Where to Eat on Christmas Eve and Day in Chicago

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The holidays can be a stressful time so take a load off and let someone else handle the cooking. Many Chicago restaurants will be open for dine-in service and offer special menus to enjoy on Christmas Eve and Day. The following options around town include Feast of the Seven Fishes celebrations, all-you-can-eat lobster, truffle-laden specials, succulent steaks, and more. Regardless of what diners choose though, it’s a gift the whole family will appreciate.

As of August 20, the city has mandated that everyone wear facial coverings while indoors. For updated information on coronavirus cases, please visit the city of Chicago’s COVID-19 dashboard. Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; the latest data about the delta variant indicates that it may pose a low-to-moderate risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.

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Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.

Rustic Italian eatery Bar Roma is opening on Christmas Eve and chef Fred Ramos is whipping up a couple of special dishes for the evening. They’ll include beluga lentil soup ($10), smoked salmon pinwheel ($18), spaghetti arrabiata ($30), beef tenderloin pizzaiola ($36), and butter rum cake with eggnog ice cream and fresh fruit ($10). Reservations are available here.

For the second year in a row, Longman & Eagle is partnering with Chinese favorite Sun Wah BBQ for a limited-time menu on Christmas Eve and Day. The offerings will include jumbo smoked salmon Rangoon, walnut shrimp po’ boy, General Foie’s chicken, and Sun Wah classics like barbecue roast duck and barbecue pork fried rice. Reservations are available here.

Feast like a Greek on Christmas Eve at Andros Taverna. The holiday menu will offer Greek-inspired preparations of fresh seafood, such as chilled oysters, blue crystal prawns, Mediterranean mussels, and Athenian lobster spaghetti. Reservations are available here.

In honor of the Feast of the Seven Fishes, Testaccio chef Jacob Soloman is creating a seven-course menu boasting seafood delights like tuna crudo, risotto with scampi, Sicilian-style swordfish with eggplant caponata, spaghetti with clams, and more. Reservations are available here.

This new Spanish café and restaurant in Lincoln Park will serve brunch from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve so guests can sit back, relax, and enjoy sangria, tapas, and other shareable bites. Book a table here.

Give the greatest gift of all this year: Unlimited Maine lobster. On Christmas Eve, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprise’s all-you-can-eat concept will provide diners with as many steamed lobsters and burgers as they can consume. The cost of the experience is $105 per person, with the option to add on shellfish platters of oysters, jumbo shrimp, king crab, and more. Reservations for two-hour seatings are available here.

Both the Wicker Park and River North locations of the popular hearth-fire restaurant will be open on Christmas Eve and Day and serve a holiday prix fixe menu for $85 per person. Reservations are available here.

The swanky restaurant in the Viceroy hotel is opening its doors on Christmas Eve and Day from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. There will be a special a la carte menu featuring holiday favorites. Book a table here.

Visit Adorn, the restaurant inside the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, on Christmas Day for a bountiful feast inspired by a traditional countryside hunt. The four-course “Chicago Trout & Hunt Club” menu will include dishes such as brie en croute with almond, fig pudding, and pumpernickel; deep fried turkey with Nevis hot sauce; cola-braised country ham with gravy; and deconstructed apple pie with cinnamon ice cream. The cost is $150 per person with the option of wine pairings for $75. A three-course children’s menu is also available for $65 per child ages 2-12. Reservations can be made here.

Join the West Town restaurant and caviar bar on Christmas Eve for a “Home for the Holidays” tasting menu. The five-course meal includes dishes like Hamachi crudo with coconut-lime broth, bone marrow and beignets, and crispy duck breast with gold leaf and caviar. The cost is $55 per person, with optional wine pairings for $100, and the special menu will also be available throughout the entire month of December. Reservations can be placed here.

Treat the family to a delicious brunch buffet on Christmas Eve at this River North rooftop venue. Guests can indulge as much as they want from an omelet station, prime rib carving station, pancakes and waffles station, salad bar, sushi bar, and dessert table. The cost is $39 per adult and $15 for children 12 and under. Reservations are available here.

Executive chef David DiGregorio is cooking up a storm on Christmas Eve this year for the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Osteria Via Stato’s multi-course dinner will highlight Italian seafood dishes, such as a baccala (salt cod) spread, grilled octopus, seafood stew, seafood linguine, and pan-roasted salmon. The menu is priced at $69.95 per person. Make a reservation here.

Savor the flavors of the ocean on Christmas Eve and Day as seafood specialist Lure Fishbar will offer a holiday prix fixe menu. Diners can choose lobster bisque or Belgian endive salad; prime rib or Dover sole; and eggnog crème brulee or molten chocolate cake. The cost is $95 per person and reservations are available here.

Do as the Italians do with a Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve. The traditional Italian-American celebration will feature choices like oysters on the half shell, cured king salmon, Mediterranean octopus, lobster risotto, scallops with squash and brown butter, and more. The cost is $95 per person, with the option to add wine pairings for $65 per person. Book a table at RPM Italian here.

Steakhouse stalwart Kinzie Chophouse is planning a five-course menu for Christmas Eve. The dinner will start with welcome bites before transitioning to courses of chestnut velouté and jamon iberico carpaccio with baked brie. For entrees, guests can choose between “Goose Wellington,” dry-aged prime rib, bone-in rib eye (+$30), and beef tenderloin (+$15). Dessert stars bitter chocolate mousse topped with Greek almond cookie crumbles. The cost is $90 per person and reservations are available here.

‘Tis the season for truffles so Fabio Viviani’s Italian spot is serving Christmas Eve specials like truffled burrata and filet mignon with truffled cauliflower puree. The regular a la carte menu will also be available as well as a five-course chef’s tasting truffle menu with wine pairings. Reservations can be booked here.

Gather the family at this River North supper club for a festive Christmas Eve meal. The kitchen will offer its regular dinner menu in addition to holiday specials. Reservations can be made here.

Located inside the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel, Staytion will be open for service on Christmas Eve and Day. Guests can try specials like herb-crusted rack of lamb, grilled Berkshire double-cut pork chops, and a “Festivus for the Rest of Us” cocktail (Koval cranberry gin, maraschino liqueur, lemon, strawberry, cava).

Add French flair to Christmas Eve with dinner at this chic French brasserie inside the Pendry Chicago hotel. Customers can order foie gras with fig confiture, roasted chestnuts, and pickled gooseberries; boeuf en croute with chanterelle mushrooms and Bordelaise sauce; and a yule log with candied hazelnuts and cocoa nibs. The regular dinner menu will be available as well. Book a table here.

Get in the holiday spirit and head to this West Loop speakeasy for a carol singalong from 6 p.m. to midnight on Christmas. Folks can sip whiskies and wines while snacking on charcuterie, cheeses, and other light bites. Reservations are available here.

Cherry Circle Room is putting together a five-course prix fixe menu for Christmas Eve. The vintage-style restaurant, which is tucked away on the second floor of the Chicago Athletic Association, will serve milk bread with truffle butter to start followed by a Caesar salad and choice of shrimp cocktail or French onion soup. For entrees, pick between Mediterranean sea bass and eight-ounce tenderloin. The cost is $120 per person. A vegetarian option is also available for $75 per person. Wine pairings are an additional $75. Reserve a table here.

The South Loop firehouse-turned-restaurant has crafted a special a la carte menu for Christmas Eve. Highlights include lobster bisque, white truffle and wild mushroom risotto, roasted Dover sole, a “Feast of the Seven Fishes” seafood stew, and prime rib. Book a reservation here.

It’ll be business as usual at Chinese stalwart MingHin on Christmas Eve and Day. The local mini chain is open 365 days a year so Chicagoans can spend their holiday enjoying dim sum, roast pork, Beijing duck, white cut chicken, noodles, fried rice, hot pot casseroles, and more. Reservations are available here.

Rustic Italian eatery Bar Roma is opening on Christmas Eve and chef Fred Ramos is whipping up a couple of special dishes for the evening. They’ll include beluga lentil soup ($10), smoked salmon pinwheel ($18), spaghetti arrabiata ($30), beef tenderloin pizzaiola ($36), and butter rum cake with eggnog ice cream and fresh fruit ($10). Reservations are available here.

For the second year in a row, Longman & Eagle is partnering with Chinese favorite Sun Wah BBQ for a limited-time menu on Christmas Eve and Day. The offerings will include jumbo smoked salmon Rangoon, walnut shrimp po’ boy, General Foie’s chicken, and Sun Wah classics like barbecue roast duck and barbecue pork fried rice. Reservations are available here.

Feast like a Greek on Christmas Eve at Andros Taverna. The holiday menu will offer Greek-inspired preparations of fresh seafood, such as chilled oysters, blue crystal prawns, Mediterranean mussels, and Athenian lobster spaghetti. Reservations are available here.

In honor of the Feast of the Seven Fishes, Testaccio chef Jacob Soloman is creating a seven-course menu boasting seafood delights like tuna crudo, risotto with scampi, Sicilian-style swordfish with eggplant caponata, spaghetti with clams, and more. Reservations are available here.

This new Spanish café and restaurant in Lincoln Park will serve brunch from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve so guests can sit back, relax, and enjoy sangria, tapas, and other shareable bites. Book a table here.

Give the greatest gift of all this year: Unlimited Maine lobster. On Christmas Eve, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprise’s all-you-can-eat concept will provide diners with as many steamed lobsters and burgers as they can consume. The cost of the experience is $105 per person, with the option to add on shellfish platters of oysters, jumbo shrimp, king crab, and more. Reservations for two-hour seatings are available here.

Both the Wicker Park and River North locations of the popular hearth-fire restaurant will be open on Christmas Eve and Day and serve a holiday prix fixe menu for $85 per person. Reservations are available here.

The swanky restaurant in the Viceroy hotel is opening its doors on Christmas Eve and Day from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. There will be a special a la carte menu featuring holiday favorites. Book a table here.

Visit Adorn, the restaurant inside the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, on Christmas Day for a bountiful feast inspired by a traditional countryside hunt. The four-course “Chicago Trout & Hunt Club” menu will include dishes such as brie en croute with almond, fig pudding, and pumpernickel; deep fried turkey with Nevis hot sauce; cola-braised country ham with gravy; and deconstructed apple pie with cinnamon ice cream. The cost is $150 per person with the option of wine pairings for $75. A three-course children’s menu is also available for $65 per child ages 2-12. Reservations can be made here.

Join the West Town restaurant and caviar bar on Christmas Eve for a “Home for the Holidays” tasting menu. The five-course meal includes dishes like Hamachi crudo with coconut-lime broth, bone marrow and beignets, and crispy duck breast with gold leaf and caviar. The cost is $55 per person, with optional wine pairings for $100, and the special menu will also be available throughout the entire month of December. Reservations can be placed here.

Treat the family to a delicious brunch buffet on Christmas Eve at this River North rooftop venue. Guests can indulge as much as they want from an omelet station, prime rib carving station, pancakes and waffles station, salad bar, sushi bar, and dessert table. The cost is $39 per adult and $15 for children 12 and under. Reservations are available here.

Executive chef David DiGregorio is cooking up a storm on Christmas Eve this year for the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Osteria Via Stato’s multi-course dinner will highlight Italian seafood dishes, such as a baccala (salt cod) spread, grilled octopus, seafood stew, seafood linguine, and pan-roasted salmon. The menu is priced at $69.95 per person. Make a reservation here.

Savor the flavors of the ocean on Christmas Eve and Day as seafood specialist Lure Fishbar will offer a holiday prix fixe menu. Diners can choose lobster bisque or Belgian endive salad; prime rib or Dover sole; and eggnog crème brulee or molten chocolate cake. The cost is $95 per person and reservations are available here.

Do as the Italians do with a Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve. The traditional Italian-American celebration will feature choices like oysters on the half shell, cured king salmon, Mediterranean octopus, lobster risotto, scallops with squash and brown butter, and more. The cost is $95 per person, with the option to add wine pairings for $65 per person. Book a table at RPM Italian here.

Steakhouse stalwart Kinzie Chophouse is planning a five-course menu for Christmas Eve. The dinner will start with welcome bites before transitioning to courses of chestnut velouté and jamon iberico carpaccio with baked brie. For entrees, guests can choose between “Goose Wellington,” dry-aged prime rib, bone-in rib eye (+$30), and beef tenderloin (+$15). Dessert stars bitter chocolate mousse topped with Greek almond cookie crumbles. The cost is $90 per person and reservations are available here.

‘Tis the season for truffles so Fabio Viviani’s Italian spot is serving Christmas Eve specials like truffled burrata and filet mignon with truffled cauliflower puree. The regular a la carte menu will also be available as well as a five-course chef’s tasting truffle menu with wine pairings. Reservations can be booked here.

Gather the family at this River North supper club for a festive Christmas Eve meal. The kitchen will offer its regular dinner menu in addition to holiday specials. Reservations can be made here.

Located inside the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel, Staytion will be open for service on Christmas Eve and Day. Guests can try specials like herb-crusted rack of lamb, grilled Berkshire double-cut pork chops, and a “Festivus for the Rest of Us” cocktail (Koval cranberry gin, maraschino liqueur, lemon, strawberry, cava).

Add French flair to Christmas Eve with dinner at this chic French brasserie inside the Pendry Chicago hotel. Customers can order foie gras with fig confiture, roasted chestnuts, and pickled gooseberries; boeuf en croute with chanterelle mushrooms and Bordelaise sauce; and a yule log with candied hazelnuts and cocoa nibs. The regular dinner menu will be available as well. Book a table here.

Get in the holiday spirit and head to this West Loop speakeasy for a carol singalong from 6 p.m. to midnight on Christmas. Folks can sip whiskies and wines while snacking on charcuterie, cheeses, and other light bites. Reservations are available here.

Cherry Circle Room is putting together a five-course prix fixe menu for Christmas Eve. The vintage-style restaurant, which is tucked away on the second floor of the Chicago Athletic Association, will serve milk bread with truffle butter to start followed by a Caesar salad and choice of shrimp cocktail or French onion soup. For entrees, pick between Mediterranean sea bass and eight-ounce tenderloin. The cost is $120 per person. A vegetarian option is also available for $75 per person. Wine pairings are an additional $75. Reserve a table here.

The South Loop firehouse-turned-restaurant has crafted a special a la carte menu for Christmas Eve. Highlights include lobster bisque, white truffle and wild mushroom risotto, roasted Dover sole, a “Feast of the Seven Fishes” seafood stew, and prime rib. Book a reservation here.

It’ll be business as usual at Chinese stalwart MingHin on Christmas Eve and Day. The local mini chain is open 365 days a year so Chicagoans can spend their holiday enjoying dim sum, roast pork, Beijing duck, white cut chicken, noodles, fried rice, hot pot casseroles, and more. Reservations are available here.