If you're planning to do a more non-traditional Thanksgiving this year and you'd rather go out to celebrate, HERE is a list of some restaurants to consider in Chicago.
I|O Godfrey
River North
A Thanksgiving buffet with a beautiful view
If you’ve never experienced the rooftop restaurant and lounge at The Godfrey, Thanksgiving is a great time to try it. It's going for a home-away-from-home vibe, with a gigantic video wall playing the day’s football action, a playroom for kids, and a complimentary wine glass for adults. And also the food: There's a chef-curated buffet with Thanksgiving classics like mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, butternut squash soup, family-style pastas, and roast turkey. Plus there are some not-so-Thanksgiving-y treats like a prime rib carving station and a chocolate fountain.
Cost: $59 per person;reserve online
The Smith
River North
Choose your own Thanksgiving adventure
For one of River North’s newest restaurants, The Smith is getting pretty ambitious with its Thanksgiving offerings. There's a cornucopia of appetizer, entree, dessert, and side dish options that riff on classic Thanksgiving dishes. Traditional options like roasted turkey breast with garlic mashed potatoes, spinach, and gravy are available, but we recommend trying the turkey oso buco.
Cost: $49 per adult, half price for kids;reserve online
Chicago q
Gold Coast
Thanksgiving goes barbecue
There are plenty of great barbecue restaurants in Chicago, but it’s hard to beat the elevated fare served at Chicago q. For their Thanksgiving offering, they’ve got the smokers working overtime, cranking out piles upon piles of brined, smoked turkey breast, and smoked prime rib. Each plate comes with a full three-quarters-of-a-pound of your choice of meats, stuffing made from q’s signature cornbread, cranberry sauce, two sides, and your choice of either pecan or pumpkin pie.
Cost: $50-60 per person;reserve online
About Last Knife
Magnificent Mile
Downtown cuisine at a decidedly-not-downtown price
If you have friends or family coming in from out of town clamoring to see the more touristy side of Chicago on Thanksgiving Day, make sure to duck into About Last Knife after working up an appetite hunting for those elusive Black Friday deals that actually go up on Thursday. This Thanksgiving offering is a bit less involved than some of the other options on our list, but that’s a good thing. For under $30, the full Thanksgiving plate includes heaping portions of turkey, gravy, potatoes, green beans, and cranberry sauce.
Cost: $26;reserve online
Bub City
River North
Fried turkey, without the hassle of calling the insurance company after your house burns down
It’s kind of not fair that Bub City routinely gets overshadowed by Three Dots and a Dash, the not-so-secret speakeasy nestled underneath it. It’s one of the only unapologetically country-themed restaurants in the glitzy River North neighborhood, and its Thanksgiving menu reflects this down-home attitude. Just $40 gets you a plate full of both smoked and fried turkey, as well as your choice of another barbecue meat. Plus, a slice of pie and literally all of the holiday sides you can cram into your food hole.
Cost: $40 per person;reserve online