Safeco Field Entrance
Review by Alex Akita, Stadium Journey Correspondent
FANFARE Score: 26
Food & Beverage: 5
The beer selection is limited, with only a few non-macro options, and no local options to speak of. Prices are generally ballpark reasonable. Typical stadium fare (hot dogs, nachos, pretzels, etc.) is reasonably priced in the $3-$10 range, depending on your food of choice. A soda will run you between $3.50 and $5, depending on size. Beer prices are fairly high, with a pint costing $8-$8.75, dependent on import or domestic.
Specialty foods (sushi, barbecue, name-brand vendors) can run all the way up to about $12 depending on the item. There are plenty of unique items around the ballpark, including garlic fries and shish-ka-berries, most notably.
Atmosphere: 4
The atmosphere in the park on this night was tempered by a late-arriving crowd. Late arrivers or not, Mariners fans are notorious for being a passive bunch in recent years. Losing will do that to you.
Neighborhood: 4
The Pyramid Alehouse is a multi-story facility that sits directly across the street from the left field gate of Safeco Field. With two indoor levels of seating, as well as an expansive outdoor beer garden (which moonlights as a parking lot), the Alehouse is a quick, convenient, and fairly affordable way to get food and drink before or after a game.
Pyramid Alehouse
For more brazen fans who want to avoid in-stadium beer prices, the Alehouse has a walk-in mini-mart of sorts featuring bottled six-packs of their alcohol selections. For the same price you’d pay in a grocery store, you can purchase micro-brewed beer directly across the stadium and attempt to sneak it in. (Not that we advocate this).
While not your standard restaurant or sports bar, the proximity and practicality of Uwajimaya provides fans a very affordable, very convenient way to get food and drink before or after the game. Fans can purchase items to take to the game (food of any kind can be brought into Safeco Field), or eat on-site in the food court. Uwajimaya is the only full-service grocery store within walking distance of the stadium. The food court features standard American, Chinese, Japanese, Hawaiian, and Korean fares. There is also a large, full-service grocery store.
Inside Uwajimaya
Fans: 3
As the game wore on, the 20,000 or so fans in attendance got excited when they were supposed to (a Jose Lopez home run, for instance), and remained quiet during the down time. The fans were far from a raucous crowd, and bordering on the mundane.
The fans are fairly knowledgeable about baseball, but the organization has done their part to sedate the crowd over the years. (Example: A few years ago a fan was banned from the park for wearing a “YANKEES SUCK” t-shirt.) The family-friendly environment that has been carved out is great if you’re over 50 or under 12, but can be a little frosty if you’re between those ages and/or like your alcohol.
Access: 2
The accessibility to the stadium is average, at best. There is no stadium lot, and only a handful of parking venues nearby. Because of the lack of availability when it comes to parking, you can expect to pay between $10 and $50 for a space, depending on the magnitude of the game. (The average cost is around $20).
If you’re a savant of the area, you might have a chance at free parking in the nearby Pioneer Square or International District neighborhoods. In order to accomplish such a task, you must arrive precisely at 6:00 PM (when many cubicle-dwellers leave for home and street parking becomes free) and be patient enough to circle the block more than once.
Return on Investment: 4
In all, the experience at Safeco Field is worth the price of admission so long as you a) can find inexpensive/free parking and b) do your best to eat/drink outside the stadium.
Extra Points: 4
Safeco Field is an extremely fan-friendly venue. It’s a beautiful stadium with stunning views of Puget Sound, the mountains, and the city (dependent on one’s vantage point) from the upper levels. Food, beverage, and parking prices are on the high end, but ticket prices are reasonable and the stadium itself is worth the price of admission.
Behind Home Plate at Safeco Field
