If you don't currently have any plans to cook for Thanksgiving, no need to change that strategy and quickly thaw a turkey.
Save yourself both time and stress by enjoying a nice dinner at one of the many restaurants that will be open on Thanksgiving Day. Our list includes options that'll satisfy any taste and price point, from fine dining to drive-thru.
Le Colonial
The lavishly appointed Vietnamese restaurant in River Oaks District will be open for regular lunch and dinner service on Thanksgiving Day. In addition to its usual menu, the restaurant will get into the Thanksgiving spirit with specials that include smoked turkey spring rolls, roasted duck with cranberry ginger sauce, and pumpkin cheesecake. Those who need a break from discussing the election with their relatives can find solace with a cocktail or three in the upstairs lounge.
Holley's
Give Thanksgiving at Southern accent at this seafood restaurant in Midtown. The three-course, $60 menu includes starters like the restaurant's signature gumbo, pumpkin soup, and roasted oysters. In addition to a traditional turkey dinner, choose from mains like crispy redfish and lacquered duck. Of course, no meal at Holley's is complete with a slice of coconut cake for dessert.
Hotel Granduca
The Hotel Granduca's Ristorante Cavour will serve a luxurious Thanksgiving brunch from 11 am to 3 pm. Selections run the gamut: everything from Italian dishes like asparagus and porcini risotto to an omelet bar and, of course, a carving station with prime rib and turkey. The price is $85 for adults and $40 for children from five to 12 years old.
The Houstonian
Thanksgiving festivities at the venerable Galleria-area hotel include a full brunch buffet in the Grande Ballroom with selections such as herb-roasted turkey, prime rib, bourbon and brown sugar glazed ham, Hill Country benedict, and more. All that plus complimentary champagne and signature mimosas for $79 for adults and $35 for children ages five to 12. In addition, the hotel's restaurant Olivette will offer a “Texas-style” seated Thanksgiving menu with individually priced holiday season options such as sweet potato bisque, pecan stuffed Texas quail, and double cut venison chop. Finally, the hotel's Manor House restaurant will serve a Creole-style Thanksgiving with dishes that include seafood gumbo, crab cake with maque choux, and snapper Pontchartrain for $58.
Peska
The Galleria-area seafood restaurant will serve a three-course, $60 prix fixe menu that includes options such as whole roasted cornish hen, whole roasted branzino, and prime rib with family-style sides and traditional desserts like pumpkin cheesecake and pecan pie priced at $60 per person. In addition, the restaurant is offering a limited number of "private suites" on its patio complete with a flat screen and its own three-course menu for avid football fans. The restaurant's locations makes it a convenient place to eat prior to the 31st annual Uptown Holiday Lighting Ceremony and firework show at 7 pm.
Fielding's Local Kitchen & Bar
Even residents of The Woodlands can escape cooking on Thanksgiving Day thanks to this restaurant in the Creekside neighborhood. Fielding's Local will serve a $59, four-course menu from 11 am until 8 pm with options that range from traditional dishes like roasted beet salad and fairytale pumpkin soup to more unusual fare like tuna crudo and oxtail risotto. Turkey is a main course option, but it'll be hard to resist paying the extra $15 for 44 Farms prime rib. Dutch apple pie, pumpkin brown butter cake, and dark chocolate mousse complete the meal.
Aladdin Mediterranean Cuisine
Not every Thanksgiving dinner has to include turkey. For those who prefer kebabs, braised lamb shanks, and hummus, the popular Montrose restaurant will be open on Thanksgiving Day. Best of all, with the Burger Joint closed, people might even be able to find convenient parking!
Red Lion Pub
Fancy dinners are all well and good, but a casual meal at a comfortable pub works well for procrastinator's. The Red Lion's Thanksgiving dinner will include roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetables and more for an eminently reasonable $22. Add a slice of pumpkin or apple pie for only $8 more. With service from 11 am until 11 pm, diners can even go twice.
Pappas Bar-B-Q
Speaking of affordable, consider this the annual reminder that almost every location of Pappas Bar-B-Q is open on Thanksgiving from 9 am until 6 pm. For only $12.95, the restaurant's plate includes turkey, ham, stuffing, yams, green bean casserole, and trimmings.
CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler contributed to this article.
Do you have some other great last-minute Thanksgiving dining options? Let us know in the comments section below.
Enjoy a luxurious buffet at The Houstonian for $79.
