Christmas, like Thanksgiving, is a family holiday, a time for friends and relations to gather around a festive table to eat and drink and celebrate. While Thanksgiving dinner is usually a reasonably casual affair, prepared at home, Christmas dinner doesn’t have to be.
Whether a nighttime feast on Christmas Eve or a leisurely afternoon or evening repast on the day itself, Christmas dinner is a good excuse to let somebody else do the cooking. Christmas season is a busy one, with all the shopping and wrapping, all the parties and preparations leading up to the day itself. If you eat Christmas dinner out, you won’t have to spend the day, or even part of it, prepping and cooking — and you won’t have to clean up afterwards.
24/7 Wall St. has identified the best restaurant in every state that’s open for dinner Christmas Eve or Christmas Day or both. We reviewed for each state user reviews on Google, Yelp, and other restaurant rating sites.
A number of these are hotel restaurants or Asian eateries; some are upscale and others are very casual. Note that hours may be limited, especially on Christmas Day; that some restaurants offer only fixed-price holiday menus for the occasion; and that reservations are usually essential and should be made as soon as possible.
Click here to see the best restaurants for Christmas dinner in every state.
Click here to see our detailed findings.
Source: Photo by Tre F. via Yelp
1. Alabama: Bellini’s Ristorante & Bar
> Location: Birmingham
Stylish spot for steaks, homemade pastas, and Tuscan fare.
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Source: Photo by Jon L. via Yelp
2. Alaska: Simon & Seafort’s Saloon & Grill
> Location: Anchorage
Surf ‘n’ turf go-to with panoramic views.
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Source: Photo by Norm W. via Yelp
3. Arizona: The Turquoise Room & Martini Lounge at La Posada
> Location: Winslow
Creative Southwestern fare with Arizona-inspired decor.
Source: Photo by Meri M. via Yelp
4. Arkansas: Fantastic China
> Location: Little Rock
Longtime favorite for Chinese staples.
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Source: Photo by Dena N. via Yelp
5. California: Le Vallauris Restaurant
> Location: Palm Springs
Elevated French-Mediterranean dining.
Source: Photo by Megan A. via Yelp
6. Colorado: Relish
> Location: Breckenridge
Innovative American and wild-game dining experience.
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Source: Photo by Steven P. via Yelp
7. Connecticut: The Mill on the River
> Location: South Windsor
Continental cuisine in a rustic old mill.
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Source: The Cafe on 26 / Facebook
8. Delaware: The Cafe on 26
> Location: Ocean View
Quaint bistro serving farm-to-fork fare.
Source: Photo by Hilde H. via Yelp
9. Florida: The Pearl Restaurant
> Location: Treasure Island
Upscale seafood with some Moroccan specialties.
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Source: Photo by Vanessa N. via Yelp
10. Georgia: The Olde Pink House
> Location: Savannah
Lowcountry cuisine in an 18th-century mansion.
Source: Photo by Thuong D. via Yelp
11. Hawaii: Azure
> Location: Honolulu
Fine seafood dining on the beach.
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Source: Photo by Joshua K. via Yelp
12. Idaho: Barbacoa Grill
> Location: Boise
Open-fire Spanish and Mexican fare.
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Source: Photo by Daniel D. via Yelp
13. Illinois: Booth One
> Location: Chicago
New American fare in a reborn Chicago classic.
Source: Photo by Seth D. via Yelp
14. Indiana: The Capital Grille
> Location: Indianapolis
Upscale chophouse chain with clubby look.
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Source: Angry Goldfish Pub and Eatery / Facebook
15. Iowa: Angry Goldfish Pub & Eatery
> Location: Des Moines
Sandwiches and pub fare in a lively setting.
Source: Photo by Caroline N. via Yelp
16. Kansas: Newport Grill
> Location: Wichita
Seafood-focused grill overlooking a small lake.
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Source: Photo by Vivian B. via Yelp
17. Kentucky: RIVUE Restaurant & Lounge
> Location: Louisville
Rotating views and American-French fare.
Source: Photo by Rudy O. via Yelp
18. Louisiana: Tujague’s
> Location: New Orleans
Traditional Creole cooking in a historic restaurant founded in 1856.
Source: Photo by Clay Hill Farm via Yelp
19. Maine: Clay Hill Farm
> Location: Cape Neddick
Upscale, leafy destination dining.
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Source: Photo by Sheila C. via Yelp
20. Maryland: Old Angler’s Inn
> Location: Potomac
Neighborhood staple with modern American fare.
Source: Photo by DI S. via Yelp
21. Massachusetts: Bar Boulud
> Location: Boston
Handsome French bistro from celebrity chef Daniel Boulud.
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Source: Photo by Gee K. via Yelp
22. Michigan: The Apparatus Room
> Location: Detroit
Craft cocktails and New American food in industrial-chic surroundings.
Source: Photo by Missi V. via Yelp
23. Minnesota: Lela
> Location: Minneapolis
Steaks and pasta in a sleek environment.
Source: Courtesy of Chancellor's Grill & Lounge Restaurant
24. Mississippi: Chancellor’s Grill & Lounge Restaurant
> Location: Oxford
White-tablecloth hotel steakhouse.
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Source: Photo by Stock Hill via Yelp
25. Missouri: Stock Hill
> Location: Kansas City
Contemporary steakhouse in a fashionable setting.
Source: Courtesy of Café Kandahar
26. Montana: Café Kandahar
> Location: Whitefish
Creative fine dining and an extensive wine list.
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Source: Photo by Dusti F. via Yelp
27. Nebraska: Railcar Modern American Kitchen
> Location: Omaha
Rustic-chic New American bar and grill.
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Source: Ethan Miller / Getty Images
28. Nevada: STK Las Vegas
> Location: Las Vegas
Hip, contemporary hotel steakhouse.
Source: Photo by Paul M. via Yelp
29. New Hampshire: Hanover Street Chophouse
> Location: Manchester
High-end steak and seafood place with a clubby bar.
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Source: Photo by Ashley S. via Yelp
30. New Jersey: Lambertville Station
> Location: Lambertville
Locally sourced American fare in a restored 19th-century train station.
Source: Photo by Anasazi Restaurant & Bar via Yelp
31. New Mexico: Anasazi Restaurant
> Location: Santa Fe
Upscale Southwestern fare in a historic hotel.
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Source: Photo by Lawrence C. via Yelp
32. New York: Marea
> Location: New York City
Elegant Italian seafood restaurant with homemade pastas.
Source: Photo by Messer K. via Yelp
33. North Carolina: Talullas
> Location: Chapel Hill
Turkish specialties in cozy quarters.
Source: Photo by Wei L. via Yelp
34. North Dakota: Izumi Sushi & Hibachi
> Location: Fargo
Casual all-you-can-eat Japanese restaurant.
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Source: Photo by Sally S. via Yelp
35. Ohio: The Barn at Rocky Fork Creek
> Location: Gahanna
Country-chic steakhouse plus seafood.
Source: Photo by Adam P. via Yelp
36. Oklahoma: Kitchen No. 324
> Location: Oklahoma City
Elevated comfort food in an industrial-style café and bakery setting.
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Source: Photo by Tiffany B. via Yelp
37. Oregon: Urban Farmer Portland
> Location: Portland
Country-chic modern Northwestern steakhouse.
Source: Photo by Paramour via Yelp
38. Pennsylvania: Paramour
> Location: Wayne
Modern American food in sophisticated surroundings.
Source: Photo by Alma C. via Yelp
39. Rhode Island: Mill’s Tavern
> Location: Providence
Upscale steak and seafood house in a historic building.
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Source: Photo by Magnolias via Yelp
40. South Carolina: Magnolias
> Location: Charleston
Traditional Southern cooking in a refined environment.
Source: Photo by Vertex Sky Bar via Yelp
41. South Dakota: Vertex Sky Bar
> Location: Rapid City
Comfort food and craft cocktails in a rooftop club.
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Source: Photo by Aaron L. via Yelp
42. Tennessee: Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant
> Location: Sevierville
Casual landmark restaurant serving Southern comfort food.
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Source: Photo by Alice Y. via Yelp
43. Texas: Wu Chow
> Location: Austin
Sichuan cuisine in a contemporary space.
Source: Photo by Lucky H Bar & Grille via Yelp
44. Utah: Lucky H Bar & Grille
> Location: Salt Lake City
Casual venue for seafood and steaks.
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Source: Photo by The Copper Grouse via Yelp
45. Vermont: Copper Grouse
> Location: Manchester
Swanky tavern serving pub fare.
Source: Photo by Andy D. via Yelp
46. Virginia: Peter Chang
> Location: Glen Allen (Richmond)
Sichuan specialties in a family-friendly strip mall location.
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Source: Photo by Mimi P. via Yelp
47. Washington: Ray’s Boathouse
> Location: Seattle
Dockside institution serving local seafood.
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Source: Photo by Gwoping Y. via Yelp
48. West Virginia: Bavarian Inn
> Location: Shepherdstown
German and American dishes in Alpine decor overlooking the Potomac.
Source: Photo by Lauren W. via Yelp
49. Wisconsin: Mader’s
> Location: Milwaukee
Classic German cuisine and Bavarian decor.
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Source: Photo by Jeremy S. via Yelp
50. Wyoming: The Kitchen
> Location: Jackson Hole
Seasonal meat and seafood specialties in a warm setting.
Detailed Findings
Many restaurants offer a “traditional” Christmas menu. But what does that mean? Christmas traditions, culinary and otherwise, vary from place to place. In the American South, collard greens, biscuits, and pimento cheese might well be on the table (black-eyed peas, too, though those are more traditional for New Year’s).
In some southern Italian and Italian-American households, the traditional meal is the Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes, or La Vigilia (The Vigil), involving seven kinds of seafood. (In observant Catholic households, adherents used to avoid meat until after midnight on December 24th, so this was a way to have a festive meal without animal flesh.)
Christmas fare in other countries varies widely. In the predominantly Christian Philippines, Christmas Eve, or Noche Buena, means hamón (honey-cured ham), rellenong manok (deboned chicken stuffed with meats, eggs, and other ingredients), and, for reasons nobody seems to remember, queso (or keso) de bola — a red-wax-covered ball of Edam cheese from the Netherlands.
In Central and Eastern Europe, the holiday meal often includes fried or roast carp. It’s roast duck, pork, or goose with red cabbage in Denmark, baked ham in Finland, roast pork belly in Norway, roast capon or some other large bird and the elaborate cake called bûche de Noel (Yule log) in France, tamales in Mexico and Central America.
If you visit restaurants in the U.S. featuring the cuisines of any of these places on or around Christmas, you’ll likely encounter foods like these. In restaurants serving American food, however, tradition is often defined as including luxury ingredients (foie gras, truffles, lobster), roast turkey or goose (Americans eat about 22 million turkeys on Christmas every year, about half as many as on Thanksgiving), and elaborate holiday-themed desserts.
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