Ryan Field, Illinois, United States

3Keaton M 5:00 PM Nov 4, 2018

Good, but Not Great...
Going in I've read all sorts of positive and negative things about Ryan Field. I will try my best to write the most honest review I can from my own experience this past weekend. 1) Take an Uber/taxi to stadium. Parking is free, but the streets are very small and crowded. Traffic was at a standstill 1 hour before kickoff. We hopped out about 1/4 mile from stadium and walked. If you do decide to drive yourself, get there plenty early because there was not alot of parking offered. 2) Pay attention to where you enter stadium. Ryan field is not a complete oval, so you can't easily just walk to other side of the stadium if you enter on the wrong side. Pay attention to your section on your seats and follow the signs posted by the gates. 3) Bathroom situation is a MESS. Everyone around me would leave and miss almost an entire quarter. Hold it if you can, if not, be prepared to miss alot of the game. 4) Only 1 jumbo tron in the stadium, and its a weird angle behind a tower. This is only visible for 3/4 of stadium. If you need to see the jumbo-tron, be very careful where you sit. See my photos for example. 5) Take a blanket or seat cushion, your butt will thank you later. Overall we really enjoyed our time. We sat in section 133 row 1 which was right near the ND band and cheerleaders. Great view of the stadium. View of the jumbo tron was greatly restricted. This stadium has charm, but could definable be improved.

3gocats89 5:00 PM May 12, 2015

Read This and You Will Enjoy the Experience
This is my 100th TripAdvisor review so I want it to be a special one. NU is my beloved alma mater. I met my wife there and my first daughter is named after the dorm where I met my wife. Outside of my family, NU Football is the most important thing in my life. Go Cats! The stadium is small so you are close to the action. The field is natural grass and it is usually well-kept. Sight lines in sections 104 and below and 132 and higher are lousy. Don't sit there. 105 to 114 are on the East (sunny) side and there are no obstructed seats. I prefer sitting on that side of the stadium myself. Warning: Ryan Field is NEVER prepared for a large crowd. Concessions, crowd management, ushers, public transport, traffic management, etc. all are flummoxed by all these people showing up at the game. If you brace yourself for this, it will appear quaint to you. Here are other helpful hints for a visit to Ryan Field. 1. You can almost always get tickets. The stadium will sell out once or twice a year due to an influx of fans from the opposing team. Even in these cases, the scalper's market is very active and not discouraged at all. I recall only once or twice where a ticket was nearly impossible to get...this hardly ever happens. 2. It is very difficult to park at the stadium. If you are driving, either: 1) get there early, park in the neighborhood north or west of the stadium and walk or 2) park in downtown Evanston or on campus and take the shuttles to the stadium. You can also take the Metra or the L and get there (Central Street). Bear in mind it is a nightmare to leave the game on public transportation or via the shuttles...prepare yourself and your bladder! To minimize your pain, make sure you have a return fare to get out of Evanston. 3. Tailgating. Tailgating in downtown Evanston or on campus is not allowed. You can "tailgate" sans car in the parking lots near the stadium. The lots adjacent to the stadium have the liveliest tailgates; you can bring a some beer and just hang out. You can buy a decent hot dog or brat at Mustard's Last Stand, which is on Central St. southwest of the stadium. The other option is to "tailgate" in the golf course (1/4 mile east of the stadium), which is used for parking on game days. This is a lot more pleasant because you will be on grass, but there are no places to purchase food. This being the Midwest, there will be ample food and some will gladly let you crash their tailgate. If you try this, opt for a larger, raucous tailgate. 4. Pre-game bathrooms and if you are cold. There are porta-potties in the lots but the lines can be long. Instead, I use the facilities in the basketball arena north of the stadium. You can stand in the arena lobby or sit and watch the band before the game in the arena. 5. Food in the stadium. In a nutshell, don't expect to eat. The selection is limited and the concession lines are long. 6. Wildcat Alley. There is a place where you can get food and drink (in years past, even free beer) north of the stadium, adjacent to the basketball arena. Kids can play in the grass, and I am told it is a good time. Follow the signs or aim for the BB arena and take the walkway immediately east of the arena and head north. 7. Souvenirs. The best place is Let's Tailgate, which is on Central west of the stadium (1807 Central). They have an amazing array of NU stuff (who besides me buys this stuff?) as well as Chicago sports apparel. Ryan Field/Dyche Stadium is a pleasant albeit run-down venue. Enjoy your visit. Go Cats!