Section 322, Row A, Seat 10: the best seat in Angel Stadium
Taking a trip to Angel Stadium to officially determine the best seat, I found the best bang for your buck would come in the padded seat No. 10 in row A, section 322 – thanks to an ensemble of features that make the game-day experience as perfect as possible. Photo by KALI HOFFMAN Photo Editor
The best seat in Angel Stadium, contrary to what you may think, is not near the home dugout of the Los Angeles Angels, not directly behind home plate or not even adjacent to the iridescent rock waterfall in center field. The best is section 322, row A, seat no. 10 because of, well, pastrami fries.
This delicacy is only offered across the Club MVP sections hosted on the third level. Composed of fries, cheese and pastrami, it is simply delicious — according to the clients, friends and personal opinion of Angels sales representative Eric Nguyen.
“Melts in your mouth,” he said.
In the twilight of a cool Sept. 18 Wednesday, Nguyen guided me on a tour around a peacefully empty Angel Stadium with a singular goal of narrowing down the best seat out of the stadium’s approximate 45,000 chairs. He sang praises for section 322 — padded chairs with in-seat service, he repeated more than five times. Yet as I stood in front of seat no. 10 in row A, I found myself staring down longingly at the row of plastic chairs behind the Angels dugout, wondering if the rich flavor of pastrami fries truly outbid the chance to catch a wave from Angels’ center fielder Mike Trout jogging in from the outfield.
Yet the view was undeniable. While not having the sensory, courtside feel of a behind-home-plate seat, the elevation actually made me feel like I had a wider perspective — and for a casual fan, it’d be an easier way to process everything happening on the baseball field. A slight breeze rustled the fabric of my shirt and I began to think of how much more cooling that wind would feel in an upper section rather than a ground seat on a nice, hot summer’s day.
As I turned to look at seat no. 10 in all its padded, plastic glory, Nguyen’s laundry list of positives about the section began to make more and more sense. I’d never have to get up other than to use the bathroom, a likely fate due to the excessive amount of salty pastrami fries I could order directly from my seat.
There was no row in front, only a railing that didn’t at all impede my field of vision. As I sat down, I noticed the difference the padding truly did make — there would be no need to relieve the muscles other than standing for the customary seventh-inning stretch. But it was one particular feature that unquestionably sealed the deal. As I eased out of the chair, the seat creaked as it folded back up, like the hinges hadn’t been oiled since the Angels’ World Series victory in 2002. I pushed down on seat no. 9 and seat no. 8 to check for the same noise. They squeaked, but not nearly to the same degree. Perfect, I thought. It has character.
This Club MVP spot might not come with a buffet like the Don Julio Club in the 200’s level, or is as close to the players as the Diamond Field Box. But a ticket for section 322 goes for $78 in a series against the Oakland Athletics on Sept. 24, well under the price of those other elite sections. Seat no. 10 has a prime view, temperature control and is extremely comfortable. Finally, of course, it has some evidently incredible pastrami fries.