Exclusive Nationals Season Dining Passes Are Up for Grabs — But It’ll Cost You

Nationals Park’s two most exclusive dining sections, reserved for those inclined to devour porterhouse steaks and sip on highballs all season long, have some rare openings for fans willing to pay big bucks to watch baseball amidst white tablecloths.

Here’s the story behind the one-percenter spaces: two club-level boxes were transformed into two super-luxurious areas dubbed Club 24 and K Street back in 2015, complete with their own private kitchen and wait staff. Belonging to either requires a three or five-year commitment. These new openings are happening for the first time this year.

“We do have inventory currently available in both clubs,” Christopher Browne, communications manager at the Nationals, tells Eater. Each club features 24 seats, though it’s unclear how many are up for grabs this season.

The price for such access: $90,000 to $95,000 per year, depending on a three or five-year term, Browne says. The annual season packages are sold in sets of four, which means lots of corporate entities are wooed as buyers (SunTrust is one) with the option to splash their company logos around the stadium and on menus. Or, any four friends can cobble together the cash to get in on a package together. Tickets to the 2018 All-Star Game are also thrown into the mix, as are Nationals Park concert passes for three shows a year.

The Club 24 Championship Boxes, named after the 1924 Washington Senators (the last team to win a World Series in D.C.), is designed with expense account wining and dining in mind. Perks of the membership include an assigned indoor table for every game and event, which looks much like a curved leather booth found at a glitzy downtown steakhouse. Other lounge accents include brick walls and gas-lit lanterns hovering above. The K Street space swings more millennial, with wooden wall detailing.

Washington Nationals [Official photo]

Its 12-item a la carte selection changes on a daily basis; the team tells Eater the shrimp and grits is a big hit. For more traditional baseball fans there’s also a “grab and go” station at each game that’s stocked with ballpark items like Nathan’s hot dogs, Cracker Jacks, soft pretzels, and popcorn.

Here’s a sample menu from the home game on Thursday, April 12:

Guest celebrity chefs are also in on the action. Last season local chef Bart Vandaele (B Too and Belga Café) contributed during the series against the Baltimore Orioles, with the Top Chef contestant and his team taking charge of the whole menu.

“We’re currently working with a few more local celebrity chefs for this season to elevate this program,” says Browne. Beverage partners such as Devil’s Backbone Brewing Company are also scheduled to holding tastings in the clubs this season.

Beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages are also included, and if a member wants to guzzle pricey spirits like 12-year scotch during the game, they can buy a bottle and stock it in their own on-site lockers. A fully-stocked cash bar is available upon request.

San Francisco Giants also has exclusive speakeasy-style spaces at AT&T Park, and this year the high-brow American Airlines 1914 Club debuts under Chicago Cubs’ Wrigley Park with food, drinks, and access to prime seats behind home plate.

• Where to Eat and Drink at Nationals Park, 2018 Edition [EDC]