Christmas Restaurants
My cooking skills are limited to tuna sandwiches and grilled cheeses. Fortunately, for the holidays, I have a rather large family full of talented cooks who make a great Christmas dinner. However, if you’d rather eat out and let the professionals handle the kitchen heat, here’s a list of Chicago restaurants that will be open for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Christmas Eve
• Deleece: The popular Lakeview restaurant will serve up a four-course family-style meal along with its regular menu. (5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., $35) link
• Cyrano’s Bistrot and Wine Bar: The prix-fixe here includes dishes like roasted goose with chestnut stuffing along with a la carte selections like roasted juniper-crusted rack of lamb and bruche de Noel. Reservations recommended. (4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., $40) link
• ¡Salpicón!: This Mexican eatery will feature a special four-course menu with choice of appetizer, soup or salad, entrée, and dessert. Wine pairing option available. (5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., $49) link
• Vermilion: They were open for Thanksgiving, and they’re open again for Christmas Eve. Try the four-course holiday meal featuring Indian cuisine with a Latin twist. Carry-out is available with at least one-hour advance notice. Reservations recommended. (11:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m., $50) link
• Avenues: Enjoy American contemporary and French cuisine courtesy of Chef Graham Elliot Bowles and his five-course prix-fixe holiday menu. Tie and jacket preferred, reservations recommended. (5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., $150) link
• Café Selmarie: All that gift-wrapping is exhausting. Get a boost to your day at brunch, where a la carte selections include corned beef hash, banana-pecan griddlecakes, and brioche French toast. Reservations accepted for parties of six or more. (8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., prices vary) link
• Coco Pazzo: Holiday specials like whole-roasted sea bass and fresh porcini mushroom risotto will accompany the regular menu. Reservations recommended. (5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., prices vary) link
• David Burke’s Primehouse: Celebrate with holiday specials like short rib and chestnuts along with other noteworthy dishes on the regular menu. Reservations recommended. (5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., prices vary) link
• Lawry’s The Prime Rib: Inside the Italian Renaissance-inspired mansion, holiday specials (bruche de Noel, eggnog crème brulee) augment the regular steak-driven menu. Reservations recommended. No T-shirts or athletic wear. (1:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., prices vary) link
Christmas Day
• Dine: This 1940s-themed American-style restaurant in the West Loop features classic comfort foods with modern twists, perfect for warming up a cold Christmas Day. Reservations recommended. (5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., $35) link
• SushiSamba Rio: A six-course omakase menu supplements the regular menu of Japanese-Brazilian-Peruvian fare. The dining room also features Chicago’s only caipirinha bar. Reservations recommended. (3:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m., $60) link
• Republic Pan-Asian Restaurant and Lounge: This bi-level earth-toned space offers a five-course Asian dinner with lemongrass beef, sushi rolls, ginger-orange crème brulee, satay chicken, miso soup, and more. Two-person minimum. (5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., $50) link
• Bin 36: Get away from all the holiday stress, and relax with a glass of wine at this retail store, tavern, and restaurant all rolled into one. (6:30 a.m. – 11:00 p.m., prices vary) link
• Indian Garden: Take in the aromas of cumin, curry, and cinnamon while satisfying the demands of both your meat-eating and vegetarian friends. The lunch buffet is holiday budget-friendly at less than $10. (11:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., prices vary) link
• Phoenix: This is one of the best places in Chinatown for dim sum and usually attracts out-the-door lines. Expect small servings of barbecue pork-filled buns, fried sesame-seed balls, and steamed pork dumplings. Simply yum. (5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., prices vary) link
• Soul Vegetarian East: The name says it all. This hidden gem on the southeast side allows you to spread the cheer with your vegan friends. (7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m., prices vary) link
• Weber Grill: Summer is long gone, but you can still enjoy the flavors of the grill. Get your meat on with dishes like blackened boneless rib-eye steak, baby back ribs, and beer-can chicken. Reservations recommended. (6:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m, prices vary) link
Click here for a map of all the above locations.
Photo credit: Ali Farid, leighrowan, Trois Tetes
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