Thunderbird, a bar from the Lighting Bar Collective, will open in the former space of The Uncanny, which closed in May 2026. I first caught wind of all this through their liquor license application, then not long after that I saw the sign above as I was walking around the N Mississippi commercial strip. Here is what we know.
Thunderbird: Some History
The first Thunderbird bar opened in 2017 adjacent to Foster Burger (this was a project from Andy Ricker and Daniel Mondok) in Southeast Portland, and at that point it was the eighth bar from Lightning Bar Collective. They started out offering a plethora of vegan barbecue options, with imitation meats provided by the much beloved Homegrown Smoker (they now operate part time in Arizona).
In July 2019, they took over the Foster Burger space, “absorbing the adjoining space following Foster Burger’s closure,” according to Ned Lannamann at The Mercury at the time. They’ve been there ever since, and have expanded the Thunderbird menu with more vegan options and some animal-based foods like burgers, chicken, and grilled cheese.
Cars and a Motel
You can see the bar’s use of car imagery—the Ford Thunderbird, which was in production from 1955 to 2005, with a hiatus from 1998 to 2001—but “Thunderbird” was also the name of a motor inn/motel in Portland decades ago. The 90-unit Thunderbird Motor Inn, eventually called the Thunderbird/Red Lion Motor Inn, opened in 1960 and was located at 1225 N Crosby Avenue, later changed to 1225 N Thunderbird Way.
It’s location is referenced as “across from Memorial Coliseum.” Today, the location is a parking lot on the south side of the Broadway Bridge.
All this to say, it’s kind of poetic to see a Thunderbird return to North Portland.
Thunderbird … North?
I thought at first it was going to be called “Thunderbird North” as it was called on the liquor license application, but I had a chance to ask the Lightning Bar Collective folks about that. “We’ll just be calling it Thunderbird, carbon copy of our current location,” explained Mike Mello, co-owner of the bar.
Eating and Drinking at Thunderbird
As I mentioned earlier, the menu at the Southeast Portland bar is primarily vegan and it’s northern sibling will reflect that menu. “We will have an extensive vegan menu just like our SE Foster location,” explained Mike. “Actually, it’s going to be the same exact menu, minus maybe one or two things we can’t do out of this kitchen.”
They’ll also serve up the cocktails you know and love, as well as some NA drink options.
What They’ll Bring To the N Mississippi Area
I asked if anything significantly different at this northern locaton. “Not really,” Mike replied. “We’re going to focus on a neighborhood vibe, great cocktails, great food, family friendly and overall welcoming atmosphere for everyone, just like at the current tbird. We’re super excited to get into a new neighborhood.”
Some Additional Basic Info
Looking at the liquor license application, they plan to be open daily from noon to 2:30am. No seasonal variation is planned. They’ll have live and recorded music to accompany your time there. There will be a total of 169 seats—120 outside, making this a great patio spot in the summer—and 49 seats inside.
They plan to open Monday, June 29, which is only about a week away, if you can believe it. Wishing Mike and his LBC team all the best as they get the place ready to welcome you all to Thunderbird on N Mississippi.
Thunderbird [opening June 29]
3560 N Mississippi Avenue, Portland
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Meg Cotner
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TIL that this address hasn’t been Psychic Bar in three years.