In a city that never really slows down, Thanksgiving is the rare New York holiday that makes everyone pause. For generations of locals and visitors searching for the best Thanksgiving restaurants NYC has to offer, P.J. Clarke’s has been that familiar corner table – pouring drinks, carving turkey, and serving stories since 1884.
A Timeless NYC Tradition
P.J. Clarke’s has watched New York grow up outside its windows. Since 1884, our red brick walls, tiled floors, and well-worn mahogany bar have framed first dates, family reunions, Sunday suppers – and, of course, countless holiday feasts. On Thanksgiving, that history comes into focus.
The city’s energy softens, the lights on Third Avenue and at Lincoln Square glow a little warmer, and the dining rooms fill with multi-generational families, longtime regulars, and out-of-towners who’ve decided their Thanksgiving in New York should feel like classic Manhattan, not a one-off hotel buffet. You’ll find vintage photos, checkered tablecloths, and bartenders who know how you take your drink.
Thanksgiving Menu Highlights
This year’s Thanksgiving prix-fixe menu is built around the flavors everyone waits for all year – but with that unmistakable P.J. Clarke’s touch. The holiday feast is served as a prix-fixe Manhattan Thanksgiving dinner at $75 per adult and $45 per child, including coffee and tea (excluding tax and gratuity). Here’s a taste of what to expect:
- It starts with Plymouth Rock Oysters Rockefeller, a nod to our raw bar roots with creamy spinach, hollandaise, and a whisper of Pernod over briny East Coast oysters.
- Then comes the Roasted Heritage Turkey Dinner, carved to order and served with old-school pan gravy, Thea’s potted cranberry relish, and a sweet potato gratin topped with brown sugar and marshmallow brûlée.
- On the side, you’ll choose between two house stuffings – a cornbread stuffing with chestnuts and sage or a sweet fennel sausage stuffing built on sourdough – before finishing with a slice of pumpkin pie or apple tarte tatin that tastes like it’s been on the menu for generations.
The Dining Experience in Manhattan
Thanksgiving at P.J. Clarke’s isn’t just about the turkey – it’s about where you’re eating it. Across our locations, from the original 1884 saloon on Third Avenue to Lincoln Square and on the Hudson, the day feels unmistakably New York: lively, nostalgic, and warmly unpretentious.
Tables fill with big families and chosen families, regulars and first-timers, all looked after by a team that treats holiday service like a craft. With city views, clinking glasses, and platters passed family-style, it’s the kind of room people return to year after year for a real Manhattan Thanksgiving.
That’s not to say this time-honored hospitality is reserved only for New York – our Philadelphia and Washington DC restaurants bring the same service, care, and tradition – book your spot now to join our table.
Join Our Table This Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving in New York fills up fast – and so do our dining rooms, so we recommend booking your Thanksgiving dinner early. If you’re searching for the best Thanksgiving restaurants NYC has to offer, reserve your table at P.J. Clarke’s online in just a few clicks and choose the neighborhood that feels like “your” New York.
Hosting a larger group, corporate celebration, or multi-generational family feast? Our private and semi-private rooms provide a relaxed, old-New-York setting for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner NYC-style. Let us handle the turkey; you just arrive hungry and ready to celebrate.
