Citi Field - New York Mets
- Vinny Martin
- Jun 17
- 7 min read
Photos by Vinny Martinand Richard Smith, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.57
Citi Field
41 Seaver Way Flushing, NY 11368
Year Opened: 2009
Capacity: 41,922
“Citi” That Never Sleeps
Major League Baseball’s New York Mets have called Citi Field home for 18 years. Opening in 2009, it was the successor to the infamous Shea Stadium, where the Mets played for 44 years, from 1964 to 2008. Citi Field resides directly on the site of the old Shea Stadium. The Mets also called the historic Polo Grounds home for the 1962 and 1963 seasons.
Citi Field is located in the New York City borough of Queens, specifically in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. The naming rights belong to the New York financial services company Citigroup.
The ballpark can be described as having a classic modern design, featuring upscale modern amenities with old school design elements. Citi Field design elements take inspiration from the aforementioned Polo Grounds and Brooklyn's Ebbets Field.
Food & Beverage 5
It is not an understatement to say that Citi Field may offer one of the most impressive selections of concessions at any professional sports venue in the country. There is a great variety of food and drink here, at a very high quality.
Of course, you can find your typical selection of Hot Dogs, Ice Cream, Burgers, Fries, Pretzels, and Popcorn, most of which are located at Nathan’s stands scattered throughout every corner of the ballpark. While those are good options for picky eaters, you’d be doing yourself a disservice by limiting yourself to just those things.
Citi Field has many “food zones” scattered throughout the ballpark. The most impressive being located behind the (gigantic) Jumbotron in center-field. Here, you can find a massive Mets themed Shake Shack, as well as Metropolitan Fry Factory, Amazin’ Chicken, Filet Mignon Steak Sandwiches, and Wok N Roll, a hidden but intriguing spot recommended by Stadium Journey, as they serve a different type of egg roll for every series, inspired by the city of the visiting team.
There are many air conditioned food halls, highlighted by the Metro Market on the third floor. Accessible to all ticket holders, this modern food court features super unique options such as Korean BBQ, and full service bars. Fans willing to climb to the skies will find another outdoor food court on the 4th level behind home plate, featuring even more unique offerings such as Jamaican beef patties.
Thirsty Mets fans will not have any trouble at Citi Field, as almost all domestic and premium beers, hard seltzers, mixed drinks, wine, bourbon and tequila can be found all around the ballpark. Tucked away in the upper deck in left center is the Milagro Tequila Deck, an underrated spot to get a drink with a great vantage point of the game. Coca-Cola products are offered at Citi Field and can be found at nearly every stand.
Atmosphere 5
The atmosphere at Citi Field is simply fantastic. The in game presentation is extremely high quality, as fans are always able to be entertained between innings with typical lighthearted competitions. The “Borough Race” is a classic that puts the 5 boroughs of New York City against each other. As Stadium Journey visited on the day after the Knicks won the NBA finals, the borough race ended in a 5 way tie to signify the unification of New York City after the teams long awaited victory, which was a nice touch.
Walking around this ballpark, you will constantly notice things going on around you. The Mr. and Mrs. Met mascots circulate the concourse for pictures with fans. Kids will enjoy a miniature wiffleball field and other games in center field.
Citi Field is very aesthetically pleasing. Taking architectural inspiration from stadiums of New York’s past, the place has a classic feel. The exterior brick arches resemble Brooklyn's Ebbets Field. The green seats resemble the Polo Grounds, and many elements such as the iconic “home run apple” pay homage to Shea Field. The “Coca-Cola” corner in right field is one of the best spots in the park, with concession options, ample seating and an amazing view of the action. (And a great view of the Queens skyline behind you).
Neighborhood 4
Citi Field is located in the Flushing Meadow-Corona Park neighborhood of Queens. It is an area that may have seemed drab in the past, but is going through some redevelopment. The area directly around the stadium is mostly parking lots, but a short walk will bring you to the sight of the 1964 World's Fair, as well as the Queens Zoo. The ballpark shares a neighborhood with another major sports venue, USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the tennis US Open, which is a short distance away and can be seen from multiple spots throughout Citi Field.
Of course, being in one of the five boroughs of New York City, you are never too far away from the thousands of restaurants, attractions and entertainment options of Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Fans 4
It has been a rough season for the Mets, but their fans still show up to Citi Field regardless of the product on the field. There is a pretty impressive tailgate scene here, with the action in the parking lots resembling the vibe of a football game. It was a very dominant Mets crowd even with the visiting Braves in town, whose fans travel very well.
During the game, the atmosphere was a little more laid back compared to the crosstown Yankee Stadium. Fans are still very knowledgeable and passionate for their team, and very friendly too.
Access 5
For being in the middle of America's most populous city, getting to Citi Field is about as easy as it gets. The stadium is located at the confluence of the Whitestone Expressway and the Grand Central Parkway. Of course, always prepare for traffic in New York City. The 7 Line of the New York City subway runs right next to the stadium and drops off fans at the Mets-Willets Point Station. The Long Island Railroad also serves the ballpark, easily connecting fans to Penn Station in Manhattan and Port Washington in Long Island.
Parking is a breeze at Citi Field, with a gigantic lot circling the stadium, and various other lots less than a 10 minute walk away. Citi Field’s main entrance leads guests directly into the Jackie Robinson Rotunda. However this entrance will have the longest lines at the time of gate opening and the mass of fans creates a logjam in the rotundas single escalator. It is recommended to utilize one of Citi Field's other entrances and check out the rotunda later in your visit, as it will remain practically empty after the initial rush.
Citi Field has very wide concourses, even on the top deck, allowing for very easy navigation of the stadium. There are over 800 handicap accessible seating options and plenty of ramps and elevators available.
Return on Investment 4
A Mets game at Citi Field is a premium sports experience and it is certainly priced like one. While general admission tickets can be found at affordable prices, parking and concessions more than makes up for any good deals. Parking in the main lot at Citi Field is $50. Most concession items are very expensive too, albeit high quality. You also will not find any alcoholic beverage for under $16, besides a draft domestic beer. There are ways to have an affordable experience at Citi Field, such as visiting against a lower tier opponent or on a weekday night, but expect to pay a good amount for a worthwhile experience here.
Extras 5
The Jackie Robinson Rotunda is one of the grandest entrances to any sports venue anywhere. While then Mets owner Fred Wilpon faced criticisms at the time for the over-emphasis on the Brooklyn Dodgers, the rotunda is a great way to honor the legacy of Jackie Robinson and serves as an incredible entryway to the stadium.
Citi Field has some very cleverly named concession stands and shops. The global food court in right field is called “World’s Fare”, appropriately named after the 1964 World’s Fair that took place less than a half mile from where Citi Field stands today. Amazin’ Chicken is a play on the “Amazin’ Mets” nickname they earned after their World Series run in 1969.
As previously mentioned, famous stadiums of New York’s past are well represented at Citi Field. The exterior architecture of the stadium is meant to resemble Ebbets Field. The choice to make the seats green at Citi Field may not make sense, but they intentionally represent the Polo Grounds, the Mets first ever home stadium. The Mets previous home Shea Stadium is also well represented, with the beloved Home Run Apple appearing in centerfield for every long ball by the home team. The Shea Bridge in right center is another cool feature that gives fans a great view of the game and overlooks the bullpens.
Citi Field is the only ballpark in the MLB to have orange foul poles, representative of the orange in the Mets color scheme.
Finally, due to Citi Field’s close proximity to LaGuardia Airport (LGA), fans will notice planes taking off and landing right over the ballpark every few minutes, creating a unique element that cannot be found at many other places.
Final Thoughts
A Mets game at Citi Field can be described as a premium experience. It is certainly priced like one, but it is well worth the splurge. With excellent food and drink options, a fantastic gameday presentation and unique visual aesthetic, a trip here should be on every baseball fan's bucket list, regardless of the success on the field.
Follow Vinny’s stadium journeys on TikTok @vinnymartin_
