OT - Restaurants Open on Thanksgiving in Ann Arbor area
Hey all. My wife and I, along with our high schooler (oh, will that be a treat), will be making a roadtrip to Ann Arbor/Ypsi for Thanksgiving to be with our two in college. Going to save the daughter at Albion an 8 hour drive home, so she will just hang with us for the four days she is on break. The one at Eastern has to work as an RA for a holiday (this would be it).
We will be staying in a motel, so no opportunity to cook this year's meal. Any suggestions on what places will be open (and are good) for a Turkey Day meal. Please no fast food or super expensive places (i.e. Gandy Dancer and up). Only food limitation is chid at EMU is a Pescatarian (vegetarian who WILL eat fish). The rest of us are carnivores. Just need a few non meat options for them to choose from.
We know our way around, as we frequent Ann Arbor several times a year. However, Thanksgiving is causing me some anxiety and I don't want to be sitting in a Chinese restaurant, singing fa ra ra ra ra and watching them hack the head off a duck, ala A Christmas Story. lol
Game day will be spent in front of the tv, while the others go shopping. Go Blue. Beat Ohio.
November 8th, 2018 at 12:38 PM ^
When I was a kid, we did Cracker Barrel and IHOP for Thanksgiving dinner when we were on vacation. Places like Bob Evans, Denny's, Big Boy are also probably open.
November 8th, 2018 at 1:53 PM ^
Having worked at one of those restaurants, yes they are open. And if you worked there you had to work on Thanksgiving. No excuses. Had to earn that $3.50 an hour.
November 8th, 2018 at 9:54 AM ^
IHOP is open 365. Pancakes are pescatarian and they have bacon for the rest of the family!
November 8th, 2018 at 10:11 AM ^
Dave,
We've gone to Carlyle on Jackson Rd, in front of the Quality 16 theaters, for the last few years. Family style dining with dietary options. http://carlylegrill.com/thanksgiving2018/
November 8th, 2018 at 10:16 AM ^
Denny's, of course. Your pescatarian can get the Tilapia Ranchero, and the rest of you can get the Holiday Turkey Melt sandwich from their "Festive Flavors" menu.
Dinner just like Grandma used to throw away.
November 8th, 2018 at 10:26 AM ^
This year marks the 25-year anniversary of the time I spent Thanksgiving at The Old Buffet. I was desperately trying to get an experiment done because I had to travel that Saturday for a conference where I was presenting a paper. Results weren’t good Wednesday night so I called home and said I would have to skip Turkey dinner.
2 of the foreign grad students also had nowhere to go, so around 5pm we headed to the Buffet. Well, obviously, by that time they were all out of turkey. I think I ended up having some soup and spicy chicken.
I ended up getting my results around 5am Saturday morning and then packed and headed to the airport for an 8am flight.
November 8th, 2018 at 10:49 AM ^
Webers Inn.
November 8th, 2018 at 10:52 AM ^
My daughter is doing that Pescatarian bullshit too.
So annoying.
November 8th, 2018 at 10:55 AM ^
Buy her a Tofurky and tell her she can cook it herself.
Or make a point of putting bacon into everything, even the apple pie (that sounds pretty good, actually).
November 8th, 2018 at 11:24 AM ^
She can have salad and pierogi or starve.
November 8th, 2018 at 12:12 PM ^
Pierogi sounds pretty good, too ... Do you make your own?
If home for you is in the Metro Detroit area, check out a place called "Polka Polish Cafe" in Troy, next to Polish Market. Hands down, the best Polish restaurant in the area.
November 8th, 2018 at 1:22 PM ^
No, mom's still alive so that's her job. The running joke is that we'll know that it's time to put her in a nursing home when the pierogi doesn't come out right.
I go to that market about every 6 weeks but I haven't been to the restaurant yet. Their commercials on am 950 are really annoying. I'll give it a shot though. It's surprisingly hard to find good Polish food in SE Michigan.
November 8th, 2018 at 2:29 PM ^
DM me - let's get together over there for some beer, kielbasa and kapusta. First round on me.
November 8th, 2018 at 11:19 AM ^
We eat lots of fish, so it's not a big deal to us. Finnlander blood, so fish is a staple. This has also forced us to alter some dishes to vegetarian, which has been a nice change of pace. I still need my meat and she doesn't care (or criticize us like some of the radical vegans) that we are carnivores.
November 8th, 2018 at 11:27 AM ^
It doesn't bother me as much now that she's at school, but it was a huge pain in the ass when she still lived at home. My son is 6, and kids that age like to eat the same 4 things all the time, so there were days when I'd make 3 different dinners. Mrs. Hatter doesn't play that shit though. Eat what I make or starve is kind of her philosophy.
November 8th, 2018 at 12:06 PM ^
my 4 and 5 year olds rarely agree on any meals - our stance is eat what we make or you can have pb&j, which is working so far
November 8th, 2018 at 1:55 PM ^
Every daughter does . . .
November 8th, 2018 at 11:01 AM ^
A little aside but if you have a moment I'd appreciate a little thanksgiving prayer for the 12 patrons gunned down last night in Thousand Oaks. Many college kids in attendance at the local CW bard . At least 21 more remain in the hospital. It's being reported that several of the attendees were survivors of the Las Vegas shooting.
November 8th, 2018 at 11:17 AM ^
I used to live near there. It’s very sad. Thoughts and prayers (and maybe someday we take action to prevent these atrocities.)
November 8th, 2018 at 11:04 AM ^
Applebee’s is always an excellent choice.
November 8th, 2018 at 11:11 AM ^
I would go to Haab's in Ypsilanti. I don't know about the fish, but it's perfect as a mid-range family place. We last went about 10 years ago with my Dad and it was great. It also feels like family to me, though I did go there a bit as a child (40+ years ago!).
https://www.mlive.com/dining/index.ssf/2014/11/3_places_to_dine_out_for…
Happy Thanksgiving!
November 8th, 2018 at 11:26 AM ^
If you are planning ahead there are probably better options but in a pinch, try the hospital.
November 8th, 2018 at 11:51 AM ^
Thanksgiving get-togethers are always heartwarming, but I could have done without the mock Chinese accent.
November 8th, 2018 at 12:27 PM ^
Avatar doesn't check out
November 8th, 2018 at 12:40 PM ^
I, too, could have done without actually writing out the line from A Christmas Story.
ಠ_ಠ
November 8th, 2018 at 11:56 AM ^
Weber's great idea, as ppl have mentioned.
Another suggestion, especially if you're staying in the Briarwood/State St. area; try the restaurant at the Kensington hotel. Nice relaxed vibe and interesting menu with seafood, salad, meat options and bar bites. Not sure if they're open so you'd have to call them.
November 8th, 2018 at 11:57 AM ^
https://detroit.eater.com/maps/thanksgiving-in-ann-arbor-5-great-choice…
this is from 4 years ago, but call these places and see who is open.
November 8th, 2018 at 11:58 AM ^
My dad came up to Ann Arbor in 1996 when I stuck around for Thanksgiving break. I honestly can't remember where we ate. I remember we went to a basketball game and a hockey game, though.
Sorry no help
November 8th, 2018 at 12:01 PM ^
i think weber’s is open for thanksgiving dinner, but it’s probably not much cheaper than gandy dancer. you might just have to bite the bullet on price as there won’t be many options
November 8th, 2018 at 12:03 PM ^
I will say as a general comment. My immediate family, particularly my mom, much prefer to go out for Thanksgiving dinner (or lunch?). While it takes some away from the charm of cooking things up, its far more convenient. It gives us more time together to hang out with family. So I’m somewhat envious of you.
Unfortunately for me, my extended family decided to have a litter of children so we are pressured to do something big with lots of family members. Often times in Ohio. Ugh!
edit: “litter” not “liter”
November 8th, 2018 at 12:18 PM ^
Hey, a liter isn’t bad. Xtramelanin has a 2 liter of kids and from what I gather, they are a pretty great crew.
November 8th, 2018 at 12:21 PM ^
my parents came to Ann Arbor for Thanksgiving one year and we were in the same predicament, looking for a restaurant. Eventually we noticed that people were streaming into Cottage Inn -- we didn't want pizza, really, but hey.
We entered and tried to give our name to the hostess -- she just looked us up and down and said you can sit anywhere. As we scanned the room for a table we realized that they were hosting Thanksgiving for the homeless. We snuck out as quickly as we could.
We still think about that poor hostess, biting her tongue so professionally when a very obviously not-homeless family strolled in and asked for a meal.
November 8th, 2018 at 12:51 PM ^
Ask the two kids who are in college to look into it. FFS you're paying for them to go there.
November 8th, 2018 at 12:56 PM ^
Pretty sure Fleetwood will be open, a festive Holliday that would be!!!
November 8th, 2018 at 1:09 PM ^
It's not in Ann Arbor, but Lazybones bbq has a killer thanksgiving feast you can order in advance and pick up ready to heat and eat. They also will do just a bird or just a ham, instead of the full feast.
November 8th, 2018 at 1:17 PM ^
Just a heads up since I've seen it suggested a few times in this thread but if you order a prepped meal from a grocery store you will need to be able to re-heat it with a microwave or preferably an oven. Your motel may not may not be equipped to handle that. When I was finishing up my dissertation I stayed home for Thanksgiving and got mine from the Kroger up on Plymouth. It turned out well.
November 8th, 2018 at 1:20 PM ^
Dennys
November 8th, 2018 at 1:22 PM ^
You mentioned Chinese (i.e., not wanting it). Would Indian food work? I'll bet at least one of those would be open.
November 8th, 2018 at 1:49 PM ^
I am getting a "Boston Market heat and serve Thanksgiving meal" ad as I read this. I did not even type anything.
The internet is creepy.
November 8th, 2018 at 1:52 PM ^
Another option would be to head on down to Detroit and enjoy some brats, bbq, and beer and tailgate the lions game.
November 8th, 2018 at 2:34 PM ^
If you want a really nice meal w/excellent food (that's not inexpensive but worth it), go to Zingerman's Roadhouse in A2.
November 8th, 2018 at 4:20 PM ^
Madras Masala near Cafe Ambrosia and the Nickels Arcade has been open in the past on Thanksgiving and has a good Indian buffet. Might as well have Indian food on Thanksgiving; it doesn't get much more traditional than that.
November 9th, 2018 at 5:03 PM ^
Omg. Dying. Just spewed my beer everywhere
November 9th, 2018 at 7:02 PM ^
Carnivores???