Restaurants open for Christmas, from New York City to Portland, serving classic holiday dinners

If someone plans to avoid tackling the culinary tasks of cooking Christmas dinner this year, there are plenty of opportunities to eat out and enjoy a delicious holiday meal out instead.

Plenty of eateries will be open and serving special Christmas menus, whether you’re traveling for Christmas or want to celebrate with a no-fuss, chef-prepared meal.

Top view of people raising glasses over festive dinner table as they celebrate Christmas with friends and family.

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While a number of national chain restaurants are open, be sure to check local restaurants in your area for prix fixe menu specials and other independently owned spots serving delicious Christmas dinners.

Tips for finding a good last minute reservation for Christmas dinner

Although Christmas seats may seem hard to come by, use platforms like OpenTable to secure a reservation for your party. Additionally, this could be the perfect last-minute opportunity to snag a coveted seat at one of the many Open table iconswhich features award-winning chefs and other acclaimed culinary experiences in a variety of popular food cities from New York and New Orleans to San Diego, Portland and more.

OpenTable CEO Debby Soo told “GMA” that “flexibility is key” for last-minute Christmas bookings. “Consider dining outside of peak hours or booking a ticketed dining experience,” she suggested. “If your top spot is already booked, try your luck with OpenTable’s Notify Me feature, which puts you on a waiting list, you can even set alerts across multiple restaurants – at different times – to increase the odds of converting to a reservation .”

You can also call a local restaurant directly to try to secure a last minute seat.

For specific restaurants serving a holiday party in your city, check out in-depth guides from restaurant review sites like The crush that highlights options by neighborhood and full menu previews.

In Los Angeles, for example, experts point to a beachside Christmas Day brunch at Orla for $95 per person, including photo ops with Santa, or a prix-fixe dinner down the street at Terraza inside Santa Monica’s Hotel Casa Del Mar for $125. includes dry-aged kanpachi crudo, grilled shrimp and roasted scallops.

Whether you’re changing plans at the last minute or looking to outsource the moveable feast, see the full list of restaurants open for business this Christmas below.

Restaurants open at Christmas

Close-up of a Christmas table setting with burning candles at night.

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Coffee chains

Starbucks: Need a cup of joe or a big box of coffee to-go before the Christmas Day festivities begin? Starbucks is set to be open both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but check the app for your nearest locations and any adjusted opening hours.

Dunkin’: The coffee and donut chain’s openings will vary from location to location, but those open will keep regular hours.

Chain restaurants

Applebee’s; may have reduced opening hours in some locations
IHOP
Fogo de Chão
Red lobster
Waffle House

Restaurants open for Christmas in major cities with special menus

New York City

The city that never sleeps has no shortage of delicious dining options this Christmas. From Michelin-starred fine dining at Restaurant Yuu, which offers special Christmas Eve and Christmas Day seasonal tasting menus with Wagyu fillet and caviar, to Danny Meyer’s famous Gramercy Tavern for authentic American cuisine made with local ingredients, to other cozy winter eateries such as Baar Baar for Chef Sujan Sarkar’s modern and classic Indian fare or Marcus Samuelsson’s Harlem institution Red Rooster with a special family-style Christmas Day Christmas dinner featuring Southern staples for $75 a pop. person.

A selection of classic dishes from mac and cheese to deviled eggs and fried chicken wings at Red Rooster in Harlem, New York City.

Red rooster

Chicago

Many restaurants are celebrating Christmas Eve with their take on the iconic Italian culinary tradition, the Feast of the Seven Fishes, including Gioia Chicago, Osteria Via Stato and Heritage Restaurant & Caviar Bar.

And on Christmas Day, don’t miss options such as the all-day Japanese restaurant Miru on St. Regis Chicago hotel celebrating Christmas inspired by the popularity of Kentucky Fried Chicken at Christmas time in Japan. The $95 fried chicken brunch buffet is available from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., with regular service throughout the day. Or make a reservation at MingHin Cuisine, a community product open 365 days a year serving Chicagoans a full authentic Chinese dim sum experience with reservations still available.

Portland

Gracie’s, tucked inside the Hotel Deluxe, is offering a grand Christmas Day buffet for $90 per person or head to Mayrose, located in Duniway, for a $70 three-course Christmas prix fixe menu of yuzu scallop agnolotti, braised short ribs and smoked. duck breast.

Seattle

Renowned restaurateur Ethan Stowell serves up a Christmas Day feast at Goldfinch Tavern with Marcona Almond Crusted Beef Tenderloin and a traditional Bûche de Noël for dessert, or enjoy a classic Beef Wellington and Espresso Crème Brûlée at Réveillon at Red Cow.

Both flagship restaurants at The Fairmont Olympic — Shuckers and Seneca — offer a timeless holiday prix fixe menu with entrees like citrus-crusted turkey, prime rib and eggnog Crème Brûlée for dessert. Christmas dinner at Il Bistro, the Tuscan-inspired restaurant celebrating 50 years in January, will be open from 5 to the last seat at