Come back and lets us know how everything went in Iowa City.
Hello From Rutgers
- Thread starter RU Golfer
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I will do that, we are flying in Friday and leave Monday afternoon. Staying downtown at the Hilton Garden Inn. Any suggestions for Fri/Sat night dinner and bar night life as well as a good spot for Sunday NFL would be welcomed.
The Ped Mall is always a good start. I would ask at the hotel. Ask other Iowa fans when you get there too. Downtown Iowa City is a great college town. You will have lots of options to eat, drink and check out the beautiful "scenery".
News & Happenings | Iowa City Downtown District
downtowniowacity.com
Here are some more recommendations from someone who would know more than me.
Fancy: Baroncini , Chop house
Good: Mickeys, Vine, Vue, Donnellys, Pullmans
Scenery: Sport Column, Brothers; Pints;
Howdy! NJ native and Iowa grad and season ticket holder.
This is the correct answer. You may get a drunk college kid saying something stupid but otherwise, be friendly and people will be friendly as well. This isn't a heated rivarly so nobody should be too worked up.
Enjoy!
Avoid the fancy places mentioned here. One is italian and other is a steak house that would be a little above average in ny/nj. Would be cheaper than the homeland.
126 might hit the mark. Little different but decent menu.
Place unmentioned is airliner which has food (sports bar) and great history including the bar where aston kuchar was discovered by a “talent” agent.
I gave him the link to all the places like the airliner in the places to eat and drink on the downtown iowa city link.
I lived in Jersey for 3 years. The restaurants here will be as good if not better than Jersey plus most local restaurants in NJ do not serve alcohol. Also, he didn't say he lived in NJ.
I do live in NJ about 15 mins from the stadium. I grew up in North Jersey in Bergen County. Almost all restaurants in NJ serve alcohol, the ones that do out number the ones that don't by a big margin.
No, I'm sure there have been some a-holes but for the most part people are very nice, especially if you aren't an a-hole yourself. I've heard many stories of people inviting fans from other teams into their tailgate for a beer and company.
Go to what is called the Ped Mall area just blocks from your hotel. All kinds of bars and restaurants and will be people everywhere.
I lived 10 minutes from the stadium for 2 years. I lived in a hotel next to the Mercedes Benz dealer on highway 22 in Bridgewater/Somerville. There were quite a few mom and pops around there that didn't serve alcohol due to the cost of the liquor license. I was working in Princeton then for a big company. I drove down Easton every day for a year to get to highway 1. I know the area very well. I will be driving up from Des Moines too for the game. The weather is going to be decent for this time of the year. 53 and sunny should be a great day. Also, make sure you participate in The Wave at the end of the 1st Quarter.
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Been going to Kinnick for over 40 years, and trust me: you'll have a great experience as long as you're not obnoxious (which I'm sure you're not)
Wearing Rutgers gear will likely get you invites to tailgate and have a beer. Proclaim your distaste for WI, MN, and NE football, and you'll be adopted as one of the family in no time (bonus points for bad-mouthing LSU basketball). Iowa fans are as nice as they come, just "respect the house" during and after the game, if you know what I mean
If you're looking for genuinely good food, try The Webster (reserve ahead), or Bluebird Diner. But there's a million decent places to go, as noted in prior posts, and lots of good locally-brewed beers to choose from, if you're into that sort of thing
Ignore those saying bad things about the Kinnick experience--they're trolls just trying to scare you. But please stop back here afterwards and relate your experience!
Enjoy Kinnick! It's one of the best places to watch a college FB game
Wearing Rutgers gear will likely get you invites to tailgate and have a beer. Proclaim your distaste for WI, MN, and NE football, and you'll be adopted as one of the family in no time (bonus points for bad-mouthing LSU basketball). Iowa fans are as nice as they come, just "respect the house" during and after the game, if you know what I mean
If you're looking for genuinely good food, try The Webster (reserve ahead), or Bluebird Diner. But there's a million decent places to go, as noted in prior posts, and lots of good locally-brewed beers to choose from, if you're into that sort of thing
Ignore those saying bad things about the Kinnick experience--they're trolls just trying to scare you. But please stop back here afterwards and relate your experience!
Enjoy Kinnick! It's one of the best places to watch a college FB game
Over the years I have had many Iowa fans stop in at my tailgate and have always had a great time with you guys....All of your fans that I have met here at my tailgates have been great and have been telling me for years that I need to get out there for a game....Some people I know have made it out a few years back and had a great time with nothing but good to say and great stories! I hope to have the same experience this week and and I most certainly will be participating in the wave!!!!!
Like others have said, you will have no problem finding places to eat and drink at the ped mall Friday and Saturday night. The beautiful thing is that there are so many choices of where to go that you can find whatever fits your tastes.
As far as wearing your gear, nobody will mess with you unless you get a random drunk. If you go walk around the stadium I am sure you will get plenty of invites for beers along the way. From where you are staying it is a very doable walk to and from the game. Weather is supposed to be decent so you should be all set.
As far as wearing your gear, nobody will mess with you unless you get a random drunk. If you go walk around the stadium I am sure you will get plenty of invites for beers along the way. From where you are staying it is a very doable walk to and from the game. Weather is supposed to be decent so you should be all set.
All good. Also checkout some of these "old school" joints
Joe's -nothing fancy but the oldest student bar in IC
Airliner - similar to Joe's but for frat boys
Pagliai's Pizza - couple of blocks N but great thin crust 'za...an Iowa City classic.
Hamburg Inn - Greasy spoon near Pag's but has some cool history on the walls. Great for a hangover breakfast.
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Where are you sitting? Are you flying out of Newark to Cedar Rapids or the Quad Cities? Also, check out the Nile Kinnick statue outside the south endzone. He died in WW2 in a training mission trying to land his plane on the deck of an aircraft carrier. He had to ditch his plane in the Caribbean ocean.
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One thing I always bring when I sit high up is binoculars. I will be sitting right behind the Rutgers bench in section 105 Row 10. I have never sat that low before in Kinnick.
It's parents weekend so restaurants will be a bitch to get into.
I'd definitely stop by Joe's Place and The Airliner for a beer or three, they are the oldest bars in IC.
Sunday football used to be The Vine but I'm not sure if they still have the Sunday Ticket as I've heard prices for bars have skyrocketed. Where your hotel is at, BWW may be your best bet.
I'd make sure to stop by Big Grove at some point over the weekend, maybe Saturday night. Imo...the best food, drink, game watch, atmosphere in town. It's the old University of Iowa Book store warehouse, I spent a few semesters working in that place many years ago. Big, open Bay doors with fire pits and heat lamps outside, pretty good beers, a few giant screens and a solid menu.
Top spot in town by a decent margin imo.
Not sure your age, but downtown IC can get a bit much for those of us over 35 after 11:00 p.m. Coralville Iowa River Landing area is pretty nice with The Athletic Club (same guys who own Big Grove--very cool sports bar. Might be your spot for Sunday football), 30hop (great rooftop), and Tribute.
biggrove.com
www.iowaathletic.com
Safe travels and welcome to our little city.
I'd definitely stop by Joe's Place and The Airliner for a beer or three, they are the oldest bars in IC.
Sunday football used to be The Vine but I'm not sure if they still have the Sunday Ticket as I've heard prices for bars have skyrocketed. Where your hotel is at, BWW may be your best bet.
I'd make sure to stop by Big Grove at some point over the weekend, maybe Saturday night. Imo...the best food, drink, game watch, atmosphere in town. It's the old University of Iowa Book store warehouse, I spent a few semesters working in that place many years ago. Big, open Bay doors with fire pits and heat lamps outside, pretty good beers, a few giant screens and a solid menu.
Top spot in town by a decent margin imo.
Not sure your age, but downtown IC can get a bit much for those of us over 35 after 11:00 p.m. Coralville Iowa River Landing area is pretty nice with The Athletic Club (same guys who own Big Grove--very cool sports bar. Might be your spot for Sunday football), 30hop (great rooftop), and Tribute.
Big Grove Brewery | Iowa City Taproom
Iowa City Taproom 1225 S. Gilbert St. Iowa City, IA 52240. Big Grove Brewery and Taproom is a 28,000 sq-ft brewery, restaurant and entertainment venue. Stop in for one of our award-winning beers on tap and enjoy casual dining from a menu of street-food inspired small plates and sandwiches.
biggrove.com
The Iowa Athletic Club
www.iowaathletic.com
Safe travels and welcome to our little city.
Sounds great! We are in mid 50's. But young at heart. I really appreciate everyone's responses, I am pretty confident we are going to have a great time thanks to the input of this forum!It's parents weekend so restaurants will be a bitch to get into.
I'd definitely stop by Joe's Place and The Airliner for a beer or three, they are the oldest bars in IC.
Sunday football used to be The Vine but I'm not sure if they still have the Sunday Ticket as I've heard prices for bars have skyrocketed. Where your hotel is at, BWW may be your best bet.
I'd make sure to stop by Big Grove at some point over the weekend, maybe Saturday night. Imo...the best food, drink, game watch, atmosphere in town. It's the old University of Iowa Book store warehouse, I spent a few semesters working in that place many years ago. Big, open Bay doors with fire pits and heat lamps outside, pretty good beers, a few giant screens and a solid menu.
Top spot in town by a decent margin imo.
Not sure your age, but downtown IC can get a bit much for those of us over 35 after 11:00 p.m. Coralville Iowa River Landing area is pretty nice with The Athletic Club (same guys who own Big Grove--very cool sports bar. Might be your spot for Sunday football), 30hop (great rooftop), and Tribute.
Big Grove Brewery | Iowa City Taproom
Iowa City Taproom 1225 S. Gilbert St. Iowa City, IA 52240. Big Grove Brewery and Taproom is a 28,000 sq-ft brewery, restaurant and entertainment venue. Stop in for one of our award-winning beers on tap and enjoy casual dining from a menu of street-food inspired small plates and sandwiches.
The Iowa Athletic Club
Safe travels and welcome to our little city.
Curious, outside the game results, how your trip went? Thoughts on Kinnick, the crowd, your treatment, and our little city?
Hello Everyone, I must say outside of the game results we had a great time! With the exception of one altercation in the parking lot after the game with some drunk ass kid everything was great! Everyone we met were extremely nice to us and extremely helpful. We met people at Stella's before and after the game they bought us drinks and said welcome to the city etc.....While walking through the parking lots a group stopped us to talk and they invited us to stay at there tailgate, which we did and had a great time. Apparently they came out to RU last year and they were welcomed to hang at a Rutgers tailgate so they wanted to return the favor. We arrived on Friday and Left Monday night, in addition to the game we bounced all over the place and had our own mini bar crawl over the weekend to sample the local scene. We were able to hit the following places.
Airliner
Joe's Place
Stella's
Deadwood
Micky's
Sports Column
Pints
George's
Donnelly's
Hamburg Inn
Iowa Athletic Club
30 Hop
VUE Bar
Overall it was a great time, thanks for all the help and we will be back!
Mike
- Sep 13, 2002
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Any chance we could get our Nebbie friends to come back to this thread? Oddly, I’m unable to tag them. What’s that all about?
- Sep 13, 2002
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Still pulling the crab out of the bed they shit against Maryland?
Glad it was a great experience for you. I lived in Sparta for a few years and our next door neighbors, who remain great friends today, came to Iowa after we moved back...took them to a game and the works. They loved it. Love to hear when folks from out of town enjoyed themselves.
- Sep 13, 2002
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- 113
Many are thinking NE lost just because they turned it over so much. But did you see Maryland's about equally devastating TOs? Nebraska's only points came from RU turning the ball over twice deep in their own territory. RU also fumbled near the goal line in which I thought they would surely score a TD. Yes, NE's turnover at the end was brutal, but RU drove the length of the field and scored.
They were both turnover machines.
Where did you end up sitting? I welcomed two visitors close to my section (106). I think they were one section over on the aisle in 105 which would be pretty close to the 50 yd. line. After I welcomed them, I asked them if New Jersey was going for Trump next election. They (very well could have been you) were uncomfortable, but everyone in that area had a good laugh.
I think they (you?) figured out it was a joke.
Anyway, glad you were treated well. I've been to Rutgers to watch Iowa. I've actually been to every B1G stadium to watch Iowa.
The one thing Saturday that surprised me were the false starts by Rutgers. Kinnick was no where near as loud as it can get.
I enjoyed the Rutgers trip. We went from Atlantic City, to NYC, to Rutgers in a motorhome. We were going to fly fish for trout somewhere within driving distance of Rutgers, but that never happened.
I like Schiano as a coach. I think he's a good fit for Rutgers. I think he'll do well there. Best of luck going forward. And remember, college football in the Midwest is a very close second to college football in the SEC as it regards atmosphere and the crowds. I suspect with Schiano Rutgers will start to see a much fuller football stadium and more noise fairly soon.
We went inside Rutger's stadium an hour earlier than we wanted to. Forgot all about 12:00 noon kickoff EST for whatever reason, and thought the game started at 11AM.
We sat in the new sections of the North end zone. We were in row 1 of section 339.....People around us were great.
Pretty good view up there for end zone seats. Close to action compared to the other side (SEZ). Lots of leg room vs the three other sides. Bathrooms/concessions are better there, but still not good. Best to go before or after the game. The NEZ is a little secret, but the secret is getting out now.
It gets loud and you’re very close to action for an end zone seat. Glad you had a good time. Like others have said, BHCrusader and DillSeuss are a couple of worthless Husker trolls. They haven’t had much to talk about since the 90’s so they troll over here. They have a cousin with a TBI who goes by the name of BlowinHotGuys too. Best to ignore them.
