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Citizens Bank Park (map it)
One Citizens Bank Way
Philadelphia, PA 19148
Year Opened: 2004
Capacity: 43,647
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Citizens Bank Park
Citizens Bank Park is the home of the 2008 World Champion Philadelphia Phillies. Built near the former spot of the not-at-all-missed Veterans Stadium, it is part of the massive Philadelphia Sports Complex, which includes Lincoln Financial Field, home of the NFL's Eagles, and Wells Fargo Arena Center, home of the NHL's Flyers, Arena Football's Soul and the NBA's 76ers.
The last of the three to be built, "The Bank" is a vast improvement over the Vet.
What is FANFARE?
The FANFARE scale is our metric device for rating each stadium experience. It covers the following:
- Food & Beverage
- Atmosphere
- Neighborhood
- Fans
- Access
- Return on Investment
- Extras
Each area is rated from 0 to 5 stars with 5 being the best. The overall composite score is the "FANFARE Score".
Food & Beverage
5
It is hard to find fault with the selection here at Citizens Bank Park. You have all your ballpark classics, along with standard Philly classics like hoagies, cheesesteaks (Tony Luke's? One word: overrated. Plenty of other choices though.), and water ice, which is like the best Italian Ice you've ever had, only better.
They offer veggie burgers (not bad) and Vegan hot dogs. (Really bad. Indescribably so.) There is a lot of variety to be had in Ashburn Alley, named for Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn. Running behind the outfield, you'll find the aforementioned Tony Luke's, Planet Hoagie, Campo's (more cheesesteaks), Alley Grill (any type of grilled sandwich you can imagine, including a vegetarian black bean burger) and Bull's BBQ. If you've been to Baltimore, Bull's is almost as good as Boog's. Almost. But Bull's variety is better.
There is a surprisingly good sit down restaurant in left field called Harry the K's, named for the late, great Harry Kalas. Terrific selections include pork tacos, basil fettuccine and steak spring rolls. Beyond that it is standard American fare. There are two levels with a full restaurant downstairs, and full service bar upstairs.
Do not, under any circumstances, leave the park without getting an order of Crab Fries from the mini Chickie's and Pete's. You will regret it for the rest of your life. Unless you go to the big Chickie's and Pete's after the game. More on that later.
The beer selection is decent, not great, but well priced, around seven bucks for 21 ounces.
One warning: Arrive early, and eat early, or you might be in line for the whole game. There are a lot of people here every night.
Atmosphere
4
The atmosphere described in a word is electric. As mentioned above, this place is packed to the gills every single night. The rally towels are crazy in person; TV does not do them justice. The Bank gets an extra point here for being the site of a final game of a winning championship. The stadium is not old enough to have a deep history yet, though Phillies fans would argue that the 2008 World Title was pretty historical, and then push you down a flight of stairs, boo you, throw snowballs at you and intentionally vomit on you for disagreeing.
Neighborhood
5
Chickie's and Pete's gives this the full 5 points here, in fact, if I could give more, I would. You can valet park your car here for $15. The Taxi Crab will drive you to "The Bank," then pick you up and bring you back after. (You will be towed if you just park and walk, not the fault of the establishment, but a rule of the lot owner.) The Crab Fries must be eaten to be believed. If you like seafood, this is the spot. If you like bar food, this is the spot. If you like giant TV screens almost one and a half stories tall, this is the spot.
How about video game playing pods? The back portion, PLAY2, has Amusement Pod Entertainment Centers, or apecs. You can reserve an apec and play PS3, Wii, or Xbox 360 games with your friends or against groups in other apecs. Or you can just hang out at the bar and watch people play in the apecs, or listen to the DJ. Seriously, this is a crazy great place.
It was rated "Best Sports Bar on the East Coast" by ESPN, and it lives up to it. It was rated "Best Sports Bar In The History Of The World" by me. They have "Beer Towers," a three foot (or so) tall container of beer with a tap on it. It holds 120 ounces for $25 (domestic) or $30 (imported). It is what ESPNZone wished it could have been. It is your neighborhood bar with lots of makeup on, looking all hot at the club on a Friday night. You have to come here. Forget the arena. Just come here.
There are other spots as well. McFadden's is a good Irish/sports pub attached to Citizens Bank Park. Behind Citizens Bank Park is the cleverly named Stadium Sports Bar Restaurant in the Holiday Inn (the name is the best thing about it.) Look, just go to Chickie's, trust me. It's worth it.
Fans
5
The fans are loud and rowdy, but actually much better behaved than they were at the Vet. Of course, I was rooting for the Phillies, so no one bothered me. I have seen fans of the opposing teams hassled a little here; however, there was nothing over the top. Again, though, I am a Phillies fan, so over the top might be a matter of perspective. Say what you will about Phillies fans, but they know the game, and they show up, win or lose. Oh, there's heckling and booing too. Phillies fans are a passionate bunch. There was even a guy with his face painted. In the third deck. At a BASEBALL game. Who paints their face for a baseball game?
And contrary to legend, there is no jail in the stadium. That was at The Vet.
Access
5
The stadium is right off I-95, the main interstate on the East Coast. It is easy to find. There is more parking than you will know what to do with, and it is only $12. There is a subway stop a block away. You are not allowed to tailgate in The Bank's lots, which I thought was a silly thing to even have to say (who tailgates at baseball games?) until I saw people tailgating in Lincoln Financial Field's lot across the street. Oh, yeah, Philly fans tailgate at Bingo, I forgot. Like with most of the new ballparks, bathrooms are plentiful, with family changing rooms in select locations. They are surprisingly clean.
Return on Investment
4
An excellent stadium, as evidenced by the fact that 45,000 or so people come every night. The food is a hair overpriced, but not too bad for a ballpark. They will sell standing room only tickets at a discount three hours before game time if they are available. If you need to sit down, find a friend who doesn't need their tickets, or you will be paying a "broker" a lot of money. They sell out virtually every game.
Extras
2
One point for general greatness. Also, there's another point for Chickie's and Pete's since I can only give 5 points for the neighborhood.
Final Thoughts
Citizens Bank Park is an overall great place to see a game. If you are in town, it is a must stop. Forget the Liberty Bell, come to The Bank. And Chickie's and Pete's.
Geoff Crawley is the Mid Atlantic Regional Correspondent and Voice of the Fan and is the host of a weekly podcast.
Crowd Reviews
I Brotherly Love Citizens
Total Score: 4.14
- Food & Beverage: 5
- Atmosphere 5
- Neighborhood: 2
- Fans: 4
- Access: 5
- RoI: 5
- Extras: 3
Citizens Bank Park is definitely on my top 5 list. It has great food, great fans, and great sight lines throughout the stadium. As someone coming in from out of town, I like the Holiday Inn at the edge of the parking lot. It's fairly affordable and put s you right next to the stadium, yet within easy reach of other Philly attractions. If you hit the time of year just right, you may be able to catch a game of all four major sporting teams, without having to leave the parking lot, in a single weekend in October. Of course the Phillies would have to make the playoffs for that to happen. That's hard to beat.
Citizens is top 5
Total Score: 4.43
- Food & Beverage: 5
- Atmosphere 5
- Neighborhood: 3
- Fans: 4
- Access: 4
- RoI: 5
- Extras: 5
I just recently visited Citizens Bank Park and I was pleasantly suprised. One the whole Philly sports complex is absolutely great and the fans and view at Citizens Bank Park is great. Definitely am looking forward to a return visit to the park.
Nothing like the Vet
Total Score: 3.86
- Food & Beverage: 5
- Atmosphere 5
- Neighborhood: 1
- Fans: 4
- Access: 3
- RoI: 4
- Extras: 5
As a Phillies fan who was raised on Veterans Stadium, Citizens Bank Park is still a breath of fresh air every time I go inside. The food is amazing and plentiful, the energy in the stadium is second to none, and the sightlines are spectacular from all over the stadium. The new scoreboard is enormous, though the Phillies have tried to cram too many numbers onto an already-imposing feature, making it difficult for the average baseball fan to take in all at once. The Phanatic is its own piece of baseball legend, adding even more of an aura to the experience that a Phillies baseball game has become. If you want to see major-league baseball done both modern and right, come to Citizens Bank Park. But, don't plan on hanging out afterwards--it's the stadiums, and nothing else.
A Royal Take on the "Bank" from Royalty Tours USA
Total Score: 4.71
- Food & Beverage: 5
- Atmosphere 5
- Neighborhood: 5
- Fans: 4
- Access: 5
- RoI: 5
- Extras: 4
This ballpark is part of the best sports complex in the country if not the world. Thankfully they decided to build it across from where the old "Vet" was. That way it's very to access off the Walt Whitman Bridge and/or I-95.
All the Philadelphia sports teams play there. I've never been to Chickie's & Pete's but I know they have a shuttle bus that takes you to the ballpark. I prefer to go to the Oregon Diner for my meals when time allows which is nearby and you can walk there if you want to.
Since the Phillies have been a dominant team the last 3 or 4 years the "Bank" has been jam packed practically every game. People always come decked out in a sea of red to support their Fightin' Phils on to victory. As their late great broadcaster, Harry Kalas sang they have "High Hopes."
In addition, the Phillies have the best mascot in the Phillie Phanatic. He entertains fans of all ages.
Unlike many of the new ballparks built in the last ten years or so, this one is clearly the best of them.
Oriole Park at Camden Yards is the original of the retro style ballparks so like Wrigley Field it will always be head of the class.
Unfortunately the Orioles have been so bad for so long that park has lost alot of its luster. That's a shame.
I don't see the Phillies being bad for many years to come so with that being said the "Bank" will continue to rock and roll to the tune of 45,000 plus every game through late October year in and year out.
If you haven't seen a game there, I strongly suggest you find a way to do so. If you need any help, visit my blog at www.royaltytours.blogspot.com for all the details about me.
For the record, I've seen 112 games there and I live in New York City and I work a full time job which restricts me from going there more often.
Yours truly,
Gary Herman
The Almost-Perfect Bank
Total Score: 3.43
- Food & Beverage: 4
- Atmosphere 4
- Neighborhood: 1
- Fans: 5
- Access: 3
- RoI: 3
- Extras: 4
I went for my first (and so far, only) game against division "rivals" Washington Nationals on May 30, 2009, the Saturday after Memorial Day. From the ambiance to the food, almost everything is perfect about Citizens Bank Park.
Even against a team that (at the time) never competed for the NL East title, the stadium was packed and were both knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Even as someone wearing a big red "TB" (Tampa Bay) hat, everyone I saw was very cordial and nice â?? the antithesis of what Philadelphia fans are known for â?? with one even telling me that he saw Boston, Yankees, and Toronto hats floating around that night, with only Baltimore needed to complete the "AL East takeover of the Bank", as he jokingly put it.
The only flaws are the non-existent neighborhood (Chickie's and Pete's is the only saving grace from getting a zero rating), and â?? surprisingly for a place that has a mega-sized parking lot â?? mediocre access. The parking was expensive, and waiting for queues to get in and out along Broad Street are usually painfully-long. As I was visiting my family in New Jersey, if you can, park along the PATCO commuter rail line on the Jersey side of the Delaware River and take the train to connect to the SEPTA Broad Street Subway under City Hall. It's both cheaper and allows you to drink at the park, and be sober by the time you get to your car.
All-in-all, it's a great time and a must-visit for any baseball enthusiast. I just wish they would have put the park at the originally-planned site of Broad Street and Spring Garden Street in Center City; while it would have probably killed access even more, it would have made the Atmosphere and Neighborhood grow by leaps and bounds. Guess that's what the gold-standard of Camden Yards will do to you.
Philly fans are the worst
Total Score: 2.86
- Food & Beverage: 4
- Atmosphere 3
- Neighborhood: 1
- Fans: 1
- Access: 5
- RoI: 3
- Extras: 3
I have been going to this stadium since it opened back in 04 (I believe) and I can tell you the fans did not start packing this place until 08. And once they did, the best and brightest sure showed up. Their fans are animals.
Food is okay, beers on tap from Victory which is fantastic.
Neighborhood is way down in south philly which is dumpy and has nothing around the area for after the game, you pretty much have to go north 15-20 blocks to find a decent bar.
Getting there is a breeze, by train or by car.
Atmosphere is okay if you like mental cases who don't realize that baseball is 162 games and it is meant to be watched by civilized people. The view is nice in that you can stand and watch from almost anywhere.
Ticket prices are reasonable.
Overall, if you are from out of town make sure you go when your team is NOT playing.
Local Food & Drink
Stadium Sportsbar & Restaurant (map it!)
900 Packer Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19148
(215) 755-9500
http://www.phillystadiumsportsbar.com/ordereze/1000/Page.aspx
Local Entertainment
Parking
Lodging
Recent Stadium News
Recommended Food & Drink
- Chickie's and Pete's (map it!)
(215) 218-0500
- Stadium Sportsbar & Restaurant (map it!)
(215) 755-9500
- McFadden's (map it!)
(215) 952-0300
- Medora's Mecca (map it!)
(215) 336-1655
Chickie and Petes is at max a 10 minute walk from the stadium. You do realize theres 3 or 4 differe
Chickie and Petes is at max a 10 minute walk from the stadium. You do realize theres 3 or 4 different ones right? The one is maybe 4 blocks from the stadium. I don't think its fair to give them a 1/5 for the eagles/phillies/flyers/sixers and blame it on that partially, when its not even accurate.
by th2010 | Jun 03, 2010 03:37 PM
I\'m a slow walker ;-) The 1/5 is not because of Chickie and Pete\'s; but because the sports comp
I'm a slow walker ;-)
The 1/5 is not because of Chickie and Pete's; but because the sports complex is just that, the sports complex. There's nothing to do within a reasonable walking distance. Other arenas and stadiums are in neighborhoods. The Sports Complex really isn't. Not really, not compared to, say, Camden Yards or Wrigley Field, for example. Walking for 15 minutes before you get to ANYTHING worth doing is not what I would call close. But it is an awesome place, as I noted in the extras.
by gtcrawley | Jun 10, 2010 07:55 AM
Great time to be in Philly for some playoff baseball! Who wouldn\'t want to see Roy Halladay and the
Great time to be in Philly for some playoff baseball! Who wouldn't want to see Roy Halladay and the Phils?
by paul | Oct 06, 2010 03:59 AM
Philly Trip
I visited Philly to watch my hometown 9 take on the Phillies in 2010. I feel like this review is dead on save for one thing. The fans though knowledgeable and thoroughly devoted to their team, they are simply the rudest and mean spirited fans I have ever encountered towards fans of the opposing team in any city or any sport that I have traveled for. I hope that the interactions I had are not typical of what an opposing fan. My specific examples in the 3 games I went to include typical rants, cursing, name calling. Some of this from kids that couldn't be older than 12. We also were given the bird, spit on and at, had powdered sugar dumped on our heads, beer glasses thrown at us. We are certainly not a rowdy bunch and we sat in a different part of the stadium for each game thus our interactions were with 40 or so different fans. I was simply amazed at the level of rudeness achieved by the fans, especially towards an American League team they play but once every 3 years, of the 40+ venues I have been at to watch professional and college sports the fans here are simply the worst.
by ezz1010 | Jun 23, 2011 05:41 PM
RE: Philly Trip
It's tough to defend this kind of behavior, so I won't even try. I can only report on what I saw while I visited, but frankly, it's not much different from what you will see in New York or Boston. Ask Cliff Lee's wife about that. Having said all that, it doesn't make it right, and you shouldn't have to endure it. Honestly, I can't really relate, because I have never been hassled as a visitor in another stadium. But Philly is different, and the reputation is well known, and in some cases deserved. I would advise visitors to keep a low profile.
by gtcrawley | Aug 30, 2011 11:25 PM
Phillies vs. Cubs 4/28-29/2012
I was at Citizens Bank Park for the Phillies vs. Cubs last weekend. Sure the setting could be better if it were in Center City but the tradeoff is easy access. On Sunday there was a Flyers game going on at the same time (granted it started & ended later) but parking and getting in and out of the lots was a breeze. I really don't think there's a bad seat in the house. I sat in 2 different locations-upper deck by the RF foul pole and upper deck on the 3rd base line and I thought both were great seats. Great atmosphere-it was a packed house and the fans are very vocal & passionate. As for the concessions, definitely get the crab fries. My biggest complaint is about the beer. I thought $7.25 for a small cup of beer was a ripoff and there's too much bad beer & not enough Yuengling. But my one piece of advice is if you're going to eat at the game, get there early because the lines can get crazy long.
As for the neighborhood, I wish I could have gone to the big Chickie's & Pete's on Packer Ave. but that will have to wait until next time. But since you're already in South Philly if you're looking for cheesesteaks, you have to go to either Pat's or Geno's at the corner of 9th & Passyunk--about 10-15 minutes away. Yes they're both tourist traps but you have to go at least once and order a "wiz wit".
by george1969 | May 03, 2012 09:49 PM
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