10 Mississippi Restaurants Serving Amazing Portions For Thanksgiving So You Can Skip The Cooking

Last November, a wrong turn in Mississippi led me to a plain brick building with a full parking lot and the smell of cornbread drifting out the door. Two hours later, I was stuffed, happy, and wondering why I had ever spent a holiday scrubbing roasting pans.

Thanksgiving is about family time, and a good restaurant can hand some of that time back to you. The ten spots below serve big Southern portions, kid-friendly spreads, and plenty of leftovers-worthy plates so nobody has to stand over a stove all day.

1. The Dinner Bell, McComb, MS

Spin the wheel, grab the chicken. Diners at this McComb landmark sit around huge round tables fitted with Lazy Susans, and the bowls just keep rotating past your plate.

Kids usually treat the spinning center like the best game at the meal.

The setting matters too. The restaurant fills a stately brick home in a historic downtown neighborhood, so it feels more like visiting a grand old relative than eating out.

Around the holidays, the spread leans into classic Thanksgiving territory with roast turkey, ham, and homemade dressing joining the regular lineup.

That regular lineup is no small thing. Fried chicken, BBQ ribs, eggplant, black-eyed peas, collard greens, squash, sweet potatoes, dumplings, corn salad, cornbread, and rice with gravy all make the rounds, and it is all you care to eat.

Prices land around $10 to $20 per person, which makes feeding a crowd far easier on the wallet.

Plan around the schedule, since the doors open only Wednesday through Sunday from 11 AM to 2 PM, and a wait is common. High chairs are available, parking is free and plentiful, and takeout is an option if your group would rather carry the feast home to the couch.

2. Mama Hamil’s Southern Cookin’ and Bar B Que Buffet, Madison, MS

Since 1977, one family has kept this Madison buffet stocked with the kind of food Mississippi grandmothers are famous for. Wood booths and long communal tables fill the dining room, so big families can actually sit together instead of splitting up across three tables.

Barbecue is half the name for a reason. Ribs, pulled pork, and smoked chicken share the line with fried catfish, chicken and dumplings, and fried chicken.

Vegetables get serious attention here, with turnip greens, green beans, okra, black-eyed peas, and mac and cheese filling out plates, plus bread pudding and fruit cobblers waiting at the end.

Holiday planners have another reason to call ahead. The kitchen is known for complete Thanksgiving takeout trays and ready-to-serve spreads, which means you can set a full table at home without turning on the oven.

Catering, takeout, and delivery are all on the menu, and reservations are accepted.

Expect to spend about $10 to $20 per person for the all-you-can-eat line. Hours run 10:30 AM to 2 PM most weekdays, with dinner from 4 to 8 PM Thursday through Saturday.

A salad bar, high chairs, and a private dining room round out a very family-ready setup.

3. White Pillars | Restaurant and Lounge, Biloxi, MS

White columns, a crackling fireplace, and a view toward the Gulf of Mexico set a very different Thanksgiving mood. This Biloxi restaurant occupies a restored coastal mansion on Beach Boulevard, and it treats the holiday as an occasion worth dressing up for.

Each year, the kitchen rolls out a special Thanksgiving menu with multiple courses, built for families who would rather dine out than cook. Past holiday spreads have included charcuterie, steak with fingerling potatoes, tilefish, and collard greens.

The regular menu adds a Gulf seafood tower, duck fat fries, a crispy Brussels sprout Caesar, and farm-to-table duck from the fall menu.

Parents with picky eaters can relax a bit. High chairs are available, the setting is family-friendly, and a full vegetarian menu includes options such as Eggplant Josephine.

The servings come in generous, multi-course style, so nobody leaves the table looking for a snack.

This is the splurge on the list, running about $40 to $100 per person. Dinner is served nightly from 5:30 to 9 PM, and reservations are recommended, especially for a holiday.

Free parking makes arrival simple, and the historic house itself gives kids something to look at between courses.

4. The Buffet at Beau Rivage, Biloxi, MS

Carving stations, seafood stations, and a dessert spread that seems to stretch forever make this one of the biggest holiday tables on the Gulf Coast. The Buffet sits inside Beau Rivage Resort on Beach Boulevard, and it stays open on Thanksgiving Day to serve full holiday feasts.

Variety is the selling point. Prime rib, ham, and roast beef come off the carving boards, while crab legs, crab-stuffed flounder, and seafood gumbo cover the coastal side.

Curried vegetables, salads, pizza, baked goods, and plenty of sweets keep every age group covered.

For families, the practical details are strong. Kids’ menus and high chairs are available, reservations are accepted, and soft drinks come included with the buffet price.

That alone can make the bill less of a surprise when your crew orders round after round of lemonade.

Plan on roughly $30 to $40 per person. Breakfast and lunch run 8 AM to 4 PM daily, and dinner is served most evenings, though Wednesday and Thursday close after lunch, so check holiday hours before you go.

Free garage parking makes it easy to unload grandparents and strollers right at the resort.

5. Infinity Buffet, Biloxi, MS

Two kinds of crab, Dungeness and snow, set this Biloxi buffet apart from the usual holiday lineup. Lobster joins the party too, which turns a Thanksgiving meal into something closer to a coastal celebration.

Tucked inside Treasure Bay Casino and Hotel, facing the Mississippi Sound, the restaurant keeps a relaxed, informal feel. Fresh hot food comes out steadily, and the line covers roasted meats, chicken, baked potatoes, soup, pizza, a full salad bar, and a dessert bar.

Families wanting turkey-style classics and seafood in the same visit can have both.

Long hours help with tricky holiday schedules. Doors are open 7 AM to 10 PM every day, so an early breakfast or a late dinner both work if relatives arrive at odd times.

Reservations are not accepted and waits are common, so quieter morning slots are your friend.

Pricing ranges from about $20 to $60 per person depending on the meal, with seafood nights at the higher end. High chairs are available, and free parking plus valet make drop-off simple.

Bring an appetite for crab, because cracking shells tends to keep kids busy and happy for a good long stretch.

6. Berry’s Seafood Restaurant, Florence, MS

Old plows and antique farm tools hang throughout this rustic hall along US-49, giving the small Rankin County town of Florence a dining room full of conversation starters. Kids tend to spend half the meal pointing at the walls.

On the buffet, catfish comes fried and baked, alongside boiled and fried shrimp, oysters, frog legs, snow crab legs, pot roast, roast beef, fried chicken, pork chops, and meat loaf. Southern sides like okra, mac and cheese, peas with carrots, and fried green tomatoes fill the gaps.

Banana pudding and cobblers anchor the dessert bar, and the sweet tea has a loyal following.

When November arrives, the catering side gets busy. Families order holiday catering and family pans to carry home, which lets the host skip most of the kitchen work while still serving at the dining table.

A la carte plates are also available for smaller appetites.

The all-you-can-eat spread runs about $20 to $30 per person. Hours stretch from 10:30 AM to 9 PM Monday through Thursday, with brief breaks on Friday and Saturday afternoons, and Sundays are closed.

Kids’ menus, high chairs, changing tables, and reservations make planning easy.

7. Cypress Point Resort, Brandon, MS

A drive-thru safari with exotic animals is not something most families expect on the way to Thanksgiving dinner. At this Brandon resort, spread across nearly 2,000 acres, the meal can come with a side of zebras viewed from your own car.

The Buffet is the place to focus for a big holiday plate. Fried chicken, pork chops, and catfish are kitchen specialties, and a carving station serves roast beef next to smoked chicken.

Candied yams, greens, butter beans, fried okra, mac and cheese, fried pickles, crab legs, a salad bar, and a dessert bar complete the spread.

Families have long made this a holiday tradition, coming for ready-made Southern buffets and catered group meals. A second restaurant, the Steakhouse and Tavern, offers a sit-down option, and a general store sells Mississippi-made gifts and local food products along with coffee drinks.

Lunch runs 11 AM to 2 PM on weekdays, with weekend breakfast and extended lunch hours, plus Friday and Saturday dinners. Guest rooms are available if relatives want to stay over.

Holiday hours can shift, so a quick call before the trip keeps the day running smoothly.

8. Big Daddys Soul Food To Go, Gulfport, MS

Turkey wings, dressing, yams, and green beans already sound like a Thanksgiving menu, and at this small Gulfport kitchen they show up on regular days too. Come holiday time, the takeout counter becomes a lifesaver for families short on oven space.

The space is cozy and modest, with some outdoor seating, but carryout is really the main event. Containers come packed with a meat entree, two or three sides, and homemade cornbread, and they tend to arrive heavy.

Fried chicken, catfish, pork chops, smothered meatloaf, and ribs rotate through the line.

Sides carry real weight here. Greens, mac and cheese, sweet potatoes, potato salad, and rice with gravy are all well seasoned, and ordering several trays can cover a full holiday table.

A drive-through window helps when the kids are already buckled in and nobody wants to unload.

Plates run about $10 to $20 per person. Hours are 11 AM to 6 PM on weekdays, noon to 6 PM on Saturday, and noon to 5 PM on Sunday.

Catering is available, reservations are not, and Sunday afternoons are the busiest stretch, so plan holiday pickups a little early.

9. Dale’s, Southaven, MS

Chicken and dressing with gravy is the dish that keeps families coming back to this Southaven favorite near the Tennessee line. Holiday plate specials lean hard on that classic, paired with mashed potatoes and a lineup of hearty vegetables.

Big booths and quaint touches fill a roomy dining space on Main Street, giving it the feel of a longtime hometown diner. Portions are generous across the board, from country fried steak and catfish platters to beef tips over rice and fried green tomatoes.

Homemade rolls and cornbread arrive alongside pinto beans, northern beans, and other sides.

Families who want to eat at home can place bulk orders for the holiday table. Delivery, no-contact delivery, takeout, and even a drive-through window give parents options, while catering handles larger gatherings.

Kids’ menus, high chairs, and changing tables are ready for younger guests.

Breakfast runs 6:30 to 10:30 AM, and lunch and dinner go from 11 AM to 8 PM every day. Expect about $10 to $20 per person.

Reservations are not accepted, and Sunday afternoons fill quickly, so an early arrival or a phone order is the smoothest path to a stress-free holiday.

10. Movie Star Restaurant & Catering, Hattiesburg, MS

Antiques line the walls, and many of them carry price tags. Eating at this Hattiesburg spot on Old Highway 11 feels a little like lunch inside a country store, with vintage memorabilia everywhere you look.

Family recipes drive the buffet. Juicy fried chicken, baked chicken, pork chops, real mashed potatoes, and a long run of home-cooked vegetables sit beside a well-stocked salad bar.

Desserts get plenty of love, and the ice cream tends to win over younger diners fast. A kids’ menu and high chairs help too.

Thanksgiving is when the catering side really shines. Families order fully prepared holiday dinners and pick them up on Thanksgiving Eve, so the big day can be spent watching parades instead of basting a bird.

Desserts can be added to the order, which saves another round of baking.

The all-you-can-eat line costs roughly $10 to $20 per person. Lunch runs 11 AM to 2 PM Sunday through Friday, with Friday dinner from 5 to 8 PM, and Saturdays are closed.

Reservations are not taken, so arrive early on busy Sunday afternoons, and enjoy the free parking.