How about a Fred Flintstone-sized rib for Christmas? Photo courtesy of STK Restaurant

Best Family-Friendly Restaurants Open on Christmas Day on the Westside

8. STK Steakhouse Restaurant — Westwood

Price Range: $$$
Menu Type: Set menu
Why We Love It: Whether you have a hankering for a porterhouse steak or oven-roasted turkey, this restaurant has high-end cuisine for parents and mac 'n' cheese for the kids. If your young diner is a more adventurous eater, order them the lobster mac 'n cheese, which is as delicious as it sounds. 

9. Saddle Ranch Chop House — West Hollywood

Price Range: $$
Menu Type: Set menu
Why We Love It: There’s surf, turf, salads, wraps, and a simply stellar kids' menu. Choose from small plates to more substantial steaks and specialties.

10. Whiskey Red's — Marina Del Rey

Price Range: Adults are $70 and kids under 12 eat for $35
Menu Type: Prix-fixe
Why We Love It: Why not take advantage of California's incredible weather and enjoy Christmas brunch on the water? Whiskey Red's in Marina Del Rey has a three-course brunch on Christmas from 10am to 5pm. 

11. Lumiere — Century City

Price Range: $$$
Menu Type: Prix-fixe
Why We Love It: Christmas Day dining at Lumière Brasserie can be full of timeless French elegance and festive cheer. Indulge in a special four-course holiday menu that includes seasonal flavors. 

12. Calabra Restaurant & Bar — Santa Monica

Price Range: $$$
Menu Type: Set menu
Why We Love It: How about a rooftop Christmas feast? Take in the views at the Santa Monica Proper Hotel and enjoy a delectable dinner featuring items like prime rib, rack of lamb, and pan-seared salmon. 

13. Genghis Cohen — West Hollywood 

Price Range: $$
Menu Type: Set menu
Why We Love It: While Genghis Cohen is one of the Los Angeles restaurants open on Christmas Day, it's also arguably one of the most coveted reservations to get on Christmas Day. This is the place to dine out on December 25. Celebrate the holiday season with a beloved tradition: Chinese food on Christmas Day. Make your reservations early, as Christmas Day is the restaurant's busiest day of the year! 

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14. McCormick & Schmick's — Anaheim

Price Range: $$$
Menu Type: Prix-fixe
Why We Love It: If Santa catches a tailwind, you might spot him stopping off here to pick up some oysters; decadent seafood is plentiful on the holiday menu here. This year, the restaurant will offer a prix fixe menu on Christmas and Christmas Eve, which includes your choice of salmon, cioppino, lobster, or filet mignon. 

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15. Chart House Restaurant — Redondo Beach & Dana Point

Price Range: $81 per person
Menu Type: Prix-fixe
Why We Love It: Steaks, seafood, and ocean views—what could be better? Take a walk on the beach to work up an appetite before dining in or picking up your order. Yum! 

16. Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ — Beverly Hills, Sherman Oaks, Pasadena, & Burbank

Price Range: $$
Menu Type: Family-style set menu
Why We Love It: Here, you can cook your own food to perfection without any shopping, prep, or cleanup! Choose from the Yakiniku Holiday Magic menus, which serve two to 12 people.

17. Morton's The Steakhouse — Burbank, Beverly Hills, Downtown, Anaheim, & Santa Ana

Price Range: $$$
Menu Type: Set menu
Why We Love It: Why not have a decadent Christmas dinner? You deserve it. Chateaubriand and a winter salad are on Morton's Christmas menu, along with sides like baked corn soufflé, sour cream mashed potatoes, and creamed spinach. For dessert? You'll have to make the tough choice between White Chocolate & Pecan Bread Pudding or Bruléed Cheesecake with Dark Cherry Compote. If the Christmas meal doesn't strike your fancy, the full dinner menu will still be offered.

18. Gaucho Grill — Downey, West Covina, Buena Park & Pasadena

Price Range: $$$
Menu Type: Set menu
Why We Love It: Try something that’s (perhaps) a little different: Argentinian food. Gaucho Grill serves it up with chicken, steak, fish, morcillas, and mollejas. Complement your meal with a glass of boutique Argentine wine. Christmas Day is a busy one at most Gaucho Grill locations, so make your reservations early!

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19. Yang Chow — Chinatown and Pasadena

Price Range: $$
Menu Type: Set Menu
Why We Love It: Yang Chow is famous for its "Slippery Shrimp," a fried shrimp recipe that put this American-style Chinese restaurant on the map. One tip—because it's so popular and famous for being open on Christmas—make sure to get a reservation and avoid an extremely long wait time.

What to Know Before Dining Out on Christmas Day in Los Angeles

• Make your reservations as early as possible because tables fill up weeks in advance. If you don't have a reservation, expect very long wait times, which can be challenging with children.
• Holiday pricing is common, as well as limited menus. Some restaurants offer a kids' menu, but many do not.
• Pay attention to the hours; most restaurants have special hours on Christmas and Christmas Eve.

FAQ – Dining Out on Christmas Day with Kids in Los Angeles

Q: Do any Christmas Day restaurants offer kids’ menus?

A. Many restaurants offer kids' menus. However, many of the high-end restaurants with prix-fixe menus have limited options for pickier eaters on Christmas. 

Q: Are restaurants open for Christmas brunch or dinner?

A. Many high-end chain restaurants offer a Christmas brunch and a Christmas dinner. Smaller restaurants tend to focus on either brunch or Christmas dinner, while others, like Chinese restaurants, Middle Eastern fare, and Jewish delis, simply offer their standard menu.

Q: Do I need to make reservations for Christmas Day dining?

A. Absolutely. If a restaurant is known for being open on Christmas, you can count on it being very busy. Expect very long wait times if you don't have a reservation.

Q: What’s the average price for Christmas dinner at restaurants in Los Angeles?

A. The beautiful thing about living in a city as culturally and economically diverse as Los Angeles is that there are options for everyone! For high-end steakhouses and hotel restaurants, you may pay as much as $100 or more per adult for a prix-fixe meal. At other restaurants, like Chinese cuisine, you can expect to pay between $15-$30 a person. It really depends on what you're looking for.

Q: Are fast-casual or chain restaurants open on Christmas?

A. Fast-casual restaurants are typically closed on Christmas. As far as chain restaurants, it depends. Steakhouses like Ruth's Chris and STK have special Christmas menus and are usually open.

Happy Holidays—We hope you have yourself a merry little Christmas! 

Originally published December 11, 2013. Updated by Matt Matasci