Houston Restaurants Open on Thanksgiving Day
Date Published
Most Houston restaurants close on Thanksgiving Day. The ones that stay open fall into recognizable categories: large family-owned chains like the Pappas group, hotel dining rooms, Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants in the Asiatown corridor on Bellaire Boulevard, and a handful of Houston institutions that treat the holiday as their biggest meal of the year. This guide covers all eight picks, plus a booking timeline so you don't end up with Denny's by default—though Denny's is on the list too, and it's there for a reason.
The quick list
- Book by summer: Taste of Texas (the most sought-after Thanksgiving table in Houston)
- Book a few weeks out: Brennan's of Houston, Xochi at the Marriott Marquis
- Call in early November: Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, Pappasito's Cantina
- Walk in day-of: Ocean Palace (Asiatown dim sum), Denny's
- Order 1–2 weeks before Thanksgiving: Hugo's to-go feast for Wednesday pickup
How we chose
These restaurants were selected because they are currently operating and have a confirmed or well-documented history of staying open on Thanksgiving Day. Every pick was confirmed as an operating restaurant via its own official website as of October 2026. Thanksgiving-specific hours get posted in early November; the patterns described below reflect each place's typical approach, not a guarantee. Call to confirm in the first week of November.
The sit-down options
Taste of Texas
10505 Katy Freeway, Energy Corridor · reservations strongly recommended · open since 1977
Taste of Texas is probably the single most popular Thanksgiving dinner destination in Houston. The family-owned steakhouse has been serving holiday meals since 1977, and regulars know to reserve months in advance—popular evening slots have been known to fill by summer. On Thanksgiving, the full Certified Angus Beef menu is available alongside the extensive salad bar that regulars consider half the reason to go.
What to order: The signature steaks—prime rib, ribeye, and filet—plus the full salad bar. The peach cobbler if it appears on the dessert menu.
Book it: Reservations open months in advance at tasteoftexas.com. If you want a specific time on Thanksgiving evening, don't wait until November.
Brennan's of Houston
3300 Smith St, Midtown · reservations required
Brennan's is Houston's Creole fine dining institution, descended from the New Orleans Brennan family restaurant tradition. The restaurant historically offers a Thanksgiving prix-fixe menu built around Gulf seafood and Creole classics, with their signature Creole Bread Pudding Soufflé for dessert and Bananas Foster flambéed tableside. The courtyard and indoor dining room both fill on the holiday.
What to order: Ask about the Thanksgiving prix-fixe when you call. The Bread Pudding Soufflé—described as the Queen of Creole Desserts—is mandatory if you have room.
Book it: A few weeks in advance is usually enough, but sooner is safer. Check brennanshouston.com in October when holiday reservations typically open. For the Midtown neighborhood dining context, see our best Midtown Houston restaurants guide.
Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
Multiple Houston-area locations · regular service · no special reservation usually needed
The Pappas family keeps its entire restaurant group running through major holidays, and Pappadeaux is the flagship. Expect the full regular Cajun-Creole menu on Thanksgiving Day: live lobster, crispy alligator, crabmeat au gratin, seafood gumbo. No special Thanksgiving menu—just a full house. This is Houston's most popular seafood chain, and Thanksgiving is one of its busiest days.
What to order: The Snapper Pontchartrain, the Seafood Stuffed Shrimp, or the Whole Lobster. The crawfish bisque as a starter. More on the best seafood restaurants in Houston.
Locations: Multiple Houston-area spots from the Galleria to the suburbs. Check pappadeaux.com for the location nearest you.
Tex-Mex and Oaxacan
Pappasito's Cantina
Multiple Houston-area locations · walk-in friendly
Also in the Pappas family group, Pappasito's is Houston's premier Tex-Mex chain—scratch-made fajitas, handcrafted margaritas, and tableside guacamole since 1983. With nine Houston-area locations typically open on Thanksgiving, it's the reliable fallback when your family can't agree on anything else. The Downtown location at 1600 Lamar, connected to the Hilton Americas-Houston, is convenient if you're spending the day in the city.
What to order: The steak or chicken fajitas, the guacamole, and the house margarita. See the full best Tex-Mex in Houston guide for the year-round picture.
Xochi at the Marriott Marquis
1777 Walker St, Downtown · hotel restaurant · walk-in or reservation
Hotel restaurants are almost always open on Thanksgiving—they have guests to feed—and Xochi, Chef Hugo Ortega's Oaxacan restaurant inside the Marriott Marquis, is one of the most interesting options in that category. The Oaxacan menu—mole negro, tlayudas, mezcal flights, memelas—has no turkey on it, which is exactly the appeal if your family wants a genuinely different Thanksgiving meal.
What to order: The mole negro, the tlayuda with your choice of toppings, and something from the mezcal program.
Book it: Check xochihouston.com or call the Marriott Marquis directly in early November to confirm hours. See our best Downtown Houston restaurants guide for the full neighborhood picture.
When you want dim sum instead of turkey
Ocean Palace
11215 Bellaire Blvd, Asiatown · open daily · walk-in friendly
The Bellaire Boulevard corridor—Houston's massive Chinatown and Asiatown—keeps its own calendar. Most of the Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants along Bellaire don't observe Thanksgiving as a closure day, and Ocean Palace is the anchor of that corridor. The restaurant posts its hours as open daily, serves dim sum service until 5 p.m., and has banquet capacity for up to 1,000 guests.
The thing most visitors don't know: You can get outstanding Cantonese dim sum on Thanksgiving morning in Houston while the rest of America watches the parade. The entire Bellaire Boulevard corridor stays busy; Ocean Palace is the biggest name, but you'll find dim sum and whole seafood up and down the street. See the full Houston Chinatown and Asiatown guide for the corridor in depth.
What to order: Har gow, siu mai, and char siu bao for dim sum. A whole roast duck or lobster with ginger and scallion from the main menu.
Always-open backup
Denny's
Multiple Houston locations · 24/7, no reservation needed
Denny's has operated as a 24-hour, 365-day-a-year chain for decades—it is a documented brand policy, and many locations genuinely have no locks on the doors. If Thanksgiving plans fall through, if you're traveling and every other option is closed, or if you need a late-night slice of pie after a long day with family, Denny's is there. Multiple Houston locations from the Galleria area to the suburbs.
What to order: The Grand Slam breakfast is the classic. The All-American Slam if you want something with turkey on it. A slice of pumpkin pie for the holiday.
Thanksgiving to-go: the Hugo's feast
Hugo's (Wednesday pickup)
1600 Westheimer Rd, Montrose · order 1–2 weeks before Thanksgiving · pickup Wednesday 11 a.m.–8 p.m.
Hugo's is closed on Thanksgiving Day itself—that is a firm annual policy. What it offers instead is a full Thanksgiving feast for pickup the Wednesday before, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Chef Hugo Ortega's kitchen builds a prepared-meal package with warming instructions included, so you get Hugo's-caliber Creole-inflected cooking at home without fighting for a reservation. The specific menu is posted on the official site in early-to-mid November.
Order it: Via hugosrestaurant.net or by calling the restaurant. The ordering window typically opens two to three weeks before Thanksgiving. See also: Hugo's Houston.
Booking timeline
By summer (June–August): Taste of Texas. The most coveted evening slots fill months in advance. This is not an exaggeration.
By mid-October: Brennan's of Houston if you want a specific time. Xochi if your group is large.
Early November, as soon as holiday hours are posted: Pappadeaux, Pappasito's, and any other restaurant with limited Thanksgiving seating. Most places post holiday hours and open reservations in the first two weeks of November.
One week before Thanksgiving: Hugo's to-go order. Their ordering window typically opens in early November.
Day of: Ocean Palace, Denny's. No planning required.
Before you go
Call to confirm. This guide lists places with a history of staying open on Thanksgiving, but hours change and not every location in a chain keeps the same schedule. A quick call or website check in early November takes five minutes and saves the whole day.
On pricing: some restaurants move to a fixed-price menu on Thanksgiving rather than regular à la carte. Brennan's, for example, historically offers a prix-fixe. Ask when you book, and confirm whether a deposit is required.
On traffic: most of Houston quiets down on Thanksgiving, but restaurant-heavy areas near the Galleria corridor and Katy Freeway can still back up around peak meal times (noon–2 p.m. and 5–7 p.m.). Give yourself a buffer.
Save this: Thanksgiving dining checklist
- Reserve Taste of Texas by summer; check availability at tasteoftexas.com
- Order the Hugo's feast 1–2 weeks before Thanksgiving; check hugosrestaurant.net for the current year's deadline
- Call your chosen restaurant in the first week of November to confirm hours and any holiday menu
- Dim sum at Ocean Palace? Arrive before the 5 p.m. dim sum cutoff
- Backup plan always: Ocean Palace or Denny's, both walk-in, no call needed
- For reservation-required spots, ask about deposit policy and fixed-price menus when you book
More Houston dining guides
The best restaurants in Houston guide is the year-round starting point. For special occasions, see date night restaurants in Houston and the best steakhouses in Houston. For the Bellaire corridor, the Houston Chinatown and Asiatown guide covers every block in depth. And if you're hosting at home and need the full meal, the best brunch in Houston guide includes bakeries and specialty grocers worth knowing.
Last verified: October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Which Houston restaurants are open on Thanksgiving Day?
Taste of Texas, Brennan's of Houston, Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, Pappasito's Cantina, Xochi at the Marriott Marquis, Ocean Palace in Asiatown, and Denny's all have histories of staying open on Thanksgiving in Houston. Hugo's offers a prepared feast for pickup the Wednesday before. Always confirm hours in early November before you go.
Do I need a reservation for Thanksgiving dinner in Houston?
Yes, for the most popular spots. Taste of Texas and Brennan's of Houston require reservations and book up well in advance—Taste of Texas sometimes fills prime evening slots by summer. Pappadeaux and Pappasito's typically don't require reservations on Thanksgiving. Ocean Palace and Denny's are walk-in only.
How early should I book Thanksgiving dinner in Houston?
For Taste of Texas, book by summer if you want a specific evening time—it is Houston's most sought-after Thanksgiving reservation. Brennan's of Houston and Xochi at the Marriott Marquis should be booked several weeks in advance. Most other restaurants take reservations in early November once they post holiday hours.
Are Chinese restaurants open on Thanksgiving in Houston?
Yes. The Bellaire Boulevard Chinatown and Asiatown corridor stays open on Thanksgiving, with Ocean Palace and many neighboring restaurants serving dim sum and full Cantonese menus. Ocean Palace is confirmed open daily, and dim sum service typically runs until 5 p.m.
Does Hugo's restaurant close on Thanksgiving?
Yes, Hugo's on Westheimer in Montrose closes on Thanksgiving Day. However, it offers a full prepared Thanksgiving feast for pickup the Wednesday before, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Orders typically open two to three weeks before Thanksgiving via hugosrestaurant.net or by phone.
What Houston restaurants are open on Thanksgiving with no reservation?
Ocean Palace at 11215 Bellaire Blvd in Asiatown and Denny's locations across Houston take walk-ins on Thanksgiving with no reservation needed. Pappadeaux and Pappasito's Cantina typically accept walk-ins as well, though calling ahead on a busy holiday is a good idea.