Discover where to celebrate Thanksgiving in Central America with our curated list of restaurants around the region serving turkey dinners.
Welcome to our seventh annual Thanksgiving directory! This week every year, we try to make it easier for people looking for a Thanksgiving dinner by putting some options out there.
So if you’re from the States, down here in Central America, and feeling like the full turkey dinner followed by some NFL on the tube, where do you go? After all, Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated all the way down south is it? Does anyone care about Thanksgiving in Central America?
Well, to answer the last question first, people do care about Thanksgiving in Central America. You know who? Gringos care. Especially that flavor of gringos who come from the United States.
And, to answer the first question last, although Thanksgiving isn’t an official holiday in this part of the world (any more than, say, Americans celebrate Guanacaste Annexation Day or Garifuna Settlement Day), people will be celebrating. In fact, in Costa Rica, Thanksgiving became a “day” a couple of years back. Not a holiday in any way, but a recognized day, regardless… something to, basically, attract tourists.
Shops, banks, restaurants, etc. will be open like a regular Thursday. Because, down here, it is a regular Thursday. But you’ll find a place to celebrate, for sure. We’ve scoured the internet and social media looking for Thanksgiving recommendations throughout Central America so you don’t have to:
Belize
Celebrating Thanksgiving in Belize? Here are some places to check out (prices are for a traditional turkey dinner for one adult):
- Barrier Reef Sports Bar & Grill (Caye Caulker) US$30 per person from 11:30 AM
- Abrazos Restaurant at Villa Abrazos (San Pedro) US$90 per person at 5:00 PM or 8:00 PM
- Lily’s Treasure Chest (San Pedro) US$25.50 per person from 12:00 PM
- The Dinner House (Orange Walk) US$17.50 per person from 11:00 AM
- Placencia Beach Club (Placencia) US$37.50 per person at 4:00 PM, 6:00 PM, or 8:00 PM
- Smokeez Seaside Restaurant & Bar (Belize City) US$17.50 per person from 11:00 AM
- Midpoint Bar & Grill (Belize City) US$27.50 per person from 11:00 AM
Guatemala
If you need a place to do Thanksgiving in Guatemala, look right here (prices are for a traditional turkey dinner for one adult):
- Restaurante Las Palmas (Antigua) US$20 per person from 12:00 PM
- Aqua Antigua (Antigua) US$46 per person from 4:00 PM
- Real Intercontinental Guatemala (Zona 10, Guatemala City) US$43 per person from 6:30 PM
- Porta Hotel (Antigua) US$43 per person from 7:00 PM
Honduras
Thanksgiving in Honduras needn’t be difficult to celebrate if you know where to go (prices are for a traditional turkey dinner for one adult):
- Roatán Island Brewing Co. (Roátan) US$28 per person from 11:00 AM
- Utila Lodge (Utila) US$30 per person from 6:00 PM
- Copantl Hotel (San Pedro Sula) US$27 per person from 7:00 PM
- InterContinental Tegucigalpa (Tegucigalpa) US$33 per person (buffet dinner) from 12:00 PM
El Salvador
If you’re looking for a place to celebrate Thanksgiving with a feast in El Salvador, it helps if you’re in the capital (prices are for a traditional turkey dinner for one adult):
- Hilton San Salvador (San Salvador) US$45 per person from 6:00 PM
- Hyatt Centric San Salvador (San Salvador) US$49 per person from 7:00 PM
- Cadejo La Montaña (San Salvador) US$35 per person from 7:30 PM
Nicaragua
If you’re in Nicaragua this Thanksgiving, here’s where to get your turkey-flavored treats (prices are for a traditional turkey dinner for one adult):
- Jimmy Three Fingers (Managua) US$27 per person from 12:00 PM
- DoubleTree by Hilton (Managua) US$32 per person from 7:00 PM
- Socialtel Granada (Granada) US$20 per person from 6:00 PM
- La Finca y el Mar (Rancho Santana) US$70 per person from 5:00 PM
- Pan de Mama (Ometepe) from 2:00 PM (no prices given)
- Bottoms Up (San Juan del Sur) US$25 per person from 3:00 PM
Costa Rica
There are tons of places celebrating Thanksgiving in Costa Rica – as we mentioned above, Thanksgiving is a “day” in the Land of Pura Vida. Here a few to check out (prices are for a traditional turkey dinner for one adult):
- Chubbs Escazu (Escazu, San José) US$28 per person from 2:00 PM
- El Jardin (Atenas) US$46 per person from 2:00 PM
- Hemingways (Playa Potrero) US$28 per person all day
- Ocho Beach Club (Tamarindo) from 6:00 PM (no prices given)
- Angelinas (Flamingo) from 5:00 PM (no prices given)
- Rolling Thunder Saloon (Jacó) from 4:00 PM (no prices given)
- Shana by the Beach (Manuel Antonio) US$40 per person all day
Panama
Finding a Thanksgiving dinner in Panama is pretty easy. Last year coincided with independence celebrations, but that’s on Friday, so we’re good! Here are some places around to get your turkey on tomorrow (prices are for a traditional turkey dinner for one adult):
- Cafe Bahia at the Sheraton Grand (Panama City) US$45 per person from 6:00 PM
- Austin Mamas (Costa del Este, Panama City) from US$24 per person all day
- Restobar Hawaii (Coronado) US$39 per person from 5:00 PM
- The Rock Restaurant (Boquete) from 12:00 PM (no prices given)
- Cosmic Crab Resort (Bocas del Toro) US$35 per person from 2:00 PM
Happy Thanksgiving Central America!
We hope this gives you some idea of where to enjoy Thanksgiving in Central America, wherever you are. And if you’re in doubt, pretty much any hotel will probably have something happening. Wherever you are, and whatever you’re doing tomorrow, we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!
