If you’d rather not cook, make reservations now at one of the locally-owned restaurants serving either a traditional Thanksgiving dinner or a non-traditional special menu.
These NYC restaurants are serving holiday meals at prices that won’t break the budget.
Everything on our list is less than $75 for adults and $35 for kids – some are even under $35 for adults. If you want to spend $100 more or less, you’ll have to check some other website.
Tax, tip and alcoholic beverages are additional, of course.
Reservations are essential – make them soonest, since social distancing requirements limit the number of guests a restaurant can serve.
Be sure to tip generously since the kitchen and wait staffs are giving up their holiday to serve you.
Remember that new restaurant rules for New York City require that restaurants must close at 10pm for in-restaurant dining. Take-out is available past 10pm, if the restaurant chooses.
See Also
Thanksgiving To Go – Get Dinner Delivered
Many national restaurant chains also are offering Thanksgiving dinner deals, many for $20 or less – we’ll have that list separately in a few days.
Carnegie Diner & Cafe
- 205 West 57th St.
The UN Plaza Grill
Thanksgiving 2020 three- course menu is distinguished by its relatively modest cost at $65 for adults and a children’s version for $30), despite offering a pricey veal chop one of the four entree choices along with the obligatory turkey with all the fixings. This turkey is a maple glazed free range one. There also are two additional entrée options – lamb chops and a center cut rib eye – with supplements.
The UN Plaza Grill is kosher.
For America’s favorite holiday, the restaurant will adopt special hours ,serving Thanksgiving dinner from 3 to 9 p.m. its stunningly airy dining room with soaring 40-ft ceilings, with outdoor service on the restaurant’s terraced plaza, far from vehicular traffic, a possibility, depending upon weather.
- Reservations can be made via ww.unplazagrill.com or by calling 212-223-1801 .
For those looking to skip turkey altogether, Koreatown’s Hortus and its heated outdoor garden offer a pleasant alternative.
As part of this $70 meal diners can choose appetizers like pumpkin soup, scallops with cauliflower puree and pickled grapes, and such entrees as pan-seared duck or spicy braised short rib with a risotto.
- 271 Fifth Avenue, (646) 858-3784
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 – same prices as last year. Note that doggie bags are not allowed.
A take-out holiday menu, The Rancher’s Feast, also 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.
Carmine’s
Huge, family-style portions are the norm here year-round, so it’s an ideal destination any time for family-friendly holiday event.
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
Note that the Carmine’s location in the Theater District is currently closed.
Real New Yorkers prefer the original, Upper West Side location, which has extensive outdoor seating..
- Call for reservations. 2450 Broadway at 90th St. (212-362-2200)
The View At Battery Park
Thanksgiving Dinner here is a four-course dinner with an Italian twist. Though you can opt for a traditional turkey dinner, alternative dishes like linguine with shrimp and eggplant parmigiana are on the menu along with lobster bisque, fried calamari and pumpkin ravioli.
The dinner runs $65 per adult and $25 per child (ages 3 to 12). Book a reservation online.
- 1 Battery Place
Brooklyn Chop House
You can dine in or outside at Brooklyn Chop House, which is in the Financial District, not in Brooklyn. Thanksgiving Dinner is a 13-14lb Peking Turkey with cranberry plum sauce and all the trimmings, that feeds six to eight guests. Sides include garlic mashed potatoes, string beans and homemade assorted cheesecakes, for $295, which works out to $50 or less per person.
Or, opt for the restaurant’s a la carte menu, which includes steaks, lobster, duck and dumplings.
The menu is available from 4p to 10 pm outdoors or indoors. Make a reservation online.
- 150 Nassau Street
Find more downtown dining options from the Downtown Alliance.
Socarrat Paella Bar
Enjoy a Spanish-style Thanksgiving Dinner at this tapas bar, featuring Turkey Paella as the main course. The $55 meal starts with butternut squash soup or salad and comes with sides including brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes. Pumpkin pie finishes the meal on a classic note.
Takeout is available for the same price, minimum for two persons.
- Three locations – Chelsea, Midtown East and Nolita.
Thanksgiving Dinner in Brooklyn
Black Forest
This authentic German restaurant is open for take-out, indoor and heated outdoor dining from noon-9pm on Thanksgiving Day and also on Christmas Day.
You won’t find turkey on our menu this year, but we are so happy to serve you a classic German holiday dish, a real German Sauerbraten, which is a marinated beef roast, served with red cabbage and potato dumplings for all that gravy.
Delivery will be available until 3pm on the Black Forest website, and until 9pm on Doordash.
- Two locations – Fort Greene and Smith Street.
Thanksgiving Dinner in Queens
Casa Del Chef
This well-regarded restaurant in Woodside is offering both a classic ($55) and vegetarian ($45) prix fixe Thanksgiving Dinner this year.
Start with butternut squash soup, white corn bricks and ham prosciutto. The main course is roast turkey with Worcestershire and mushroom gravy accompanied by brussels sprouts, fingerling potatoes and lima beans; and finish with apple bread pudding.
For vegetarians, there’s a seared savoy cabbage dish with chestnuts, celery root purée and mushrooms.
Serving dinner 1pm to closing.
The holiday meal also is available for takeout. Casa Del Chef wisely requests that you order directly from the restaurant, so it can avoid high-price service fees by third-party ordering services.
- 39-06 64th St, (718) 457-9000
Thanksgiving Dinner in Northern New Jersey
The Yacht Club
This restaurant opened recently, in Edgewater and is serving a special 4-course Thanksgiving dinner from Executive Chef Gregory Zapantis for $40 per person.
The first course includes a choice of Cream of Turkey Soup or Lobster Bisque Soup, the second course is a family-style Caesar Salad with radicchio and pomegranate. The main course is Oven Roasted Whole Organic Turkey with apple and turkey sausage stuffing, Brussels sprouts and candied sweet potato mash.
The turkey is carved tableside for parties of four or more. Dessert is a choice of Pumpkin Pie, Coconut Custard Pie, Chocolate Cheesecake or Fresh Fruit.
The restaurant will be open from Noon – 10pm. Reservations can be made by calling 201-945-3300.
- 541 River Road, Edgewater
All photos courtesy the restaurant
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