The wife and I are visiting New York from Nashville next week and of course we will be attending the game versus Montreal. We are staying close to MSG and want to make a full day of the Red Bulls game. What would be your ideal itinerary for a first time game attendee. Travel, food, drink etc, etc. Thanks in advance for some insights.
Don't do the PATH if your hotel is right by MSG. Instead, take a NJ Transit train to Newark Penn Station (Note: there are three train stations in Newark. Make sure you get on a train that's going to Newark Penn Station). From there it's a 15 minute walk to El Pastor, which is where one of the NYRB Supporters' Groups hangs out pre-game. Good food, nice people. Follow the crowd (I believe they walk en masse) over the bridge to the ballpark. Root for the home team. Walk back to Penn Station. As for dining in Manhattan after the game, if you don't get a rec from the ECB-ers, this link should help. Run a search for whatever kind of cuisine you're looking for - your choices are limitless.
Seen that the Football Factory Pub does a $10 return bus trip to the game, snacks and beer on the bus included....Sounds like a good deal, anybody done it?
Definitely browse the stickied Pre/Post Game Food & Drink and Gameday RB Arena Travel/Parking/Hangout threads for input. Some of it depends on your personal preferences. For instance, ESC's bar El Pastor, which is near the bridge into Harrison from Newark, has a patio where they grill meat and have pitchers of beer. GSS's bar MMM Bello's, which is within sight of Newark Penn Station, has a lot of craft beers and is a little pubbier. It would be hard to go wrong with going to a Portuguese or Spanish place for food--of which there are many options--in the Ironbound and walking over the bridge. The PATH to Harrison would be if you happened to be in lower Manhattan, didn't want to eat/drink before the game, and wanted to be dropped off closer to the stadium. Hanging out in Newark before the game also gives you some leeway in case everything takes longer than expected. If you do end up taking the PATH from Harrison back to Manhattan after the game, which sounds like might not be your best option given your hotel location, it's very crowded right after the game so a lot of people walk back to Newark--2nd bout of food and drinks optional--to take NJ Transit or PATH back. And countless options at night when you return. I can't speak for the Football Factory bus as I've never done it. Upper 90 has started doing something like that too. Hope you have fun.