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Where to dine out on Thanksgiving

Uploaded: Nov 19, 2013
For those of you who don't enjoy cooking, prefer to eat out on Turkey Day or simply want to support restaurant staff working on the holiday, head to these local restaurants for a special holiday meal on Thursday, Nov. 28. This list is by no means exhaustive ? please comment if you know of any other Thanksgiving specials in the area.

Bistro Vida in Menlo Park is offering a three-course prix fixe Thanksgiving dinner for $39.50 per person. The regular dinner menu will also be offered. The restaurant is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
641 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park; 650-462-1686. www.distrovidamp.com

Buca di Beppo in downtown Palo Alto will serve a "Buca style" Thanksgiving with a traditional turkey dinner plus several Italian classics. Open at 11 a.m.
643 Emerson St., Palo Alto; 650-329-0665. www.bucadibeppo.com

Gravity Bistro and Wine Bar will serve a prix fix Thanksgiving dinner from 2 to 10 p.m. View the menu here.
544 Emerson St., Palo Alto; 650-327-3161. www.gravitywinebar.com

Il Fornaio in Palo Alto is offering a "four-course feast with an Italian twist" for Thanksgiving. An a la carte menu will also be available. Make reservations online. See the menu here. $39 for adults; $18 for children 12 and under.
520 Cowper St., Palo Alto; 650- 853-3888. www.ilfornaio.com

Left Bank and LB Steak in Menlo Park will be open on Thanksgiving Day from noon to 8 p.m. serving various holiday food items. Left Bank will be serving a $41.75 four-course holiday prix fixe menu and LB Steak, a limited a la carte menu plus two holiday prix fixe four-course menus, one with turkey as the entrée for $50.50 per person and the other with rib roast as the entrée for $58.75. See the LB Steak menu here and Left Bank's, here.
All prix fixe menu items will also be offered on an a la carte basis and select regular menu items will be served at the bar. There will not be happy hour service at either restaurant that day. There will be a children's menu available to those 12 years and under at both restaurants.
Left Bank, 635 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park; 650-473-6543. www.leftbank.com
LB Steak, 898 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park; 650-321-8980. www.lbsteak.com

MacArthur Park in Palo Alto will have a Thanksgiving buffet featuring a carving station, chilled seafood display, salad station, a range of "house specialties," traditional side dishes, house made desserts and cheese and fruit platters. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. $45 for adults; $24 for children 6-12 years; children under 5, free. View the menu here.
27 University Ave., Palo Alto; 650-321-9990. www.macarthurparkpaloalto.com

Madera at the Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park will be offering a prix fixe three-course menu.
2825 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park; 650-561-1540. www.maderasandhill.com

Max's Café of Redwood City will be serving a traditional Thanksgiving dinner including roasted turkey, cherry glazed ham, sausage dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy with cranberry sauce.
1001 El Camino Real, Redwood City; 650-365-629. www.maxsworld.com

Menlo Grill Bistro & Bar will be serving a traditional three-course Thanksgiving Day meal from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. $48 per person.
100 El Camino Real, Menlo Park; 650-330-2790. www.menlogrill.com

Morocco's Restaurant in Mountain View will be open all day on Thanksgiving, offering holiday menu items, including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Reserve a table online.
873 Castro St., Mountain View; 650-968-1502. www.moroccosrestaurant.com

Reposado Restaurant in Palo Alto will be serving a three-course holiday meal featuring a traditional turkey dinner as well as other "specialties."
236 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto; 650-833-3151. www.reposadorestaurant.com

Ristorante Don Giovanni in Mountain View will be serving a traditional Thanksgiving meal from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., free of charge.
235 Castro St., Mountain View; 650-961-9749. www.dongiovannis.com

Scratch in Mountain View will have a three-course holiday menu, featuring a traditional turkey dinner as well as other "specialties."
401 Castro St., Mountain View; 650-237-3132. www.scratchmtnview.com

Scott's Seafood at Town & Country Village will serve a traditional three course Thanksgiving dinner. $32 for adults; $16 for children under 10.
855 El Camino Real #1, Palo Alto; 650-323-1555. www.scottsseafoodpa.com

Spalti Ristorante in Palo Alto will be open from 2 to 9 p.m. for Thanksgiving dinner.
417 S. California Ave., Palo Alto; 650-327-9390. www.spalti.com
Community.
What is it worth to you?

Comments

Posted by LJ, a resident of another community,
on Nov 19, 2013 at 9:05 am

Thank you for this list of options! We are eating in this year but next year I may check these out.


Posted by Angela Hey, Mountain View Voice Blogger,
on Nov 21, 2013 at 12:06 am
Angela Hey is a registered user.

Our tradition is to go for a hike then find a different Denny's each year. Last year's hike was Morgan Territory on the east side of Mt Diablo with dinner at Pleasanton Denny's. The year before was Milpitas Denny's after hiking Round Valley Regional Preserve - also in the East Bay. Denny's is affordable and open 24 hours. So once we had a late flight to Orlando, FL and at 11pm on Thanksgiving Day found 3 Denny's between the airport and hotel and we enjoyed our dinner late at night. Usually the service is excellent as very few go to Denny's on Thanksgiving Day.

This year Denny's offers the Hobbit Menu with Dwarves' Turkey and Dressing Dinner - 860 calories - Web Link

No cooking, no washing up!


Posted by No Turkey here, a resident of Greenmeadow,
on Nov 21, 2013 at 2:48 am

So where are the people who can not afford pricy meals to eat out going for Thanksgiving? Are the local soup kitchens open???? Think you should not just cater to the ones who can afford the pricy prices... people with a few children can not hardly afford to shell out big money for a day out on Thanksgiving...


Posted by Turkey For Brains, a resident of another community,
on Nov 21, 2013 at 7:38 am

@No Turkey here:

Those people go to places such as:

McDonald's
Burger King
Taco Bell
KFC
Pizza Hut
random Chinese restaurants
random pho noodle shops
random Indian restaurants
random taquerias
et al.

Hope this helps!

Also, a blogger such as Elena doesn't need to be all-inclusive. She can target her blog to a specific demographic (e.g., privileged white people below fifty). As a matter of fact, this is likely a better strategy as it is difficult to be an expert on all levels of dining.

If you want suggestions on where to find cheap family eats on Thanksgiving, find a blog that focuses on bargain bites the other 364 days of the year. It's not Elena's responsibility to change her target readership audience for the meal on one particular day.

Good luck!


Posted by Elena Kadvany, a resident of another community,
on Nov 21, 2013 at 8:34 am
Elena Kadvany is a registered user.

No turkey here, Turkey For Brains: I appreciate the comments. I tried to include some less expensive options (you\'ll notice, one is actually a free Thanksgiving dinner - at Ristorante Don Giovanni in Mountain View) and had your very thoughts myself before posting. I love Angela Hey\'s post about her family\'s tradition of going to Denny\'s, and am glad others can read that and perhaps do the same.

I typed up a quick list of local food pantries, etc. but there were too many web links to include in a comment - please see a new blog post.


Posted by Elena Kadvany, a resident of another community,
on Nov 21, 2013 at 8:41 am
Elena Kadvany is a registered user.

No turkey here: Here's the list: Web Link Please let me know if there are any others you're aware of that I can add and share with others.


Posted by Dan, a resident of Old Palo Alto,
on Nov 27, 2014 at 5:15 pm

Hi, Im not exactly poor.. I drive a tesla and live in palo alto, but even for me, $40.00 for a dinner per person does seem steep. I was planning on inviting some friends who are struggling entreprenuers and I know $40.00 is not exactly affordable. I agree with possibly having one or two options are that not as pricy.


Posted by Brenna, a resident of another community,
on Oct 4, 2016 at 10:49 am

Thank you for these list of local restaurants. It's nice to know whose serving prix fix dinners and whose open to serve.

Much appreciated,
Brenna


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