The New Yankee Stadium has been best described as Disneyland with beer and hot dogs and I could not agree more. From the moment we were catching glimpses of the new stadium from the packed subway train the excitement began stirring. As we walked down the stairs from the platform we saw the old Yankee Stadium looming over us like a great old man looking on at a child playing.  The child is the new Yankee Stadium right across the street gleaming, shiny and new.

The outside of the stadium is quite impressive. It has an open façade right into the Great Hall. After you walk across the world’s largest crosswalk you can enter the Great Hall. Right outside the entrances there is a large patio with food vendors and people just hanging out.  One could compare this area to the area outside the old stadium between the stadium and the parking garage. You can buy a hot dog or one of the many novelties being sold off a push cart.

Once you enter the Great Hall you are overwhelmed with nostalgia. There are very large banners hanging on the inside of the façade that feature recent Yankee greats on one side and then older Yankee greats on the other. The direction in which you are walking will determine the era of greats.  There are also other large banners featuring some memorable Yankee moments and a large picture of Reggie Jackson.

This is a good time to discuss the massive amount of food offerings at the New Yankee Stadium. Of course, there are your hot dogs, a few different brands actually including Nathans. The condiments are actually branded with the Yankees logo. They then branch off with food. There is a place to get sushi, tons of different sandwich shops including many Boars’ Head stands, a noodle stand, Moe’s Southwestern Grill has a presence and finally the Garlic Fries. The garlic fries were a very intriguing prospect to us. This author can honestly say bypass the garlic fries no matter what level of curiosity you feel. In addition to the stadium offerings there are two major restaurants on the premises. There is a Hard Rock Café and the NYY Steakhouse. Both of these have access from the street and you do not need a ticket to get in.

UPDATE: On my third trip I finally got the Hot Dog situation figured out. You can get a regular hor dog for $5.50 or a foot long for $6.75. The foot long is such a better bargan! I also love how everything down to the paper wrapping is Yankee branded.

Now for the beer. This is really what it comes down to at a ball game right? This would not be a Beer Mug Hub without it. Compared to the food offerings the beer offerings fall a little short. Sure there are plenty of bars like the Tommy Bahamas’ bar and the Legends Martini Bar but as far as the variety of beer goes it’s a little lacking. There is a stand that sells beers of the world which features Heineken, Beck’s and Stella Artois. There is also a Retro Beer stand in the great hall that sells Pabst Blue Ribbon, Schaefer and Peils for those of you feeling a bit nostalgic. The larger Souvenir cups are $10 and the smaller cups are $6. Your basic beers were ever present; the Miller Lite, Bud, Coors Light and Bud Light. It was a bit disappointing that there were no offerings from the great breweries located right in NYC.

The Stadium features two huge team shops that were always jam packed when we visited. There is a Museum located on the premises and Monument Park of course. The bleacher section seems like the place to be. There are tons of food and beer offered at stand located right under the scoreboard.  There is a café area that perfectly overlooks center field. Located under that is the Mohegan Sun Sports bar which we have not had the pleasure of visiting yet.

Overall, this author loves the New Yankee Stadium. We also had to chuckle a bit at the stadium employees and their “how may I help you” signs they hold up.  Hopefully, every Yankee fan gets a chance to visit and get their own feel for the Bomber’s new home. If you have gone to the new stadium feel free to comment with your own opinions, likes, dislikes or experiences.