First Panther Game

[wretched]

This will be my first Panther game at the UNI Dome! Any thoughts on tailgating, how early, where to park, any can't miss restaurants in town? Anything else to know? Can't wait, will be the first trip for many Panther games!

[Panther-Sheik]

Re: First Panther Game

Welcome! Unless you are a PSC (Panther Scholarship Club) member (if not, contact one of many of us who are volunteers) you will most likely want to park south of the McLeod Center near the physical plant area. Those are the non-donor lots east of Panther Pkwy. Lots of good tailgating out there in recent years. Students generally tailgate north of the Dome and Wellness Ctr in those big lots and PSC donors who donate $1,000 a year or more tailgate west of the Dome and McLeod Center. Lots of good tailgating all over and lots of friendly Panther fans. We usually get out there about 4 - 4.5 hours before kick, especially on a nice day. This weekend sounds like some perfect tailgating weather to me. Hopefully no / little wind. That is a tailgate nuisance and can ruin a lot of the fun.

Other than that, get to Pepper's and / or Mulligan's on 18th Street. Good local grill and bars. I really like Toads on Main Street and Wild Hare out on NW part of CF, too. Very good food. If you've never been to Main Street Cedar Falls it is a pretty cool area, too. Nice streetscape and good atmosphere.

Enjoy yourself and hopefully you get treated to a big Panther WIN!!

[vbfan19]

Re: First Panther Game

speaking of Mulligan's, I like their Philadelphia pizza (I personally get it w/o the jalapenos, and on the honey wheat crust). Though the next time I'm there, I think I'm going to give the "What the Farok" pizza a try. (hopefully the UNI defense has a good showing on Saturday so I can get a good deal on my pizzas next Monday. haha)

[UNIdad]

Re: First Panther Game

wretched, check out the forum on tailgating. I asked a lot of questions over the last few years and got some great information from Panther fans.

[Geno4UNI]

Re: First Panther Game

Tailgating starts at 10am now. The South Lot is usually very busy and very fun. Speaking of Mulligan's I suggest going somewhere else. The last two times we have been there the service has been terrible. The last time we called back to the restaurant after leaving and asked to talk to the manager and we were told if we didn't like the service we didn't need to come back....Wow. I guess they have enough business so I suggest going elsewhere.

[PantherChic]

Geno4UNI - that's terrible! We've always had insanely slow service at Mulligans. But for the manager to say that is ridiculous!

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[Geno4UNI]

Re: First Panther Game

I am really surprised too that when I posted the full story on their Facebook page that they didn't take it down. Evidently they really don't care.

[95UNIGRAD]

Re: First Panther Game

I've been to Mulligan's once, before a basketball game. It took us so long to get one large pizza that we ended up asking for a box to take it with us, and ended up eating it in the car and the parking lot before hustling inside just in time for tip off.

[PantherObserver]

Re: First Panther Game

Geno4UNI - that's terrible! We've always had insanely slow service at Mulligans. But for the manager to say that is ridiculous!

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I live in Cedar Falls and have been a Mulligans regular for nearly a decade. I have noticed a steep drop off in the quality over the last six months, both in quality of service and the food itself.

The last two times I have been there, the food has been awful. I ordered shrimp there a couple of weeks ago that was so overcooked, the entire shrimp tasted and crunched like it was all tail with no meat. My wife had a chicken salad that tasted and looked like the lettuce had been used to mop the floor. The pizza is something that would be pretty hard to screw up, and I haven't noticed a steep drop-off there yet.

Service-wise, I was there a couple of weeks ago and it took nearly 2 hours to finish a meal (our party was only 4 people).

Like I said, I've been a regular for a long time, so it pains me to say this. However, the last two times I've been there I legitimately felt ripped off by spending the money that I did there.

[ronfitch]

Re: First Panther Game

If it is pizza you want, I'd recommend the O.P. Haven't been to the one on the Hill in years, but was at the University Avenue location when in town for the N. Colorado game and it was still great.

The Brown Bottle remains one of my favorites, but they don't ( or did not for decades) do lunch. For whatever reason, Brown Bottle pizza from the Waterloo location always gives me a headache (others I know as well). But with their menu, I rarely ever got pizza.

Rudy's for Mexican, on Falls in Waterloo. Heard good things about the beer selection in the Lava Lounge, in same building as Rudy's.

Toad's on the Parkade is a good bar with a good sandwich/bar food menu. Busy place, been there for, I dunno, 30 years and has always been busy.

The Hickory House in Waterloo has great ribs. Last time I was there, maybe four years ago, the decor and really nothing else had changed since the '70s ... but the ribs were still great. Out-of-the-way location, though.

[Geno4UNI]

Re: First Panther Game

If it is pizza you want, I'd recommend the O.P. Haven't been to the one on the Hill in years, but was at the University Avenue location when in town for the N. Colorado game and it was still great.

The Brown Bottle remains one of my favorites, but they don't ( or did not for decades) do lunch. For whatever reason, Brown Bottle pizza from the Waterloo location always gives me a headache (others I know as well). But with their menu, I rarely ever got pizza.

Rudy's for Mexican, on Falls in Waterloo. Heard good things about the beer selection in the Lava Lounge, in same building as Rudy's.

Toad's on the Parkade is a good bar with a good sandwich/bar food menu. Busy place, been there for, I dunno, 30 years and has always been busy.

The Hickory House in Waterloo has great ribs. Last time I was there, maybe four years ago, the decor and really nothing else had changed since the '70s ... but the ribs were still great. Out-of-the-way location, though.

All great suggestions. Hickory House is probably the most overlooked gem in the Cedar Valley.

[BCPanther]

Re: First Panther Game

I've never understood the Hickory House love.

I find it incredibly dry and really overpriced for what it is...

[95UNIGRAD]

Re: First Panther Game

There's a lot of other BBQ places I'd rather go to (don't know how many are available in CF/Waterloo, though).

I've always enjoyed going to Sub City on the hill - reasonably priced, fresh ingredients, and quick to get in and out so you can get to tailgating. Not to mention the Panthers (volleyball, football, and basketball) have never lost a game I've attended when I eat at Sub City before. Maybe I should find a way to get to the NDSU game and eat there beforehand to finally cement a win over them?

[newby4three]

Re: First Panther Game

Will be attending my first Panther game since moving back to Iowa. It's been awhile and am excited to get back. I went to the Dome for HS games last week and parked in the grass lot west of the Dome. Are those available for UNI games or are there better/easier options? Thanks in advance for the help!

[Panther1979]

Re: First Panther Game

We are regulars at Mulligans and have always been very happy with their food and service. We are now unhappy with Peppers. Slow service and iffy food. We have been going to The Hicky House - as my kids said - since the 1970s. The decor has changed once....the big animal head is gone.....and missed. The decor, or lack of decor, is part of it's charm. The ribs have always been outstanding....lean and moist. We went to Damon's in Waterloo for the first time tonight and had pizza....very enjoyable. We will be back.