Gameday at Chase Field
Sadly, Chase Field doesn’t have a great tradition of gameday activities – probably because it’s 110 degrees outside most of the season, but also, honestly, the local fans aren’t really much of a DBacks pregaming crowd. But if you know where to look there are some fun hangouts and cool things to see before first pitch.
Pregame options outside the park
Caesars Sportsbook + Guy Fieri’s DTPHX Kitchen & Bar
Located right across from Chase Field’s main gates, this sportsbook and restaurant offers a great place to eat, drink and be merry before or after the game. For those looking to place a wager, the venue offers nine betting windows and 13 self-service kiosks (but with mobile betting apps now legal in Arizona, we don’t really understand why anyone would do the in-person thing). TVs are plentiful, showing a multitude of different live sporting events so you can root on your parlay while you enjoy some bites. The menu offers a variety of bar foods, and for those you familiar with celebrity chef Guy Fieri, you’ll find a few of his classic dishes such as Trash Can Nachos and Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ Wings.
As pregame locations go, it doesn’t get closer to the ballpark than this, and it’s a nice place.
Crown Public House and Willie’s Taco Joint
Directly off the light rail stop, right around the corner from the ballpark, you’ll find the other two bars/restaurants in the immediate area.
Crown Public House serves up pub grub such as fish and chips, burgers, wings, and sandwiches. They also have a great selection of beers both on tap and bottled to wash down all that food. It’s pretty much just your run of the mill bar, but it’s a good space and super convenient.
Right next door to Crown Public House is another local favorite, Willie’s Taco Joint, a colorful taqueria with an excellent tequila selection. This place can get crowded before games but it’s easy to see why. The food is top notch, featuring the award-winning Green Butcher Taco, the Big Fatty burrito, and a tasty salsa bar. If you’re in the mood for Mexican food we definitely recommend eating here before the game rather than inside the ballpark.
FanDuel Sportsbook at Footprint Center
The Caesars Sportsbook is closer, but if you want to check out the Footprint Center or are partial to FanDuel’s brand, you can find the FanDuel Sportsbook a quick 5-minute walk west of Chase Field. If you want to avoid crowds, the atmosphere here will be less crowded and more laid back on non-Suns game days. They have five betting windows, 26 self-service kiosks, 40 TVs and a few rows of plush movie theater style seats so you can kick back and relax while watching all the live sports action. They have a small outdoor terrace, a full bar, and a couple food options, but the menu is pretty bare bones, so we wouldn’t suggest eating here.
Majerle’s
Another solid local option is Majerle’s, Suns legend Dan Majerle’s classic joint. Once named among the Top 25 Sports Bars in America, Majerle’s has been cranking out delicious burgers and other fan favorites for over 30 years. With great service and plenty of TVs to watch sports, it’s a great spot for a pregame meal. Majerle himself is even known to occasionally stop by.
What to do inside the park
Chase Field has a few options for pregaming inside the stadium. There are two restaurants located in left field, Cold Beers and Cheeseburgers, and Bourbon & Bones, and then there’s the Estrella Jalisco Cantina in right field as well.
Cold Beers and Cheeseburgers serves exactly what they say – beer and burgers – but plenty of other options as well. Depending on the type of seat you’d like, you either have to purchase a ticket through the DBacks, or call the restaurant for a reservation. Believe it or not, you can actually get a seat here without buying a game ticket, but you’ll have to pay a table minimum. Check our Seating chapter for full details on that.
Bourbon & Bones is more of an upscale lounge experience, but they serve excellent sweet potato fries and as their name would suggest, offer a large collection of bourbons for you to sample. They have tables inside the restaurant with no view of the field, but also have tables inside the park with a great view. Check our Seating chapter for full details on how to reserve those.
The third option is the new Estrella Jalisco Cantina, formerly known as the Four Peaks Draft Room. This restaurant is “officially” a part of the ballpark, so you won’t be able to get in before the gates open, and you must have a game ticket to access it. The space has a full bar as well as a pub style menu featuring salads, sandwiches, and a few Mexican dishes. The patio is a great place to have a drink and some food, and you can watch the game from there as well. Yep – more details on this in the Seating chapter.
Dbacks 20th Anniversary Museum
Somewhat hidden through a tunnel behind the centerfield concourse, the DBacks have a small, but very well-done 20th Anniversary Museum. This is a great place to check out the story of the team’s short history and relive the 2001 World Championship season. They have some very cool game-used memorabilia, as well as Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers and Cy Young awards won by DBacks players. If you’re a fan of the team, or just baseball history in general, this should definitely be on your list to check out.
For the Kids
The DBacks do an excellent job catering to youngsters with their dedicated children’s play area known as ‘The Sandlot’. Located in the 300 level down the left field line, The Sandlot has activities for junior baseball fans of all sizes. They have a toddler area with a slide and baseball glove tunnel, and a playground with four slides and two clubhouses for kids aged 3+ and 48” or shorter. The best part of The Sandlot is Futures Field, a wiffle ball replica of Chase Field where kids 60” and shorter can take some cuts and run the bases. Also tucked behind Futures Field is a real batting cage open to guests 48” and taller, so mom & dad can get in on the fun as well.
Up here you can also watch the team’s longtime organist, Bobby Freeman, crank out classic ballpark refrains. Make sure to sign up for the free Kids Club in the MLB Ballpark app to earn prizes for every game attended! The entire kids zone opens when the gates open (90 minutes before game time on weekdays and two hours before game time on weekends), so The Sandlot is an excellent place to come and let the kids burn off some energy before first pitch.
Ballpark Tours
Like other things at Chase Field, the ballpark tours seem unnecessarily confusing, and we won’t lie … we can’t even figure it out fully (and we really, really tried). So you’ll have to call the Tour Hotline at 602-462-6799 for the latest schedule or purchase tickets directly from the DBacks website here: https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/ballpark/tours Will there be a tour on the day you want one? Hard to say. But give it a try.
Batting Practice
Bring your mitt and arrive early for a chance to watch pregame batting practice. Gates open 90 minutes before first pitch for Sunday-Thursday games, and two hours prior for Friday and Saturday games. Chances are you won’t get to see the home team hit since the gates aren’t open yet, but you should be able to head to the bleachers and catch the visitors hitting.
Snagging Autographs
Another popular pregame activity is autograph hunting. At Chase Field, the home team is on the third base side and the visitors along the first base side. Your best bet is to make your way down as close as you can to the field along the baselines, or head near the bullpens if you’re hoping to find a pitcher or catcher. There should be some other people gathered around waiting so bring a pen and hop in line.
First Game Certificates
Chase Field has two spots available to snag a first game certificate. On the lower level concourse visit the Guest Relations Center in Section 128, or if you’re in the 300 level, you can find the same in Section 322.
DBacks Legends Mascot Race
The ever popular mascot race has its own twist at Chase Field. Here you’ll find big-headed versions of DBacks legends Mark Grace, Matt Williams, Randy Johnson, and Luis Gonzalez competing for speed supremacy. Races take place following the 5th inning, starting from the right field corner and ending near home plate. The mascots also walk around before the game and after the race if you want to take some photos.
Bottom Line
Chase Field isn’t the greatest gameday ballpark in the league. But if you know what to look for, there’s enough to do to fill up a pregame or two. Check out the museum, eat in one of the restaurants (or outside at Willie’s Taco Joint), take a lap around – it won’t be hard to cover it all.