Where to Eat Thanksgiving Dinner in Denver (2026)
Not cooking this year? These are the Denver restaurants that open every Thanksgiving, from a $17 diner turkey plate to a three-course splurge.
Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26. If you're not cooking this year, these are the Denver restaurants that open on the holiday every year. Most of them post their 2026 menus in early November, and the good reservation times go fast once they do.
One note before you scroll: unless it says otherwise, prices and hours below are from Thanksgiving 2025. Use them as a ballpark and check the restaurant's site before you book.
The quick picks
- Best classic prix fixe: Church & Union in LoDo
- Best splurge: Ajax Downtown
- Best buffet: Corinne
- Best for a big group that wants options: Kachina Cantina
- Cheapest real turkey dinner: Pete's Kitchen on Colfax
- Best if you're hosting but not cooking: Urban Farmer's to-go feast
Sit-down prix fixe
Church & Union, LoDo
The most reliable pick for a traditional three-course dinner. Last year it served a prix fixe from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. with turkey, a pan-seared Manhattan steak or salmon, and desserts like a flourless chocolate torte and pumpkin spice cake. It ran $60 for adults and $30 for kids 12 and under. That long window makes it the easiest place to get a time that works for everyone.
Ajax Downtown
The splurge. Ajax does a three-course Thanksgiving dinner built around its wood-fired kitchen, with a seafood lean, served from noon to 8 p.m. Expect it to land around $110 a person. It's a short walk from Union Station if you're meeting people coming in from out of town.
Le Bilboquet, Cherry Creek
A three-course French prix fixe in Cherry Creek. It's the dressiest room on this list, so it works well when you're taking parents or in-laws out and want the night to feel like an occasion.
Water Grill
For the table that's tired of turkey. Water Grill runs a seafood-focused three-course Thanksgiving menu, and last year it was $75 for adults and $26 for kids.
Somebody People, Platt Park
The most interesting dinner on the list. Last year this South Broadway favorite did an Italian-inspired multicourse Thanksgiving with an optional wine pairing. It's small, so book as soon as the menu posts.
Buffets and big spreads
Corinne
Corinne runs the holiday in two shifts: a brunch buffet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., then a dinner buffet from 3 to 10 p.m. If your family has a grazer, a picky eater and someone who only wants dessert, a buffet solves all three. For a regular weekend version, see our Denver brunch guide.
Kachina Cantina
A Southwestern Thanksgiving with tamales, turkey enchiladas, braised short rib and a build-your-own esquites station, served from noon to 8 p.m. last year. It's the best pick for a group that doesn't agree on what Thanksgiving dinner should taste like.
Local Jones and Former Saint
Both do the carving-station version. Local Jones, inside the Halcyon in Cherry Creek, sets up a feast with carving stations and holiday desserts. Former Saint Craft Kitchen and Taps runs a buffet with a chef hand-carving prime rib and turkey, starting at 11:30 a.m.
Steakhouses and hotel restaurants
- Elway's Downtown serves Thanksgiving dishes alongside its regular menu from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., so the person who wants a steak instead of turkey is covered.
- Del Frisco's Grille offers either a single Thanksgiving plate (herb-roasted turkey, apple-sage stuffing, house cranberry sauce) or a full three-course meal.
- Perry's Steakhouse & Grille at Park Meadows does a smoked turkey breast feast for dine-in or to-go.
- Courier. Kitchen at the Grand Hyatt runs a three-course special with kabocha squash bisque and a turkey plate.
- The Nickel at Hotel Teatro served a set holiday dinner from noon to 5 p.m. last year.
- The Corner Office puts on a Thanksgiving feast from noon to 9 p.m.
Low-key and cheap
Pete's Kitchen on East Colfax has been open since 1942 and does a turkey plate every Thanksgiving. Last year it was $16.95 and served until it sold out, which usually happens around 4 p.m. Go early. It's also a fixture in our late-night food guide.
Benihana is the wild card. Last year it ran a four-course Thanksgiving menu for $39 from Thursday through Sunday, for dine-in or online orders.
Hosting but not cooking
- Urban Farmer sells a full to-go dinner: turkey, cranberry sauce, buttermilk smashed potatoes, cornbread stuffing with fennel sausage, yams, Brussels sprouts and pumpkin pie.
- Viewhouse does to-go prime rib, roast turkey and spiral ham.
- The Kitchen American Bistro takes reservations in the restaurant and to-go orders.
- Legacy Pie Co. opens both locations Thanksgiving morning for last-minute pies.
To-go orders usually close several days before the holiday, so order early.
How to actually get a table
- Book the week menus drop. Most places post sometime in early November.
- Go early or go late. Mid-afternoon tables are usually the first to go.
- Ask about kids' pricing. Several places charge half or less for kids 12 and under.
- Confirm the format. Some restaurants run only the holiday menu on Thanksgiving, and others keep the regular menu too.
For the rest of the month, including the weekend after, see things to do in Denver in November. The light shows and markets open the week before Thanksgiving, and our holiday lights and markets guide has every date.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Thanksgiving 2026?
Thursday, November 26, 2026.
Which Denver restaurants are open on Thanksgiving?
Restaurants that opened on recent Thanksgivings include Church & Union, Ajax Downtown, Le Bilboquet, Water Grill, Corinne, Kachina Cantina, Elway's Downtown and Pete's Kitchen. Most post their 2026 menus in early November.
Where can I get a cheap Thanksgiving dinner in Denver?
Pete's Kitchen on East Colfax served a turkey plate for $16.95 last year, until it sold out around 4 p.m.
Can I order Thanksgiving dinner to go in Denver?
Yes. Urban Farmer, Viewhouse and The Kitchen American Bistro have offered to-go dinners, and Legacy Pie Co. opens Thanksgiving morning for pies. Order several days ahead.
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