Best Places for Thanksgiving and Holiday Meals in Phoenix

If you feel like eating out for Thanksgiving in Phoenix this year, you shouldn't have a lot of trouble finding a great place. Most of the local resorts offer excellent Thanksgiving dinners, fine dining, great views, and superb service. But they can also be expensive. There are other places, fun places, family places, like Rustler's Roost above the Pointe South Mountain Resort, a steakhouse with family appeal (that also looks over the entire valley and has great food). Finding the right place all depends on what you're looking for. Here are a few suggestions…

1. The Buttes, A Marriott Resort seems to be the local favorite among the many Phoenix-area resorts that offer Thanksgiving dinners. Located at 2000 Westcourt Way in Tempe (85282), the Buttes restaurant, Top of the Rock, sits at the top of a small mountain that looks over the city. They offer a turkey dinner with a southwestern flair, and their dining room is very elegant, a great place to enjoy the night. Reservations (which should be made) for Thanksgiving dinner can be made by phone at 1-888-867-7492.

2. Another great place, unique to Phoenix, is Monti's La Casa Vieja, a longtime staple steakhouse in Tempe, right beside the Tempe Town Lake. It is a historic building, and the service is always excellent. The lights are dim, the theme Old West, and the food superb. They offer two holiday specials as well. The first is Montis & a Movie for Two, which goes for $39.95. You get two steak dinners, and two movie passes-a great holiday night. They also offer a Thanksgiving special on November 23rd, all day, and this year they are doing it "Surf & Turf" style, offering 11 oz. Herb Crusted Prime Rib & Grilled Shrimp Skewer for 21.95. The Meal features their famous Roman Bread, soup or salad with a choice of dressing, vegetable medley, and either a baked potato, French fries, cottage cheese, spaghetti, mashed potatoes, or long grain wild rice pilaf. They will the mashed potatoes & gravy. The feast is concluded with a slice of Pumpkin Pie (for $2.95 extra). Monti's is located at 100 South Mill Avenue, Tempe 85281, and reservations can be made by phone at (480) 967-7594.

3. Rawhide at Wild Horse Pass, built with the spirit of the Old West, is Arizona's largest western-themed attraction. You can pan for gold, eat rattlesnake, or take a hayride. By Thanksgiving Day, the place is lit up with 150,000 lights, including a 100-foot tall "tree of lights." Aside from a wonderful western menu, you can experience falling snow on their dusty Main Street, roast marshmallows over a town fire, and enjoy live holiday music, a holiday Six Gun Theater Show, Santa's stable-animals in the petting ranch-and even Santa Claus himself. And best of all is that admission is free. It is a nice way to spend an afternoon in western, holiday spirit. Because they recently moved to a new location, they are not offering a special Thanksgiving dinner, but they are open the day of and all around the holiday, and throughout the Christmas holidays, so it is still a wonderful place to eat in the spirit of the season. You can find them at 5700 West North Loop Road, Chandler 85226. You won't need reservations, but they can be reached for questions by phone at 480-502-5600 or 800-527-1880, or by email at info@rawhide.com.

4. The Salt Cellar is another fine idea, for those looking for an un-traditional Thanksgiving meal. An underground seafood restaurant, Salt Cellar is an excellent choice for Thanksgiving dinner, is always open for the holidays, offering their usual menu and a smaller specialty menu with five or six holiday options. They are located at 550 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale 85257. Reservations (which are highly recommended) can be made at (480) 947-1963.