Matthew Sumner/AP
49ers fans at one of the bars in the $1.3 billion Levi's Stadium.
The newly built, $1.3 billion, Levi's Stadium of the San Francisco 49ers offers a dining experience unlike any other NFL team.
While the new stadium comes with higher ticket prices, once fans are there, they can enjoy top-notch dining choices, spearheaded by Michelin-star chef Michael Mina's upscale restaurant Bourbon Steak. Mina, who owns restaurants in Las Vegas, Washington D.C., Seattle, Atlantic City, and all over California, has been a 49ers season-ticket holder since 1991 and has made Levi's Stadium an elite place to eat.
Mina's restaurant Bourbon Steak is a 3,500 square-foot gourmet eatery in the stadium that offers filet mignon for $58, 10 oz. skirt steak for $74, or seafood like Alaskan Halibut or Pacific Salmon. It can all be washed down with a $75 Deus Belgian Strong Ale or $30 tableside flight of bourbon.
Michael Mina opens Bourbon Steak & Pub in Santa Clara's new Levi's Stadium: http://t.co/Cx3wyvPrRH pic.twitter.com/9J6lZc3gyL
- Inside Scoop SF (@insidescoopsf) August 13, 2014
Light. Crisp. Healthy. #49ers Tomato Salad · grilled romaine, cucumber, parmesan #MinaBSP pic.twitter.com/s6JVIuwxdw
- Bourbon Steak & Pub (@BourbonSteakPub) August 30, 2014
The stadium has also unveiled the Levi's Stadium App, which provides online tickets, parking passes, and perhaps best of all, mobile food orders. Fans can either order food to be picked up at concession stands or get it delivered right to their seats for an extra $5.
Like Uber, This is the most tech advanced stadium. Order food via an app for delivery. pic.twitter.com/4qAELDgIkL
- Jeremiah Owyang (@jowyang) August 17, 2014
The app isn't completley perfect yet. Some fans complained about the wifi crashing and never getting their food delivered. But as the season gets underway, these are problems that can be easily fixed.
Another dining option within the stadium is Mina's Bourbon Steak Pub, which offers more affordable, dishes like nachos, duck spring rolls, pulled pork sandwiches, and a wide variety of burgers. It still isn't cheap, but for quality food from a top chef, it's not too bad.
Say hello to the Angus Beef and Waygu Beef burgers at Bourbon Pub at Levi's Stadium! pic.twitter.com/1WS7K8Q380
- Alicia Jessop (@RulingSports) August 12, 2014
Our Beer Hall Post Game Party is open to the PUBLIC after the #49ers game. Don't miss out on the fun! #MinaBSP pic.twitter.com/mUaDNcAxyZ
- Bourbon Steak & Pub (@BourbonSteakPub) August 24, 2014
You see food, we see food, let's all eat some SEAFOOD ! #minatailgate #cometoeat #cometoplay pic.twitter.com/JsvthmxoKJ
- Bourbon Steak & Pub (@BourbonSteakPub) August 24, 2014
Mina and company are also revolutionizing tailgating. Fans can pay $5,000 for 10 tailgates, held inside the stadium at another one of Mina's restaurants.
Mina told CBSSports:
"So I said, I've got a crazy idea: We can turn the whole thing into a 1,000 person tailgate on gamedays and do something that no one's ever seen before."
At the start of the season, there were 500 open spots available for tailgate membership and more than 400 have been sold already.
Mina will also cater the menu based on the visiting team. When the Chicago Bears come to town, Mina is cooking deep dish Chicago Pizza, Chicago hot dogs, lobster rolls, and three different types of steak house salads.