During recipe testing for SoundLife’s annual Thanksgiving food sections, I was elbow deep in a cornbread stuffing recipe while stirring roasted pumpkin soup when I had an epiphany about why people don’t want to cook on Thanksgiving: It’s a lot of work. Dine out? Not a bad idea.
Here are restaurants open for Thanksgiving. Don’t see your favorite restaurant listed? Call 253-597-8270 to have it added to our list at blog.thenewstribune.com/tntdiner.
BABBLIN’ BABS BISTRO
Where: 2724 N. Proctor St., Tacoma
Time: 11 a.m.-4 p.m, Thanksgiving day. Reservations are required.
Price: $55 per person for a set five-course menu (plus tax and gratuity)
Contact: 253-761-9099 or babblinbabs.com
Menu: Babblin’ Babs will have a turkey-free menu. Entrée choices are pork-loin steak with yams and plums; roasted Alaskan cod Hampton style with clams and potatoes; vegetarian ancho-chile stuffed mushrooms; and stuffed breast of chicken with a cognac mustard sauce. All entrées include an appetizer of apricot pistachio goat cheese triangles, caramelized onion squash soup, and a salad of baby organic spinach, mushrooms and goat cheese. Dessert is a choice of cognac pumpkin cheesecake or bourbon walnut tart. (Note: all five courses can be vegetarian.)
C.I. SHENANIGANS TACOMA
Where: 3017 Ruston Way, Tacoma
Time: 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Buffet served. Reservations are required.
Price: $28.99 adults; $23.99 seniors; $12.99 ages 6-10; $4.99 ages 5 and younger, plus tax and gratuity
Contact: 253-752-8811; cishenanigans.com
Menu: Traditional Thanksgiving and seafood buffet with turkey, roast beef, ham, crab legs, oysters, clams, mussels, salmon, salads, desserts.
GATEWAY COTTAGE
Where: 124 146th St. S., Tacoma
Time: Noon-7 p.m. Reservations are recommended.
Price: The meal is sit-down service with three meal choices. Prices are $22.95-$24.95.
Contact: 253-536-8100 or www. gatewaycottage.com
Menu: A sit-down dinner with a fixed menu. Diners can select from a turkey dinner ($22.95), a ham dinner ($22.95) or a prime rib dinner ($24.95). Dinners come with sides. Desserts are extra.
HOB NOB
Where: 716 Sixth Ave., Tacoma
Time: Noon-6 p.m.
Price: $16.99 adults; $6.95 ages 12 and younger
Contact: 253-272-3200
Menu: Traditional turkey dinner with sage dressing, garlic mashed potatoes, candied yams, cranberry sauce, chef’s vegetables, choice of soup or salad. Honey-baked ham dinner with chef’s vegetables, candied yams, choice of potato or rice pilaf. Slow-roasted prime rib dinner with choice of potato and chef’s vegetable. All come with soup or salad, dinner roll and pumpkin pie.
KNAPP’S
Where: 2707 N. Proctor St., Tacoma
Time: Noon-6 p.m. A prix-fixe menu will be served. Reservations suggested, walk ins welcome and to-go orders accepted.
Price: $17.99 adults; $7.95 ages 12 and younger
Contact: 253-759-9009
Menu: Same menu as Hob Nob.
LOBSTER SHOP AT DASH POINT
Where: 6912 Soundview Drive N.E., Tacoma
Time: Noon-6 p.m. Reservations are required.
Price: A special menu priced $23.95 to $29. Salads, side dishes, desserts are separate.
Contact: 253-927-1513; www. lobstershop.com
Menu: Favorites include a complete turkey dinner ($23.95), Australian rock lobster (market price), King crab legs (market price), salmon Oscar ($34.95), 12-ounce prime rib ($28.95), filet with jumbo prawns ($29.95) and a seafood trio with a Dungeness crab cake, prawns and a salmon filet ($32.95). Desserts include pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, brown butter pear cake, crme brlée, chocolate Amaretto mousse, honey trifle, and specialty ice cream.
LOBSTER SHOP AT COMMENCEMENT BAY
Where: 4015 Ruston Way, Tacoma
Time: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Reservations are recommended.
Price: $29.95 adults; $24.95 seniors; $15.95 ages 6 to 12; ages 5 and younger free
Contact: 253-759-2165; www. lobstershop.com
Menu: Buffet includes turkey, ham, prime rib, salmon with garlic Vermouth butter, smoked salmon, artichoke chicken, chicken penne marinara, tiger prawns with cocktail sauce, salads, candied yams, mashed potatoes and gravy, sage stuffing, rice pilaf, seasonal vegetables, cranberry relish, and rolls. Desserts are pumpkin, pecan, and chocolate peanut butter pie, and crme brlée.
MITZEL’S
Where: 5401 Pacific Highway E., Fife.
Time: 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Price: $13.99, plus regular menu items.
Contact: 253-926-3144
Menu: Thanksgiving special will be turkey or ham dinner ($13.99). Regular menu will be offered as well.
PACIFIC GRILL
Where: 1502 Pacific Ave., Tacoma
Time: 2-7 p.m. A prix-fixe menu will be served. Make reservations.
Price: $34.95 adults; $15.95 ages 12 and younger.
Contact: 253-627-3535 or www.pacificgrilltacoma.com
Menu: Appetizers include a relish tray and cream of celery soup or pear salad. Entrées are herb-crusted roasted prime rib with garlic mashed potatoes, glazed baby carrots, au jus and creamed horseradish sauce; shellfish chowder with clams, scallops, mussels, shrimp, apple-smoked bacon, potato, celery and grilled sourdough; a thanksgiving dinner plate with maple-roasted turkey, wild mushroom stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole and crispy onion; loaded baked potato with roasted stuffed portobello mushroom and creamed spinach. Dessert choices are pumpkin cheesecake, Toll House pie, warm apple and cranberry crisp, and bittersweet chocolate tart.
RAM RESTAURANT AND BREWERY TACOMA
Where: 3001 Ruston Way, Tacoma
Time: Noon-8 p.m. Reservations are not required.
Price: Sit-down full menu, plus a turkey dinner and trimmings plate: $15.99 for adults; $6.99 ages 12 and younger. Hottie Brown plate with turkey on Texas toast with mashed potatoes and gravy for $12.95 for adults.
Contact: 253-756-7886; www.theram.com
Menu: Regular Ram menu plus turkey entrées.
THE RAM SOUTH HILL
Where: 103 35th Ave S.E., Puyallup
Time: noon-6 p.m. Reservations are recommended
Price: $19.99 adults; $17.99 seniors; $8.99 ages 6-10; $4.99 ages 5 and younger
Contact: 253-841-3317; www.theram.com
Menu: Buffet includes roasted turkey, honey mustard glazed ham, roast beef with stuffing, mashed potatoes, turkey and beef gravy, cranberries, candied yams, vegetable medley, peel-and-eat shrimp, penne pasta salad, pumpkin and pecan pie and cheesecake.
SIDEBAR BISTRO
Where: 1101 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma
Time: 2-8 p.m.
Price: $13.95-$14.95 for set menu items.
Contact: 253-572-7227
Menu: Choices include a turkey plate ($15.95) with mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, cranberry sauce, green beans with bacon and pumpkin pie. Also, pork spareribs ($13.95) with baked beans and potato salad, or lasagna ($14.95) with green salad and a sourdough roll.
STANLEY & SEAFORT’S
Where: 115 E. 34th St., Tacoma
Time: noon-8 p.m. Reservations are recommended.
Price: Sit-down service; entrees from $25-$39.
Contact: 253-473-7300 or stanleyandseaforts.com
Menu: Filet mignon Wellington ($35), herb-crusted prime rib 12 or 16 ounce ($33/$38), New York peppercorn steak ($39), smoked Tiger prawns ($26), Dungeness crab cakes ($25) or salmon ($27). For the holiday, a free-range turkey dinner will be served with apple-sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes, glazed vegetables, cranberry relish, and turkey gravy ($25). Appetizers, soups, salads and vegetable sides, as well as a dessert selection.
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