From family-friendly buffets and traditional turkey plates with all the fixin's to extravagant holiday prix fixes and a few of spots that offer late-night snack packs, here's where to dine in Houston this Thanksgiving:
Note: Don’t forget to make reservations, as many of these spots will fill up.
B&B Butchers & Restaurant, 1814 Washington, 713-862-1814
Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Price: A la carte or $55 per adult and $25 per child 12 and under, plus tax and gratuity
Order from the entire dinner menu of next-level steakhouse favorites — think brisket ravioli, carpet bagger-style dry-aged steaks and crab-stuffed lobster tail; or go for the prix fixe Thanksgiving menu, complete with three-courses and a smoked duck and canteloupe amuse bouche. Enjoy your choice of butternut squash soup with truffle mustard crème or mixed greens with Gala apple, candied pecans and bleu cheese; then move on to roast turkey with cornbread and sausage stuffing and giblet gravy or roasted prime rib au jus with horseradish and Yorkshire pudding, both of which are served with bacon sprouts, cranberry sauce and marshmallow-topped yams. Dessert options include pumpkin pie, pecan pie and apple crisp. And as a bonus, every guest will receive a special take-home gift: leftover turkey sandwiches with roasted turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and a side of gravy.
Brennan's of Houston, 3300 Smith, 713-522-9711
Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Price: $60 per person, plus tax and gratuity
Indulge in a proper Southern Thanksgiving complete with three courses and a turducken lagniappe. First course options include Brennan’s traditions like sherry-spiked snapping turtle soup, oyster stew with house bacon and American caviar toast, and Nola bbq shrimp, this time served shortcake-style with a creamed corn buttered biscuit. Mains range from Texas Creole roasted turkey with all the proper adornments — think mushroom-andouille dressing, molasses sweet potato, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce and cognac gravy — to honey roasted duck, turducken stuffed Texas quail and crab-stuffed flounder. For the sweets, get desserts like pumpkin pie with bourbon whip, Creole bread pudding, tableside-flamed bananas Foster and a baked apple rose with brandy milk punch ice cream.
Brasserie du Parc, 1440 Lamar, 832-879-2802
Hours: Noon to 7:30 p.m.
Price: $39 per adult and $20 per child, plus tax and gratuity
With both the Downtown Thanksgiving Day Parade and the beautiful Discovery Green right at its footstep, Brasserie du Parc offers a family-friendly and elegant setting for the holiday. In addition to a special kids menu, guests can dine on three prix-fixe courses. Start with butternut squash soup, brie crostini with peppered honey and pear, or pan-roasted shrimp and snow peas with ginger vinaigrette. Second course options include a traditional roasted turkey feast, braised beef short ribs, fall vegetable risotto and Atlantic salmon with ratatouille. Finish with pecan pie and vanilla ice cream with bourbon caramel; or a caramelized apple crêpe with vanilla mascarpone, fleur de sel caramel and vanilla ice cream.
Charivari, 2521 Bagby, 713-521-7231
Hours: Noon to 7 p.m.
Price: $55 per person and $16 kids meals
Build your own Turkey Day feast with multiple options for appetizers, entrées and desserts. Start with deliciousness like pumpkin lobster bisque, harvest greens or foie gras-topped wild mushroom risotto; then dig in to broiled turkey and fixin’s, glazed Texas quail, lobster and salmon, and flat iron steak with bone marrow butter. The meal finishes with cranberry cobbler, caramelized three-layer cheesecake, apple strudel, linzer torte and chocolate hazelnut tart. Kids can enjoy schnitzel or chicken strips with fries for $16.
Federal American Grill, 510 Shepherd, 713-863-7777
Hours: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Price: $48++ per person; $15++ for children ten and under
Locals can enjoy three-course Thanksgiving Day affair, starting with choices like chicken-fried oysters with Brussels slaw and Texas chili with crème fraiche before moving on to braised short rib with mushroom-bacon risotto, wild caught salmon with whipped sweet potatoes, truffle-stuffed chicken with Yukon mash or a classic roast turkey dinner. Finish with the sweet-stuff, pumpkin pie, pecan pie or bourbon bread pudding; and take home late-night snack boxes for $7.
Enjoy a holiday brunch in The Houstonian Hotel's Grand Ballroom.
Photo courtesy of The Houstonian Hotel
Hours: Grand Ballroom brunch seatings from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Olivette reservations from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Price: $79++ per adult and $39++ for children ages five to 12 for the Grand Ballroom brunch buffet; a la carte at Olivette
Dinner at the Manor House is sold out, but The Houstonian Hotel still has two extravagant Thanksgiving Day celebrations: an over-the-top buffet brunch in the Grand Ballroom and a “Texas-style” seated meal at Olivette Restaurant. The Grand Ballroom’s brunch features items such as herb boasted turkey, prime rib, bourbon and brown sugar glazed country ham and roasted salmon, all alongside upscal morning classics like eggs Benedict, panettone French toast and Nutella-mascarpone cheese blintzes. Finish with bourbon bread pudding, pumpkin and pecan tarts, bananas Foster and tiramisu. At Olivette, individually priced holiday season options include wild mushroom bisque, Gulf Coast seafood gratin, beef tenderloin with jumbo lump crab, bacon-wrapped scallops with saffron risotto and traditional herb roasted turkey with all of the trimmings. Desserts range from pumpkin pie with brandy sabayon to a blondie sundae with coffee ice cream and pecans.
Lucienne (Hotel Alessandra), 1070 Dallas, 713-242-8555
Hours: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Price: $45 per person
Executive chef Jose Hernandez will be preparing a three-course, Thanksgiving-inspired meal at this sophisticated eatery, located on the second floor of Downtown’s Hotel Alessandra. Highlights include creamy pumpkin soup; roasted turkey breast with green beans, sweet potato mash and cranberries; stuffed pork loin, with duck fat potato confit, mushroom sauce and roasted vegetables; and sweets such as pumpkin pie and a hot chocolate and apple-butter sugar donut combo. A kid-friendly menu is also available with dishes ranging from $12-$24 and offerings including spaghetti, roasted turkey breast, and chicken and waffles.
Pappas Bar-B-Q, select locations
Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Price: $13.95 per plate
The whole family can enjoy a wallet-friendly Thanksgiving Day feast at Pappas Bar-B-Q. See the online brochure for a list of participating locations, each of which will offer traditional turkey plates filled with hickory-smoked turkey, smoked ham, cornbread stuffing, yams, green bean casserole, giblet gravy, cranberry sauce and a dinner roll for $13.95. Add on pumpkin and pecan pies for dessert.
Radio Milano
Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Price: $45 per person, plus tax and gratuity
This Italian-kissed CityCentre spot is serving a special three-course lunch on Thanksgiving Day. Starter options include traditional Caesar salad and bacon-studded butternut squash soup; and the main event features six-ounce brisket and turkey with gravy, both served with green beans, garlic mashed potatoes and cornbread. Finish off with pumpkin spice bread pudding with maple syrup, caramel glaze and cinnamon ice cream; or a budino al caramello, featuring vanilla custard, milk chocolate, mascarpone cream and hazelnuts.
Start your meal with smoked duck and andouille gumbo and finish with late-night snack packs at Rainbow Lodge.
Photo courtesy of Rainbow Lodge
Hours: 11:15 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Price: $58 per person plus tax, gratuity and beverages; $5 snack packs
Everybody knows that the late-night turkey sandwich is one of the best parts about Thanksgiving, but dining out usually means you have to forego the tasty tradition. Not when you dine at Rainbow Lodge, as the eatery offers late-night Thanksgiving snack packs with enough eats to fix a proper turkey, dressing and gravy sandwich for $5 each. Simply let your server know how many packs you want at the end of your meal. That meal, by the way, offers three courses with options like a duo of wild game with pumpkin grits, smoked duck and andouille gumbo, and Southern-style roast turkey with cornbread dressing, Yukon Gold mash, French green beans, giblet gravy and cranberry relish.
