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 too 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! read more

5 stars doesn't do it justice. Unbelievable food, exceptional service and hospitality and the atmosphere and vibe is outstanding. Should be on everyone's bucket list. The owner Patrick was warm and does much of the service himself-it's obvious he puts his heart and soul into his restaurant. Flavors were unexpected and yummy, menu changes daily and dictated by what is fresh. I'll likely find myself there every night I'm in town. read more

While visiting McMinnville earlier this week, my friends and I had the opportunity to visit Thistle. As foodies we'd found the food in the area to be a bit underwhelming, but that changed the moment we stepped into Thistle. We ended up ordering almost everything on the menu because each dish sounded simply irresistible. Sadly, no photos to add with this review because we were so caught up in the moment enjoying ourselves and our meal that we forgot our phones existed. My husband and I keep a log of our top 10 restaurants across the world, and Thistle absolutely earned a spot on that list. Compliments to the owner, chef and team for an exceptional experience! read more

Our friend, who owns an excellent winery (Knudsen) steered us to this little restaurant and we are the better for it. It is quite small, so reservations are a must. The menu, on the chalkboard, is not very big but our party tried almost everything. The consensus was that everything was very well prepared and very interesting (not in a weird way!). Excellent wine and cocktail list. The owner is very hands on and friendly, and the chef also came to our table. I wish that there were more places like this in the States, somewhat on the French bistro model--limited menu, fresh local ingredients, focus on preparing really good food. Anyone in the area should definitlely give Thistle a spin. It is just off McMinnViil'e charming 3rd Street. read more

This place is a full experience. It's meant to be savored and enjoyed, not rushed through and consumed. If you come to Thistle be prepared to spend some time here. It's not that service is slower per se, but the chefs are taking their time to create delicious food. True farm to table. Please read about them in their website! That said I wasn't expecting to spend 2 hours here. It was good but I had other places to be! The food was pretty good too. We got to meet the executive chef which was a fun experience, and the staff were all very friendly. There is an odd vibe there, that I can't quite place. Almost creepy/haunted feeling. I felt it the whole time and it was a bit unsettling. However my wife and I enjoyed a nice meal. Portions are smaller and price is way up there, so be prepared to spend. The whole thing is the freshest you ever will experience at a restaraunt. That alone is worth so much! read more

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We chose Thistle to celebrate my son's birthday, and it was a fantastic experience from start to finish. My friend and I flew in from North Carolina, making this our first visit to the restaurant--and it did not disappoint. We started with the Bread and Fat, along with the Roasted Beets served with arugula, aioli, and maple honey. Both appetizers were absolutely delicious. For our main course, my friend and I had the Cornmeal-Crusted Rockfish, which was cooked to perfection--crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. My son ordered the Strip Loin and found it to be just okay, while my son-in-law opted for the Housemade Pasta and said it was excellent. The desserts and drinks were outstanding, perfectly complementing the meal. The warm, inviting ambience made for a wonderful and relaxing dining experience. Overall, Thistle exceeded our expectations, and I highly recommend it for a special occasion or a memorable night out. read more

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You must go to Thistle!! We stopped in for drinks and snacks and had the best time. Patrick, John, and their entire team were so fun, friendly, welcoming, and shared lots of cool stories with us about themselves and what they are doing at Thistle. John (the chef) has worked all over the world, and McMinnville is lucky to have him! Patrick and his team have handwritten cocktail menus and the food menu is handwritten on a chalkboard. The space is warm and inviting and makes you never want to leave! read more

We had one of the best dinners of our lives, not just in the Pacific Northwest, but truly one of the best meals we've ever had. I am not being dramatic, as our experience was that good and that dramatic! The owner, Patrick, made us feel incredibly welcome, as if we were old friends. The chef, John, is an exceptional talent. Every dish was beautiful, delicious, authentic, not an ounce of pretense; simply amazing. Thank you for the most special meal that we will truly remember and count as one of the best meals of our lives. Thank you, Thistle. We look forward to seeing you again! Charlene in Seattle. read more

If this waitress greets you get up and walk away. Seriously! By far the worst waitress I've ever experienced. Plenty of other fantastic and friendly restaurants within walking distance of this joke of a place. read more

Thistle - Restaurant - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - McMinnville, Oregon

True Farm to table. Food and service were great. Nice wine and cocktail selection. Small restaurant, suggest reservations.

I love this place! The food was wonderful and the service is amazing! What a treasure!

Ate at Thistle on November 11 during a three day birthday trip to wine country. at the end of the dinner, I told our server who I'm pretty sure is Patrick that we have a lot in Portland (in terms of the food scene), but we have nothing like Thistle. Wentto Hayward in Carlton the next night. It was good but the restaurant that I cannot get out of my head now that we are back home in Portland is Thistle. Go! read more

I think what I appreciate the most about this meal was the accessibility. It was top quality food but at an accessible price. The portions weren't huge but it was good food for the price. We started with the cheese plate. Well thought out selection of cheeses with accoutrements. Again fairly priced for what we got. I got the pork. Very flavorful with the honey jus. I hate squash but I could eat squash if it came like this. Tender and just a pleasant bite. My wife got the fish. She was very impressed. Cooked perfectly and well supported by the sides The star was dessert. Best panna cotta I've ever had. Perfect texture and nice subtle flavor. The honeycomb is a fun addition too. Overall the food wasn't extra memorable but the experience certainly was. I'd definitely come back to try different things. Solid date night choice read more

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The food at Thistle was phenomenal, the cocktails were delicious and the glass of Pinot Noir I ordered was rich and finessed (and not overpriced). When we walked in the door, they informed us they were out of 2 out of 5 entree choices. And the two we were hoping to get... at 7:30pm. We considered leaving but decided to give it a shot since the vibe there was good and we didn't want to be too dramatic. We were glad we stayed, I'll just say that one should dine here with the expectation that things will be run like someone's home kitchen. That is a positive attribute of the cooking as well, however. The food is made with care and expertise, and is beautifully presented. Maybe just have a back up plan if you're a picky with your order choice! read more

Fantastic restaurant and bar. Super nice people and a relaxed environment. The food was delicious.

Stellar meal and service. Started with steak tartare, pork remoulet (like a pate spread), and greens. Great for sharing with the bread plate. Entree of rabbit, gnocchi, and rock fish made for fun sharing with friends, and the panna cotta was a great finisher. Portions are on the smaller side but dishes were wonderful and succulent. read more

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This was such a special dinner. Excellent in every way . Unique or classic, each dish was so exceptional! Fine fusion ? Upscale casual ? I don't know what to call this "vibe" but I really could fall in love with this venue ! Our server was completely competent yet completely casual, great ! Our first round of mixed drinks was an eye opener ! This nosh is complex ! We were blown away by our firsts ... "bread & fat "was so much more than implied ... and steak tar-tar ...a classic seldom seen today ... they really nailed it ! I will return for drinks and starters without a doubt , as soon as possible! For our entree we all chose quail and were really happy with its lovely presentation ,a wholesome feast. Farm to table at its best . A perfect place to savor the best of what Oregon has on offer . read more

My husband and I came to McMinnville to celebrate our anniversary and after much research settled on Thistle based on what seemed to be great reviews. Unfortunately our food was really just not good. We started with the beef tar tar which was ok. We also had the bread with orange butter and really enjoyed it. The meal went downhill from there. I ordered the rockfish with spaghetti squash and it was very salty. My husband had the burger. It was cooked way too long and became hard and inedible. The staff were friendly and the wine was good. I'm not sure what was going on with the restaurant but I suspect that there had been changes of some kind for the worse. Maybe a new chef? I hope they can turn things around. Unfortunately we'll try someplace else next time we come to town. read more

My dining party were all very highly looking forward to dining here, but we only got as far as the front door. Why? Look at my photo and you'll see. Sitting on a plastic bin on the stoop of the front entrance was a whole pig's head, wrapped in plastic wrap. Why? That's a darned good question, but none of us cared to find out why. If it was something that was going to be prepared for diners, it shouldn't be sitting in an uncontrolled environment. If it was refuse, it should have been disposed of properly. If it was something that somebody else was supposed to pick up, why was it just sitting on the stoop? Why make potential guests walk around and potentially over it to enter the establishment? All the pig's head did was raise a bunch of red flags, so we left and dined at a nice pizzeria just around the corner and down the street instead. read more

Thistle - Yes, that is a pig's head wrapped in plastic wrap and sitting in a plastic bin on the stoop of the main entrance - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - McMinnville, Oregon

Thistle offers a strange combination of fine, yet unpretentious and affordable, dining. The dining room is a bit small and noisy, but the host is extremely knowledgeable and the service is quick and definitely goes above and beyond. When I visited, the table next to me ordered something that didn't quite come out how they were expecting. The server graciously (and proactively!) offered to prepare something off-menu, more to the diner's taste. While the dining room itself is a bit subpar, the only thing actually keeping Thistle from a full 5-stars in my opinion is the menu execution. For such a well-crafted menu, I was a bit disappointed to find the tartare only mediocre and the rillettes underseasoned. I'd highly recommend the bread and fat, or any of the salads, but the biggest surprise was the smoked fish. Really, the fish ended up being more of a salad that just so happened to have smoked fish as a major component. In particular, the olives were an unexpected yet oh-so-perfect inclusion, contrasting the sharp umami of the fish and fresh salad greens beautifully. read more

Owner Patrick runs a no-tech operation serving delicious local food and wine. Nice ambience, amidst thistle-themed wallpaper. Excellent: Steak Tartare, Lamb Shank Good: Caesar Salad Average: Beets, Osso Bucco Great wines for $60 / bottle. I also like that the corkage fee is waived if you also buy a bottle from the restaurant. I also liked the bathroom, which was clean and outfitted with lit candles. read more

The ambiance was great, back in 2010. The drinks were great as well. Apologies for not getting a review out sooner. Hoping things are still great! read more

Small, craft restaurant in the historic downtown McMinnville district. The kitchen is very creative and the menu is low on choice but high on locally sourced quality. On this July night still post Covid only had sidewalk seating which was very nice, very European. The gazpacho featured fresh tomatoes with a subtle garlic undercurrent. The highlight was the beef tartare with capers, chopped cornichons and a tangy homemade mustard. Served with crusty sourdough bites, it was the perfect summer delicacy. They have an extensive gourmet cocktail list that features a myriad of unique libations. A relaxing way to spend an evening with good food and a friendly ownership doubling as the staff. read more

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A real pleasant surprise! What looks a bit down trodden from the outside is a sweet treasure of interesting finds that work together. The food is outstanding. Locally sourced and fresh. The rabbit terrine or pate as a starter was as smooth as butter. The tomato green bean with bleu cheese salad delicious. The three entrees, rockfish, rabbit and gnocchi perfection. Of course the menu changes weekly. Service was prompt, fun, kind and knowledgeable. Overall this was a wonderful hit. read more

Thistle - Rabbit pate - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - McMinnville, Oregon

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I've eaten here twice now and both meals were wonderful. The cocktails are very good as well. I highly recommend Thistle. read more

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This is a little gem of a restaurant in McMinnville. Definitely a must try! My table had the rabbit liver parfait, smoked fish chowder, "bread and fat" and a rabbit main dish. The smoked fish chowder was to die for, and should not be missed. The rabbit Parfait and rabbit main dish were both competent preparations, but held no surprises. I was expecting something a little more interesting. We also had two different gin cocktails that were on the cocktail menu, and both were well worth trying. Since the menu changes regularly, I would definitely go back to see what they had to offer. No question that you will have a very enjoyable meal. Reservations are recommended as they fill up fast! read more

McMinnville's best kept secret! This quaint little place packs a culinary punch. I ordered the Rabbit and it was delicious. The Panna Cotta was the perfect desert to top off my dinner. read more

Thistle - Rabbit - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - McMinnville, Oregon

Amazing dinner at this quiet, gem of a restaurant in town. Small menu, but, done to perfection. Good music and ambiance. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. read more

Simply amazing. This is farm to table. An intimate setting with low lighting. Field greens with preserved lemons followed by the best gnocchi I've ever tasted. My partner had beef tartare followed by rabbit and potatoes. Local wines. I fell in love with this place. If you are a foodie then eat here. Menu changes based on season. read more

Great restaurant with unique menu choices that make it worthwhile to return. I had the rabbit and it was incredible. The cherry dessert was one of the best desserts I've ever had. read more

Food was good but the environment and staff were very odd. We were the only ones there and I don't understand why this place has such high praise. read more

Wonderful setting, food and service. Tried a bit of almost everything, will be back! Thank you Patrick! read more

Thistle - Rockfish with a lemon drop, yum! - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - McMinnville, Oregon

Very friendly and the rockfish was amazing! Small space so make that call and get reservations. We will be back next time we are in town

I had really high hopes for Thistle while staying in McMinnville for wine weekend with friends. Boy was I disappointed! Our waitress greeted us gruffly upon entry and pointed to the chalkboard where the menu was written. We had to take pictures with our phone to remember what to order and then had to ask for her to explain each of the items! The apps were pretty good - green salads nicely presented and green beans tasty. For entrees, my friends enjoyed the steak and gnocchi. Unfortunately I ordered the rabbit and it was not good. It was so tough that I could barely cut it - had to borrow steak knife. Our service went way down hill after it became clear we weren't ordering a second cocktail... she practically threw the bill at us when we didn't order dessert. All for $300 - Unimpressed read more

My friend and I were trying to get to the wineries in the area but accidentally got to the little town Thistle is in. It was getting pretty late and we didn't want to get lost again so we just looked up nearby restaurants and found Thistle. We walked in and instantly felt very invited and homey. Food was delicious. All five dishes, three starters and two entrees, were perfectly executed. I don't remember all the ingredients of our dishes, but we had salad with hazelnut, dozen oysters, bread + fat, pork, and a fish dish. We also had a lemony dessert, which was a perfect way to end a great meal. Service was swift yet friendly. read more

We went for dinner last night with four of us and everything was as stellar as always. All seating was outside at picnic tables spaces apart and the safely protocols were in place. We got the oysters, both salads, rockfish and rabbit and everything was completely delicious. The wine list is small but has a well-curated list of local and French wines. Service is always top notch too. read more

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This place deserves 10 stars! The host was very gracious and was able to fit us in when we called the same day for reservations. This is not typical, much better to make them ahead of time. One of the few places to have a Boulevardier on the cocktail menu which I loved, camparis not for everyone though. The wines paired well with the menu and included local options. For an appetizer we ordered the oysters. They were presented so carefully, cute, and outstanding! I saw a few orders of the steak tartare. I just didn't have to desire to dig into it at the time. They had beautiful yolks and the host was very helpful for those less familiar with the dish. We a wonderful rock fish dish and an even better pork belly meal. So good. So fun. Just the best of what the area strives for, local, high quality, one of a kind. read more

Wonderful dining experience! This place is tiny and the menu is limited (literally, handwritten on a chalkboard limited!) As a fairly picky person, this might have scared me off but boy would I have missed out! Every single dish was amazing - on the night we went, there were three entrees (a pork dish, a rockfish dish an a gnocchi) and we shared them between our group. They were all amazing! Would definitely recommend this restaurant - can't wait to go back next time we're in McMinnville and see what they have then. read more

Thistle never disappoints. On a cold, rainy Thursday evening we were welcomed. We chose salad and a pork entree from the chalkboard menu, and were seated at a Cody table for two. Patrick recommended a very fine Pinot Noir to go with our meal. The food was excellent in taste and in presentation. We enjoyed chatting with folks seated nearby as well. This is, after all, part of the small town, small venue charm. A crème brûlée with juniper berries was a delightful dessert. read more

WOW!!!! We were in the McMinnville area and decided to stop and have dinner. Saw all the 5 star reviews so checked it out...so glad that we did. Small place with a bar very much fits in the old town McMinnville scene. Chalkboard menu that definitely enticed us in. Service was great, everyone friendly and patient. We split the excellent field greens, preserve lemon, filberts and cheese salad. Our entrees were rock fish with wild fennel, carrots and lemongrass and the rare steak over fingerling potatoes topped with duck egg and a red wine sauce. They both were fabulous and could not recommend them higher! We will definitely go back whenever we have an excuse to be in the area. For non-Oregonians, McMinnville is close to all the northern Willamette Valley wineries. It is small so during summer and other wine tasting weekends you are very likely to need reservations. read more

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