Here Are 48 Restaurants Open on Christmas Eve for Holiday Dining

‘Tis the night before Christmas and before you head out for a sit-down meal at your favorite restaurant, you should find out which dining establishments are open on Christmas Eve.

In a lot of cases, restaurant chains have limited holiday hours on Christmas Eve to give employees a chance to celebrate the holiday. There are a few restaurants open on Christmas Day, but there are definitely more open on Christmas Eve, so plan accordingly. Whether you’re in the mood for steak, seafood, chicken, or waffles (or even chicken and waffles), we got the deets on where you can enjoy a Christmas Eve meal.

Reach out to your nearby restaurant to confirm their Christmas Eve hours, as independently owned franchise locations may vary from those listed below.

Download The Krazy Coupon Lady app for the latest holiday hours and money-saving tips, deals, and coupons.

 

Restaurants Open on Christmas Eve (A – L)

Here are a bunch of national restaurant chains that’ll be open on Christmas Eve for holiday dining. Keep in mind that many have limited hours; also, check to find out if your particular locations follow these general chain-wide hours.

1. Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar will be open Christmas Eve serving up their $6 Mucho Cocktails — Tipsy Reindeer and Berry Merry Colada.
2. Bahama Breeze Island Grille will be open for dining from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
3. Benihana will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.Christmas Eve for dine-in, carryout, delivery, or curbside pickup.
4. BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse will be open Christmas Eve for dining until 10 p.m.
5. Black Angus Steakhouse will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
6. Bob Evans will be open on Christmas Eve. If you want to eat at home without cooking, you can order their Farmhouse Feast no later than Dec. 22 for pickup on Dec. 24.
7. Bonefish Grill will be open if you’re looking for seafood on Christmas Eve.
8. Boston Market will be open Christmas Eve homestyle dinners and bundles for you to choose from.
9. Buffalo Wild Wings will be open on Christmas Eve.
10. Carrabba’s Italian Grill will be open on Christmas Eve until 10 p.m. serving plenty of pasta.
11. Chart House will be open.
12. Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen will be open until 8 p.m. with homemade comfort food like their free honey butter croissant for every guest.
13. Chili’s will be open on Christmas Eve until 4 p.m., which still gives you time to enjoy some baby back ribs and do last-minute Christmas shopping afterward.
14. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store will be open on Christmas Eve until 2 p.m. for dine-in or pickup.
15. Denny’s will be open regular hours.
16. Fogo de Chao will be open from 11 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. Christmas Eve
17. Golden Corral will be open on Christmas Eve for endless buffet fans.
18. Hard Rock Cafe will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve with a special holiday menu and signature cocktails, Santa’s Sangria and Very Merry Cocktail.
19. Huddle House will be open regular hours on Christmas Eve.
20. IHOP will be open during regular hours with a seasonal menu. In 2021 they introduced their Winter Wonderland Pancakes, Frozen Hot Chocolate Milkshake, and a Cali Roasted Turkey Melt.
21. Joe’s Crab Shack will be open on Christmas Eve.
22. Kona Grill will have dine-in and takeout specials for adults, while kids can enjoy the dine-in special or takeout specials off the children’s holiday menu on Christmas Eve.
23. Logan’s Roadhouse will be open.
24. LongHorn Steakhouse will be serving their steaks dine-in, curbside pickup, and online carryout.

Related: Looking for places to grab food on Christmas Day? Check out our full list of fast food open on Christmas.

 

 

More Restaurants Open on Christmas Eve (M – Z)

Restaurants like Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Ruth’s Chris, and even Waffle House will be open for Christmas Eve — and some even offer a holiday menu or free delivery.

1. Maggiano’s Little Italy will be open from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
2. Marie Callender’s will be open on Christmas Eve.
3. McCormick & Schmick’s will be open Christmas Eve.
4. Morton’s Steakhouse will be open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
5. O’Charley’s will be open on Christmas Eve for dine-in or online orders.
6. Olive Garden will open at 11 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
7. Outback Steakhouse will be open Christmas Eve until 8 p.m.
8. P.F. Chang’s China Bistro will be open if you’d like Chinese food on Christmas Eve.
9. Panda Express will be open on Christmas Eve.
10. Perkins will be open Christmas Eve so you can enjoy their menu or pick up one of their signature pies.
11. Red Lobster will be open during regular hours on Christmas Eve.
12. Red Robin Gourmet Burgers & Brews will be open Christmas Eve.
13. Romano’s Macaroni Grill will be serving their Italian fare and taking online orders for their premium holiday feast for delivery or takeout.
14. Ruby Tuesday will be open on Christmas Eve. Last year their menu included New Orleans seafood, a full rack of ribs, rib eye steak, and a holiday trio that included a half-rack of BBQ ribs, 6-ounce sirloin, crispy shrimp, and your choice of sides.
15. Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse will be offering a special holiday menu from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
16. Seasons 52 will be open Christmas Eve from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
17. Shoney’s will be open Christmas Eve.
18. Texas Roadhouse will be open.
19. TGI Friday’s will be open on Christmas Eve with signature cocktails and plenty of menu options. In 2021 they offered a $0 delivery fee for orders placed at Fridays.com.
20. The Capital Grille will be open from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
21. The Cheesecake Factory will be open on Christmas Eve.
22. Tony Roma’s will be open.
23. Waffle House will be open during regular hours on Christmas Eve.
24. Yard House will be open on Christmas Eve.

 

Tips for Dining Out on Christmas Eve

Any challenges you may face when dining out at any time of year can be amplified during the holidays. For that reason, we figured we’d share a few tips to help make your Christmas Eve dining experience a good one.

• Contact your local restaurant ASAP to get the details regarding your location’s holiday dining hours and whether they require reservations.
• Reserve a dining time well in advance. Holiday restaurant seating may be limited, so we recommend making your reservation sooner rather than later. With that said, be sure you arrive on time.
• Prepare yourself for limited dining options. Since restaurants are very busy on holidays, you may find they only serve a handful or one particular special.
• Expect higher prices. Restaurants may charge more for holiday dining and may even require a deposit when you make your reservation.
• Be patient and kind. Holidays are some of the busiest days for restaurants, so exercise patience when it comes to service and tip generously.
• Order delivery. If you’re not ready for a crowded restaurant on Christmas Eve, consider ordering your holiday meal for delivery through services like DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats. Many restaurants deliver themselves and offer takeout and pickup.
• Buy gift cards. Restaurants are known for offering bonus gift cards when you buy a set amount in gift cards during the holidays. You can use them for last-minute stocking stuffers or hold on to them for a future meal yourself.