Thanksgiving 2018: South Florida Restaurant Dinner Guide

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and it's a good idea to start planning where you will be gathering to share a meal with your friends and family during the holiday. If you prefer feasting over cooking, you should know that many local restaurants have Thanksgiving covered. So, there's no need to worry about putting together an elaborate, home-cooked spread.

Choices are flexible: You can choose to kick off the November 22 festivities with a hearty brunch or wait until dinner time to share menus laden with holiday treats. Here's our list of the ten best Thanksgiving meals you'll find in Broward and Palm Beach this year.
1. Burlock Coast. On Thanksgiving Day, Burlock Coast is offering a buffet with meat, cold tapas, seafood, caviar, and dessert stations. The bottomless drinks package includes BC brew, rum punch, mimosas, and bloody marys. Available from noon to 8 p.m., the feast is priced at $129 per adult and $49 for children ages five through 12. A special breakfast leftovers menu by chef Paula DaSilva will be available Friday, November 23, from 7 to 11:30 a.m. Expect offerings of pumpkin spice latte, sweet potato pancakes, and turkey eggs benedict. Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale. 1 North Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., 954-302-6460; burlockcoast.com. Dinner costs $129 for adults and $49 for children ages five through 12.

2. Crazy Uncle Mike’s. Boca’s newest brewery, restaurant, and live music venue will host its first holiday celebration with an à-la-carte menu of seasonal favorites like sweet potato pancakes with crispy chicken tenders, ham croquettes, mussels, and cookies and milk. Unique brews curated by Brewmaster Corey Wilson will also be available. 6450 N. Federal Hwy., Boca Raton; 561-931-2889; crazyunclemikes.com.
3. Council Oak. Council Oak will serve a prix-fixe dinner menu including butternut squash soup with smoked chicken and apple sausage, a roasted turkey served with Brussel sprouts, buttermilk mashed potatoes, cornbread stuffing turkey gravy, cranberry, and orange compote. Dessert choices include the apple crostada with maple ice cream and the pumpkin creme brulée with roasted nuts and Chantilly cream. Items from the holiday menu will also be offered à la carte. 2 to 9 p.m. at 1 Seminole Way at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood; 954-327-7501; seminolehardrockhollywood.com. Dinner costs $55 per person.

4. El Vez. This Mexican Fort Lauderdale eatery is putting their unique spin on traditional Thanksgiving plates. A special, Mexican-inspired Thanksgiving dinner plate will feature a spice-rubbed turkey with mole poblano, green chorizo and squash blossom stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and sweet potato pie. 4 to 9 p.m. at 401 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach, 954-414-8336; elvezftlauderdale.com. Thanksgiving plate costs $31 per person.
5. Etaru. Tap into a contemporary Japanese Thanksgiving feast at Etaru's Hallandale and Fort Lauderdale locations. Enjoy a turkey carving station, an assortment of hand-rolled maki, crispy rice cake with choice of salmon or avocado, brown rice, quinoa salad, and white miso soup with scallions. Entrées offer a choice of grilled short rib with puffed rice and shiso, prawns with sweet potato, asparagus tempura with yuzu shichimi sauce, and salmon teriyaki with sansho salt and lemon. The meal includes a welcome cocktail and bottomless pours of Whispering Angel rosé, sauvignon blanc, and Primitivo Sasseo. For an additional $20, you'll get all the Louis Roederer NV champagne you desire. Noon to 6 p.m. at various locations. For reservations, visit etarurestaurant.us. Brunch costs $75 per person.

6. Lona Cocina y Tequileria. Enjoy an adobo-roasted lamb tamale with masa, salsa alambre and salsa guajillo, or the house-made chorizo with pureed, smoked sweet potatoes, almonds, cranberries, and maple pecan gravy. Tableside carving will offer charred turkey thighs, chorizo stuffed turkey breast, and Pork Pernil, a slow roasted pork shoulder, along with cornbread stuffing and chipotle mashed potatoes with Oaxaca cheese. End your meal with the pecan pie with vanilla bean ice cream. 6 to 11 p.m. at Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, 321 North Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd, Fort Lauderdale; 954-245-3069; lonarestaurant.com. Brunch costs $55 per person. A limited à la carte menu will also be available.
7. Point Royal. Chef Geoffrey Zakarian will offer a Thanksgiving Day brunch buffet of seasonal dishes. Expect de-boned roasted turkey, a pepper crusted long bone rib eye, turkey pot pie, duck hash, roasted banana maple pecan cheesecake, and pumpkin pie. The experience is complemented by bottomless hard cider punch, coffee or juice, and a center bar with fresh juice-based cocktails and an extensive wine list. 3555 S. Ocean Dr., Hollywood; 954-602-8750; pointroyal-fl.com. Brunch costs $75 per adult and $25 per child under the age of 12.

8. Steak 954. The special à la carte menu includes an herb-roasted, free range turkey served with orange cranberry sauce, Italian sausage stuffing, sweet potato, mash and marshmallows, and Haricot Verts for $34. Other items include the seasonal roasted butternut squash soup, the Bosc pear salad tossed with gem lettuce, cinnamon toasted walnuts, pomegranate vinaigrette and desserts ranging from a pumpkin creme pie to a toasted hazelnut soufflé. 3 to 9 p.m. at 401 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach, Fort Lauderdale; 954-414-8333; steak954.com. Dinner costs $34 per person.
9. 3030 Ocean. For your three-course Thanksgiving meal, start with roasted pumpkin soup with maple-chive cream and toasted seeds or a baby green salad with shaved pear, spiced pecans, blue cheese, and poppy seed vinaigrette. Follow with the family-style second course of roasted Joyce Farms turkey breast and leg with mushroom dressing, green beans with onions, garlic mashed potatoes, cranberry-orange sauce, and turkey gravy. For dessert, enjoy the pumpkin tart with a chocolate cookie crust, pumpkin mousse, walnut caramel, hot fudge, and pomegranate seeds. 6 p.m. at Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa, 3030 Holiday Drive; 954-765-3030; 3030ocean.com. Dinner costs $65 per person.

10. Terra Mare. Head to Fort Lauderdale’s newest oceanfront eatery for a menu of offerings including a butternut squash Gnudi, roasted turkey, roasted acorn squash, and sweet potato puree. Guests can pair their holiday dinner with seasonal cocktails like the Spiced Pumpkin Martini. Terra Mare offers an indoor dining room and outside patio seating. 5 to 10 p.m. at 551 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd, Fort Lauderdale; 954-414-5160; terramarefl.com. Dinner costs $75 per person.