What to do and see at Yankee Stadium

Stan’s

Stan’s is located on River Avenue just a block away from the ballpark and is pretty much the most iconic Yankees sports bar. It’s now well into its fifth decade as a local watering hole, and it’s worth checking out, even if just for one drink. On weekends or for big games it will be absolutely packed, so you’ll need to be ok with being elbow to elbow if you’re there at one of those times. There aren’t any gameday drink specials, but they do have a small menu with some bar food, including wings which are topped with a sweet and spicy sauce made in-house. 

But heads up: just because you’re outside of the park doesn’t mean that drinks are cheap. $9 for a domestic and $12 for an imported isn’t exactly a bargain. But it’s still better than prices in the ballpark, so if you’re going for quantity, you might as well load up here before heading inside.

Billy’s Sports Bar

Billy’s is a cavernous club-like bar, with dark lighting, flashing strobe lights, and electronic dance music blaring over the speakers. If you didn’t like any of the words in that first sentence, then you can skip ahead to the next section.

But if that sounded appealing to you, here’s what else you need to know.

• Humongous bars span the downstairs floor so you won’t have a problem getting a drink.
• Upstairs is a compact outdoor patio that crowds quickly, but offers a view of the subway trains arriving at the station.
• It will often be busy before Friday, Saturday, and Sunday games, and even during the week for bigger opponents like the Mets, Red Sox, and Dodgers.
• Billy’s also has a restaurant around the corner via the entrance on 161st Street. The club and restaurant are separate, but you will still hear the music. On game days people will stand at the much smaller bar inside of the restaurant to chat and casually drink before the game.

Dugout BX

Dugout BX is right on River Avenue outside of Gate 8. They have some seating outside on the closed street. From the outside it looks like a small bar, but inside there are 3 separate rooms with bars in each. There is also a drab outdoor area in the very back of the bar that might remind you of a prison rec yard. Similar to Billy’s, the music is loud, but it’s mostly people sitting around tables or standing at bar tops. We’d consider this a more low-key spot to grab some drinks before the game.

Yankee Twin Eatery and Bar

Sandwiched between Billy’s and Ballpark Sports Shop on River Avenue is Yankee Twin Eatery. Rooted in Greek heritage, they offer traditional dishes such as gyros, alongside American favorites. Before day games they also offer breakfast sandwiches. Burgers will cost anywhere from $8.50-$12.50, whereas you’ll be paying at least $14.99 inside for Lobel’s Signature Burger and $19.99 for the 99 Burger in the stadium. 

Despite its modest size, the Twin Bar often has a DJ playing before and after games and impresses with its signature frozen drinks, which you won’t be able to find at Billy’s or Stan’s. On gamedays you won’t be able to sit and eat, but it’s another lively spot to grab a drink before the game.

Vega Alta Sports Bar / Yankee Tavern / Bronx Draft House

These are all smaller bars on Gerard Avenue where you can grab some drinks and/or a quick bite before the game. Typically for tourists we would suggest staying closer to 161st Street where all of the foot traffic is (along with the significant police presence). But if you want to wander around the corner to these spots during the day, you certainly can.

Yankees $1.50 Pizza

So you’re thinking to yourself “I don’t want to spend $475 on ballpark food at Yankee Stadium today,” huh? Well, do we have a hack for you – how about $1.50 slices of pizza!!??

Less than a block away from the main gates of the stadium is the $1.50 pizza place. And even though we weren’t expecting much heading in, we have to admit: we think it’s pretty good. So if you’re looking for an outrageous money-saving hack, this could be it. A family of four could chow down for less than $15 if everyone is having two slices, and let’s be honest – $15 will barely buy you an order of fries inside the ballpark.

But heads up: the reviews online are very mixed, and there are repeated claims of customers being shortchanged when paying in cash, and there are also very mixed reviews about cleanliness, service, and food quality. All we can tell you is that our experience was positive and that we would eat here if we were trying to save money (or if we just wanted a little cheap pre-game pizza appetizer before doing our in-stadium eating).

Bullpen Deli

On 161st Street, past the entrance of the restaurant portion of Billy’s Sports Bar, is Bullpen Deli. It’s a classic New York bodega, where you can get a ton of sandwiches, salads, and other choices, and if you want to bring food into the stadium with you, this is a great choice because it can be neatly packaged up. 

But the specific reason I’m sending you here is to purchase your pregame water. You can buy a one-liter bottle (the max allowed into the stadium) for $2.50 here, versus $6.19 inside the ballpark for one half as big. If you’ve got a family of four, that’s $15 you’re saving on four liters of water before you’ve even started your day (and that pays for one of your concessions).

Ballpark Sports Shop

Although Yankees apparel is everywhere, try shopping outside the ballpark for a better deal. Ballpark Sports Shop’s inventory rivals what’s available inside the stadium shop, but at sometimes lower prices. Keep an eye out for steals on jerseys from former players, often tucked away on the sales rack.

Hard Rock Cafe

Adjacent to Gate 6 is the Hard Rock Cafe – yes, the same one that you can find all over the world. So why do it? Well, they’ve got a huge menu, and the prices for a gigantic burger or sandwich are not much more expensive than you’ll find for less impressive concessions inside the park. It’s also a cool place to hang out, full of Yankees memorabilia on the walls. And, if you’d like to do a sit-down meal, there aren’t tons of other choices around, so this is a decent one.

But if you try to book a reservation, you won’t be able to. Sure, they have a link to OpenTable on their website, but it will never give you an open time slot. Why? Because all gameday seating is walk-in only! So if you want to do this, your best bet is to show up early. For weekday evening games they open at 4pm. For weekend games, they open at 9:30am for higher-demand games, and 10am for lesser games (it’s at their discretion – you’ll have to call to find out which your game might be: 646-977-8888).

NYY Steakhouse

Located directly above the Hard Rock Cafe is the NYY Steakhouse. And yes … it’s an actual full-blown steakhouse in the ballpark, with the white linen tablecloths, a seafood bar, nearly 100 different wines, and 21-day aged steaks. So if you’re looking to celebrate some sort of occasion, or just feel like going fancy before watching some baseball, you’ve got a high-end option.

But, of course, with real steakhouses come real steakhouse prices; our bill for two people was $160 (including gratuity) for two entrees, two sides, and no alcohol. And in terms of ambiance, it’s incredibly loud, and the seating can be pretty snug. If you’re at a table for two you might be seated uncomfortably close to another group of two. It gives you the chance to make new friends, but not much privacy. 

There’s also no view of the field from the restaurant, so we would suggest that you only dine before the game – you didn’t come to the Bronx to eat expensive steak and not watch baseball. So make sure to grab a reservation for no later than 5:30-6:00 for a 7:05pm game.

TSI TIP: If you’re wondering, yes … they do book up, and they only accept reservations two weeks in advance. So if you’re serious about this, you’ll need to jump online and make a reservation as soon as the booking window opens up for your game. 

Our opinion: we thought the meal and the service were really good. But ask yourself: do you want to scarf down a heavy meal like this before a baseball game? If yes, then go right ahead. But you’ll also be missing out on the concessions in the ballpark, and you’ll be paying a fairly decent premium. This is really a personal judgment call about whether this is the experience you’re looking for.

Monument Park

Monument Park is the one thing that every visitor must check out (except, perhaps, if you’re a Red Sox fan). It’s a garden area in center field with plaques dedicated to all of the Yankee greats, and is a fantastic tribute to the team’s history. 

But be warned: this is an incredibly popular exhibit, and it’s only open for 45 minutes after the main gates open. If you don’t hustle over there right away, there’s a very good chance that you won’t get to see it. So if you’re only going to be at Yankee Stadium for one game, you need to decide if this is a priority, and if it is, then this should be your only pregame focus. Head to Gate 8, which is the closest gate to Monument Park, and get in line early. If you go directly there to get in line when the main gates open, you should be fine.

If you’ve got multiple days at the park, then you can hit up Monument Park on one day, and then check out other pregame stuff on your next day. But just to be safe, do Monument Park on your first day, just in case you get shut out.

TSI Tip: if you want to guarantee yourself access to Monument Park, consider signing up for one of the tours (outlined below). They’ll cost you money, but will also relieve the stress of trying to get into Monument Park before it closes.

Yankees Museum

Whether you bleed pinstripes or not, a visit to the Yankees museum is worth a peak. Encased behind the glass walls lies a treasure trove of history that not only celebrates and pays tribute to the illustrious past of the Yankees, but also showcases artifacts from some of baseball’s most legendary athletes. No need to arrive early, since the museum opens with the main gates and stays open until the end of the 8th inning. You can either catch it before the game, or consider popping in between innings when the crowds are lighter.

TSI TIP: if you don’t think you’ll get to this during the pregame, consider buying tickets in the outfield or right field, which will be closer to the museum, so you can get there faster and won’t miss as much game time.

Kids Clubhouse

If the kids need a break from baseball, bring them to the Kids Clubhouse outside of section 310 in right field. It’s nothing that special, but the kids can run around and tire themselves out, and there are TVs around as well so you won’t miss the game.

Points of interest / photo spots (including Judge’s Chambers)

You are allowed to go to any section (besides the low level suites) up until 45 minutes before the game. If you’d like to get a picture close to the field, do so early before the stadium starts to get crowded. 

Two particularly good spots for pictures are the MasterCard Batter’s Eye Deck, which will give you the whole field in the background of your picture. Meanwhile, the Judge’s Chambers in Section 104 is also a great spot for a photo op. If you get there when gates open it should be empty. 

In the left field bleachers are also the numbers of all retired Yankee numbers. It is behind a handicap section but if you get there early you will be able to get a picture.

Finally, the Great Hall is another good spot for both pictures and selfies. It’s hard to miss, as it runs along the entire length of 161st Street inside the gates (but on the outside of the concourse). It’s also where you’ll find the team store.