UPDATE 6-21-2022: Thirsty Lion Gastropub has unrolled its from-scratch cooking, cocktails & beer in its latest North Texas location at Grandscape in The Colony. This is the brand's first two-story restaurant & bar.

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An upscale pub chain is headed for The Colony with not one but two enviable outdoor amenities: Thirsty Lion Gastropub known for its beer, cocktails, and good affordable food, is opening a location at the Grandscape development, where it will feature both a patio and a rooftop bar. That's a grand slam.

The pub, part of a small but growing Arizona-based chain, will open at 5754 Grandscape Blvd #205, in the same general area as Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse and Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux.

According to a release, it will be their most ambitious location so far: a vibrant, two-story restaurant, with a second floor bar and rooftop patio; 6,500 square feet of outdoor seating; and an additional 2,500 square foot greenspace patio.

Thirsty Lion CEO John Plew says in a statement that it's the "launch of our biggest location in North Texas."

Thirsty Lion was founded in 2010 as a comfortable but aspirational gastropub with a chef-driven menu that would please foodies and non-foodies alike, with a mixture of items both approachable and cutting-edge.

Their menu includes Baja fish tacos, spicy sausage mac & cheese, and salads such as blackened salmon Caesar, grilled steak, and Cobb. There's a green chile chicken & avocado sandwich on a crusty roll, a trendy ahi poke bowl, and an eclectic appetizer menu with bacon-wrapped BBQ prawns, sushi rolls, and traditional Scotch eggs.

They were ahead of the curve in offering a plant-based burger, and they update their menu regularly with seasonal offerings and specials.

The bar features a big selection of craft beer on tap, at least 20 wines by the glass, and cocktails made with fresh fruit purees, juices, and premium liquors.

Each location is unique to its environment and features fire pits, multiple TV screens, outdoor patios, and an industrial dining room, with top-of-the line acoustics that allow for simultaneous enjoyment of music, conversation, and sports.

This will be Thirsty Lion’s third location in Texas, following Irving which opened in 2017, and Glade Parks Town Center in Euless which opened in 2018. A fourth location will open in Preston Hollow in May, at 7859 Walnut Hill Ln. #140, in the former Matchbox, which closed in mid-2020 after four years.

In anticipation of the opening, they're in hiring mode, looking to fill 150 jobs for various positions including bartenders, servers, hosts, prep cooks, bussers, barbacks, and food runners.