The 18 Best (And Worst) Foods At Dodger Stadium - Los Angeles - The Infatuation (2024)

Let’s get this out of the way: the best food at Dodger Stadium is almost always whatever you bring in from outside. This is partly due to the excellent dining options around Chavez Ravine, but also because the food at the iconic ballpark has long been underwhelming, even by stadium standards. But if you’re hungry after getting stuck in parking lot traffic, or don’t feel like hauling burritos through security, there are worthwhile concessions if you know where to look (spoiler: the Dodger Dog is not one of them). Here are the best things to eat—and what to avoid—at Dodger Stadium.

THE GOOD

Deep Fried PB&J ($15)

Location: 7th Inning Sweets/Trolley Treats (Field 46, Reserve 2)

Dodger Stadium has a tragic history of discontinuing its most cherished desserts (RIP Cool-A-Coo and Carnation Frozen Chocolate Malt), but we hope this deep-fried PB&J is here to stay because it’s a legend in the making. Imagine a Disneyland Monte Cristo sandwich, except oozing warm peanut butter, bananas, and grape jelly. Do we need to sell it beyond that?

Korean Fried Chicken Bucket ($33)

Location: Fan Fare (Centerfield Plaza, Loge 133, Reserve 31)

Of all the stadium foods served in souvenir containers, this spicy-sweet Korean chicken bucket reigns supreme. The dark meat is tender, the crust has some semblance of crispness, and the sticky gochujang glaze has enough heat to keep you going back. Our only quibble is that despite its impressive size, the bucket is about 25% chicken and 75% waffle fries. Fortunately, they’re tasty waffle fries (though slightly soggy).

Original Takoyaki ($14)

Location: Tsukiji Gindaco (Field 45)

It’s probably not a coincidence that after signing two of the best Japanese players in baseball to decade-long deals, the Dodgers added a slate of Japanese food items this season. And this one, made by a popular restaurant chain from Tokyo, is our clear favorite. These crispy octopus-filled fritters are smothered in sweet-savory takoyaki sauce, mayo, seaweed, and bonito flakes. Gindaco also has LA-inspired versions topped with salsa or guacamole, but, eh, better to stick with the OG.

Home Run Platter ($35)

Location: Delicious Hospitality (Field 8)

Every time Dodger Stadium sells one of these, 20% goes toward Shohei Ohtani’s $700-million contract. Just kidding (kinda). This finger food sampler is the second-most expensive stadium food item behind the underwhelming $49 MVP Platter at Think Blue BBQ. Given the quantity and quality of what you’re getting, though, it’s a decent value. The pan-Asian lineup includes chicken teriyaki skewers, egg rolls, vegetable tempura, and fried potstickers (all solid), plus soy and sweet chili dipping sauces. Just be careful carrying the box back to your seat.

Loaded Carne Asada Baked Potato ($18)

Location: Hornitos Cantina (Centerfield Plaza)

A play on the taqueria deep cut known as the papa loca, this asada-filled potato is the best Mexican food item at the stadium (admittedly, a low bar). The baked potato is fluffy and sluiced with butter, the salsa verde and sour cream keep things moist, and there’s a decent amount of cheese and carne asada to fill you up.

Jeff’s Spicy Kosher Dog With Grilled Onions ($17)

Location: Jeff’s Kosher (Centerfield Plaza)

Ever since Farmer John's hot dogs were dumped for Papa Cantella’s a few years ago, the Dodger Dog has been a bland, spongy sadness tube. So head to the overlooked Jeff’s Gourmet Sausage, a beloved Pico-Robertson sausage spot that has a stand hidden underneath the Right Field Pavilion. Their snappy, spicy dog with caramelized onions costs twice as much as a Dodger Dog, but is 10 times as satisfying. Just be aware that Jeff’s keeps it truly kosher—the stand is closed Friday evening and all day Saturday for Shabbat.

Assorted Sushi Box ($33)

Location: Delicious Hospitality (Field 8)

Look, we were skeptical too. But the sushi at Dodger Stadium is several notches above your standard grocery store sushi, and very enjoyable as long as you’re not expecting restaurant-quality rolls. Surprisingly, our favorite part of the combo box was the nigiri, made with fresh, glistening slices of fish that taste like they were swimming in the ocean relatively recently.

Garlic Fry Helmet ($13)

Location: Elysian Park Grill (Field 22, Field 23, Top Deck 4), Fan Fare (Field 10), Dodger Dog Express (Loge 140, Loge 143, Reserve 6, Reserve 7)

Nothing groundbreaking here: Thick-cut fries tossed with a big heap of chopped garlic. It’s a reliably great stadium food packed with flavor, assuming you love garlic in all its stinky glory. Pair this with a Modelo tall boy and prepare for earth-shattering burps on the drive home.

THE MEH

Soft Serve Helmet ($9)

Location: Fan Fare (Field 10), Elysian Park Grill (Field 22, Field 23), Dodger Dog (Field 40, Field 41), 7th Inning Sweets/Trolley Treats (Field 46, Reserve 2), Fan Fare (Loge 133. Reserve 32), Top Deck Dogs (Top Deck 5)

What’s a baseball game without a souvenir helmet full of fast-melting soft serve? The stand we visited was out of chocolate-vanilla swirl (the best flavor), but even so, this is our baseline stadium dessert. Don’t get suckered into paying extra for the churro sundae, which is just cold mini churros stuck into the ice cream. Extra points if you put the little helmet on your head after scraping it clean.

Chef Merito Major League Carne Asada Nacho Helmet ($20)

Location: LA Taqueria (Loge 106, Reserve 17), Hornitos Cantina (Centerfield Plaza)

Someone put Chef Merito on notice. We’re pretty sure his famed carne asada helmet nachos used to involve a scoop of pico de gallo, which we sorely miss. That said, the slathering of sour cream, beans, and pickled jalapeños still make these the premier nacho option at the stadium, just nudging out the also-solid brisket burnt-end nachos at Think Blue BBQ in Centerfield Plaza.

Chicken Katsu Sandwich ($15)

Location: Delicious Hospitality (Field 8)

Another new Japanese food addition in 2024, this fried chicken sandwich with shaved cabbage and a healthy squirt of katsu sauce has clear potential. We just wish the chicken was a little juicier and the milk bread was soft and squishy instead of being inexplicably dry-toasted.

Miso Ginger Chopped Salad ($10)

Location: Delicious Hospitality (Field 8)

If you feel the strange urge to order a salad at a baseball game, this one isn’t half bad. The vegetables are fresh, and it tastes closer to something from a fast-casual chain than what you’d find at a Hudson News. The miso-sesame-ginger dressing is nice, but we wish the salad came with a little chicken or tofu to bulk it up.

Tiger Milk Boba ($9)

Location: 7th Inning Sweets/Trolley Treats (Field 46)

We certainly applaud Dodger Stadium for adding milk tea boba to their menu. We’d applaud them more if it was a little less watery and had twice the amount of chewy tapioca balls. A creamy, refreshing sipper on a hot day, though.

Short Rib Souvenir Bowl ($25)

Location: Delicious Hospitality (Field 8)

Delicious Korean-style marinated short rib that tastes grilled? Check. Decent kimchi? Check. A bed of mushy rice that’s way too large for how much meat and sauce you get? Also check. Unless you don’t mind filling up on sauceless starch, this is a skip.

THE BAD

Cheeto-lote ($13)

Location: Flamin' Hot Corner (Field 47), Craft Corner (Loge 163), Elysian Park Grill (Top Deck 4)

Fun in theory, terrible in practice. The mushy Flamin' Hot Cheeto “crumbs” are stale and greasy (and not actually spicy), and the lemon aioli underneath is in dire need of salt. We’d pay extra just to swap this out for standard elote with a squirt of lime and some Tajin.

Chicken Changeup Platter ($35)

Location: Chicken Changeup (Reserve 12)

This pricey chicken tender platter looks so tantalizing, multiple people asked us where we ordered it from while we were eating it. But the hot honey tender sandwiches and the tender themselves were devastatingly dry, and the dipping sauces just taste like fast food knock-offs. Plus, as with the other platters, you’re getting mostly fries anyway.

Beef Birria Burger ($17)

Location: Fan Fare (Field 10, Reserve 31)

Given our love of birria, we had high hopes for this one. But we ended up as crushed as a six-year-old who just learned the truth about Santa. This spiceless, underseasoned mess of a burger involves a dry patty, a dry heap of beef birria, a dry mini cheese quesadilla, and a cup of consomme and pickled onions that can’t save them. Somebody bring back the Carl’s Jr. stand so we can get a Western Bacon Cheeseburger again.

Fried Dodger Dog ($8)

Location: Chicken Changeup (Reserve 12)

It turns out the only way to make a Dodger Dog worse is to throw it into a deep fryer until it becomes a dried-out mummy finger. No amount of mustard and relish can save this shriveled meat stick. Hard pass.