Enjoy a festive Christmas dinner at Brasserie Liberte. Photo courtesy of the restaurant

Restaurants Open on Christmas in DC

1. Farmers Fishers Bakers

This Georgetown restaurant is offering a lavish Christmas Day brunch buffet from 9am-2pm and dinner buffet from 2-8pm. The brunch buffet includes all of its regular items—think fried chicken, French toast, and seafood jambalaya—as well as some special holiday additions The dinner buffet serves up pastas, prime rib, seafood, and tons more. Both buffets cost $55 per person and $22 for kids ages 7-12. Kids 6 and under eat free! Farmers Fishers Bakers is also open on Christmas Eve with its regular breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus.

Take it Home: There are two options for enjoying Farmers Fishers Bakers at home on Christmas Day. You can order items a la carte from the Heat & Eat Christmas at Home menu to pick up on Christmas Eve and heat up the next day, or you can order three-course prix fixe meals for $45 per person to pick up on Christmas Day from the Christmas Day To Go menu.

2. Blue Duck Tavern

This Michelin-recognized restaurant in Georgetown's Park Hyatt is an upscale option for Christmas dinner. It offers an a la carte, pre-paid meal for $165 per person and $55 for children under 12 years old. Each person gets their choice of appetizer and main course with sides to share, capped off by an elegant dessert presentation. Blue Duck Tavern is also open on Christmas Eve.

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There are several ways to enjoy Christmas dinner at Founding Farmers & Distillers. Photo courtesy of the restaurant

3. Founding Farmers & Distillers

Like its sibling restaurant Farmers Fishers Bakers, this downtown eatery is serving huge Christmas Day brunch and dinner buffets for $55 person and $22 per child ages 7-12, while kids 6 and under eat free. The buffets feature many of the same menu items as Farmers Fishers Bakers. The restaurant is also open on Christmas Eve with its regular menus.

Take it Home: Like Farmers Fishers Bakers, Founding Farmers & Distillers offers a Heat & Eat Christmas at Home menu that includes a la carte options for four to be picked up on Christmas Eve, as well as a Christmas Day To Go menu featuring three-course prix fixe meals for $45 per person to pick up on Christmas Day.

4. Teddy & The Bully Bar

This Dupont Circle restaurant is offering a Christmas feast for $75 per person and $35 for kids 12 and under. Start by choosing one of five appetizers. Then, enjoy an endless carving station that includes turkey, glazed ham, lamb chops, and salmon, as well as all-you-can-eat sides including mac and cheese, whipped potatoes, veggies, and more. End the meal with your choice of four desserts. 

5. Yardbird Table & Bar 

This downtown restaurant's Christmas 2023 dinner menu includes special items like Main lobster bisque, prime rib, whole roasted branzino, lobster agnolotti, and red velvet cake. Yardbird is also open on Christmas Day for brunch, as well as on Christmas Eve.

Restaurants Open on Christmas in Maryland

6. Fogo de Chão — Bethesda & National Harbor

With locations in DC and Northern Virginia in addition to those in Maryland, Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão is open on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It serves its regular dinner menu on both days, along with some seasonal items. For $64 per person, the Churrasco Experience includes all-you-can eat portions of over a dozen types of meat, plus various sides. Kids 7-12 are half-price, while those 6 and under eat free. If you're not quite that hungry, simply order from the a la carte menu.

7. Sushiko — Chevy Chase

How about a Christmas sushi dinner? Sushiko is open on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with its regular menu of sushi, sashimi, and other Japanese favorites such as udon, donburi, chicken teriyaki, katsu pork ribs, and more. The whole family will surely find something to enjoy.

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Kona Grill is serving both its regular menu and a special holiday menu on Christmas. Photo courtesy of Kona Grill

8. Kona Grill — Baltimore

This contemporary American chain in Baltimore's Inner Harbor is offering its regular menu of steaks, seafood, sushi, and more on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. There's also a special Holiday Cheers menu if you're feeling extra festive, which includes prime rib surf and turf, seafood fettuccine alfredo, pumpkin pie, and holiday-themed cocktails.

9. Succotash — National Harbor

Enjoy a southern-style Christmas dinner at Succotash's National Harbor or DC location. You can order meat, seafood, and more a la carte, but a holiday Christmas calls for the Taste the South feast for the entire table. It includes fried chicken and waffles, BBQ pork ribs, catfish, skillet cornbread, mac and cheese, collards, and more, all served family-style for $43 per person age 13 and up and $21 per child age 12 and under. Succotash is also open Christmas Eve for both brunch and dinner.

Restaurants Open on Christmas in Northern Virginia

10. Founding Farmers — Tysons and Reston

Both the Tysons and Reston locations of Founding Farmers (plus the DC and Potomac, Maryland locations) are serving up massive Christmas Day brunch and dinner buffets for $55 person and $22 per child ages 7-12, while kids 6 and under eat free. The buffets include all of the usual favorites plus some special holiday items. You can also visit on Christmas Eve to enjoy the restaurant's regular a la carte breakfast, lunch, or dinner menus.

Take it Home: Order from the Heat & Eat Christmas at Home menu (the same one offered at Farmers Fishers Bakers, Farmers & Distillers, and the DC and MoCo Founding Farmers locations) to pick up food on Christmas Eve to heat and serve on Christmas Day. If you'd rather skip the heating, the Christmas To Go menu offers three-course prix fixe meals for $45 per person to be picked up on Christmas Day and enjoyed right away.

11. Lena's Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap — Alexandria

This Italian restaurant near Old Town and Del Ray is open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with both its regular menu and some special Christmas items, including prime rib, pork loin, and baked alfredo mac and cheese. Families can make a reservation to dine in the themed Loft at Lena's, which has transformed into an elegant Cuban supper club. The hours are 11am-10pm on Christmas Eve and 12-6pm on Christmas Day.

12. Morton's the Steakhouse — Arlington and Reston

All Morton's locations—including its DC, Bethesda, and Baltimore restaurants—are open on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. You can order off the regular menu or enjoy a Chateaubriand Holiday Dinner for Two for $179 (available December 24-31, 2023). The special meal includes a winter green salad, chateaubriand with a choice of two sides, and a dessert. Add twin lobster tails for $39 or mini crab cakes for $19.

13. Mia's Italian Kitchen — Alexandria

You'll feel right at home having Christmas dinner at this rustic Italian spot on King Street. Order off the regular menu or enjoy a three-course prix fixe meal for $49 per person, which includes an appetizer; a choice of lobster ravioli, braised lamb shank, or veal parmigiana for the entree; and a dessert. Mia's is also open on Christmas Eve.

14. Theismann's — Alexandria

This Old Town staple is serving up a spectacular Christmas Day buffet for $59 per person. It includes a carving station with prime rib, spiral ham, and roasted turkey; a hot table with salmon, several types of chicken (including chicken fingers for the kids), and various sides; a cold table with salads and fruit; and a bread/dessert table filled with all kinds of treats. You can also visit on Christmas Eve to enjoy the regular brunch or dinner menu.

All photos courtesy of the restaurants. Additional reporting by Jennifer Marino Walters