night.

[tristarscoop]

We were in St. Louis for four days for the series in May and had a blast. People were very nice and talkative and knowledgeable and every time we got good-naturedly razzed, we made a crack about first place or how we could just join together in hating the Cubs and everyone was cool. We even had a guy break away from a graduation meal at a restaurant in the Hill to come talk ball with us.

 

Are you going to have a car in St. Louis? We totally ate our way through the city - Italian on the Hill, Gus' Pretzels, Pappy's BBQ and Crown Candy Kitchen - and I would highly recommend all of them!!! DO NOT MISS PAPPY'S. I have family in and have spent time in St. Louis, Memphis and KC and this was by far the best BBQ I've ever had. The brisket was melt in your mouth good. Plan on going for lunch - they only make so much food per day and when it runs out, it's out, so you can't wait til dinner.

 

I have a whole post up about visiting Busch over on Ladies, but feel free to message me. We stayed across the river in Illinois, but had no issues getting to and from anywhere, always parked near the stadium reasonably and had a great time. I thought the stadium was great - the grass was beautiful, there were no bad sightlines, it's cool having the Arch in the background and the ushers never cared if we moved seats.

 

Also, make sure you eat a Bratzel at the game - a brat wrapped in pretzel! It was spectacularly yummy, but they're only available at a few concession stands.

[jeffy]

I happened to run across this a while ago:

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/travel/news/story?id=3446513

[jimmyjeromehardy7]

I agree with the comments above about the red line to/from US Cellular. Your hotel is probably no more than 5 blocks from the closest red line stop and it takes you right to the ballpark. There is enough parking nearby if you want to drive and the lots owned by the Sox are safe just expensive.

 

I work in a building connected to the Hyatt, there are plenty of good restaurants around. If you want some recommendations for a place for the anniversary dinner, let me know what types of food you like and I will give you some ideas.

[Cdiddy34]

i'm actually thinking about going down for a game in that st. louis series too. i live in springfield, il, so i'm about 1.5 hours away or so. i went to st. louis once since i have lived here and ate at a place called the iron barley. saw it on diners, drive ins, and dives and it was EXCELLENT. it's a real small place, obscure, can't even remember how to get there right now, it's probably 5 milesish from the stadium, but it was awesome.

the stadium looks really cool as you enter st. louis too, i think i'll have to go in september for sure now.

[Portage Plumber]

Teams stay in the Westin which is directly across the street from the stadium. Be careful with upper deck seats as you are a very long way away from the field. Tickets are plentiful from scalpers and reasonable-- for a Mets game I got four 15 rows from homeplate for $120.