Soldier Field Food that Won't Make Me Gag

I'm going to my first Bears game at the revamped Soldier(s) Field. I've got access to the United Club, which I assume will have similar "upscale" food service items to Wrigley and US Cellular's clubs, but what about the rest of the place? Is there anything there worth seeking out?

Robinson's brings a "trailer" with ribs, hot links, and some other stuff I can't remember. It is inside the stadium.

I have not bought food in Soldier Field in over 20 years. I tailgate with a large group and I always bring in "leftovers". For the Steeler game brought in slab of baby backs, 2 portions of osso bucco, and a ribeye sandwich. All wrapped in tin foil and placed in my wife's large purse!!

This week I hear our menu is bacon and eggs followed by pork chop, chicken, and skirt steak sandwiches. However,will have to bring it in zip lock bags in coat pockets. The Bears and NFL appear to have changed the bag policy and how exactly food can be brought in.

If tailgating is an option, I advise bringing in your own. If it's not an option, I understand the United Club Level has some decent options. I have been told the carvery station featuring prime rib sandwiches is quite good. Again, I have no first hand knowledge!

Here is a link for game day info:
http://www.chicagobears.com/fancenter/FanGuide.asp

Here's another with a list of all the food options outside of the United Club:
http://assets.chicagobears.com/assets/tickets/fan_guide_a-z.pdf

Should you wish to have a few drinks, bring cash and lots of it! If I recall, domestic beers were $8.50. Again, I try to not drink inside due to bathrooms and expense. Good Luck!!

mrbrowncanmoo wrote:I have not bought food in Soldier Field in over 20 years. I tailgate with a large group and I always bring in "leftovers". For the Steeler game brought in slab of baby backs, 2 portions of osso bucco, and a ribeye sandwich. All wrapped in tin foil and placed in my wife's large purse!!

I'm jealous, but I'm afraid I'm not in a position to tailgate. This is a one off visit for me and I don't have a posse.

Sorry about no tailgating. I am sure you can get something edible and probably delicious as well as expensive in the United Club. As I recall, the prime rib sammies up there look pretty good. I have a buddy who eats them all the time. For a couple of bucks, the server will make sure you get a more generous portion. Have a great day. GO BEARS!!

I'll be curious as to what you find at the stadium; I'm going to a game in November. However, I'm hoping between now and then to find a tailgate that I can crash!

I'm a season ticket holder and I usually tailgate, and that's a good thing because on the few occasions I have not tailgated (such as today), I have been forced to eat some of the worst stadium food ever cooked. Nachos with hardened cheese, cold brats, cold and soft french fries, etc.

That being said, they do serve Bobak's sausages with kraut and grilled onions. You just have to hope that you get a hot sausage and hot onions - sounds easy, but it isn't for them (fyi - not all of the stands serve Bobak's).

I've tried the Robinson's stand and it likewise suffers from cold food (I don't think I'd be a fan if it were warm).

They also serve Italian beef and I believe it is Papa Charles which is also sold at local grocery stores and I have not been impressed.

In short, I believe you can thank the Chicago Park District for some of the worst food and worst field conditions imaginable.

The grilled Bobak's sausages are very good. The key is to go to the free-standing little kiosks where you can get them hot off the grill. The built-in stands have them precooked and wrapped.

saps wrote:The grilled Bobak's sausages are very good. The key is to go to the free-standing little kiosks where you can get them hot off the grill. The built-in stands have them precooked and wrapped.

Actually, I was talking about the kiosks - when done cooking, they put them off to the side of the grill and merely keep them slightly warm so even there you need to ask for a fresh one.

I'm back from the game. The United Club had a full-on hotel style buffet that looked decent, but we weren't $50/person hungry, so I went to the carving station and got a prime rib sandwich. The sandwich was served on a half moon shaped bread that was similar to a giant version of the bread that Sun Wah uses for their Peking Duck, except that is it served cold and devoid of any type of flavor. The "prime" rib was nicely cooked, though. It was perfectly medium rare and served with a dollop of horseradish sauce. I ended up ditching the bread after a few bites and eating the meat au natural, which was much more enjoyable than having it in a sandwich. The Chow Poodle ordered a smoked brisket sandwich which didn't fare as well as the prime rib.

Later on, The Chow Poodle ordered a foot long brat, which was the grayest, most god-awful example of a brat that either one of us had ever seen. She ate one bite and 11 inches of brat hit the trash. In fairness, the same stand was selling burgers topped with frizzled onion rings that looked really good. If the Chow Poodle hadn't had her heart set on a brat, I would have pushed her more strongly toward the burger. My snack was a quartet of BBQ Pork Bao from Wao Bao that were being sold in the United Club. The buns were serviceable, if a bit heavy on the ginger; and certainly a step up from the standard stadium food served elsewhere. I also had a slice of Eli's Cheesecake that was...well...Eli's Cheesecake.

All in all, although this report probably sounds less than enthusiastic, I was pleased with the food choices, which were better than I expected.

stevez wrote:
All in all, although this report probably sounds less than enthusiastic, I was pleased with the food choices, which were better than I expected.

Plus the Bears won.

Food at Soldier Field isn't that good, but it is slightly better than what is generally available at Wrigley. I usually get something from Robinson's. On the plus side, however, the beer selection at Soldier Field is decent.

I have been to Soldier a number of times, and I agree that the best choice is probably the prime rib sandwich. Steve nailed it, the squishy, flavorless bread goo they put around it is at best a convenient way to get the meat to your mouth with one hand, but the meat is cooked to a spot-on medium rare, and they will cut you a huge hunk.

The brunch buffet, while pricey, isn't a bad option if you are on an expense account. The same prime rib is served there without the bread goo, as are omletes and eggs cooked to order, plus chafing dishes of decent bacon and sausage, shrimp in the shell, and ok baked goods. It is about the spread you would see at a servicable hotel Sunday brunch. The large crowd makes for quick tunover on most of the dishes, and an impressive variety on offer. While I would never call it a destination, since you are limited by what the facility serves, some of your best options are on that buffet.