Dine at the newly opened Bolster, Snow & Co. in Portland

Dine Out on Thanksgiving Day at These 18 Maine Restaurants

This Thanksgiving, let someone else do the cooking.

by Kate McCarty@BlueberryFiles Updated Nov 9, 2017, 10:00am EST

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Dine at the newly opened Bolster, Snow & Co. in Portland

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by Kate McCarty@BlueberryFiles Updated Nov 9, 2017, 10:00am EST

Dining out on Thanksgiving is an attractive option whether you're averse to a mountain of dishes after a homecooked meal or avoiding your uncle (you know the one) and the scene he'd cause. Restaurants offering Thanksgiving dinner typically fall into two categories: casual buffet or upscale affair. Whichever you choose, make reservations soon, as you're not the only one who doesn't feel like cooking. Don't forget the cardinal rule of holiday dinners, either: wear comfy, stretchy pants. Note: map points are listed south to north.

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Tempo Dulu

Try something different this year at the Southeast Asian-inspired Tempo Dulu, where the $85 prix fixe holiday dinner includes red curry and lobster risotto and a smoked butter poached turkey with crispy, chili-dusted skin.

163 Danforth St, Portland, ME 04102

Visit Website

The Brunswick Hotel & Tavern

The cozy tavern at the Brunswick Hotel offers a $47 buffet that includes all of Thanksgiving dinner's greatest hits. Post-dinner, slow your descent into a food coma with one of the house's specialty coffees, like the Nutty Irishman with Frangelico and Bailey's.

4 Noble St, Brunswick, ME 04011

Visit Website

Natalie's at Camden Harbour Inn

Best to reserve a room upstairs at the inn — you'll need it after dinner at Natalie's, where the five-course prix fixe meal comes with an optional wine pairing.

83 Bayview St, Camden, ME 04843

Visit Website

York Harbor Inn

The inn offers two holiday dining experiences: partake in the buffet with a carving station upstairs in the Oceanview 1637 restaurant or enjoy a 3-course dinner with a dessert buffet downstairs in the cozy Ship's Cellar Pub. That's right, both menus involve a buffet.

Open in Google Maps

480 York St., York Harbor, ME 03911

Visit Website

Cape Arundel Inn

Enjoy a $75 prix fixe dinner in Ocean, the scenic dining room of the waterfront Cape Arundel Inn. The meal includes an hors d'oeuvres spread and three courses.

208 Ocean Ave, Kennebunkport, ME 04046

Visit Website

The Burleigh

The modern, nautical steakhouse at the Kennebunkport Inn will feature an à la carte menu on Thanksgiving, with traditional entrees and classic sides from 12-6pm.

1 Dock Sq, Kennebunkport, ME 04046

Visit Website

Sea Glass at Inn by the Sea

Sea Glass is serving a $66 family style meal that includes all the traditional trappings of turkey, gravy, and mashed potatoes.

40 Bowery Beach Rd, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107

Visit Website

Saltwater Grille

Come for the waterfront views, stay for the cranberry molded salad. The Saltwater Grille is serving a $55 buffet of traditional entrees and sides.

231 Front St, South Portland, ME 04106

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Five Fifty-Five

Enjoy four courses for $88 at classic Five Fifty-Five. While the preview menu is just a sample one, dinner options are sure to include the chef's famous truffled lobster mac and cheese.

555 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101

Visit Website

Also featured in:

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Union

Union dives into the holiday dining fray with a 3-course meal for $55. Bonus: if you're dining with family but need an escape, drinks and a bar menu will be available until 10pm.

119 Exchange St, Portland, ME 04101

Visit Website

Broad Arrow Tavern

The tavern at the Harraseeket Inn will be serving an aptly named Grand Buffet, with a staggering number of options. Yet another restaurant where you'll be thankful for the nearby beds.

162 Main St, Freeport, ME 04032

Visit Website

Moody's Diner

If all of these high-falutin' dining options have you shaking your fist, then try Moody's Diner. This $21.95 buffet is a traditional Thanksgiving dinner — capped off with the diner's famous pie, naturally.

Rt. 1, Waldoboro, ME 04572

Visit Website

The Bethel Inn Resort

Cozy up in the mountains for dinner at the Bethel Inn, where $37.95 grants you access to a seafood-heavy buffet with plenty of pies for dessert. Holiday packages that include dinner with your stay at the inn encourage you to make a getaway of it.

Open in Google Maps

21 Broad St, Bethel, ME 04217

Visit Website

Dysart's Travel Stop

The restaurant at Dysart's Truck Stop stays open for Thanksgiving dinner, where the $16.99 turkey dinner comes with all the sides and "seconds if you're not full." Stop into one of two locations in Bangor and Herman — between the two restaurants, the company will go through 480 whole turkeys for hungry travelers.

Open in Google Maps

1110 Broadway, Bangor, ME 04401

Visit Website

Gaylyn's

This seafood and steakhouse on the waterfront in Bar Harbor closes for the season after the holiday. Get your last meal of the season in with a full traditional dinner served from 11:30 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Open in Google Maps

17 Main St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609

Visit Website

C2 - Congress Squared

The restaurant at the Westin Portland Harborview is serving a $65 holiday meal which includes a choice of an appetizer, entree, dessert, and several sides for the table.

157 High St, Portland, ME 04101

Visit Website

Samoset Resort

Dine at this Rockland resort in one of its two dining rooms: a prix fixe menu is offered in the Italian-themed La Bella Vita dining room while a traditional holiday buffet is served in the ballroom.

Open in Google Maps

220 Warrenton St, Rockport, ME 04856

Visit Website

Bolster, Snow & Co.

Enjoy a three-course meal at the restaurant in the The Francis, a boutique hotel in Portland's West End. The menu includes turkey and traditional sides for $60.

Open in Google Maps

747 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04102

Visit Website

Bolster, Snow & Co.

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Tempo Dulu

163 Danforth St, Portland, ME 04102

Try something different this year at the Southeast Asian-inspired Tempo Dulu, where the $85 prix fixe holiday dinner includes red curry and lobster risotto and a smoked butter poached turkey with crispy, chili-dusted skin.

163 Danforth St, Portland, ME 04102

Visit Website

The Brunswick Hotel & Tavern

4 Noble St, Brunswick, ME 04011

The cozy tavern at the Brunswick Hotel offers a $47 buffet that includes all of Thanksgiving dinner's greatest hits. Post-dinner, slow your descent into a food coma with one of the house's specialty coffees, like the Nutty Irishman with Frangelico and Bailey's.

4 Noble St, Brunswick, ME 04011

Visit Website

Natalie's at Camden Harbour Inn

83 Bayview St, Camden, ME 04843

Best to reserve a room upstairs at the inn — you'll need it after dinner at Natalie's, where the five-course prix fixe meal comes with an optional wine pairing.

83 Bayview St, Camden, ME 04843

Visit Website

York Harbor Inn

480 York St., York Harbor, ME 03911

The inn offers two holiday dining experiences: partake in the buffet with a carving station upstairs in the Oceanview 1637 restaurant or enjoy a 3-course dinner with a dessert buffet downstairs in the cozy Ship's Cellar Pub. That's right, both menus involve a buffet.

Open in Google Maps

480 York St., York Harbor, ME 03911

Visit Website

Cape Arundel Inn

208 Ocean Ave, Kennebunkport, ME 04046

Enjoy a $75 prix fixe dinner in Ocean, the scenic dining room of the waterfront Cape Arundel Inn. The meal includes an hors d'oeuvres spread and three courses.

208 Ocean Ave, Kennebunkport, ME 04046

Visit Website

The Burleigh

1 Dock Sq, Kennebunkport, ME 04046

The modern, nautical steakhouse at the Kennebunkport Inn will feature an à la carte menu on Thanksgiving, with traditional entrees and classic sides from 12-6pm.

1 Dock Sq, Kennebunkport, ME 04046

Visit Website

Sea Glass at Inn by the Sea

40 Bowery Beach Rd, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107

Sea Glass is serving a $66 family style meal that includes all the traditional trappings of turkey, gravy, and mashed potatoes.

40 Bowery Beach Rd, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107

Visit Website

Saltwater Grille

231 Front St, South Portland, ME 04106

Come for the waterfront views, stay for the cranberry molded salad. The Saltwater Grille is serving a $55 buffet of traditional entrees and sides.

231 Front St, South Portland, ME 04106

Five Fifty-Five

555 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101

Enjoy four courses for $88 at classic Five Fifty-Five. While the preview menu is just a sample one, dinner options are sure to include the chef's famous truffled lobster mac and cheese.

555 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101

Visit Website

Union

119 Exchange St, Portland, ME 04101

Union dives into the holiday dining fray with a 3-course meal for $55. Bonus: if you're dining with family but need an escape, drinks and a bar menu will be available until 10pm.

119 Exchange St, Portland, ME 04101

Visit Website

Broad Arrow Tavern

162 Main St, Freeport, ME 04032

The tavern at the Harraseeket Inn will be serving an aptly named Grand Buffet, with a staggering number of options. Yet another restaurant where you'll be thankful for the nearby beds.

162 Main St, Freeport, ME 04032

Visit Website

Moody's Diner

Rt. 1, Waldoboro, ME 04572

If all of these high-falutin' dining options have you shaking your fist, then try Moody's Diner. This $21.95 buffet is a traditional Thanksgiving dinner — capped off with the diner's famous pie, naturally.

Rt. 1, Waldoboro, ME 04572

Visit Website

The Bethel Inn Resort

21 Broad St, Bethel, ME 04217

Cozy up in the mountains for dinner at the Bethel Inn, where $37.95 grants you access to a seafood-heavy buffet with plenty of pies for dessert. Holiday packages that include dinner with your stay at the inn encourage you to make a getaway of it.

Open in Google Maps

21 Broad St, Bethel, ME 04217

Visit Website

Dysart's Travel Stop

1110 Broadway, Bangor, ME 04401

The restaurant at Dysart's Truck Stop stays open for Thanksgiving dinner, where the $16.99 turkey dinner comes with all the sides and "seconds if you're not full." Stop into one of two locations in Bangor and Herman — between the two restaurants, the company will go through 480 whole turkeys for hungry travelers.

Open in Google Maps

1110 Broadway, Bangor, ME 04401

Visit Website

Gaylyn's

17 Main St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609

This seafood and steakhouse on the waterfront in Bar Harbor closes for the season after the holiday. Get your last meal of the season in with a full traditional dinner served from 11:30 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Open in Google Maps

17 Main St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609

Visit Website

C2 - Congress Squared

157 High St, Portland, ME 04101

The restaurant at the Westin Portland Harborview is serving a $65 holiday meal which includes a choice of an appetizer, entree, dessert, and several sides for the table.

157 High St, Portland, ME 04101

Visit Website

Samoset Resort

220 Warrenton St, Rockport, ME 04856

Dine at this Rockland resort in one of its two dining rooms: a prix fixe menu is offered in the Italian-themed La Bella Vita dining room while a traditional holiday buffet is served in the ballroom.

Open in Google Maps

220 Warrenton St, Rockport, ME 04856

Visit Website

Bolster, Snow & Co.

747 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04102

Enjoy a three-course meal at the restaurant in the The Francis, a boutique hotel in Portland's West End. The menu includes turkey and traditional sides for $60.

Open in Google Maps

747 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04102

Visit Website

Bolster, Snow & Co.