Miami

14 New Things to Eat and Drink at LoanDepot Park This Season

Local beer, hot dogs, and a massive Cuban sandwich to power you through Miami Marlins extra innings.

Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)
Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)
Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)

If this March taught us anything, it’s that with the right group of players and fans in the stands, LoanDepot Park can be an exhilarating place to watch a baseball game. And while it’ll be hard to match the national pride that filled the ballpark during the World Baseball Classic, the Miami Marlins have a squad set to take the field this year that might get us excited about MLB in ways we haven’t in the past 20 years.

So whether you’re energized by the promise of a new season or just crave a frothy draft beer under the sun in the ballpark, we have you covered. The Fish have a slew of new menu options on deck including local eats and top-tier cocktails, so here are the best things to eat and drink during Miami Marlins games at LoanDepot Park this season.

Buffalo Chicken Taco

Naked Taco (Section 8)
Ralph Pagano’s Naked Taco is opening up shop down the first base line, offering most of the traditional meats one expects inside a tortilla. The standout, however, is this fried chicken creation, covered in spicy Buffalo sauce and topped with blue cheese dressing. The carrots on top give it a nice little crunch, cooling the heat better than beer.

Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)
Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)
Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)

Cubano Gigante

Goya (Section 40)
Have you ever sat down with one of Miami’s best Cuban sandwiches and thought, “Boy, I could eat like six of these things.” The Marlins are calling you out this year with the Cubano Gigante, a 34-inch, three-pound Cuban sandwich that can feed four-to-eight people. It tastes like, well, a Cuban sandwich, though the sweet bread and finely-sliced pork make it a little easier to down than your typical Cuban.

Pardon my Cheesesteak

Pardon my Cheesesteak (Section 13)
Another LoanDepot newcomer is this cheesesteak stand right behind home plate. While slinging cheesesteaks in Little Havana might seem a little like selling croquetas at a Phillies game, PMC emulates the Philly experience perfectly. No, nobody’s kicking you out of line if you don’t understand the difference between “wit” and “witout.” But the sandwich does come topped with onions, peppers, and gooey orange cheese.

Spicy Herradura Margarita

Naked Taco (Section 8)
Sure, you’ve always been able to order up a margarita at any of LoanDepot Park’s many, many bars. But you couldn’t order one that was made with Herradura tequila that set your lips ablaze as soon as you took a sip. If you enjoy burning sensations during baseball games, you’d be well suited to try this tequila concoction, which concessionaire Levy Restaurants’ director of operations Brett Mitchell brags is “the spiciest margarita in baseball.”

Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)
Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)
Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)

Loaded Buffalo Fries

On Deck Smashed Burger (Section 207)
Remember back when the Marlins played at Joe Robbie Stadium, and the chicken tenders and french fries were the runaway culinary hit? On Deck in the Legends Level harkens back to those days with fries topped with Buffalo sauce-coated chicken strips, and shredded, unmelted cheese. The Buffalo sauce adds a new dimension to the classic, and while it can also leave the fries a little soggy, the bold flavor more than makes up for it.

Photo by Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)
Photo by Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)
Photo by Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)

Goya Sazon Dog

Top Dog (Section 40)
The Sazon Dog puts a definitively Miami twist on the traditional baseball game hot dog, adding pink sauce and crispy potato sticks to the top of the bun. If you’re a visiting fan, this should be your hot dog move, as it’s unlike anything else you’ll find in a baseball stadium. Though it will sit a little heavier than your average frank, it’ll give you a taste of Miami’s late-night food scene.

Brisket Bowl

BeisBowl (Section 19)
If you’re trying to not completely ignore your cardiologist during the game, the Marlins are introducing a “healthy” stand near third base. BeisBowl offers bowls filled with brown rice, carrots, cheese, and a meat of choice. Opt for the brisket, which is definitely not the healthiest option, but is the most satisfying. Let it sit for a minute after ordering, and you’ll find the flavors absorb into the rice too, creating the most complex new flavors of the season.

Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)
Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)
Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)

Brisket Hoagie

Magic City BBQ (Section 8)
The meatiest value of the 2023 campaign will be at the Magic City BBQ near first base. That’s where you’ll find the brisket hoagie, which unlike some stadium sandwiches, is incredibly generous with its portion. The perfectly cooked brisket is soft, juicy, and doesn’t rely on a slathering of sauce to give it flavor. You’ll find a sprinkling of veggies on here, presumably to make you feel better about eating half a cow before the fourth inning.

Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)
Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)
Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)

Funnel Cake

Sweets (Section 34)
Baseball season falls in the sad funnel cake doldrums between the closing of the Youth Fair and the opening of Santa’s Enchanted Forest. Luckily, the Marlins are filling the void with these sweet, crunchy funnel cakes, topped with powdered sugar. Just remember to grab a ton of napkins if you don’t want oil all over your phone.

Giant Soft Pretzel

Obie’s (Section 14)
“Soft pretzels?” you sneer. “That’s nothing new, those were basically my dinner when I went to games at the Orange Bowl.” True, but have you ever downed a soft pretzel literally the size of your head, consuming a week’s worth of carbs in less time than it takes to make a pitching change? Probably not. So if you’re up to the challenge head over to Obie’s where this salty, buttery goodness awaits.

Tres Leches

Goya (Section 40)
Miami’s most ubiquitous dessert finally gets a spot at the ballpark thanks to the coconutty Tres Leches at Producto Goya’s stand in Right Field. It makes for a nice, sweet alternative to the glut of salty, greasy ballpark food.

Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)
Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)
Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)

Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Fowl Pole (Section 5)
If you’re headed to a Sunday day game and can’t get your daily Chick-fil-A fill, the Marlins have covered. The new chicken sandwich at Fowl Pole comes pretty close, bringing a massive fried chicken breast with pickles and a special sauce that harkens back to the chain’s iteration. The best part? There’s no drive-thru line wrapping around the block.

Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)
Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)
Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)

Hard AF Seltzer

Hard AF Portable (Section 21), Short Stop Market (Sections 6 and 19)
Beer just a little too filling for nine innings of drinking? Check out the new line of Hard AF seltzers available at the stands off third base, highlighted by the light, not overly sweet Pina Colada. If that’s not your jam, the ballpark also stocks peach, watermelon, and blue raspberry flavors.

Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)
Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)
Photo courtesy of Jenice Bastidas (Miami Marlins)

CHIDO Drinks

CHIDO Portable (Section 21), Short Stop Market (Sections 6 and 19)
Tequila lovers can get their agave fix in a can this season as CHIDO brings its line of tequila based cocktails to the ballpark. These 5% ABV canned drinks come in three flavors: Mango Mood, Pink Paloma, and Watermelon Wave, and will be available in the ballpark’s grab-and-go markets as well as its branded stand near third base.Want more Thrillist? Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat.

Matt Meltzer is a contributing writer for Thrillist. Follow him on Instagram @meltrez1.

Miami

Bad Bunny and David Grutman's Sexy AF Miami Steakhouse is Finally Here

The rapper does whatever he wants.

Photo by Michael Stavaridis
Photo by Michael Stavaridis
Photo by Michael Stavaridis

David Grutman is back at it again, and this time the hospitality guru is bringing a new partner into the fold-award-winning recording artist, Bad Bunny. Located in Miami’s trendy Brickell neighbourhood, Gekkō, which translates to “moonlight” is a Japanese-inspired steakhouse that will serve fancy cuts of Wagyu alongside a bevy of sushi offerings. In true Groot Hospitality form, this isn’t your basic steakhouse, it’s also got a lounge that very well may play the sounds of Bad Bunny and the like into the wee hours of the night.

“Gekkō is the result of so many of my obsessions in food,” says David Grutman, Founder of Groot Hospitality. “It’s a steakhouse inspired by Japanese cuisine. There are delicious, innovative sushi rolls. There’s a lounge. I knew I wanted to do something that combined these worlds, and once I started speaking with Bunny, I knew he’d be a great partner. Gekkō is about having an incredible meal while having an equally incredible night.”

Photo by WORLD RED EYE
Photo by WORLD RED EYE
Photo by WORLD RED EYE

To celebrate the opening of Gekkō (not so coincidentally the same weekend Bad Bunny has two shows scheduled in South Florida), the crew hosted a massive grand opening party that attracted dozens of A-list celebrities and friends of both Grutman and Bad Bunny. Upon arrival, in his white Bugatti, mobs of fans who spent the entire evening swarming the restaurant began chanting “Benito! Benito!” as he exited his car in an all black suit paired with black sunglasses.

The night went something like this. A-list artists of every genre came out to celebrate. Future and Lil Wayne were seen on a couch in deep conversation and catching up with Mack Maine. Bad Bunny and Karol G were spotted running from table to table together, while DJ Khaled was seen embracing Bad Bunny and congratulating him on such a beautiful new restaurant. Timbaland and Andy Garcia were spotted hanging out for a long period, while Sophie Turner and her husband, Joe Jonas, hung with Victoria and David Beckham. Amidst that hundreds of average joes mixed and mingled while attempting to make their way to the bar so they could get a peek at some of the restaurant’s cocktails and sushi bites. It was quite a scene.

Photo courtesy of Michael Stavaridis
Photo courtesy of Michael Stavaridis
Photo courtesy of Michael Stavaridis

Okay, so back to the restaurant. Gekkō was designed by New York City-based architecture and design firm, Rockwell Group, and is made up of three different rooms with seats for up to 185 diners. It’s centred around sultry jewel-toned decor with plush and stylistic elements like a custom gold and red dip-dyed rope installation, graphic wall coverings, and velvet drapery.

Now you might be wondering about the food, because that’s really why we’re going to a restaurant, right? Gekkō’s menu begins with shared plates where diners will find things like a signature Japanese milk bread, “Lava and Ice” Kumamoto Oysters, lobster dumplings, and a wedge salad. When it comes to raw plates there’s sushi and sashimi classics as well as an opulent 24k Otoro, that’s exactly what it sounds like-deliciously tender fatty tuna covered in a layer of 24k gold leaf.

Photo by Libby Vision
Photo by Libby Vision
Photo by Libby Vision

Then there’s the steaks which include a Tomahawk cut, an olive-fed filet mignon from Kagawa, Japan, and a snow beef strip from Hokkaido, Japan. Specialty preparations include Wagyu skirt steak and a bone-in ribeye. And because Grutman is always sure his restaurants cater to the tastes of everyone, there’s even some plant-based chicken options and more.

“Sitting down with friends to enjoy a good meal is one of the moments I value the most,” says Bad Bunny. “I am thrilled that now I will have a hand in creating this experience for others.”

Gekkō opens tonight at 8 SE 8th Street in Brickell. The dining room and lounge serve customers from 6 to 11 pm Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and 6 pm to 12 am Friday and Saturday. Valet parking is available for $20 or you can attempt to find a street parking on Brickell. Visit gekko.com for reservations.

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Amber Love Bond is a contributor for Thrillist.

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