The best restaurants open on Christmas Eve and Day in NYC

What is it? Give your New York Christmas a taste of the north—the Arctic north, that is—at this double-Michelin-starred Scandinavian stunner. On Christmas Eve, enjoy an all-day Julbord of festive favorites, from cold seafood (peppered mackerel, whitefish rillettes) to cured meats (duck pastrami, smoked venison) to crowd-pleasers like Swedish meatballs and warm cups of glögg. You can reserve your spot here. 

Address: 65 E 55th St, 10022

Christmas hours: Dec 24 1–9pm

Expect to pay: $225 per person

What is it? After you work up an appetite strolling through the annual Union Square Holiday Market, head over to this Moxy hotel eatery that brings South of France vibes to the East Village. Open on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the French-Mediterranean spot will serve its à la carte menu as well as celebratory specials including confit duck, stone crabs, king prawns, black truffle-topped fettuccini, that signature potato chip omelette, and a classic Bûche de Noël.

Address: 112 E 11th St, 10003

Christmas hours: Dec 24 and 25, 5–10pm

Expect to pay: $100-$200 per person

What is it? Framed by burgundy curtains, this Art Deco hall from Michelin-starred chef Melissa Rodriguez and Tao Group Hospitality is a grand affair with arched ceilings and red velvet accents of all kinds—booths, chairs, you name it, which will make things easy if you’re holiday-dining with a large group—giving the room equal parts drama and a Christmas-friendly color palette. On the evening of December 24, Rodriguez will fire up à la carte options like fresh razor clams, braised pork agnolotti, a parmesan-crusted New York strip and coffee lava cake, plus plenty of flowing champagne. Snag a spot here.

Address: 85 Tenth Ave, 10011

Christmas hours: Dec 24 5–10pm

Expect to pay: $200-$300 per person

What is it? This intimate 12-seat kaiseki restaurant just steps from Union Square offers hyper-seasonal ingredients and deliciously precise techniques from revered kaiseki master Chikara Sono, not to mention stunning views of the Manhattan skyline from its sixth-floor perch in the Westerly Building. On Christmas Eve, you can enjoy a three-hour holiday kaiseki menu, featuring black truffle clat-pot rice with roasted leeks, steamed monkfish liver with mikan candy, and a shabu-shabu bobbing with king oyster mushrooms and tender Wagyu. Add even more jolly fun with beverage director Leo Le’s bespoke sake pairings. You can make a reservation here.

Address: 39 E 13th St, 6th floor, 10003

Christmas hours: Dec 25 6:30pm

Expect to pay: $350 per person, $575 with beverage pairings

What is it? Want festive without all the fuss? Brooklyn staple Kellogg’s Diner will be open on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, with a merrily decorated space and special à la carte offerings like porchetta with Italian salsa verde and roasted Brussels sprouts; red wine-braised short ribs with creamed spinach and potatoes au gratin; ricotta-stuffed shells with Sunday gravy; and a sweet-and-sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Book your table here.

Address: 518 Metropolitan Ave, 11211

Christmas hours: Dec 24 and 25, open 24 hours

Expect to pay: $50-$100 per person

What is it? From husband-and-wife team chef Alex Chang and sommelier Lina Goujjane comes this fireplace-warmed Hudson Square charmer, where East-meets-West fusion gets an elevated but effortless-feeling spin. For Christmas Eve dinner this year, the culinary power couple will offer à la carte specials highlighting winter ingredients alongside their regular menu: think Nantucket Bay scallops with brown butter, yuzu and daikon; a Fuyu persimmon with black sesame and goat’s milk gouda; and a Washugyu prime rib for two with kizami wasabi. You can book reservations through Resy.

Address: 307 Spring St, 10013

Christmas hours: Dec 24 4–9pm

Expect to pay: $100-$200 per person

What is it? Daniel Boulud restaurants always feel like a special occasion, and that’s certainly the case over the holidays. At the glamorous La Tete d’Or, located inside the One Madison Avenue tower, the world-renowned toque will celebrate Christmas Eve with not only his usual French-inflected steakhouse staples but also new holiday specials. On the menu, you’ll find items like grilled octopus with romesco sauce, roasted venison loin with juniper and a nostalgia-inducing buche de Noel via dessert trolley. Reservations are available on Resy.

Address: 318 Park Ave S, 10010

Christmas hours: Dec 24 5–11pm

Expect to pay: $200-$300 per person

What is it? The French brasserie located inside Brooklyn's Wythe Hotel will host holiday guests with a prix fixe menu featuring three decadent courses: Choose from appetizer options like a date-and-beet salad and roasted sunchokes with raclette; shareable entrees including roast beef with jus, baked Atlantic halibut and maple-glazed carrots; and house-made desserts including maple-butterscotch pears with honeycomb ice cream and a mont blanc with Biscoff and cranberry. You can book your holiday table here.

Address: 80 Wythe Ave, 111249

Christmas hours: Dec 24 5–10pm, Dec 25 5–11pm

Expect to pay: $163 per person, $55 per person for children 10 and under

What is it? If it’s a warm taste of the South you’re after this holiday season, this New American newcomer from Virginia-born chef Braxton Decker will give you just that. This Christmas Eve, Decker will serve the Feast of the Seven Fishes along with the kitchen’s regular menu—highlights include Creole-spiced barbecue tiger prawns; cioppino with saffron-tomato broth and sourdough; and a lobster pot pie brimming with brandy, cream and fennel. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

Address: 1022 Lexington Ave, 10021

Christmas hours: Dec 24, 25 Noon–11pm

Expect to pay: $100-$200 per person

What is it? This Nomad newcomer inside the Park Avenue hotel takes inspiration from Italian-American traditions, so it’s no surprise that the team will be hosting a Feast of Seven Fishes celebration on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The spirited spread will include garlic bread with bottarga and stracciatella; a crispy tumble of frito misto with calamari and mussels; a clam pizza layered with Taleggio and walnut pesto; lobster rigatoni enriched with ’nduja garlic cream; and scallops á la Plancha finished with grilled scallion gremolata, among others. Reservations can be made here.

Address: 444 Park Ave S, 10016

Christmas hours: Dec 24 and 25, 4–10pm

Expect to pay: $85 per person

What is it? Celebrate the holidays Harlem-style at this uptown comfort-food staple from Andrew Chapman and Marcus Samuelsson. On Christmas Eve,  guests can enjoy the restaurant’s à la carte menu alongside live music from 6:30–9:30 PM for a $10 admission. On Christmas Day, the restaurant will spread out a family-style feast of oven-fresh cornbread, deviled eggs, fried or roasted turkey, honey-roasted Brussels sprouts, garlicky mashed potatoes, collard greens and more.

Address: 310 Lenox Ave, 10027

Christmas hours: Dec 24 6:30–9:30pm; Dec 25 6–8:30pm

Expect to pay: $80 per person

What is it? Baby, it’s cold outside but John McDonald’s splashy seafood brasserie inside the W Union Square will give you a taste of coastal-cool for Christmas Eve. The December 24 menu will be anchored by pristine seafood and seasonal ingredients, with plates ranging from caviar-topped tuna tartare to handmade linguine with clams to aged tilefish with bone marrow. 

Address: 201 Park Ave S, 10003

Christmas hours: Dec 24 5–10pm

Expect to pay: $125 per person

What is it? This progressive omakase specializes in Japanese Wagyu Kappo, a multi-course, chef-led dining experience where premium beef is the star. This Christmas Eve and Day, the contemporary Midtown restaurant will offer a special nine-course holiday menu including primo plates such as medium fatty tuna with smoked Wagyu, and cauliflower panna cotta with uni, Zao Wagyu consommé jelly, and kinome leaf. Reservations are available on Resy.

Address: 37 W 37th St, 10018

Christmas hours: Dec 24 6pm, 7:30pm and 9pm seatings; Dec 25 5:30pm and 7:30pm seating

Expect to pay: $195 per person

What is it? For the fourth straight year, USC will host its Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes, inspired by executive chef Lena Ciardull’s family recipes. The four-course menu will include caviar service with tater tots, family-style antipasti (tuna crudo, scungili salad), a choice between two seafood pastas (ravioli alla vodka with spicy crab, spaghetti alla limione with butter-poached lobster), and merry mains such as beef tenderloin and pesca picatta. For dessert, tangerine sorbetto and an Italian-inspired holiday cookie platter will be offered. Snag a reservation here.

Address: 101 E 19th St, 10003

Christmas hours: Dec 24 5–10:30pm; Dec 25 5–11pm

Expect to pay: $195 per person