Restaurants Open on Thanksgiving in the Southwest Suburbs (and Where to Order Thanksgiving Dinner To Go)

by Brian Wittman

You'll get the local restaurants that have said they're open on Thanksgiving Day this year, the ones that'll cook the whole dinner for you to pick up, and the date each one wants your order by. Every entry comes from the restaurant's own page or its own post, so you're not working off last year's list.

Here's what you may not realize. The holiday isn't your deadline. The order-by date is, and some of them land a full week before the turkey does. Miss it, and you're cooking.

Which restaurants are open on Thanksgiving in the southwest suburbs?

Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26 this year. Al's Steak House in Joliet, the Harvest Room in Palos Heights, Texas de Brazil in Orland Park, Cooper's Hawk and Francesca's have all said they'll serve that day. If you want a table, you'll want to call this week, because some local dining rooms were already full by late October.

Where can you sit down for Thanksgiving dinner?

Al's Steak House in Joliet opens at 11 a.m. on Thanksgiving and takes its last reservation at 5 p.m., so you can't wander in after the football game. You'll find a roast turkey dinner with sage chestnut dressing and giblet gravy, the full steak menu for whoever at your table won't eat turkey, and a kids' turkey plate. One house rule you'll want to know before you sit down: there are no separate checks on holidays. Al's has been serving Joliet for more than sixty years, and a place like that is part of the case for moving to Joliet, IL that a listing never makes. You can see the holiday menu on Al's own site, and you'll book by phone.

The Harvest Room in Palos Heights is taking Thanksgiving reservations now and says they go fast. It hasn't posted this year's hours yet, so you'll want to ask when you call. A neighborhood dining room that books out for the holidays is the kind of local habit people settling into Palos Heights learn to plan around.

Texas de Brazil in Orland Park opens early on Thanksgiving, at 11 a.m., and you'll get its regular dinner with holiday dishes added. Texas de Brazil recommends you book ahead.

Cooper's Hawk in Orland Park and New Lenox is open on Thanksgiving Day, with its Thanksgiving classics sitting next to the regular menu, and you can book a table through Cooper's Hawk's site.

Francesca's Fortunato in Frankfort and Francesca's Vicinato in Palos Park both run a Thanksgiving buffet, and you'll want to check their holiday page for this year's times before you go.

Where can you order Thanksgiving dinner to go?

This is where the dates matter, because each one below wants your order days before you'll pick it up.

Public Landing in Lockport books its dining room early, so its to-go package is the realistic way you'll get its food on the holiday. You'll get turkey, baked ham, garlic mashed potatoes, sage stuffing, green beans, gravy, cranberries and rolls, and it feeds up to five. You order and pay online by noon on Sunday, November 22, and you pick it up Wednesday, November 25, between noon and 2 p.m. You'll place the order through Public Landing.

Pony Express Kitchen in New Lenox sells a family dinner with roasted turkey breast and maple baked ham, mashed potatoes, bread stuffing, green beans and carrots, cranberry, gravy and rolls. You'll need to pre-order by November 19. That's the earliest cutoff here.

Stork Cafe in Homer Glen has family packages in three sizes, from four people up to fifteen, and its holiday menu is printed in both English and Polish. A bilingual Thanksgiving menu on Bell Road tells you something about the town, and it's one of the quieter reasons Homer Glen is worth a look. You'll need to order by November 22 and pick it up November 25, and you can order by calling the cafe at 708-696-1176.

Cooper's Hawk and Francesca's both do take-home dinners too. Cooper's Hawk's kit is ready to heat and serve, and Francesca's offers Thanksgiving catering from its Frankfort and Palos Park kitchens.

Can you order just the sides, like stuffing?

Yes, at Stork Cafe. Besides the family packages, it'll sell you items on their own by the tray, including herb stuffing and mashed potatoes. That's your move if you're doing the turkey yourself and just want the sides off your plate.

Is it cheaper to eat out or order Thanksgiving to go?

It depends on the size of your table. Eating out is priced per plate, so it scales with every person you bring. A to-go package is one price for the whole table, and the leftovers stay with you. For a big family, to go usually wins. For two people, a reservation might cost less than a full spread you'll be eating until Sunday.

The Bottom Line

Book or order this week. Pony Express wants orders by November 19, Public Landing and Stork Cafe by November 22, and the dining rooms that take reservations are filling now. Once dinner's handled, you've got room for the rest of the weekend: a Thanksgiving morning turkey trot, Thanksgiving pies you can order from a local bakery, and the Chicago Thanksgiving Day parade if you'd rather watch it in person.

I looked for Manhattan, Mokena, Minooka, Manteno and Shorewood too, and couldn't confirm a Thanksgiving dinner in any of them for this year. That isn't a knock on those towns. It just means nothing was posted when I checked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do restaurants take reservations for Thanksgiving?

Most sit-down places do, and they fill early. The Harvest Room says its reservations go fast, and Lockport's Public Landing was reported full by late October.

What time do restaurants close on Thanksgiving?

Earlier than a normal Thursday. Al's Steak House takes its last reservation at 5 p.m. Many places run a shorter holiday day, so ask about the last seating when you book.

Is Cooper's Hawk open on Thanksgiving?

Yes. Cooper's Hawk says it's open Thanksgiving Day, and it sells a heat-and-serve take-home kit too.

How far ahead do you have to order Thanksgiving dinner to go?

About a week. Pony Express Kitchen's cutoff is November 19, and Public Landing's and Stork Cafe's are November 22, with pickup the day before Thanksgiving.

Can you get Thanksgiving dinner in the southwest suburbs without cooking anything?

Yes. Public Landing, Pony Express Kitchen and Stork Cafe all sell full dinners, from the turkey to the gravy. You'll just need to reheat it.

Know a spot that's open Thanksgiving and isn't on this list? Tell me about it and I'll go check it.

Last updated: November 2026

I post the local stuff like this as I find it, on Instagram over at @chicagolandhomeandmoney. Follow along so you catch next month's list before the order-by dates hit.

Brian Wittman is a licensed real estate broker (Real Broker LLC), mortgage loan originator (NMLS #2646598, NEXA Mortgage, LLC, Equal Housing Lender), and life insurance producer (Levinson & Associates). For full disclosures, visit https://bluejeanbroker.com/disclosures.