Take the elevator to the excitement.
If you are one of those Rockies
fans that actually plans ahead, rather than just stumbling into Coors Field
with the intent of hopefully finding your Rock Pile seats, than book a
reservation at the Mountain Ranch Bar & Grill (formerly known as The
Mountain Ranch Club). Here you can watch the game from a different angle, above
the right field corner in Coors Field.
So why do this? Why not just go to your seat, go to one of
the many other concessions that are offered at Coors Field and get rowdy with
the rest of the bunch? Well dear Rockies fans, it’s simple: Don’t you want to say that you
have seen a real World Series base up close? Wouldn’t you like to brag to all
your friends that you sat on the patio above right field? That’s what we
thought. The Mountain Ranch Bar & Grill offers some of the best
seats in the ballpark. And hey, you can still get rowdy. You can show up an
hour and a half before the game and get lit. By the time the game starts you
may hover your naked butt off the balcony mooning the other team (we know it’s
tempting but try and withhold yourself).
Drinks: Being in Coors Field, you get the obvious alcoholic beverage, beer. If you’re not a beer
kind of person, they also have a full bar and the bartenders are always ready
and willing to mix up any concoction you desire. Any fancy name you want, they
can whip it up. Try to resist ordering a blended drink, as they don’t have a
blender and you’ll look like a big giant wussy—or a Braves fan, respectively.
Food: They went
from more of a steakhouse to standard ballpark fare. They also have a really
nice salad buffet for those more “health conscience” types. After all, you have
to save room for all that beer, big guy.
Décor: After the
historic 2007 season, the Mountain Ranch Bar & Grill not only changed its
name, but the décor as well. You get a series of photos of Matt Holliday’s
chin-first slide into home plate (after looking up the rules, it is illegal for
a catcher to block the plate without the ball….so it was a good call by the ump),
which sent the Rockies into the 2007 playoffs. There are giant “World Series
2007” and “National League Champs 2007” logos hanging on the wall, along with
players’ jerseys and a glass box displaying the actual bases, bats, balls and
other memorabilia from the 2007 World Series. We like to look at it as an
unofficial museum of the Rockies and of the
2007 season.
Crowd: The
evident, crazy Rockies fans will flood the
restaurant. Or the questionable, Diamondbacks fans. Really? The Diamondbacks?
Don’t tell us you think Eric Byrnes is cool. He sucks. In all seriousness, no
matter what game you go to there will always be fans of other teams sitting
near you. Also, since this is a nicer restaurant in Coors Field, you will also
get the toned-down fans that don’t wear too much Rockies
flair. They may look at you with a crazy look with your purple fingers, purple
shirt, purple socks, purple hair….but whatever. Ignore it and drink your beer.
Sounds: You need
to be careful with where you sit. When you call for reservations try your
hardest, even if you have to slip the host a little George Washington, to sit
out on the patio. That is where you can truly see the game. Inside, of course,
there are TVs set up throughout the facility and all of the tables are
positioned to point toward the giant glass windows overlooking the field. So no
matter where you place your rump, you can watch the game. Now this is a sports
bar.
Insider Tips: Al
Wolfe, General Manager of Aramark, says you can only call three days in advance
for a reservation. This means, if you know you’re going to a game on a Friday,
you better call that Tuesday leading up to the excitement.
Remember, you still need a ticket to the game to get up
here. Our advice is: Don’t bother blowing your wad on a nice lower level seat,
when chances are you will spend the majority of your time at the Ranch anyhow,
think Rock Pile.
Staff: Always
friendly and ready to accommodate. You can tell they love their job because
they have the best view of the game. GO ROCKIES.
