Enjoy a Christmas Eve dinner spread with port wine-braised short rib, black truffle mashed potatoes and cheesecake with tequila caramel from The Hideaway in Beverly Hills.
(Jessie Cohen)
18 L.A. restaurants for dinner or takeout on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
There’s nothing like Los Angeles during the holidays. Not only do we enjoy sunny skies in a calm city as transplants and even locals head elsewhere, but we also have endless options for how to celebrate. Hosting a gathering? Bake Nonna-approved Italian cookies or deck your halls with curated items from one of L.A.’s newly sprouted superettes. If tamales are part of your traditions, you’ll find classic preparations and creative renderings across Southern California. And there’s always the option to skip the hubbub altogether and duck into a storied hotel bar for a dry martini.
This holiday, you can pickup seafood gumbo, a Taiwanese take on lasagna Bolognese, smoked pollo alongside buttery arepas, or peach cobbler; or skip the work altogether and make a restaurant reservation for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Instead of facing cleanup after a long party, you could be grazing at a poolside brunch in Santa Monica, indulging in a Feast of the Seven Fishes or noshing on nostalgic New York-style Chinese-American cuisine with live music in the background. Take your pick.
Showing Places
(Kimberly Velazco)
Alice's Southern Comfort
Pasadena Southern $$
Launched in 2019 by chef Kimberly Velazco, Alice’s Southern Comfort regularly pops up at various L.A. locations with memorable renditions of beloved Southern staples. The seafood gumbo, passed down by Velazco’s grandmother Alice, is a version that I would feel comfortable serving at my family’s holiday gatherings, which is truly saying something if you’re familiar with the specific hyper-criticism that Southerners reserve for those who attempt their classic dishes. In addition to Velazco’s savory gumbo, place holiday orders for barbecued shrimp, dirty rice and bourbon bread pudding by Dec. 22 for pickup in Old Town Pasadena or delivery across San Gabriel Valley and Los Angeles County by sending Velazco a DM on Instagram or via phone call.
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(Mariah Tauger/Los Angeles Times)
A.O.C.
West Hollywood Californian $$$
Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne’s celebrated wine bar is closed on Christmas Day, but you can still book a reservation to enjoy Christmas Eve brunch or dinner at the Third Street or Brentwood location, with festive menu additions such as braised beef short rib. Order a bottle of wine from their stellar list to steel yourself for the last week of the dwindling holiday season.
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(Andrea D’Agosto )
Ardor
Hollywood Hills West Californian $$
Dine at chef John Fraser’s lush, plant-filled Ardor that sits at the base of the West Hollywood Edition hotel on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day and you’ll be treated to a festive a la carte menu with highlights such as adobada-rubbed kurobuta pork chop, roasted chestnut ravioli and pine nut cremeux for dessert. The restaurant is open from 5 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 24 and from 1:30 to 7 p.m. on Dec. 25.
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(Robiee Ziegler)
Connie and Ted's
West Hollywood Seafood $$
For a seafood-focused feast, look no further than Connie and Ted’s, which is open on Christmas Eve with a three-course prix-fixe dinner for $95 per person that includes starters such as a half-dozen oysters or lobster bisque, smoked rib roast or cioppino for the main and pumpkin bread pudding for dessert. Select items from the holiday menu will also be available to order for takeout, in addition to Maine lobster pot pie from head chef Sam Baxter and desserts like sweet potato whoopie pie. Pastry chef Daphane DeLone’s holiday pies can also be ordered through the end of the year with 48 hours advance notice, including pumpkin sweet potato and Dutch apple crumb pie. Bottled cocktails and wine are also available for takeout.
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(SHELBY MOORE)
Damian
Downtown L.A. Mexican $$$
Enrique Olvera’s architecturally sleek Arts District restaurant will be open for brunch and dinner on Christmas Eve with their regular menu that pairs the broad flavors of Mexican cuisines with California ingredients, as well as yet-to-be-announced holiday surprises. Opt for a non-traditional take on a classic holiday dish with tamales filled with ricotta and sweet potato, which pair wonderfully with creative cocktails such as the smoked highball with Toki whisky, lapsang suochong-infused pine liqueur and eucalyptus.
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(Giada Paoloni / Dante)
Dante Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills Italian American $$$
Take in the palm trees and mansions of Beverly Hills from a plush navy sofa at Dante on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. The New York import will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. with holiday-inspired specials alongside its regular a la carte menu that hues Italian. Seasonal cocktails like the Fireside old fashioned and Gingerbread negroni are sure to put you in a good mood for schmoozing with visiting relatives.
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(Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows)
Fig Restaurant
Santa Monica Californian $$
Just blocks from the beach and the Santa Monica Farmers Market, Fairmont Miramont Hotel & Bungalows’ verdant Fig Restaurant is offering a special brunch menu for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Choose a table in the interior that’s draped with hanging plants or the patio that overlooks the glittering pool, and indulge in seasonal plates that include freshly carved, slow-roasted, maple-glazed ham; pumpkin-spiced French toast; fresh oysters and a Bloody Mary bar with accouterments that include peppered bacon, spicy shrimp, blistered shishitos and more. The restaurant will also be open for dinner on Christmas Day, with holiday specials in addition to the full menu.
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(Robert Campbell)
Fatty Mart
Mar Vista Global $
The worldly mega-bodega from chef David Kuo of nearby Little Fatty and the Accomplice Bar has a generous holiday catering menu with portions for 4 to 16 people, spanning a Latin-inspired whole turkey, red wine-braised brisket, tamales, a Taiwanese and Bolognese lasagna mashup, plus sides, dressings and sauces. The menu is available through Jan. 15, in case you want to stock up on dishes for the new year — that’s a form of meal prep, right?
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(Eugene Lee)
Genghis Cohen
Fairfax Chinese American $$
Marc Rose and Med Abrous’ Genghis Cohen is a mainstay for those craving New York-style Chinese American standards and decked-out cocktails during the holidays. The restaurant is already fully booked for Christmas Day, but there are plenty of seats still available for lunch and dinner on Christmas Eve, whether in the crimson-accented interior or on the gated patio that faces Fairfax Avenue. And you can always order crab rangoon, dumplings, crispy duck and other dishes (plus bottled cocktails) for pickup on Dec. 24 and Dec. 25.
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(Harold & Belle’s)
Harold & Belle's
Jefferson Park Creole Southern $$
It’s stressful enough hosting a house of people, nevermind cooking for them too. Longtime Creole standby Harold & Belle’s has you covered with a holiday catering menu showcasing beloved Southern staples, such as filé gumbo, Cajun-fried turkey, macaroni and cheese, jambalaya and much more, with meal packages that feed up to 50 people. Don’t forget to tack on a peach cobbler or sweet potato pie for dessert.
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(Shelby Moore / La Dolce Vita)
La Dolce Vita
Beverly Hills Italian American $$$
Make it a glamorous Christmas Eve at La Dolce Vita, a splashy red sauce restaurant in Beverly Hills that pays homage to the celebrity haunt that once called Frank Sinatra an investor. Slide into one of the leather booths and get ready to be wowed by tableside Caesar salads, delicious dishes such as large-format baked manicotti and bone-in veal Parmigiana, all of which pair perfectly with an espresso martini.
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(Rossella Pisano)
L'antica Pizzeria da Michele
Hollywood Italian $$
Italian import L’antica Pizzeria da Michele is giving diners the opportunity to take a tour of pastas with a seven-course tasting menu on Christmas Eve. At $90 per person, the spread will begin with tagliolini dotted with shaved black truffle, with highlights such as garlicky spaghetti Vongole, butternut squash tortelli and finishing with house-made paccheri Genovese with slow-braised short rib. The spacious Hollywood restaurant will be closed on Christmas Day, but will offer the same tasting menu on Dec. 26. A supplemental wine pairing can be added for $45.
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(Little Dom’s)
Little Dom’s
Los Feliz Italian American $$
Make it an Italian American Christmas with decadent takeout dishes from co-owner and executive chef Brandon Boudet’s Little Dom’s in Los Feliz. The classic lasagna features a beef and pork Bolognese, herbed ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan, while a vegetarian version layers broccoli, oyster and shitake mushrooms, kale, herbed ricotta and mozzarella in a rich San Marzano tomato sauce. Lasagnas are $100 each and feed between six and eight people. Pastry chef Ann Kirk has your dessert table covered with a flaky chocolate creme pie, a double-crusted torta de la Nonna, a box of Italian cookies and pints of holiday-appropriate peppermint chip and stracciatella gelato. Orders must be placed by Dec. 20 for pickup on Christmas Eve between 12 and 2 p.m.
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(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Petit Trois
Sherman Oaks French $$$
Both locations of chef Ludo Lefebvre’s unapologetically indulgent restaurant are open on Christmas Eve, with decadent French dishes that will help you avoid awkward dinner conversations as you’ll all be too preoccupied with your food to argue. The regular menu is on offer, including the creamy house omelette, Big Mec double cheeseburger with frites and baked-over French onion soup with a crispy-crunchy cheese seal. Ask for a bottle recommendation from the Euro-leaning wine list.
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(Joseph Duarte)
Restaurant at the Georgian
Santa Monica American $$$
One of the main reasons Angelenos put up with sky-high rent is for only-in-L.A. experiences like a swanky beach-side holiday dinner. The newly reopened Restaurant at the Georgian on the iconic Ocean Boulevard is hosting brunch and dinner on Christmas Day, as well as a Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner on Christmas Eve. Reserve a seat in the Art Deco dining room and save your appetite for a family-style spread that includes one-pound lobster Benedict and croissant French toast for brunch or baked clams, Christmas ravioli and filet of Wagyu for dinner, with dessert options such as Panforte fruit and nut cake and dark chocolate mousse with Frangelico ice cream. Burn some calories with a stroll along the boardwalk before you brave the drive home.
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(Mariah Tauger/Los Angeles Times)
Selva
Long Beach Colombian $$
This 101 Best Restaurants pick in Long Beach is offering a Colombian spin on Christmas dinner with ready-to-heat smoked pollo and large sides such as buttery corn arepas and braised greens with smoked pork belly for $100. Coconut panna cotta completes the family-style spread fit for four people. Order by calling the restaurant directly no later than Dec. 22 for pickup on Christmas Eve.
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The Hideaway
Beverly Hills Mexican American Steakhouse $$$
Beverly Hills’ swanky Mexican-inspired steakhouse is open on Christmas Eve with its regular menu as well as festive items. That means in addition to lobster tortilla soup, tableside steaks and tuna tartare, you can ring in the holidays with port-wine-braised short rib, black truffle mashed potatoes, chile habanero-roasted baby carrots and cheesecake with tequila caramel. Order a pitcher of the pink margarita with tequila, rose petal and elderflower for the table and enjoy the roaring terracotta fireplace that anchors the sky-lit patio.
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(Silvia Razgova/For The Times)
Yangban
Downtown L.A. Korean American $$$
Continue to eat your way through the 101 best restaurants list with a Christmas Eve dinner at recently redesigned Yangban. Chef-owners Katianna and John Hong are debuting a three-course prix-fixe affair that begins with bites like prawn toast before moving onto tea leaf salad, banchan, garlic rice, black cod and finishing with cheesecake or a sundae. The limited menu is $95 per person, with black truffle, lobster pot pie and short rib available as supplements.
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