Rainbow Lodge

"This steakhouse-adjacent and wild game-focused restaurant is built around a 100-year-old log cabin and has a game trophy room that would make Ace Ventura clutch his pearls. It's been open for over 40 years and serves a whole mess of seafood and game meat. We usually eat on Rainbow Lodge's patio with bayou views because it feels like Hill Country or maybe some distant Rocky Mountain chalet, but you’re just off TC Jester and Ella." - gianni greene, chelsea thomas, julie takahashi

"If your definition of a steakhouse expands beyond beef to, say, antelope, bison, elk, or venison, then Rainbow Lodge in The Heights has the meat you crave. Centered around a log cabin recreation, the restaurant boasts enough wild game busts to make an animal lover a bit faint and a picturesque view of live oaks sloping down to the bayou. Take in the scenery (something you can’t say in Houston all that often) while tackling a bowl of smoked duck gumbo, a lamb ribeye, or grilled elk loin." - gianni greene, chelsea thomas, julie takahashi

"This restaurant, housed in a 100-year-old log cabin along White Oak Bayou, is known for its menu of wild game — it incorporates smoked duck and andouille sausage into its gumbo. A wild rice pilaf topping adds an extra layer of flavor. Diners can find this earthy gumbo during lunch and dinner, or take it to-go by the quart." - Brittany Britto Garley, Minh T. Truong

"The cozy lodge-like setting at this iconic Houston restaurant offers a charming backdrop for Thanksgiving Day dining. Rainbow Lodge is offering a three-course menu for $79 per person on Thursday, November 28. Along with a traditional turkey dinner and its smoky duck gumbo, guests may choose from the restaurant’s famed game choices like grilled buffalo and its South Texas Nilgai antelope (A separate kids menu is available for $50 per child). Diners seeking to impress guests at home can check out the lodge’s to-go Thanksgiving menu, which offers a variety of roasted meats, seasonal sides, and more. All to-go orders must be placed 48 hours in advance, with a scheduled pickup on November 22 through November 24." - Brittany Britto Garley

"The Heights steakhouse Rainbow Lodge is doing its part and serving a three-course dinner from 11:00am-7:30pm. Most of the dining room decor involves mounted animal heads, so it’s no surprise that smoked duck gumbo with andouille sausage and a trio tasting of wild game are on the menu. You can choose a turkey plate for your main course or shake things up with the venison over cheese grits. And if you anticipate feeling peckish after your dinner, you can take home “late-night snack packs'' complete with turkey, dressing, and gravy for just $7. Price: $79 per person" - gianni greene, julie takahashi