You’re welcome: 26 places to eat Thanksgiving dinner that aren’t your family’s house

Spare yourself this year’s horrific post-election family conversations and annual cooking meltdowns by heading out of the house for Thanksgiving this year. Dozens of restaurants are offering holiday-themed specials in addition to their regular menus, and many are open late. Reservations? You’ll want to make them. But there’s also no shortage of places ready to welcome you as a last-minute walk-in.

Affäre (1911 Main) will be open for brunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., with Thanksgiving specials augmenting the restaurant’s regular menu. See opentable.com or call 816-298-6182.

Berbiglia’s Roost (8725 Metcalf, Overland Park) is hosting a buffet from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.: fried chicken, turkey and gravy, and boiled shrimp, in addition to sides and salads and pie. The cost is $21.95 for adults or $9.95 for children 4 to 10 years old. Walk in or make a reservation by calling 913-222-1400.

Benton’s (1 East Pershing Road, Westin Crown Center) is reopening for one evening to serve a traditional Thanksgiving meal. The $39 meal (or $19 for children 12 and younger) includes a butternut-squash bisque, apple-and-goat-cheese salad, smoked Kurzweil’s turkey with stuffing or a roasted strip loin with mushroom jus, and a dessert buffet. The dinner also includes one glass of wine and parking. Make reservations through the Westin Brasserie Bar & Grill on opentable.com.

Bristol Seafood Grill (51 East 14th Street; 5400 West 119th Street, Leawood) is offering a Thanksgiving buffet from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. It includes a roasted-turkey carving station and a cold seafood section, as well as a range of sides, salads and desserts. The buffet is $38 a person or $19 for children 12 and younger. Walk in, use opentable.com or call 816-448-6007 or 913-663-5777.

Buca di Beppo (310 West 47th Street) is offering a family-style Thanksgiving menu. For $20 a person, you get sliced turkey, Italian-sausage stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, green beans, cranberry sauce and pie. Walk-ins are welcome.

Café Trio (4558 Main) is open from noon to 9:30 p.m. The regular menu is available, with a turkey special on offer. Diners making reservations after 5 p.m. get reserved parking and, of course, the Plaza lights. Call 816-756-3227 or see opentable.com for reservations.

Capital Grille (4740 Jefferson) is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., serving the regular menu as well as a full Thanksgiving spread for $39 a person. Walk in or call 816-531-8345 for reservations. 

Cooper’s Hawk (4686 Broadway) serves its regular menu from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Walk in or call 816-531-1500 for reservations.

Eddie V’s (4749 Pennsylvania) is offering its regular menu or a special turkey dinner with hand-whipped potatoes, baby French green beans with sun-dried tomatoes, cranberry chutney and brioche-sage stuffing for $39 (children 12 and younger eat for $15), or you can choose from the regular menu. Eddie V’s is open from 4 to 10 p.m.; call 816-531-2537 for a reservation. 

Gram & Dun (600 Ward Parkway) is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., serving from the regular menu as well as offering a four-course Thanksgiving menu for $38 a person. Walk in or call 816-389-2900 for reservations. 

Grand Street Café (4740 Grand; 8815 Renner Boulevard, Lenexa) is offering a buffet from noon to 4 p.m. You’ll see turkey, a prime-rib carving station, smoked ham and a variety of sides and desserts. The buffet is $25.95 a person. Call 816-561-8000 or 913-601-3500.

J. Gilbert’s (8901 Metcalf, Overland Park) is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is offering a three-course Thanksgiving menu for $38 a person ($19 for children). The regular menu is also available. Call 913-642-8070 or see opentable.com for reservations. 

The Grille at Park Place (5270 West 116th Place, Leawood) is offering a full-service dinner for $33 per person that includes slow-roasted turkey, sweet and mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing, cornbread, cranberry sauce, and pie. It’s open from 1 to 8 p.m. Reservations can be made by calling 913-766-0920, or you can walk in.

Houlihan’s (11851 West 95th Street, Overland Park; 4900 West 119th Street, Leawood; 625 Northwest Murray Road, Lee’s Summit) is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., serving a plated turkey dinner that includes the bird, cornbread stuffing, sides and pie for $21.95 for adults and $9.95 for children ages 4-12. Walk-ins are welcome, or reservations can be made by calling 913-492-3926 (95th Street), 913-663-2161 (119th Street) or 816-524-2572 (Lee’s Summit). 

Leeway Franks (935 Iowa Street, Lawrence) is hosting its second-annual Franksgiving party, serving a delightfully nontraditional menu of Indian tacos, posole, tamales, rice and beans. Franksgiving runs from 3 to 7 p.m. and food is available for takeout, too.

Lidia’s (101 West 22nd Street) is open from noon to 6 p.m. today and is serving one of the more tempting menus in town. Guests choose from four proteins — turkey, salmon, porchetta or short ribs — and the meal comes with sausage-and-apple dressing, squash ravioli and quince-cranberry chutney, as well as a choice of three desserts. The dinner is $48 per person ($18 for children ages 2-12), and wine pairings are available for $35 a person. Walk in or make a reservation via opentable.com or by calling 816-221-3722.

McCormick & Schmick’s (448 West 47th Street) is offering a plated Thanksgiving meal from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. It includes roasted turkey, squash bisque or walnut mixed greens, and additional sides for $28 an adult or $9.99 per kid. Walk in or make a reservation by calling 816-531-6800 or via opentable.com. 

Metropolitan KC (Marriott Hotel, 200 West 12th Street) is presenting a large buffet from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. That means a cold bar, carving stations, soups, entrées (including turkey pot pie and pan-seared salmon), and a variety of sides and desserts. The buffet is $32 for adults, $15 for children 4-12 (free for children under 4). Free parking validation is included with the buffet purchase. Walk-ins are welcome, or call 816-421-6800 for reservations. 

Nick & Jake’s on Main (5031 Main) is setting up a buffet ($28 per person) that includes roasted turkey, spiral-cut ham, prime rib and sides. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 816-421-1111 for reservations. 

The Oliver (4807 Jefferson) is open from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., serving from the regular menu as well as offering a four-course Thanksgiving menu for $38 a person. Walk in or call 816-384-2500 for reservations.

OP1906 Bar & Grille (Sheraton Hotel, 6100 College Boulevard, Overland Park) will be serving from its regular menu as well as offering a three-course plated Thanksgiving dinner that includes roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and stuffing. The turkey dinner is $32 for adults, $16 for children 12 and younger. Walk in or call 913-253-1906.

The Reserve at the Ambassador Hotel (1111 Grand) is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. for brunch and dinner. Reservations are not required but are recommended. Walk in, see opentable.com or call 816-298-7700.

Seasons 52 (340 Ward Parkway) offers its regular menu as well as roasted turkey (from Plainville Farms) with pan gravy and a variety of sides. Wine and cocktail pairings are available. The restaurant is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the Thanksgiving meal (not including drinks) is $26.90 for adults and $12.90 for children. Walk in, make reservations via opentable.com or call 816-531-0052. 

Stroud’s (4200 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Fairway; 8301 West 135th Street, Overland Park; 19700 Valley View Parkway, Independence) is open from 10: 30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., serving a Thanksgiving buffet that includes its famous fried chicken and cinnamon rolls, in addition to traditional holiday fare. Walk-ins are welcome. 

Sullivan’s Steakhouse (4501 West 119th Street, Leawood) is open from noon to 8 p.m., serving from its regular menu as well as offering a specialty turkey dinner, which comes with a choice of appetizer, two sides and dessert. The latter goes for $38 a person. Reservations are recommended; call 913-345-0800.

The Well (7421 Broadway) is serving a turkey dinner with cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes with sage-turkey gravy, cranberry sauce, green beans and a roll. The dinner is $17.99 for adults and $9.99 for kids.  Reservations are recommended; call 816-361-1700 or visit waldowell.com.