Let Someone Else Cook This Thanksgiving 2016

Here’s where in Honolulu to order takeout or dine in during the holiday weekend.

Don’t feel like cooking this Thanksgiving? We get it. Here are ways you can avoid slaving in a hot kitchen next week—but still feast on a tasty meal like this one from BLT Steak and BLT Market.

Photo: Courtesy of Michael Harlan Turkell/Esquared Hospitality

 

Thanksgiving Day preparation and cooking has you stressing? No worries. Many restaurants will make the whole Thanksgiving meal for you and your loved ones—and you won’t even have to lift a finger in the kitchen. (Call ahead, though, and check for availability.)

 

Now that’s something to be thankful for. 

 

Where To Order Takeout

 

Buca Di Beppo

At Buca, you can dine in (see below) or take out. Get a feast to go, fully cooked and ready to eat: sliced white meat turkey, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, spicy Italian sausage stuffing, green beans, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. You can even order individual meals this year for $20 each.

 

Nov. 20 to 24, $20 for individual servings, $60 for a small serving (serves three), $120 for a large serving (serves six), 1030 Auahi St., 591-0800

 

Diamond Head Market & Grill

This takeout eatery on Monsarrat Avenue offers individual Thanksgiving dinner plates, which include sliced turkey, herbed gravy, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, wild mushroom brioche stuffing, candied sweet potato and pumpkin-pecan crunch.

 

Pickup between 1 and 3 p.m. on Nov. 24 until sold out, preorders recommended, $22 per plate, 732-0077, diamondheadmarket.com

 

The Kāhala Hotel & Resort

Get your complete Thanksgiving dinner to go from The Kāhala Hotel with its convenient drive-thru pickup service. The $190 meal includes a 12-pound turkey with traditional stuffing and gravy, mashed potatoes, sautéed autumn veggies, cranberry sauce, freshly baked bread, a salad of fall vegetables with a liliko‘i vinaigrette and, of course, pumpkin pie.

 

Pickup from 4 to 7 p.m. Nov. 23 and 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Nov. 24, $190, 5000 Kāhala Ave., 739-8769, kahalaresort.com

 

MW Restaurant

We love the innovative bentos from MW Restaurant. And, this year, chef Wade Ueoka is offering one especially for Thanksgiving. For $20, you get a bento box filled with organic, free-range turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing and vegetables. (For $15, add on an apple crisp. We recommend it.) You can also order from a menu of takeout items for your entire Thanksgiving meal or just to supplement it: honey-glazed kurobuta pork loin ($74, serves eight to 10), turkey breast ($50, serves four to six), lobster smashed potatoes ($45), truffled mashed potatoes ($25), Portuguese sausage and giblet stuffing ($16), house-made truffled gravy ($12), house-made cornbread or black-truffle cornbread ($10) and various desserts. We highly recommend the old-fashioned, 8-inch liliko‘i chiffon pie ($40) by pastry chef extraordinaire Michelle Karr-Ueoka.

 

Order by Nov. 22, pickup between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Nov. 24, 1538 Kapi‘olani Blvd., #107, 955-6505 ext. 2, mwrestaurant.com

 

The Willows

If you don’t feel like dining in at The Willows (see below), you can order a full-on takeout turkey meal for up to six people instead. For $159.95, get a 12- to 13-pound crusted, butterflied turkey with a cranberry-orange sauce, gravy, butter rolls, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, Portuguese sausage stuffing and your choice between a pumpkin or custard pie. The turkey is served hot; all other items are cold.

 

Pickup between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Nov. 24, $159.95 plus tax, 901 Hausten St., 952-9200 ext. 107, willowshawaii.com

 

Zippy’s Restaurants

For more than 17 years, the local chain has brought Thanksgiving dinner into Hawai‘i homes. Zippy’s continues to offer three packages—just the turkey or an entire meal, complete with either a whole or half turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry-pineapple relish and dinner rolls. You can also add on a pumpkin or custard pie ($9 each) or maki sushi rolls ($5 each). Order soon; last year, Zippy’s sold out before Thanksgiving!

 

Pickup Nov. 23 or 24; $62.95 ($64.95 for Neighbor Islands) for just the turkey, $51.95 ($54.95 for Neighbor Islands) for a half-turkey with meal, $97.95 ($101.95 for Neighbor Islands) for a whole turkey with meal, 973-0880, zippys.com

 

Where To Dine In

 

53 By The Sea

Indulge in 53 By The Sea’s fancy five-course Thanksgiving dinner created by executive chef Hikaru Ide. (So expect stunning gourmand presentation.) The meal includes a foie gras parfait éclair, a bowl of creamy kabocha pumpkin soup, roasted turkey with macadamia nut stuffing and herb gravy, and an apple pie with caramel gelato to round out a kicked-up Thanksgiving dinner. Nab a seat at the window; the view is incredible.

 

Nov. 24, dinner starts at 4:30 p.m., $75 per person, valet parking only, 53 Ahui St., 536-5353, 53bythesea.com

 

Bali Steak & Seafood

This oceanfront restaurant at the Hilton Hawaiian Village has a three-course dinner for Thanksgiving that starts with an amuse bouche of seared foie gras with cornbread and caramelized onions and blackberry jam. You can choose your starter—roasted kabocha lobster with truffle oil, seared diver scallops with a Kahuku corn pudding or a seasonal tomato salad—and choice of entrée—sweet potato gnocchi, Waialua coffee-charred sirloin and foie gras, misoyaki Kona kampachi or traditional sage-smoked roasted turkey with all the fixings. Dessert is a pumpkin mousse topped with a cranberry-port compote and pumpkin-seed croquant.

 

Nov. 24, dinner only, first seating at 4:30 p.m. $89 for adults, $45 for children under 12, 2005 Kālia Road, 949-4321 ext. 39, hiltonhawaiianvillage.com/dining/bali-steak-and-seafood

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BLT Market

The new BLT Market at The Ritz-Carlton Residences is offering a three-course Thanksgiving spread complete with butternut squash soup, pomegranate-glazed roasted whole turkey with gravy, sliced prime rib, roasted Brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce and kabocha squash cheesecake.

 

Nov. 24, dinner only, $95 for adults, $45 for children, no substitutes, The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikīkī Beach, 383 Kalaimoku St., 729-9729, bltmarket.com

 

BLT Steak

This steakhouse in Waikīkī is going all-in this Thanksgiving with a three-course, prix fixe menu with your choice of starter, entrée—roasted turkey, roasted prime rib or pan-roasted Hawaiian sea bass, complete with sides served family style—and dessert. Pick from a pumpkin tart, cranberry-spiced bread pudding or velvet chocolate rocky road cake topped with vanilla anglaise.

 

Nov. 24, dinner only, $75 for adults, $40 for children, no substitutes, Trump International Hotel Waikīkī, 1223 Saratoga Road, 683-7440, trumphotels.com/Waikiki/dining/restaurant-waikiki-hawaii

 

Cinnamon’s at the ‘Ilikai

If you like celebrating Thanksgiving all day long, head to Cinnamon’s in Waikīkī, where you can get your holiday fix at breakfast, lunch or dinner. The breakfast menu features pumpkin pancakes with a sour cream-cream cheese topping, holiday turkey and stuffing Benedict and fresh Cajun salmon and eggs. It’s serving a fresh cranberry and turkey Waldorf salad and house-made pumpkin bisque for lunch. And for dinner, choose among a classic turkey dinner with all the fixings; baked ham with a tropical glaze; a 12-ounce, twice-cooked prime rib; seafood-stuffed fresh salmon; or house-made pumpkin bisque. For dessert, Cinnamon’s has fresh cranberry ice cream, double-crusted apple pie and fresh pumpkin pie.

 

Nov. 24, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. for breakfast, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch, 4 to 9 p.m. for dinner, prices vary, 1777 Ala Moana Blvd., 670-1915, cinnamons808.com

 

Hōkū’s

Looking for something extra special for Thanksgiving brunch? Check out the brunch buffet at Hōkū’s, the signature restaurant at The Kāhala Hotel & Resort. The brunch menu includes a gamut of tasty dishes, including a cold seafood bar (with Maine lobster, New Zealand oysters, shrimp and mussels), a variety of tempura and appetizers and traditional brunch dishes including smoked salmon eggs Benedict, banana French toast, hash potatoes and baked almond croissants. The main courses are butter-poached king crab legs, miso-glazed butterfish, classic Peking duck, turkey with the classic garnishes, rib roast with a wine reduction sauce and oven-roasted New Zealand rack of lamb. You can also order soft-shell crab pasta, eggs and omelets, the restaurant’s famous ‘ahi poke musubi and a full dessert buffet. Dinner at Hōkū’s is a prix fixe menu of poached Maine lobster salad, sautéed foie gras on roasted chestnut potage, carta fata-wrapped King crab with ‘onaga snapper and Hāmākua mushrooms, rosemary-and-garlic-roasted turkey and kabocha pumpkin gratin for dessert.

 

Nov. 24, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for brunch buffet; Nov. 24 and 25, 5:30 to 10 p.m. for dinner, $95 for adults and $47.50 for children 6 to 12 for brunch, $100 per person for dinner, 5000 Kāhala Ave., 739-8769, kahalaresort.com

 

Japengo Waikīkī

Chef de cuisine Joseph Rose has crafted a decadent Thanksgiving dinner buffet with several starters—including a five-spice roasted pumpkin soup with pear compote and crème anglaise—a carving station with slow-roasted turkey, pineapple-glazed ham and herb-and-garlic-crusted prime rib of beef; a nice selection of side dishes and dessert, including an Il Gelato cart. (Yes!) Adults can upgrade the meal with a special beverage pairing for $115 per person, which includes a honey sparkling cocktail and choice of four draft beers, premium white or red wines, or Champagne.

 

Nov. 24, seating starts at 4 p.m., $85 per person, $42.50 for children 6 to 12, complimentary valet and self-parking, Hyatt Regency Waikīkī Beach Resort and Spa, 2424 Kalākaua Ave., 237-6166, waikiki.regency.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining/Japengo.html

 

Mahina & Sun’s

Chef Ed Kenney’s newest restaurant, Mahina & Sun’s in the Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club in Waikīkī, is offering a sit-down feast on Thanksgiving Day. And it’s for everyone, including vegetarians. There are three seatings—4:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.—for families of any size. The Thanksgiving Family Feast ($45 per person plus $80 for a half-roasted turkey) features a free-range, GMO-free, half-roasted turkey with roasted kabocha squash soup, Big Island ‘ulu potato mash, roasted garlic Ho Farms long beans and Small Kine Farm mushroom salad, star fruit-papaya cranberry sauce, ginger-glazed baby carrots from Ma‘o Organic Farms, spiced sweet potatoes with local persimmon and pumpkin butter mochi. The less traditional can opt for the Mahina’s Family Feast ($35 per person plus market fish price) with a menu that includes a mochiko-fried whole snapper, two Kualoa Ranch oysters, roasted roots with ogo and inamona, pohole salad with crispy baby shrimp, buttered ‘ulu with chili pepper water aioli and salted macadamia nut pavlova with liliko‘i and cream. For vegetarians, the restaurant is offering the Veggie Thanksgiving Lentil Roast ($45 per person plus $50 for the lentil roast) with the same menu as the Thanksgiving Family Feast substituting the turkey with a lentil roast.

 

Nov. 24, dinner only, first seating at 4:30 p.m., 6:30 and 8:30, price varies between $35 and $45 per person, valet parking available for $10, 412 Lewers St., 924-5810, surfjack.com

 

Mac 24/7

This popular Thanksgiving buffer is back with all the traditional dishes, now available for brunch and dinner. The brunch menu includes a mix of popular Mac 24/7 dishes—kālua pork eggs Benedict and the famous M.A.C. Daddy pancake station with 10 different toppings—another with traditional brunch items. Dinner features more than 10 hot and cold entrées, including slow-roasted turkey and seven-cheese mac ’n’ cheese, side dishes and desserts.

 

Nov. 24, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for brunch, 4 to 8 p.m. for dinner, $39 for adults and $19 for children 5 to 12 for brunch, $49 for adults and $24 for children 5 to 12 for dinner, valet parking is $3, 2500 Kūhiō Ave., 921-5564, mac247waikiki.com

 

Pīkake Terrace

This restaurant at the Sheraton Princess Ka‘iulani offers an impressive spread for Thanksgiving that includes carving stations with guava-glazed bone-in ham, herb-butter roasted turkey, herb-rubbed prime rib and steamed local fish. Appetizers include shrimp, a poke bar and assorted sushi. Hot selections include steamed crab legs, Portuguese sausage stuffing, sweet potato casserole and mushroom ravioli. For dessert, check out the selection of Ted’s Bakery pies.

 

Nov. 24, 4:30 to 9 p.m. for dinner buffet, $57 for adults, $28.50 for children 5 and 12,120 Ka‘iulani Ave., 921-4600, princess-kaiulani.com

 

Plumeria Beach House

The picturesque Plumeria Beach House, right on the ocean fronting The Kāhala Hotel & Resort is offering a brunch and dinner buffet right on its expansive lawn. Both menus feature a nice salad selection; appetizers including ‘ahi sashimi, sushi, fresh oysters on a half shell and three different kinds of poke; omelets made to order; breakfast meats; a carving station with roast turkey and prime rib; chef’s specialities of steamed snow crab with garlic butter, seafood bouillabaisse and sautéed fresh fish; and a dessert station with pumpkin pie, apple crumble cheesecake, spiced pineapple upside-down cake and mango panna cotta.

 

Nov. 24, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. brunch, 5:30 to 10 p.m. dinner, $85 for adults and $42.50 for children 6 to 12 for brunch and dinner, 5000 Kāhala Ave., 739-8769, kahalaresort.com

 

Rainbow Lānai

Gaze out at the Pacific Ocean this Thanksgiving with a dinner buffet at the Rainbow Lānai at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. The offerings include a slew of salads and veggies, butternut squash soup, a carving station with bourbon-maple-glazed ham, roast turkey with giblet gravy and house-made li hing cranberry sauce, braised beef with red-wine sauce, maple-glazed sweet potatoes and a delectable selection of desserts, from traditional pumpkin pie to chocolate-bourbon bread pudding. There’s even a kids’ station, with corn dogs, fried (boneless) chicken, tater tots, baked mac and cheese and a make-your-own-cupcake station. So fun!

 

Nov. 24, 4 to 9 p.m. for dinner, $55 for adults, $29 for children 12 and under, 2005 Kālia Road, 949-4321 ext. 39, hiltonhawaiianvillage.com/dining/rainbow-lanai

 

Stripsteak Waikīkī

​Celebrate Thanksgiving at celebrity chef’s Michael Mina’s first Stripsteak in Hawai‘i at the newly renovated International Market Place. The steakhouse is serving kabocha squash soup with Maine lobster and shaved fennel ($10); a turkey dinner plate with chestnut stuffing, green beans, crispy onions, candied yams, whipped potatoes, ginger-spiced cranberry sauce and black truffle giblet gravy ($29) and brown butter pecan tart ($10) for dessert.

 

Nov. 24, 2330 Kalākaua Ave., 800-3094, stripsteakwaikiki.com

 

Vino Italian Tapas & Wine Bar

If you think of Thanksgiving as an evening to indulge in great wines, you might want to consider reserving a table at Vino Italian Tapas & Wine Bar. The playful dinner menu features an amuse bouche of pumpkin and sage frittata, courses of kabocha and ricotta cheese ouvo and seared scallops with Kahuku corn risotto, an entrée of crispy sous vide turkey porchetta with a pine nut and sage stuffing, and pumpkin tiramisu for dessert. And, yes, the bar will be open.

 

Nov. 24, dinner only, reservations required, $48 per person, Waterfront Plaza, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., 524-8466, vinohawaii.com

 

Wood & Bucket Tapas Bar & Grill

Here’s a novel ideal: Why not give back on the day of Thanksgiving? Fifteen percent of all revenue generation from lunch and dinner service on Thanksgiving at Wood & Bucket Tapas Bar & Grill in Waikīkī will be donated to Aloha United Way’s education impact area, which helps provide children with the necessary tools to succeed in school. Cost is $8 for a Thanksgiving lunch plate and $15 for dinner. Both plates include slow-roasted carved turkey breast with dressing and gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole and a sautéed green bean salad. You can order takeout, too.

 

Nov. 24, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for lunch, 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner, $8 for lunch plate, $15 for dinner plate, Waikīkī Sand Villa Hotel, 2375 Ala Wai Blvd., 921-3212, woodandbucket.com 

 

Tiki’s Grill & Bar

Tiki’s is offering a three-course Thanksgiving dinner with your choice between a spiced butternut squash bisque or cranberry pecan salad with Naked Cow Dairy feta; slow-roasted turkey with Portuguese sausage, pineapple dressing, Yukon Gold potato gratin, Moloka‘i potato purée and a rosemary-Chardonnay pan gravy; and pumpkin butter mochi with an eggnog anglaise for dessert. All for $36. For those of you who’d rather eat coconut shrimp and guava-glazed short ribs, the restaurant will be serving its full dinner menu from 4 p.m., too.

 

Nov. 24, Thanksgiving menu available from 2 p.m., $36 per person, 2570 Kalākaua Ave., 923-8454, tikisgrill.com

 

Turtle Bay Resort

Diners at Turtle Bay Resort for Thanksgiving brunch will enjoy a farm-to-feast fare of dishes inspired by local farms in the Kuilima Ballroom. The lineup includes guava wood-smoked huli-style chicken, sautéed mahimahi with lobster Newburg cream sauce, assorted sushi and poke, steamed snow crab legs, Madeira-braised beef and chanterelle short ribs, liliko‘i-honey-mustard-glazed ham and a range of desserts from a warm, ginger-spiced bread pudding to a haupia coconut cake—all while enjoying the restaurant’s ocean view.

 

Nov. 24, 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., $69 for adults, $27 for children 5 to 12, 57-091 Kamehameha Highway, Kahuku, 293-6805, turtlebayresort.com

 

The Willows

Who doesn’t love a buffet? The Willows is offering a lunch and dinner buffet with all the traditional Thanksgiving fixings—plus a few local favorites thrown in. The spread includes chilled crab legs, assorted poke, roast turkey with sundried tomato stuffing, prime rib, baked ham, baked salmon au gratin, pecan bread pudding, kabocha pumpkin and sweet potato tarts, coconut-crusted butter mochi and its popular soft-serve ice cream with assorted toppings. There’s something for every finicky Thanksgiving eater.

 

Nov. 24, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch, 4 to 9 p.m. for dinner, $51.95 per adult, $25.95 per child 4 to 10 years old, discounts for seniors and military, 901 Hausten St., 952-9200, willowshawaii.com

 

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