GRAND ISLAND – Thunder Road Sports Bar and Grill is a showcase for numerous sports cars positioned near the ceiling and even a motorcycle suspended from the ceiling.
Thunder Road Sports Bar opened Jan. 8, said Alex Dunn, director of food service operations for Bosselman Enterprises, which owns the sports bar at 1607 S. Locust St., Suite B. Charlie Bosselman owns the cars that are inside the sports bar.
Thunder Road, which used to be Tommy Gunz restaurant, was “gutted down to the cement floor and studs” in the remodeling process, Dunn said.
The sports bar has all new booths, tables, bar stools, and a bar, he said.
This is the second Thunder Road concept that Bosselman Enterprises owns, Dunn said. Thunder Road Grill is located at the Bosselman Travel Center at Interstate 80 south of Grand Island.
“They have a breakfast menu that this site doesn’t offer,” he said.
At the South Locust location, the restaurant part of the Sports Bar is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The bar is open two hours later each day, so the bar’s hours are from 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
The sports bar has approximately 40 employees.
The idea of having a sports bar at the South Locust location seemed fitting because of the proximity to Fonner Park, which hosts events such as the Nebraska State Fair, Dunn said.
“A sports bar environment seems more fitting,” he said. “It’s a little more comfortable for people from all walks of life to watch games.”
Thunder Road has a pool table, shuffleboard, darts, as well as a number of arcade games.
The size of the interior was increased.
“Expanding the size allowed us to accommodate more people,” he said. The sports bar’s seating capacity is 230 people. Thunder Road also has an outdoor sitting area with a canopy above it.
Thunder Road has a happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Popular items in the bar include Moscow mules, a wide variety of beer on tap, bottled beer, and canned beer.
“The blueberry Moscow mule has definitely been the hit so far,” Dunn said.
The menu features Detroit-style pizza, a wide variety of wing options, burgers, salads, steaks, and other items.
“There’s something for everyone,” Dunn said.
