Whether you’re looking for a night out or staying home for the holidays this year, there are plenty of ways to experience Chicago’s award-winning dining scene. Our city’s restaurants go all out for the most wonderful time of the year, with festive menus and specials that are perfect for an out-on-the-town holiday feast or just a special meal at home.
Here’s our (always growing) 2021 guide on where to enjoy a holiday dinner in Chicago for dine-in, delivery, and carryout.
Where to enjoy a dine-in holiday dinner in Chicago
Haisous Vietnamese Kitchen: Celebrate Christmas with a multi-course Vietnamese feast, featuring papaya salad, grilled ribeye, and clams in a lemongrass broth. Pick up and delivery available on Dec. 24 and 25.
Tortoise Supper Club: Get cozy at this old-school spot in River North, where fireplaces and Christmas Eve specials keep things festive.
NoMi Kitchen: Treat yourself to five courses from NoMi’s Christmas day menu, starting with sushi rolls and lobster beignets and ending with bûche de Noel and apple cider donuts.
The Langham: Enjoy an afternoon holiday tea on Christmas Eve at The Pavilion, complete with delicate pastries, savory petite sandwiches, and plenty of tea.
Venteux Brasserie: Bring some French flair to your Christmas Eve dinner at Venteux, featuring specials like foie gras, boeuf en croût, and a classic yule log cake.
avec: Experience the feast of the seven fishes at avec in the West Loop on Dec. 22. The family-style dinner is a classic Italian tradition, complete with Sicilian wine pairings.
Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba: A beloved holiday tradition, the Christmas Eve brunch features the best bite-sized pintxos and shareable tapas at this long-time Lincoln Park institution.
Andros Taverna: In Logan Square, this modern Greek spot has prepared a Christmas Eve menu featuring chilled oysters, saffron orzotto, Athenian lobster spaghetti, and more.
Grapes & Grains: Get extra festive this holiday season with a Christmas Eve singalong. Sip hot toddies and enjoy live renditions of your favorite carols at this West Loop establishment.
Ace Hotel: Indulge in a Christmas morning brunch at The Lobby in the Ace Hotel. Choose from sticky buns, biscuits and gravy, eggs Benedict, and more.
The Ritz Carlton: Celebrate Christmas in style at a classic afternoon tea, with finger sandwiches, quiche, scones, and holiday pastries.
The Bar at Hotel Zachary: Cozy up inside one of the decorated igloos outside Hotel Zachary, where you can enjoy fun seasonal drinks and views of Winterland at Gallagher Way across the street.
Where to order a holiday dinner to-go in Chicago
Big Jones: Experience the spirit of a New Orleans Christmas at the Creole Reveillon dinner on Dec. 24, a winter tradition at this Andersonville soul food spot.
Virtue: Order up your Southern-inspired Christmas Eve dinner from Virtue in Hyde Park. Choose from a short rib feast, a quarter ham, or a gallon of gumbo.
Wherewithall: Experience cuisine from a James Beard Award-winning chef with this Christmas dinner for two, showcasing Wherewithall’s thoughtful and seasonal approach to food.
Prime & Provisions: Order your holiday dinner from this luxe steakhouse, offering slow-roasted beer tenderloin and all the fixings. Add a shellfish tower, king crab legs, or rack of lamb to complete the feast.
TenGoku Aburiya: Enjoy a one-of-a-kind holiday meal at home with this special Christmas Eve maki and inari package, created by a Michelin-starred sushi chef.
The Bristol: Have a luxe holiday at home with The Bristol’s Christmas to-go, with dishes like gruyere fondue, red wine braised short ribs, Basque cheesecake, and more.
Bar Goa: Cuisine from the Goa region of India is celebrated in this Christmas feast, with porchetta, lemon rice, smoked eggplant, traditional plum cake, and more.
Frontier: Take advantage of the holiday meats special at Frontier this December. Choose from smoked prime rib, beef tenderloin, and turkeys, plus shareable sides.
Present Tense: If you’re in need of Christmas cocktails for a group, look no further. Present Tense is delivering large-format holiday punches curated by an award-winning mixologist.
Jeong: Start a new holiday tradition by ordering one of the Korean beef and kimchi pies from acclaimed West Town spot Jeong.
ROOH: Feast on progressive Indian cuisine from ROOH in the West Loop. Their Christmas dinner serves four and includes your choice of chicken chettinad masala or oven-roasted salmon, served with plenty of sides.
Heritage Restaurant and Caviar Bar: In Humboldt Park, this supper club has created multiple Christmas packages, from “classic” to “baller” — the latter contains caviar, seafood, smoked prime rib, wine, and tons more.
Bayan Ko: This Asian-fusion spot in Lincoln Square is serving their ultimate holiday feast, with cebu lechon (pork belly), soy-marinated beef wellington, and whole roasted main lobster.
Aba: Choose from delivery or pick up for this Mediterranean extravaganza, consisting of hummus, carrots with labneh, kebabs, braised short ribs, and so much more.
Siena Tavern: Celebrate Christmas Eve or Christmas day with chef Fabio Viviani and his Italian-inspired feast for two. The menu includes honey mustard ham, scalloped potatoes, caramelized brussels sprouts, quattro formaggi mac and cheese, and so much more.
The Duck Inn: This Bridgeport staple is serving a traditional Christmas dinner for four, with duck fat Yorkshire pudding, potato casserole, creamed kale, and either prime rib or a whole rotisserie duck for the main course.