If you’d rather not cook, head for one of the locally-owned restaurants for either a traditional Thanksgiving dinner or a non-traditional special holiday menu.
These restaurants in NYC, Northern New Jersey and Long Island are serving Thanksgiving dinner at prices that won’t break the budget.
Nothing on our list is more than $75 for adults and $35 for kids.
Tax, tip and alcoholic beverages are additional, of course.
Reservations are essential, and be sure to tip generously since the kitchen and wait staffs are giving up their holiday to serve you.
Many national restaurant chains also are offering Thanksgiving dinner deals, many for $20 or less.
Thanksgiving Dinner in Manhattan and Brooklyn
Ted’s Montana Grill
Ted’s is offering a traditional three-course Thanksgiving dinner for $55 for adults and $25 for kids 12 and under..
The menu includes a choice of chili, soup or salad as a first course, and whole-roast turkey, gravy, garlic mashed potatoes, herb stuffing, green beans, “Aunt Fannie’s” squash casserole, cranberry sauce. Dessert is apple pecan crisp.
There also are salmon and filet options for the main course, and chicken tenders for the kids, at the same price.
- Ted’s Montana Grill is at 110 W 51st St, 212-245-5220
Clinton Hall
Clinton Hall locations in Financial District, Times Square, Midtown South and Williamsburg are serving up the CH Thanksgiving Feast the entire month of November for $25.
The full feast includes The Turducken Burger (pictured here) featuring Turkey, duck and chicken burger patties layered with Swiss cheese and topped with housemade mac and cheese, brussels sprout relish and cheddar cornbread stuffing on a cranberry bun, Sweet Potato Waffle Fries with Toasted Fluff.
>Dessert is a Slice of Pecan Pie and a Pumpkin Supercraft Beer with a Cinnamon Sugar Rim.
- Check the Clinton Hill website for addresses and hours of each location.
Bell Book & Candle
The Prix Fixe menu is $55 per person, and $30 for children under the age of 10, with seatings from Noon to 9pm on Thanksgiving Day.
To start, there’s a choice of Rooftop Mixed Greens with Old-School Thousand Island or Butternut Squash Soup with Fried Sage. The entree includes a heritage turkey from Lancaster with pan gravy, sourdough sage stuffing, chive mashed potato, brussel sprouts with bacon, John’s special cranberry sauce and a maple roasted sweet potato with candied pecans.
Dessert is a brown bag apple pie with Creme Fraiche ice cream.
- Bell Book & Candle is at 141 W. 10th St.
Croton Reservoir Tavern
For $60 per person, this restaurant across the street from Bryant Park is serving a traditional three-course menu of turkey and fixings, along with also choices for pescatarians and vegetarians, between 11am and 8pm.
Choices include Butternut Squash Soup, Oven Roasted Turkey with garlic mashed potatoes, sausage and mushroom stuffing, green beans, cranberry compote and bourbon gravy.
Grilled Salmon is with preserved lemons, roasted vegetable couscous and red pepper coulis. Pumpkin Ravioli is with toasted almonds, brown butter-sage, parmesan cheese and balsamic reduction.
Pumpkin Pie is served with spiced whipped cream.
Croton is also offering a $30 two-course Kids Menu (for kids under age 12) that includes unlimited soft drinks and features a choice of Traditional Turkey Dinner, Chicken Fingers with French Fries or Macaroni and Cheese, and house-made Chocolate Chip Cookies for dessert.
- Croton Reservoir Tavern is at 108 West 40th Street
Hill Country Barbeque
Finger-licking fabulous Texas-style barbecue, serving up brisket, sausage, ribs and other meats cooked slow and low in its custom, meat-smoking room.
The dine-in Thanksgiving menu features traditional favorites and classic barbecue items, including pit-smoked turkey, pork spare ribs, Texas toast stuffing, Longhorn cheddar mac and cheese, and bourbon pecan pie.
Dinner is 11:30am to 7pm. Adults are $65 and kids 10 and younger are $25. Note that doggie bags are not allowed. A take-out menu is available; call for reservations.
- Two locations, in Flatiron at 30 W. 26th Street (212-255-4544) and Downtown Brooklyn at 345 Adams Street (718-885-4608).
- Check the website for additional information.
Chola
This authentic Indian restaurant in Midtown East is offering a non-traditional and wallet-friendly Thanksgiving buffet for just $19.95 per person, being served Noon to 3pm, and the regular menu also is available.
The menu includes brown rice vegetable biryani, turkey butter pepper, pumpkin bharta, cranberry chutney, potato madras, fish cafreal and goat biryani
Chola also offers a variety of specialty cocktails such as Himalayan Sunset (Spring 44 vodka, King’s Ginger liqueur, mango puree and fresh lime juice) and East of Manhattan (Ragtime rye, La Copa sweet vermouth and saffron syrup) as well as a curated internagitonal wine list.
- Chola is at 232 E. 58th St.
Nerai
This Greek restaurant in Midtown East is hosting Thanksgiving dinner from 4pm - 9pm with a four course Prix Fixe menu for $75.
Appetizers include Kabocha Squash Soup served with greek yogurt and sweet potato bruschetta, Autumn Salad with honey roasted root vegetables, baby kale, kabocha squash puree, greek yogurt and pomegranate glaze, Fluke Crudo featuring dayboat fluke with granny smith apple, orange, grapefruit and mint.
Pastas include Sweet Potato Gnocchi with brown butter sage sauce & smoked metsovone cheese and Lobster Pasta featuring poached maine lobster with squid ink linguine in metaxa bisque.
Entree’s include Lavraki served withwhole grilled loup de mer deboned, fileted and served with oregano, ladolemono and capers, and Turkey Moussaka withcarved turkey breast, slow braised turkey moussaka, cranberry sauce and tsoureki stuffing.
Desserts feature Tsourkei Bread Pudding with almond praline cream and chestnut gelatin, and Saragli with hand-rolled baklava, tahini parfait, and sesame brittle with pistachio gelato.
- Nerai is at 55 E. 54th St.
Carmine’s
Huge, family-style portions are the norm here, so it’s an ideal destination any time for a large crowd.
The Thanksgiving menu features an 18-pound turkey and traditional fixings and sides, for $275 to eat in, or $260 as take-out to serve at home. A pie is an additional $20.
That sounds like a lot, but since it serves up to ten people, the true cost is less than $30 per person.
- One 18 lb. Roasted Turkey with Sausage & Sage Stuffing served with Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Onions & Applewood Smoked Bacon
- Sauteed String Beans with Julienned Red Peppers & Toasted Hazelnuts
- Baby Carrots with Fresh Dill
- Sweet Potatoes topped with Marshmallows & Maple Syrup
- Mashed Potatoes with Giblet Gravy
The Carmine’s location in the Theater District is popular with tourists. Real New Yorkers prefer the original, Upper West Side location.
- Call for reservations. 200 W. 44th Street (212-221-3800), 2450 Broadway at 90th St. (212-362-2200)
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