Social Profile: 
✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in
… View more
Chic American bistro & cocktail bar with à la carte menu or chef’s tasting (wine pairing optional).
Address and Contact Information
Address: 228 NE Evans St, McMinnville, OR 97128
Phone: (503) 472-9623
Website: https://thistleisrad.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: resy.com
Photo Gallery
Related Web Results
Thistle Restaurant and Wine Country Bar in McMinnville, Oregon
Signature cocktails or your go-to. Small plates or dinner. neighborhood bar. Steeped in McMinnville history and wine country’s charm …
Thistle – Visit McMinnville
This chic American eatery with attached bar delivers outstanding service and delicious, locally sourced food in a vintage space.
Thistle Restaurant (@thistlerestaurantmcminnville) · McMinnville, OR
2.2K+ followers · 255 posts · A true Oregon dining experience; showcasing the region’s bounty. Book a table on our website or call.
Reviews
Leslie Ellis
Hard 5/5 for me. The most memorable dinner experience I’ve had in a long while. Everything was beyond perfect. Our server (fellow with glasses and tatts and lives with cats) was phenomenal and used his discretion (per our request) to choose our wine and main course. The service was not just perfect in a “my water glass was always full way” – but just felt very sincere. These folks know what they’re doing but would never talk down to anyone.
The power went out for about 10 seconds, which I felt was the perfect opportunity to tell my bf I love him for the first time.
I will always remember my (first) time dining at thistle. ❤️❤️
… moreThe power went out for about 10 seconds, which I felt was the perfect opportunity to tell my bf I love him for the first time.
I will always remember my (first) time dining at thistle. ❤️❤️
Bob Treviño
I came to Thistle with high expectations, given its reputation, but left wondering how it continues to earn such glowing praise.
We began with the Bread and Fat—lardo and Raspberry Butter—which was creative. The Ribeye and Gnocchi followed. On taste alone, the kitchen shows skill, but the execution and overall experience fell short. The Ribeye was advertised as 15oz, yet what arrived looked closer to 10oz, with nearly a third of it inedible fat and gristle. The Gnocchi was pleasant enough, but hardly memorable.
The dining environment, however, was the real disappointment. The room was very dark and poorly lit, making it difficult to even see the food clearly. The space itself felt cramped and exceedingly loud, with tables packed tightly together. Our server carried a noticeable odor, which was hard to ignore in such close quarters. The bathroom situation was equally uncomfortable: a thin, hollow door with a tiny latch separating diners from the restroom, just steps away from one of the main seating areas. It all felt more like a neglected afterthought than a deliberate design choice.
For the price point and the acclaim, I expected a more cohesive and comfortable experience. Instead, the atmosphere was uncomfortable and distracting, the portions questionable, and the setting neglected. While the flavors had promise, the overall evening was awkward, hyped and underwhelming.
We won’t be returning.
… moreWe began with the Bread and Fat—lardo and Raspberry Butter—which was creative. The Ribeye and Gnocchi followed. On taste alone, the kitchen shows skill, but the execution and overall experience fell short. The Ribeye was advertised as 15oz, yet what arrived looked closer to 10oz, with nearly a third of it inedible fat and gristle. The Gnocchi was pleasant enough, but hardly memorable.
The dining environment, however, was the real disappointment. The room was very dark and poorly lit, making it difficult to even see the food clearly. The space itself felt cramped and exceedingly loud, with tables packed tightly together. Our server carried a noticeable odor, which was hard to ignore in such close quarters. The bathroom situation was equally uncomfortable: a thin, hollow door with a tiny latch separating diners from the restroom, just steps away from one of the main seating areas. It all felt more like a neglected afterthought than a deliberate design choice.
For the price point and the acclaim, I expected a more cohesive and comfortable experience. Instead, the atmosphere was uncomfortable and distracting, the portions questionable, and the setting neglected. While the flavors had promise, the overall evening was awkward, hyped and underwhelming.
We won’t be returning.
Anna Svietlova
Very interesting experience, menu limited and changes almost every day, but very delicious, desert are limited. Steak was great, tuna tartar excellent. Cesar was kind a creative and unique. Not like usual. I would prefer stick to the usual recipe with romaine lettuce. But it was a nice experience.
… moreClaire Moore
The service here is simply amazing. I’ve never been to a place where they treat you like such old friends while still maintaining the professional service of a nice restaurant. From the chef, to the bartender, to the owner, to the server- everyone was so NICE.
The food was amazing. Their steak tartare is the best I’ve ever had and I will be thinking about it for a long time. The duck liver mousse too. You can tell the chef loves food and loves the ingredients and cares so much about the source of the ingredients as well.
Can’t recommend this place enough. It’s a really special dining experience. The bar is also amazing to just hang out at.
… moreThe food was amazing. Their steak tartare is the best I’ve ever had and I will be thinking about it for a long time. The duck liver mousse too. You can tell the chef loves food and loves the ingredients and cares so much about the source of the ingredients as well.
Can’t recommend this place enough. It’s a really special dining experience. The bar is also amazing to just hang out at.
Jessica Jacobsen
Cannot say enough about my experience at Thistle. I have a severe gluten allergy and we were fortunate to have all the menu options were gluten free.
The precise detail from the farm to table approach was impressive to say the least. I loved the carrot puree and carrot top pesto paired with the rabbit for a full circle meal. The drinks are refreshing and the service was excellent. The chef came to explain the meals and was thoughtful in his presentation. 10/10
… moreThe precise detail from the farm to table approach was impressive to say the least. I loved the carrot puree and carrot top pesto paired with the rabbit for a full circle meal. The drinks are refreshing and the service was excellent. The chef came to explain the meals and was thoughtful in his presentation. 10/10
Linda Swanson
Thistle is a small, intimate, and wonderfully cozy restaurant — the kind of place that feels special the moment you walk in. We had the pleasure of celebrating a birthday there, and the entire experience was fantastic.
Patrick, our server, was exceptional. Friendly, attentive, and genuinely warm, he made the evening feel relaxed and welcoming.
The menu is creative and full of surprises. The steak tartare was the best we’ve ever had — absolutely outstanding. The Caesar salad was anything but standard; inventive, flavorful, and such a fun twist on a classic. We also shared the rabbit, which was terrific and beautifully prepared.
Overall, we had a truly memorable meal and would absolutely visit again. Thistle is a gem in McMinnville!
… morePatrick, our server, was exceptional. Friendly, attentive, and genuinely warm, he made the evening feel relaxed and welcoming.
The menu is creative and full of surprises. The steak tartare was the best we’ve ever had — absolutely outstanding. The Caesar salad was anything but standard; inventive, flavorful, and such a fun twist on a classic. We also shared the rabbit, which was terrific and beautifully prepared.
Overall, we had a truly memorable meal and would absolutely visit again. Thistle is a gem in McMinnville!
Brandon Miller
I don’t even know where to start. Seriously. I enjoy writing a lovely 5-star review but this one deserves 500/5 stars! Seriously, one of my favorite restaurant experiences in YEARS!
Yesterday took us to McMinnville for the Wonderland Brew Fest… after the festival, we decided to do a progressive dinner. Stop at every interesting restaurant on / near 3rd Street and eat until we were satisfied… Thistle threw a big ole wrench in our plans, and we are DELIHTED they did!
After a not so great first restaurant experience, we happened upon Thistle at the recommendation of a friend. We decided to stop in for an appetizer and a drink.
We were immediately greeted by a lovely man named Patrick who was so friendly and accommodated us at a lovely table in the center dining room. Round #1 of drinks was ordered with the Gnocchi and Duck Liver Mousse. Good. LORDT. We were smitten at sip and bite #1.
After the first round, we settled into having a second round before heading out… next thing you know, a Pork Confit hit our table. OUT OF THIS WORLD. The talent of this chef is beyond words.
Our planned 45 minute stop turned into a whole evening. The drinks were absolutely out of this world. The food was ridiculously good. Truly, the absolute best restaurant in all of McMinnville.
To the chef, John Thomas IV and the owner, Patrick, THANK YOU! You truly turned an average Saturday evening into one of our favorite trips to McMinnville of all times. We raved and sang the praises of our experience to all our friends this morning at brunch. Our one evening alone will guarantee our return many many times in the future.
If you’re from McMinnville and haven’t tried Thistle yet, do it! If you’re visiting, stop searching for your dinner destination and call for your reservation now. Absolutely our best McMinnville dinner, ever!
… moreYesterday took us to McMinnville for the Wonderland Brew Fest… after the festival, we decided to do a progressive dinner. Stop at every interesting restaurant on / near 3rd Street and eat until we were satisfied… Thistle threw a big ole wrench in our plans, and we are DELIHTED they did!
After a not so great first restaurant experience, we happened upon Thistle at the recommendation of a friend. We decided to stop in for an appetizer and a drink.
We were immediately greeted by a lovely man named Patrick who was so friendly and accommodated us at a lovely table in the center dining room. Round #1 of drinks was ordered with the Gnocchi and Duck Liver Mousse. Good. LORDT. We were smitten at sip and bite #1.
After the first round, we settled into having a second round before heading out… next thing you know, a Pork Confit hit our table. OUT OF THIS WORLD. The talent of this chef is beyond words.
Our planned 45 minute stop turned into a whole evening. The drinks were absolutely out of this world. The food was ridiculously good. Truly, the absolute best restaurant in all of McMinnville.
To the chef, John Thomas IV and the owner, Patrick, THANK YOU! You truly turned an average Saturday evening into one of our favorite trips to McMinnville of all times. We raved and sang the praises of our experience to all our friends this morning at brunch. Our one evening alone will guarantee our return many many times in the future.
If you’re from McMinnville and haven’t tried Thistle yet, do it! If you’re visiting, stop searching for your dinner destination and call for your reservation now. Absolutely our best McMinnville dinner, ever!
Destiny S
We were beyond happy to find this restaurant. The people of McMinnville are so lucky to have Thistle in their midst. Patrick was so warm and welcoming and we are grateful to call him a friend now. Chef John is young and incredibly talented. We were blown away with his passion and dedication to his craft. The information about each dish was captivating and we appreciated the dedication to acquire from local farms. We can’t wait to return and see chef grow even stronger in his cuisine.
… moreAlex Patrón
Came here for a birthday dinner and I can’t say enough. You walk in and the space is so warm and cozy, you feel like you’re walking into a friend’s living room. That said, there’s separate partitions so it maintains a very intimate feel.
The food – the menu is pretty limited but this just works to highlight how seasonal and special each dish being served is. We had the pasta which was fantastic. The rabbit risotto dish was the real star. The meat was not gamey at all, perfectly roasted with that snappy crisp. The risotto and veggies somehow was my favorite part of that dish – I would have just ordered that as a stand alone.
okay but have you ever had a PEANUT BUTTER PIE? Masterful magnificent glory.
10/10
… moreThe food – the menu is pretty limited but this just works to highlight how seasonal and special each dish being served is. We had the pasta which was fantastic. The rabbit risotto dish was the real star. The meat was not gamey at all, perfectly roasted with that snappy crisp. The risotto and veggies somehow was my favorite part of that dish – I would have just ordered that as a stand alone.
okay but have you ever had a PEANUT BUTTER PIE? Masterful magnificent glory.
10/10
Ben Burton
My partner and I had a wonderful evening after the local vineyards all afternoon. Walked in with no reservations but got a nice intimate table in the bar side. The drink menu was hand made and menu was on a chalkboard. This is my kind of place. The atmosphere was lovely and had the perfect Oregon welcoming vibe. All the employees made you feel welcomed and knew exactly what they were doing. I had the Strip Loin steak dish and I can confidently say this was one of the best steaks I have ever had at a restaurant. I asked for medium and it was cooked perfectly. I wanna genuinely say thank you Thistle for a highlight of my weekend getaway trip for my partner and I. We will definitely be back. ❤️
… more