The Six Best Things to Eat at Madison Square Garden

There’s so much more to stadium eats than mere hot dogs and nachos these days. Local restaurants have taken over concession stands, bringing smash burgers, excellent slices of pizza, and juicy carnitas tacos under one roof. And “The World’s Most Famous Arena” is no different: Madison Square Garden more than delivers on the food front, as over 70 stands and stalls can be found across all levels of the arena, sure to please any fan, be it of the sporting or music type.

The NYC arena’s extensive food program has gained a notoriety all its own, so much so that it was named number #15 on Yelp’s list of Top 50 Stadiums for Game-Day Eats (The number one honor went to fellow local favorite, Citi Field in Queens). So if you have concert tickets or a Knicks game in your future, here are the best bites to look out for at MSG. 

Here are the six best things to eat at Madison Square Garden:

Photograph: Courtesy 7th Street Burger7th Street Burger

1. Smashburger at 7th Street Burger

Burgers are always a good call. The burgers at 7th Street Burger are even better. You can get their classic burger with a single or double patty, zhuzhed up with grilled onions and pickles on a plush potato bun. 

2. Pastrami sandwich Carnegie Deli

Alongside Daily Burger, Carnegie Deli also holds the crown as one of MSG’s longest-running concession stands, residing at The Garden for over a decade. Its presence was even more of a win since the deli had long been closed as of 2016 (but it made a huge comeback this summer). Come for the iconic two-handed pastrami sandwich, and perhaps leave a little room for the cheesecake bites and a black and white cookie. 

3. Ribs at Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque 

Courtside ribs seem like a bit of a gamble in practice, but Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque makes it worth the risk. The ribs are thick and meaty and come slathered in a slightly spiced sauce. You can find other Central Texas-style specialties here too, such as burnt ends and brisket next to classic sides such as cornbread (but you’ll have to like a cornbread with a bit of grit). All we can say is bring some napkins.  

RECOMMENDED: The best BBQ spots in NYC right now for brisket, ribs and smoked meat

Photograph: Courtesy VeselkaPierogi at Veselka

4. Pierogies at Veselka

Fries? Out. Fried pierogies? In. Veselka has brought its iconic pierogies to the garden, hot and ready. Dress up your fried morsels with caramelized onions or a bit of sour cream. You can go for the classic with potato and cheese or change it up with sauerkraut and mushroom. 

5. Prime rib sandwich at Pat LaFrieda

Pat LaFrieda is serving up a behemoth of a sandwich: His slow-roasted prime sandwich clocks in at nine ounces, topped with onions, both fried and caramelized, and earthy, grilled mushrooms. It comes with a dip of jus for even more savoriness. 

6. Sushi at TAO Sushi

Three-hundred pounds of sushi rice are served at the average MSG event. And that’s all due to TAO Sushi. The club-staurant has an offshoot inside Madison Square Garden, so you could get nigiri or specialty rolls such as the salmon, tuna, and avocado roll topped with crunchy tempura flakes and a bright aji amarillo sauce.