NYC Burger Restaurant Shake Shack Is Opening Inside Dodger Stadium

The last time the Dodgers hosted actual fans in the stands at Dodger Stadium was on October 9, 2019, when Clayton Kershaw gave up back-to-back home runs to the Washington Nationals to lose in the five-game National League Division Series (yes it’s painful to recall). Since then, the Boys in Blue won the World Series in 2020’s shortened season, and this Friday, the team will welcome back fans in a limited capacity for the first time in 18 months.

Some of the stadium’s changes include new eateries, much needed since Dodger Stadium’s food and drink offerings have always been considered less than replacement-level. SB Nation baseball reporter Eric Stephen tweeted a photo of Shake Shack as one of the new additions, though it reportedly won’t open until May or even later. It’s a bit of a headscratcher as to why the team decided to offer the space to a non-LA restaurant (especially a New York City-based one). Wouldn’t Tommy’s, Fatburger, or even In-N-Out have worked better, and represented the city’s actual fast food culture?

Golden Road Brewing, a place called Bao & Bowls and another outlet of LA Taqueria (the Dodger-owned taco spot) look to be other restaurants in the new center field plaza. But if those options aren’t interesting, there are so many fantastic places to get food before going in, because you can still bring in outside food to Dodger Stadium.

In other news:

• Kris Yenbamroong has opened his very cool-looking edition of Night + Market inside Vegas’s new Virgin Hotels, which honestly looks like it was plucked right out of the Silver Lake location. The new-school Thai restaurant has that green papaya salad-topped fried chicken sandwich, and of course uni-salmon roe fried rice.
• Sweet Lady Jane is planning to expand its reach from its three spots in Melrose Avenue, Santa Monica, and Encino. The website has announced upcoming locations for Beverly Hills and Manhattan Beach, according to What Now LA.
• Conveyor belt spot Kura Sushi, which received a hefty $6 million PPP loan only to return the funds after a public outcry, is opening a new restaurant in Sherman Oaks.
• It’s that time of year again. No, not March Madness, but Taco Madness, where voters can determine the best taco in LA out of 32 contestants.
• Kato will offer limited indoor dining for its celebrated tasting menu starting next Wednesday, April 14. Jon Yao’s modern Taiwanese restaurant had been making it through the pandemic with a tiny outdoor patio just outside the West LA strip mall restaurant. Those outdoor seats will still be available.
• And in another sign that nature is somewhat healing, Republique is offering chef Walter Manzke’s tasting menu again beginning this weekend: