Thunder Island Brewing Company

Pros: Good food, fair prices, dog friendly, outdoor seating, beautiful views, hubs says they have good beer
Cons: Not enough parking, super slow service, no table side service (they bring your food, that’s it), never enough open seating on weekends
They’re consistent in all of the above, as I’ve come quite a few times.

I can’t tell you how much we love this place. So much so that we chose to get married in nearby Marine Park.
Nothing can match a beer on their patio on a summer day. Nothing. The location and atmosphere is absolutely incredible.
Food and beer are very good. But really, you’re here to enjoy a beer on the GORGEous (heyooo!) Columbia River and soak up the good summer vibes and scenery.
An absolute favorite. My fiancé and I will always love and remember this place, even if we move far away someday.

Gorgeous views, delightful staff, great food, oh and of course amazing beer! The Scotch Porter in particular is my favorite.

The day was perfect, and the best way to end a day like that is a few brew to was it all down with. This restaurant is so unique, with the views out into the Colombia Gorge and into Washington State. I could not believe how nice the service was, and how good the food was. Make sure to get the salmon dip with your flight of beers!

Great food and beer. We had the nachos with pulled pork which were big and perfect for sharing. The split pea soup was amazing and we enjoyed tasting one of the flights. We will stop back here next time we are near!

What a beautiful place to enjoy some good beer. Love the atmosphere here, the food choices were great as well as tasty beer. Enjoyed the chili, the Flatbread were on pre made crusts so that was kinda a bummer, but the feeling there made up for it!

During a trip to Multnomah Falls, my hungry pals and I befriended Roger and Hal, volunteers at the visitor center. As helpful as they were delightful, they gave us many suggestions about what other sites to see and where we could get the best lunch in the area. Roger’s top selection was Thunder Island Brewing Company, and I’m so glad we went. He wanted us to tell his friend Dave, the owner (I think), that he said hello. Dave was not there, but if you’re reading this, Roger said hello!
The food. The food was so tasty. I had only delicious meals during my visit to Portland, and this one was the best. We ordered nachos with pulled pork for the table and quickly devoured them. Miriam got the chicken pot pie, which I’m usually lukewarm about. This chicken pot pie though, served in a bread bowl with some sort of yummy crisp on top, was in a class of its own. It tasted like Thanksgiving dinner in a bowl. Lauren and I split the chili and cheese bread (very good chili and if I have to tell you that the garlic cheese bread was delicious, then you haven’t been living your life right) and the turkey sandwich. The turkey sandwich sounds boring, and was anything but. It was served hot on ciabatta bread and was so flavorful that even though I was stuffed at this point, I made sure to finish my half. I had a tasting flight to wash it all down, since we were at a brewery and, when in Rome, right? I had an IPA, the porter, Belgian beer and bier de garde (don’t know what that is, but it tasted good). The beers were all great, and I especially loved the Belgian one.
Overall experience was fantastic. Beautiful scenery (Bridge of the Gods is right past the restaurant and the Columbia River is behind it), top notch food, quick service and fair prices. I recommend this gem to anyone in the area, or even those who have to make a special trip. It’s worth it!

This place is about the view and the in house brewed beer. The patio sits right in front of the river. On a nice day, the view is breathtaking. The food is good standard American bar food — burgers, brats, sandwiches, etc.
View, atmosphere — 5 stars
Beers — 4 – 5 stars
Food — 3 stars

Loved the view from here overlooking the water. We stopped here for a bite after a day of hiking various falls. They have picnic style benches outside with some indoor seating. You’ll get shade only if you get a good spot but it’s so pretty didn’t mind the sun too much.
You order food and drinks at the bar. Bartender didn’t smile and was very short with answering questions. In fact, I’m not sure she answered all my questions. Anyhow, not having been here before we ordered a flight. Beer was okay, can’t recall any that stood out. I ordered a vegetarian samosa and my hubby ordered a vegetarian sandwich. He said he liked mine better. I liked mine too much to even try his. Overall, food was good, beer was average, service was meh and view is top notch. Worth a stop!

Great beer, great scenic location, tasty counter service food. Had the nachos with pulled pork. Tasty appetizer with a nice beer to wash it down. The younger women working the bar aren’t very friendly though and don’t seem to enjoy their jobs, or just dealing with people in general. Smile, it’s your life.
Give it a try but don’t expect a smile at the bar :)

Wow gem of a location beautiful scenic view on the outside patio. This was my first time coming to this brewery and excellent beer.
I did not try the food but a decent selection of beers on tap. I would highly recommend if you are around cascade locks.

A brewery with a view. After hiking at nearby falls we were looking for a bite to eat. I found Thunder Island Brewing on the Unilocal app and noticed besides brewing beer they also serve wine and food, score!
The brewery has an incredible picturesque view of water and mountains. We sat on the patio and while shade is limited they did have movable misters staggered between tables. I loved that even the pups were welcomed to join in on the fun.
It is counter service but while the line was long it did move along swiftly. Jesse ordered a beer and burger and I ordered a Pacific Pie Co pastie and an Oregon Pinot Gris. The burger was pretty good but Jesse and we agreed it would taste better on a hamburger bun (vs chewy ciabatta). My cool glass of wine was excellent especially on a hot summer day. I enjoyed my pastie which is a hand held savory pie. I ordered the feta and spinach pastie which had a nice soft doughy crust.
If in the area TISBC is definitely worth checking out.

I have to admit, I was heading to Walking Man when I saw their sign on the highway!
Excellent beer, good food, and one of the best riverside views you can get from a brewery. Combined, this place is top notch! I’m an IPA lover and was very satisfied.
The first time I was there, I had the Chicken Salad sandwich which was phenomenal, but the second time I brought my fiancé after a Gorge waterfall tour, and it seemed like we got the «bottom of the pot» or something — it was very mayonnaise heavy, and literally had two cranberries in it, so I’m now ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ on the food. HOWEVER, I go for the quality of the BEER!
Disturbing that the local police drove down the little side road no less than two times while we were there, seems like he’s prowling for DUIs, but then I realized how small the town is… he probably drove every street in town in between!
GO!!!
My rating system:
1 Ugk!
2 Meh
3 Yes!
4 Hells yeah!
5 Legendary

Perfect in just about every way. Great view, great beer, and great people. A wonderful place to enjoy a beer on a summer day. My favorite beer here was the cream ale with the chocolate stout in a close second.
Slight negative is the small food selection and prices which seemed a bit high to me for a warehouse location. On the plus side the food that do have is tasty.

I’ve never been to Cascade Locks but Seth suggested for our group to stop by this new brewery for beers & food.
Each couple ordered nachos ($ 10) & a sandwich to share. The nachos were big enough for two & there were a lot of sliced jalapeños & black olives which was A+ in my book. The chicken salad sandwich ($ 8) was actually very good. The flavor was light & not overloaded with mayo, the sandwich was thick, & the ciabatta bread was fresh & soft. I would definitely order both items again.
There wasn’t very much for indoor seating but maybe it’s because all the tables were outdoors for the patio located under the trees. It was very nice to relax, drink, & eat while facing the river & not be scorched by the sun. Also, as long as you keep your pet on a leash they can chill with you in the patio area rather than the vehicle.
Pints of Apricot Ale was perfect for such a hot summer day & the tasty food was just what we needed after our hike on Chinidere Mountain.

Main reason Thunder Island gets a 5-​star rating is the view. This is hands down the best scenery to enjoy a beer or some food I’ve ever experienced. You’re spitting distance from the Columbia River with an eye level view of Thunder Island and the old locks that give Cascade Locks there name. You’ll probably see a few Osprey or perhaps a Bald Eagle or two.
The beer here is unbelievable. It isn’t available anywhere aside from the brewery at this time, so you’ll have to try a taste or a pint of the 10 or so flavors they’ll have on tap.
If you want to take beer some home with you they’ll happily fill your growler, or half growler, or whatever you have as a vessel as they charge by the ounce for beer to go.
If you’re a PCT hiker Thunder Island is steps from camping along the Columbia River. Get the Nachos and enjoy sharing your tales with the locals and the staff. Both are great people to get to know.
FOR A PINT OF TRAIL MAGIC YOU NEED TO STOP HERE.

BEER is definitely a must try ! Great flavors from light too dark beer. Got two sets of Four Small beers to try with all different types of flavors.
Nachos were okay. Asked for Pulled Pork with it but it seemed they gave us only 3 – 4 small shreds. The basket paper stacked into the cheese and ripped off chunks here and there.
Cheese, Nuts, and Crackers paired great with the beer for a light snack.
PB&Honey was a new thing for me to try and I fell in love with it ! Subtle sweetness and creamy, rich peanut butter.

Awesome little brewpub we just stumbled across.
Location is fantastic — right on the river with a great view.
It’s very casual, almost a beach meets mountain kind of feel.
Service was great.
The beer was really good, with a good variety of styles. I liked the different IPAs but the Belgian Blonde — Journey Through Time & Space — was amazing.
We only had the nachos but they were tasty.
Definitely worth the short drive off the freeway.

The view is killer. GRAB A TABLE OUTSIDE!
The have pies from Pacific Pie Company! Solid beer, good food. Didn’t expect all that much from the place, but it was awesome! Great place to go if you’re looking for some food or drink post hiking Eagle Creek.

Awesome beers, awesome view, awesome staff! This place is a great place to go if you want to enjoy a lovely day outside and watch the river. Parking can be a bit of a pain if they are busy, but you can easily park around the corner.
We originally found this place with my parents visiting when we decided that driving out to Hood River was a bit too far for the day. I was very excited to come back and enjoy for a second run.