Prepare your stretchy pants, Thanksgiving is coming quickly! This year, the holiday falls on Thursday, Nov. 24 and instead of slaving over the hot stove all day, why not try one of Orange County’s numerous top-rated restaurants and their specialty Thanksgiving menus? We’ve rounded up the absolute best restaurants for dining out this Thanksgiving Day, and will continue to update this list as the holiday approaches.
See Also: This Pumpkin Spice Candle, Cocktail Pairing From Half Baked Harvest & Snif Will Make Your Season
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1221 West Coast Hwy, Newport Beach / Website
Relax to waterfront views after a hardy Thanksgiving dinner at Balboa Bay Resort. Hosted in its indoor-outdoor Lighthouse Room, the dinner will be served from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Reservations are required and can be made here. The price is $145 per adult and $75 per child, not including taxes and gratuity.
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900 Bayside Drive, Newport Beach / Website
Visit this elegant restaurant for gorgeous platings and a curated three-course Thanksgiving Day menu. From 12 p.m. to 9 p.m., enjoy all the classic fixings and desserts, including pumpkin pie and other seasonal favorites, as well as an a la carte and children's menu. There will be live music from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The price is $79 per adult and $39 per child for the prix fixe menu. Reservations can be made here.
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19100 Von Karman Avenue, Irvine / Website
Treat your crew to an art-focused Thanksgiving dinner at this gallery-like restaurant. There will be a prix fixe three-course menu and an a la carte menu. Enjoy your meal on their heated open-air patio or in their traditional dining room, both set to feature live music. Reservations can be made here.
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7905 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine / Website
Enjoy locally-sourced ingredients, seasonal produce, and live music at Heirloom Farmhouse Kitchen this Thanksgiving. The menu will feature Thanksgiving classics like herb roasted turkey breast and butternut squash. Dinner will be served from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. with live music starting at 5 p.m. Reservations can be made here.
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180 S Brea Blvd., Brea / Website
Head to classic steakhouse Old Brea Chop House for a Thanksgiving feast. The restaurant will serve its special Thanksgiving menu as well as its usual menu for those craving non-traditional Thanksgiving dishes. The special menu will feature organic turkey, Yukon mashed potatoes with giblet gravy, and blood orange and cranberry relish, among other tasty sides.
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25135 Park Lantern, Dana Point / Website
Treat your family to a Thanksgiving dinner curated by Michelin-starred chef John Tesar. The three-course menu will be available on Thanksgiving Day from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Guests will be able to choose from four options for each course. Menu highlights include king crab scampi, butternut squash soup, cacio e pepe, turkey breast with maitake mushroom, foie jus and roasted sunchoke, and lobster agnolotti. For dessert, choose between bite-sized sweet treats.
The price is $130 per person, plus tax and gratuity. There will be a separate a la carte kids’ menu available. Reservations are required and can be made here.
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31106 S Coast Highway, Laguna Beach / Website
Visit this luxe resort for a delicious farm-to-table Thanksgiving dinner at its on-site restaurant Harvest. The menu features roasted turkey breast, potatoes, sage stuffing, seasonal garden vegetables, and cranberries, with a large portion of the herbs and produce sourced from the restaurant’s half-acre garden on-property. For dessert, enjoy pumpkin cheesecake and apple pie. Dinner reservations will be available from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. and can be made here.
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1 Ritz-Carlton Drive, Dana Point / Website
For a luxe buffet that is sure to please your entire crew, check out The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel. The loaded buffet will feature holiday favorites like turkey breast, prime rib and side dishes. Other food stations will include a caviar bar, tandoor stations, dim sum cart, local charcuterie, autumn salads, and an eggs Benedict station. Finish off your meal with apple cider donut cake and seasonal pies for dessert.
The price is $250 per adult and $125 per kid aged three to nine, including tax and gratuity. Reservations are required and can be made here.
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21100 Pacific Coast Hwy, Huntington Beach / Website
Enjoy a Thanksgiving brunch buffet with coastal views and an array of family-friendly activities. Brunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and feature a carving station, sushi bar, crepe and waffle station, dim sum cart, and a large variety of hot entrees and desserts. Guests will receive a complimentary fall spice-infused bourbon old-fashioned or pumpkin pie mimosa. There will be a variety of giveaways that all attending guests will be entered to win, as well as family-centric activities on-site, like live steel drum music, balloon twisting, airbrush painting, a petting zoo, and a magician.
The price is $129 per adult and $69 per kid under 12 years of age. Reservations are required and can be made here.
Hungry for more luxe stops in the city? Check out our picks for The 5 Best Restaurants For Caviar In Orange County.
Photography by: kajakiki / Getty Images
