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Thunderbird Lounge

4.1 (117 reviews)
InexpensiveLounges
Open 4:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

Thunderbird Lounge Photos

Business Info

THUNDERBIRD LOUNGE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating
Good for groups
Good for dancing

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Recommended Reviews - Thunderbird Lounge

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Reviews With Photos

Espresso Martini
Tiffany J.

My friends and I went to Thunderbird Lounge for trivia night a few months ago. The bar is in the Wagon Wheel shopping strip next to a few other businesses. Look for the A-Frame sign near the coin operated mechanical horse. This is definitely a dive bar and it has an old school nostalgia feel with old board games, a rotary dial phone, and a pay phone. The indoor area has a few small booths, a few bar seats, and a small lounge area. There's also free arcade games near the front of the bar. The outdoor area behind the bar is spacious. There's plenty of seating including benches for large groups as well as a stage and some outdoor games. They allow outside food so we brought in food for dinner. They apparently have food vendors, but I don't recall seeing any the night we went. Unfortunately, we arrived after HH ended. I had an Espresso Martini and it was really good! It didn't have the espresso bean garnish, but I won't hold it against them. I also had the Summer Breeze which is a vodka based cocktail. It was good, but sweet. In addition to trivia, they host an array of theme nights and events like Karaoke and live music. On the night we went, it happened to also be goth night which made for an interesting mix of clientele. We had a great time and our team won trivia! If I was a local, I would be a regular.

Christina M.

Finally made it over to Thunderbird Lounge, had been on my list to check out for a while. We went to check out a DJ set by Com Truise for Viva Fest and it was cool. This place has a large patio out back which felt great that night. Inside there's a retro looking bar area, booths, and seating up front by the video game machines. Drinks were basic but reasonably priced and we found parking on the street out front. I would definitely come back to this bar for music on the patio.

They don't actually host this watch party.
Ashley V.

I usually have a pretty good time at Thunderbird Lounge but last night I was left disappointed. Their website and Ticketweb both advertised an event they did not follow through on. We arrived at 5pm (as the picture shows) for a RuPauls Drag Race watch party. The bartender seemed confused when we asked about it and tried to put the channel on for us but could not figure it out. She then later said "I think we put it on at 7". When another bartender came in later, he put the channel on but the new episode was already over...because it's airs at 5....We had one drink and left after we realized they really weren't going to have the watch party. If you're going to advertise an event and include it on a ticket purchasing website, follow through with the event or take it off the website. To top it off, the bathrooms had no toilet paper or paper towels, even after 3 bartenders arrived. Nobody was tending to the restroom. It was a sloppy mess. I'm still giving 3 stars because Thunderbird Lounge is usually better than this, I don't know what happened last night.

Taylor W.

Such a cool lounge/arcade bar/venue! Came to see my fave artist Vincent Antone, and i appreciated that it was hosted at a smaller venue, making it a more intimate show. There were food trucks outside and plenty of outdoor seating. They even had a couple sets of corn hole. Inside is the bar and a couple nostalgic arcade games. Such a fun, casual spot to hang out.

Christa M.

Visited with friends on Friday night for Dirty Disney and we were all super excited for the night. We took a Lyft, and I am so glad we did because all the parking spots were taken. We made it towards the door, my friend went in first and I was right behind him. I quickly heard a ladies rudely voice say "ID's" without saying anything else. She then saw me trying to get my ID out of my wallet and she again repeats herself in a nasty tone.. like girl I heard you the first time.. chill. We made it past the rude lady, and we were in! The inside is super cute. It has retro vibes, cute photo ops, and the lighting is on point. We decided to come back inside for drinks as we had to go and find a spot for the show. The show started a little late and we stood at a table top towards the bathrooms. The view wasn't great but all the spots at the front were taken. There were no seats so we stood for the 1.5 hours we were there. Went back inside for some drinks and the girl bartending clearly did not want to be there. She was rude, scary, and non approachable. The bar wasn't even busy so not sure what she was so angry about. The first round of drinks we ordered included an Espresso Martini and it was very well made. We got some food from the food truck that was out back and it was also pretty good. In total we bought 4 drinks which were all good. Our favorite one though was the Espresso Martini. The show was entertaining and funny but we left early. The patio area is pretty spacious but the inside lounge area is small. Customer service is clearly not a priority as both workers we interacted with were rude.

Rocky Red brings down the house!!
Nelson L.

Local, divey, eclectic, welcoming. The facade is misleading as you venture into a time warp of a video game lounge which turns into a local bar. Step outside and you find yourself in a local backyard complete with lawn furniture that's left out in the elements. We were lucky to catch Rocky Red MCing during karaoke night. The more you drink, the better they sound! Though Rocky Road is a tough act to follow! But they try... Great fun overall. Drinks were tasty and cold. Very memorable!

Jack B.

The space is small but Thunderbird packs a punch with its retro aesthetic. The inside has retro games that you can play for free although some of the machines were not working. We particularly enjoyed taking pictures in the phone booth built into the wall! The outside seating is great for nice nights when the sun goes down. We went on a Friday for a drag show with a balloon artist! The outside space has plenty of tables and places to hang out. Street parking may be your best shot in this part of Melrose. However, there is also a small lot on the north side of the building that will fill up pretty fast on weekends. The lounge isn't very easy to spot from the street with no clear signage coming off 7th Ave. There are a few small neon signs that suggest there is a bar.

$5 Jell-O shot  wtf - Two small clear plastic cups containing green Jell-O shots are positioned on a metal outdoor table with a diamond pattern. One cup is closer to the camera, and a hand is holding a small paper receipt or ticket near it. The background is dark, indicating nighttime, and there is a menu or sign partially visible behind the cups. The setting appears to be outside a bar or restaurant.
Beth B.

Idk man every time I come I feel less welcome. I live in the neighborhood and hit up Thunderbird last night and paid a ton for some Jell-O shots. Funny other bar had them for $1 and so I was all I'll have some here. Bought four. It was more than my dinner and drinks at another local establishment. I always want to have a good time here because it's walking distance and etc but every time I come it's so weird and like I'm not cool enough to hangout here. I'll probably try it again because it's close but ugh disappointed again.

a cocktail with a rosemary sprig in a glass
Jen B.

Such a fun spot my husband and I stumbled upon. We came in for date night and had a blast between the fun atmosphere, yummy cocktails, and arcade games. The patio looks huge, and will be back when the weather is cooler. You must visit Thunderbird Lounge!

a man playing a video game
Damilola L.

This was my first time checking this place out. They're committed to the decor throughout. Very retro from the wallpaper, to phone booth and free arcade games. I was here specifically for trivia on Thursday nights at 8pm. Wasn't my usual format of trivia, but me and my boyfriend had a good time. Limited drink menu with only bagged snacks as an option. Large heated patio was a plus.

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Business owner information

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Jacob W.

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1 year ago

Chill spot. Good, reasonably priced drinks, great atmosphere. The staff was friendly and i loved the 90s throwback DJ. I'll be back.

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2 years ago

The drinks are amazing the area is amazing with plenty of games to play and the staff are incredible kind and friendly!

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1 year ago

Karaoke had the worst singers in the history of the world. Drinks were in plastic cups. I think drinks that are $10 should come in a glass.

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Jacob W.

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1 year ago

Me and my lady came by fire ass place bartender with the skrillex haircut... awesome guy

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Ask the Community - Thunderbird Lounge

Can I have a cigarette out back on patio?

Yes, smoking is allowed on the back patio.

Are you dog friendly?

As long as your dog is friendly :)

Is the inside open?

Yes, it is.

Is it only 21 plus?

Yes, we are a friendly 21+ neighborhood bar.

Happy Hour specials?

Mon-Fri (4-6pm) $4 wells, $1 off drafts, $5 Skrewball Whiskey

View All 9 Questions

Review Highlights - Thunderbird Lounge

This place is such a nostalgic place/ the retro walls, the wooden panels, the decorum and games, the lighting, everything.

Mentioned in 10 reviews

Read more highlights

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We went for the Halloween pop up and honestly it was great! Not too loud, fun crowd, bartenders…read morewere fast and attentive, and Anna was just the sweetest! The seasonal drinks were decent, but their classics are the fan favorite for us. There is a pool table as well and some table seating and decent enough parking. I'd love to see other themed popups here (Christmas starts around mid November), but may swing by on a normal day too!

After attending a concert, I was looking for a bar to make a pit stop at for a drink on my way…read morehome. Sunny's Lounge was in the area, and I had passed by it before, so I decided to stop by on a Saturday night. They have a small parking lot and I was able to find a spot. If you can't find a spot, you can park for free on a side stret. Ambiance (4/5): Dive-ish is a nice way to put it. Small. But also homey and cool. There's a pool table in the corner with some seating that surrounds it. Plus some seating at the bar. Service (5/5): Friendly and attentive service. Which goes a long way. I was greeted promptly, the bartender answered my questions, and he was friendly. Everything I look for at a bar. Food (N/A): I had dinner earlier that night, so I was on a liquid diet, but Sunny's does have a limited menu mainly consisting of snacks and hot dogs. While I didn't try any of the food, there is some creativity with their food options, so I'd like to give them a try next time around. Drinks (4.5/5): While Sunny's is dive-ish, they are known for their cocktails. And they have an interesting list of creative craft cocktails to choose from. Including some tiki drinks that seem to be a collaboration with Undertow, a nearby tiki bar. Perhaps they're owned by the same people? Either way, I liked it. There's sophistication in their cocktails, which I'm always a fan of. Sunny's is a cool spot. My preference would be to go on a weekday, because if you're trying to play pool, one pool table is not enough when there's a crowd.

Trophy Room - Walkway to the exit adorned  by multiple bullets overhead

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Carry On - Filthy martini with blue cheese olives

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(146 reviews)

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Finally, a location we have been trying to see but our sporadic trips to Arizona have made it hard…read moreuntil now. We stopped by Wren & Wolf to collect our boarding passes and sat down to relax in the lounge until we got closer to boarding time. We then walked around the building to the dimly lit entrance and waited behind the ropes. At exactly the boarding time, the captain opened the doors and greeted us. We walked by the check-in area, and our tickets were checked. The stewardesses then gave us a pair of wings. This flight was to Tokyo and the travel warning mentioned kaiju activities. Glancing into the seating area it was shaped like a luxury plane with windows and ample space to move around. At the back of the plane were seats wrapping around and the cabin was very beautifully decorated. Towards the front of the aircraft, there was a beautiful bar. The photos in the advertisements are not photoshopped the place is amazing. The stewardesses escorted us to our seats and they were very comfortable. Depending on group size you either get a small table for two or for 4. This reminded us of the movie Soul Plane lol. Kiki and Madie were our stewardesses on the flight and started us with a complimentary drink and some peanuts. As we were taking off you could see the plane taking off through the windows and you could feel vibrations on the floor as if the plane was rolling. Then once in the air they played a large selection of music. Keep an eye out the windows because you will see strange things like we spotted King Kong and then while in flight we saw Ghidorah fly by and I think I got a glimpse of Mothra, but was not sure. Kiki and Madie were amazing they kept the drinks flowing and we watched the captain make drinks because he was also the bartender. We then ran into turbulence and into a storm and spotted Godzilla, Mechagodzilla, and Ghidorah amidst the dark clouds and lightning. Then at this time the martini carts came around serving handcrafted martinis at your table side. After we got out of the dark clouds there was a tasty cookie and more drinks. The service was amazing. Kiki and Madie were Rockstars and were very efficient at their jobs. They provided light conversation and were knowledgeable about the menu and gave great recommendations. When we got close to Tokyo and were ready to land there was a last call and we could see Tokyo from the windows as we did our final approach. The whole experience was well worth it and each flight is different. We spoke to some other passengers who have been on other flights and they can't get enough of it. The captain's quarters section in the front of the plane served some The flight time was 90 minutes and there is a bathroom on the plane. There is a parking garage in the same building so you don't have to walk far. Thank you, Captain, and thank you Kiki and Madie, for this amazing evening.

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Thunderbird Lounge - lounges - Updated May 2026

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