The Fairgrounds (formerly The Bullpen/Das Bullpen)

[e44green]

It was a little bit of a mixed bag: alcohol-laden ex-frat-bro 30-somethings listening to a cover band on one side, and a food truck coral at the other. The food trucks seemed better than okay. I liked lunch.

The rented shop space was a losing proposition. The vendors were getting no traffic - most of them were very craftsfair-sy. The stuff they were selling was pretty good quality, but no one is gonna buy and carry pottery around during the game. Just not a good match.

Just my observation.

That is a perfect assessment. IMO the vendors would me much better off just hawking Nats gear cause that is pretty much the only thing people would buy. Food trucks were awesome, beer selection seemed the same as last year. I thought the raised porch area was kind of neat, had a cool view of the masses streaming into the stadium.

Definitely no Justin's, but seemed and improvement from last year. Will be amazing to think of the area in retrospect one it gets developed.

[MarquisDeSade]

I couldn't get in pre-game because I had a backpack with food/water in it and the "bouncer" said no food/drinks allowed.

Are you serious?  That's really idiotic, especially pre-game.  I will say - from the looks of the crowd there yesterday after the game - if the Nats do win the wallets of the DC-area - the Bullpen/Bo Blair preppie crowd will be taking over the stadium and surrounding area.  Hope you all like boat shoes and needledicks.

[NookLoganMafia]

Still felt like a pop-up shop that is ready to be torn down the minute development is ready.

I get a kick out of the people trying to sell pottery to people heading into a ballpark.  Not exactly target demographic.

Same prices as the Bullpen ($6 for a 16 ounce domestic bottle or for a 12 ounce can of import/special (i.e., Landshark, Becks, ShockTop), $7 for wine, $10 for a frozen red bull and vodka).  Didn't try to buy food there.

Really idiotic rules at the gate -- if you brought peanuts with you, you had to trash them.  No outside food and drink allowed. 

Pretty much the only reason we stayed at The Fairgrounds and didn't go over to the Red Loft (where the beer would've been the same price AND we could've watched batting practice) was because we could smoke our Opening Day stogies at the Fairgrounds.  As soon as we were done, we hightailed it out of there. 

They'll do okay, but so long as they keep their prices as high as they are and don't give you incentive to stay there instead of head to the Red Loft (I'm sorry, but live music from the Lloyd Dobler Effect is not such incentive), they're not going to do as well as they could.

[MarquisDeSade]

I'm sorry, but live music from the Lloyd Dobler Effect is not such incentive, they're not going to do as well as they could.

How bad was the band?  We only heard them when we got there and when we were leaving and I swear on the way out they were playing freaking "We Built This City". 

[MarquisDeSade]

$10 for a frozen red bull and vodka.

Paging Ali the Baseball Cat. 

[Obed_Marsh]

Leave it to these guys to shoot themselves in the foot. This no outside food/drink thing renders it pointless if they hold the same price as the ballpark.

[e44green]

Same prices as the Bullpen ($6 for a 16 ounce domestic bottle or for a 12 ounce can of import/special (i.e., Landshark, Becks, ShockTop), $7 for wine, $10 for a frozen red bull and vodka).

They also sell 16 oz. cans of Stella and Boddington's for $6. I haven't been to the Red Loft before the game in a while, can someone tell me if they match the 16 oz. imports for $6 that the Bullpen sells?

Also, the band was absolutely terrible. No one was anywhere near the stage or actively listening, I actually kind of felt bad for them.

[Kevrock]

They also sell 16 oz. cans of Stella and Boddington's for $6. I haven't been to the Red Loft before the game in a while, can someone tell me if they match the 16 oz. imports for $6 that the Bullpen sells?

Also, the band was absolutely terrible. No one was anywhere near the stage or actively listening, I actually kind of felt bad for them.

Were they in Phillies jerseys again?

freak this dump.

[MarquisDeSade]

Also, the band was absolutely terrible. No one was anywhere near the stage or actively listening, I actually kind of felt bad for them.

When your band is called the Lloyd Dobler Effect that comes with the territory.

[NookLoganMafia]

They also sell 16 oz. cans of Stella and Boddington's for $6. I haven't been to the Red Loft before the game in a while, can someone tell me if they match the 16 oz. imports for $6 that the Bullpen sells?

Don't believe they match that price on imports.

[e44green]

Were they in Phillies jerseys again?

freak this dump.

They were wearing Capitals jerseys.

Don't believe they match that price on imports.

Hmmm, I do enjoy the Stella and Boddingtons cans. But what is an extra $2 when the beer costs $6 and you can watch batting practice from the Red Loft?

The place is definitely no more than a cash grab until the land gets developed. Just wish I had had the means to beat Bo Blair to the punch on it and rake in the cash

[OldChelsea]

Don't believe they match that price on imports.

...unless they bring back the $5 Pilsner Urquell cans (alongside the existing Miller Lite and Coors Light cans) before first pitch - I talked to one of the bar staff prior to the exhibition match and he said they might bring it back later in the season.

About bringing food into the ballpark: packets of Planters peanuts (available at the CVS opposite the New Jersey avenue exit from the Metro station, or sometimes from one of the mobile vendors) tucked unobtrusively in a jacket or pants pocket can sometimes be a matchgoer's best friend.

[MarquisDeSade]

The place is definitely no more than a cash grab until the land gets developed. Just wish I had had the means to beat Bo Blair to the punch on it and rake in the cash

Did you go to Georgetown Prep?  Besides, just speculate in the oil markets this summer.  If this civil war breaks out, which it probably will, you could make more speculating in that in a couple of weeks than gambling on a flea market/crapband/cheap booze deal working out.

[e44green]

Did you go to Georgetown Prep?  Besides, just speculate in the oil markets this summer.  If this civil war breaks out, which it probably will, you could make more speculating in that in a couple of weeks than gambling on a flea market/crapband/cheap booze deal working out.

I will keep that tip in mind. You have to admit his gamble paid off big time, the place is always jammed packed with the 30 something frat boys gladly handing over $10 for Red Bull Vodka slushies.

[MarquisDeSade]

I will keep that tip in mind. You have to admit his gamble paid off big time, the place is always jammed packed with the 30 something frat boys gladly handing over $10 for Red Bull Vodka slushies.

I'd rather rent my ass out to Barney Frank than make money that way.

[NookLoganMafia]

About bringing food into the ballpark: packets of Planters peanuts (available at the CVS opposite the New Jersey avenue exit from the Metro station, or sometimes from one of the mobile vendors) tucked unobtrusively in a jacket or pants pocket can sometimes be a matchgoer's best friend.

You're allowed to bring food into the ballpark.  That's not the issue.  But the peanuts that my dad and I had brought to bring into the ballpark (and were able to bring in with no questions asked) were about to be confiscated by security at The Fairgrounds until my dad distracted the guy.  You can bring food into Nats Park and up to a liter unopened bottle of water, I believe.

And the more I think about it, the more I know I won't be going back to the Fairgrounds unless they can beat the Red Loft/Scoreboard Walk prices on beer.  In fact, it's actually CHEAPER on the Scoreboard Walk on Miller Game Nights - $5 for a 16 ounce can of Miller versus $6 at The Fairgrounds.  I'm not all that choosy when it comes to beer at the ballpark -- the imports are saved for when I'm standing over the grill at home.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

"Introducing sorority girls to bukkake since 2003"

Paging Ali the Baseball Cat. 

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

I'm really upset that the "we built this city" mindworm~ has been planted

[e44green]

You're allowed to bring food into the ballpark.  That's not the issue.  But the peanuts that my dad and I had brought to bring into the ballpark (and were able to bring in with no questions asked) were about to be confiscated by security at The Fairgrounds until my dad distracted the guy.  You can bring food into Nats Park and up to a liter unopened bottle of water, I believe.

And the more I think about it, the more I know I won't be going back to the Fairgrounds unless they can beat the Red Loft/Scoreboard Walk prices on beer.  In fact, it's actually CHEAPER on the Scoreboard Walk on Miller Game Nights - $5 for a 16 ounce can of Miller versus $6 at The Fairgrounds.  I'm not all that choosy when it comes to beer at the ballpark -- the imports are saved for when I'm standing over the grill at home.

This. Although I may find myself inside for the food trucks if I'm not drinking. What can I say, I'm addicted to the lobster truck.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

There's a truck that is usually at RFK for DCU games that has poutine on a hot dog.  Not bad.  Though Korean BBQ sounds pretty good too. 

I have to admit that I managed to overcome my revulsion and stopped in the bullpen a few times last year to let the Metro crowd work its way through, and the (very cold) Becks were pretty nice on a hot & humid night.  The crowd was usually in a RBV stupor by then, so other than a few guys taping each others buttocks and some hysterical drunk girls in sun hats screaming at their dads on their iPhones it wasn't too bad. 

This. Although I may find myself inside for the food trucks if I'm not drinking. What can I say, I'm addicted to the lobster truck.

[Hondo]

So here’s my checklist for a pre-game place...

1. Cold beer
2. Close to the stadium

[MarquisDeSade]

[PowerBoater69]

So here’s my checklist for a pre-game place...

1. Cold beer
2. Close to the stadium

The Yards lot meets that criteria with out the over priced beers.

[Glockypoo]

Hope you all like boat shoes

Don't be a hater.

Side note - I wore sperrys on Easter and my five year old asked me why I was wearing clown shoes to lunch.

[imref]

This. Although I may find myself inside for the food trucks if I'm not drinking. What can I say, I'm addicted to the lobster truck.

i'm really bummed to hear that the food truck area isn't all ages.