Last visit: April 14, 2024
When I first visited Minute Maid Park, I was taken in with all the quirks of the place. The Houston Astros built a nice retractable roof stadium with a view of downtown, a train station motif (including an actual “home run” train), a hill in the outfield, a gas pump in left field, an intimate left field porch, and even an auxiliary scoreboard indicating the price of crude oil. Even after repeat visits, I still liked the place a lot.
Instinctively, I always had this park mentally rated around 10-12 in terms of best parks. When I did the scores, I realized how many other stadiums have stepped up their game. Maybe those teams were stealing signs.
As it stands now, Minute Maid Park is a good venue to watch baseball and the second best domed baseball experience. But with a few slight modifications, they could see their ranking rise. Heck, if they just decluttered left field so it got back to its former ad-free stature, and recalibrated their ticket prices, their score would be exactly in that 11-12 mark (the owner’s revenue losses notwithstanding).
STADIUM 36/50
Exterior aesthetics 9/10; Interior & Concourse Aesthetics 6/10; Sightlines 4/5; Seating 4/5; Traffic flow 5/5; Scoreboard 7/10; Amenities & entertainment 3/5; Bars & Restaurants 3/5; Celebrating history 4/5; Grand entrance 4/5; Sense of place 16/25; WOW Factor 7/10. Total 72 points divided by 2 for 36
This is a pretty solid score in this camp, especially since this a roofed park that was built under budget.
THE GOOD:
- It’s arguably the most attractive of the retractable roof stadiums not sitting in Miami. Inspired by the Union Station train station, the park has many nice subtle features. Its exterior design of brick and concrete was meant to complement the look of Union Station. The roof resembles an old-fashioned train shed (complete with some ornate steelwork) and is colored to look like oxidized copper. The arches throughout the park, most notably in the left field stands behind the Crawford Boxes, pays homage to the station’s arches. It’s a coherent design with a backstory.
- It’s among the better retractable roof parks in letting in natural light (which is good, because they now close it for 90% of the games). The large folding transparent panels in left also allow a view of some of Houston’s skyline.
- The scoreboard shines brightly under the roof structure in right, protected somewhat from glare
- Concessions are usually quite wide (they narrow in left field) and permit a view of the game as you circle the lower bowl
- The orange train in left, which many deride as a gimmick, nicely ties in the locomotive motif that permeates the entire park, while giving the park sponsor some props
- The gas pump in left keeps a running total of every Astros home run hit in the park. Again some find this gimmicky; I like it.
- The Biggio and Bagwell statues outside that have them turning a play on defense are nifty
- The hall of fame display in left field behind the arches honors the all-time Astros. It’s a quick visit, but gives you a little something to do whilst enjoying a beverage if you arrive early.
THE BAD:
- Buckling under pressure, and perhaps seeing a revenue generating opportunity, the Astros replaced Tal’s Hill (complete with a flag pole in play a la old Tiger Stadium), and replaced it with a social space and some premium table/chair seating. On one hand, the social space is a nice addition. On the other hand, losing the hill (as nutty as it was) is another step towards the homogeneity of baseball parks.
- There seems to be a disproportionate amount of advertising here. I worked in advertising for 26+ years, so I’m hardly an anti-ad guy. But the beautiful left field arches now are littered with large billboards of energy company logos. Even the foul poles have Chick-Fil-A ads on them. It clutters the place up.
- The signature entrance to the park, the atrium at Union Station, has now been partially converted into a Team Store, detracting from the grandeur
- There used to be a nice kids’ area that has been replaced with, you guessed it, a large team shop. It was a nice feature, so I don’t why they’d make a park LESS family-friendly?
These criticisms were the direct result of a quest for more sources of income. Sure it’s business, but some of this just seems garish. And it hurts the score.
FOOD 9/10
There’s Shake Shack and a Killen’s BBQ. Those two alone get this to an 8.
The rest of the stuff is solid if not “gourmet”. There are something like 5 different nacho stands, all with different styles. Decent Mexican and Tex Mex is also readily available. If you don’t want to trek to the upper deck, Butcher has decent BBQ in the lower deck. There are stands offering fried shrimp po’ boys, loaded mac and cheese, chicken parm sandwiches, and Pluckers wings. And Elote and Pupusas offers… well, elote and pupusas, in addition to one of the best empanadas in Major League Baseball.
But my personal fave has to be the three meat platter from Killen’s (includes two sides). While pricy and not always the same quality as his restaurant, it’s one of the best dishes available at any ballpark. Regardless of where you’re seating, it’s worth making the trek to the upper deck for this treat. If you need less meat and more carbs, they also offer the best loaded baked potato in any arena in the country (brisket, jalapenos, cheese, sour cream in a potato the size of a small dog). Come hungry.
BEER 7/10
Minute Maid’s craft selection is strong if not super deep.
Houston brewer St Arnold’s has a strong presence here with 10 varietals offered, and their Art Car IPA and Lawnmower Kölsch are available at many stands. Karbach has a strong presence with its Crawford Bock (in the cool retro Astros can or in a souvenir draft cup), along with its Hopadillo IPA, Big and Bright IPA, Hella Chella and others. In previous visits I found some Dome Faux’m cream ale from 8th Wonder. Shiner Bock is around too. As a bonus, vendors may have something outside the usual macro brews as well.
NEIGHBORHOOD 6/10
Minute Maid Park hasn’t been the catalyst of reviving a more neglected part of downtown the way Nats Park has spurred growth in DC. It seems as if you’re surrounded by bail bondsmen rather than cool eateries and brewpubs.
While the immediate blocks within the ballpark lack options, there are more places popping up a little further afoot downtown. Most of the best options are closer to the arena, or east of the Interstate closer to the soccer stadium, but there are some decent choices just a few blocks south of the park. In all honesty, Downtown HTX used to be a bit of a ghost town, but on past few weekend visits, the area was vibrant pre and post game.
A quick caveat: the 1/2 mile walk to the “good stuff” is no big deal in the spring. But when the Houston summer temps and humidity set in, you may want to pack an extra shirt.
COST 1/5
I blame the high cost on success. The Fan Cost Index also has them fairly high on the list, so it’s not just me.
For years, an Astros lower deck seat would run you about $50. Today, it’s three times that. Parking immediately adjacent to the park can run you $40-$60 (drive a little further and save yourself some cash). And concessions felt right around MLB average. So it’ll be an expensive day.
ACCESSIBILITY 3/5
Houston mass transit is poor considering its America’s 4th largest city. The town is spread out over 669 square miles, making efficient public transit tricky. There is a Light Rail stop nearby, so it’s an option. But most drive. Traffic is a thing, but not as bad as many smaller cities since downtown isn’t the only large business district in town. Parking is easy to find around the park. And if you’re visiting and staying downtown, you’ll likely just walk.
WEATHER 4/5
The roof is closed most of the time, so it gets graded like a dome.
VIBE 18/25
The park is full and loud these days. On many games, it’d be hard to hear a banging trash can.
In fairness, Houston’s strong season ticket base usually ensured crowds of no less than 20,000 even in the lean years. While it’s a football town, the baseball-loving Hispanic community helps boost the excitement for baseball. And there are cool little things that add to the atmosphere. Orbit, the team mascot, is a frisky fella with routines that sometimes subtly push boundaries. The 7th inning stretch features a rousing sing-along rendition of Deep in the Heart of Texas which always makes me happy. Since they reverted back to their original color scheme, it’s seems as if everyone in Harris County bought some gear; it’s very orange in the stands. And an Astros home run means the left field train goes a-rolling down the track; cooler though, are the vintage Astrodome graphics that may pop up on the videoboard as part of the celebration.
On the downside, full houses lead to long concession lines, especially the popular ones (you can lose a couple of innings if you try to grab something early in the game). There are more “new fans” in the park with varying degrees of baseball knowledge. And like most retractable roof stadiums, the vibe is a lot better when everything is open vs when it’s closed; however, “closed” seems to be the standard these days.
The full house counters the perpetually closed lid, leaving it with a slightly above average vibe.
GALLERY
OTHER THINGS TO DO
Three fun Houston restaurants:
- You’re in Texas, so barbecue is a must. Killen’s Barbecue (Pearland, about 16 miles south of the stadium) has held the title as the region’s best and still draws a large crowd. But Pinkerton’s Barbecue is just 5 miles northwest of the park, a little less busy, and pretty darn good in its own right. Hit both and tell me what you think.
- The Rustic (Downtown. Texas cuisine in a fun, sprawling place that often features live music.)
- Ninfa’s (Renown Tex Mex cuisine a 25-minute walk east of the park.)
Three places to imbibe before the game:
- Truck Yard and Pitch 25 (Eado. Two fun places closer to the soccer stadium but still walkable. Truck Stop is a sprawling indoor-outdoor bar with a good tap list and, for some reason, a janky Ferris Wheel. Pitch 25 has an excellent tap list and an indoor soccer pitch to boot)
- Flying Saucer (Downtown. Houston’s outpost of this regional beer haven chain is just half a mile west of the park)
- Cidercade (Eado. A 15-minute walk from the park is a place filled with so many 80’s arcade games, you’ll never have to have a real conversation pregame again; so retro, you almost expect a seedy guy in parachute pants trying to sell you hash, though you’re better off enjoying their decent cider.)
One bar in the area worth hitting:
Buffalo Bayou Brewery (Arts District. Recently-opened 28,000-square foot facility with views of downtown, great variety of beers, good eats and a Texas vibe.)
Three craft breweries in the area worthy of your time:
- Eighth Wonder and True Anomaly (two good places a block apart in EaDo, less than a mile from the park. Eighth Wonder is the more popular one; True Anomaly, run by former NASA guys, has more wild stuff)
- St Arnold (Texas’s oldest craft brewery has a nice, large space to hangout. 1.5 miles north of the park)
- Karbach Brewing (The large biergarten makes this worth the trip. 11 miles NW of the park)
Three fun tourist attractions in the area:
- Johnson Space Center (Unleash your inner astronaut)
- Kemah Boardwalk (Boardwalk-style amusement park 30 miles toward the Gulf)
- Houston Museum of Natural Science (nationally acclaimed natural history museum)
SUMMARY
Minute Maid Park has more quirks than your English professor, even after taking the hill away. The higher ticket prices don’t seem to be a deterrent as crowds continue to swell due to the strong on-field product. The food keeps getting better, and the structure, when more uncluttered, can be quite attractive. With a few small changes, they could jump over a few other stadiums and reclaim a Top 10 slot. But even as it is now, it’s a good place to watch the two-time* world champs.
