Where to get your eat on this Thanksgiving

Beer-inspired Thanksgiving dinner from Jake Melnick’s

Here at Chicago Food Planet, Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays. Not only do we love looking back on the year and being thankful, but we also love the food! Of course, right? What’s Thanksgiving without a massive feast?

For those of you whose eating skills are more refined than your cooking skills, you can enjoy a gourmet Thanksgiving dinner sans the stress at one of these Chicago restaurants. All you have to do is eat and relax. No cooking or dish-washing required.

For the traditionalist: Fulton’s on the River

315 North LaSalle, 312-822-0100

11am – 6pm

$42.95 for adults, $15.95 for children (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity)

In addition to hand-carved apple cider-brined turkey, the menu also features herb crusted prime rib, whole roasted Atlantic salmon, grilled Amish chicken breasts and roasted pork shoulder. Sides (served buffet-style) include a beet salad with candied walnuts, goat cheese and hazelnut vinaigrette, brioche stuffing with pork sausage, apples and parsnips, candied yams with maple sugar streusel and marshmallows, cheddar mac-n-cheese, and braised Brussels sprouts with buttered pecans and pancetta. Dessert options include hot apple crisp and classic pumpkin pie.

For the buffet lover: Chicago Firehouse

1401 South Michigan, 312-786-1401

11:30am – 7pm

$49.99 for adults, $19.99 for children (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity)

This massive buffet-style feast includes the traditional favorites, plus some less traditional options like bourbon and gingersnap gravy, salmon wellington in puffed pastry with a red wine reduction sauce, chilled seafood platters, and even an omelette station (from 11:30am to 2pm only).

For the gourmet: Bin 36

339 North Dearborn, 312-755-9463

3pm – 9pm

$48 for adults, $20 for children (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity)

Enjoy a three-course meal (appetizer, main course and dessert) plus a variety of side dishes served family style at this popular wine bar. For your first course, choose from options like warm chestnut soup with sweet cornbread, salad with pickled butternut squash, celery root and apple, or duck three ways. Main course options include maple syrup-glazed turkey, salmon and crab coulibiac, or slow roasted prime rib. Then choose from steamed English toffee pudding cake, caramel apple pie or pumpkin cremeux for dessert. Family style side dishes include sourdough stuffing, creamy pumpkin polenta, cranberry sauce with ginger almond relish and more.

For the beer geek: Jake Melnick’s

41 East Superior, 312-266-0400

11am – 9pm

$15.95 (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity)

If you enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner with a side of beer, you’re in luck. Jake Melnick’s is putting a craft beer spin on the traditional Thanksgiving feast, complete with a citrus and Trumer Pils-brined turkey served with country-style peppercorn gravy. Souped up sides include French green bean casserole with wood-grilled wild mushrooms, Left Hand Milkstout brown butter cream and frizzled onions, plus cornbread stuffing with chorizo, savory herbs, dried cranberries, roasted peppers and Stella Artois. Chase it all down with a pumpkin spiced hard cider for “dessert.”

All this talk of turkey got us wondering — what are your Thanksgiving menu must-haves? Share them with us in the comment section below, or send us a Tweet @ChiFoodPlanet with the hashtag #menumusthaves.