CHIGuide

12 Great Restaurants Open On Christmas Day

If you need a place to eat on December 25th, consult this guide.
12 Great Restaurants Open On Christmas Day image

photo credit: Christina Slaton

If you’re looking for a restaurant that’s open on Christmas Day, then you’ve come to the right internet-place. These 12 spots are offering dine-in and takeout on December 25th. Some have holiday specials, most don’t, and each one has great food as part of their regular ol’ menu.

THE SPOTS

photo credit: John Ringor

Persian

Albany Park

$$$$Perfect For:Big GroupsCasual Weeknight DinnerLunchVegetariansVegans
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This Persian spot in Albany Park has a long dining room that's consistently packed with people sharing massive family platters (there’s a four-person minimum to order them), which are the best way to refuel after tearing through hundreds of layers of gift wrap. The largest plate comes with plenty of smoky chicken, lamb, beef, or salmon skewers, plus a mountain of dill and cranberry rice. And when additional grilled vegetables, hummus, baba ghannouj, and salad show up, it’s clear why Kabobi has this four-person requirement.


photo credit: Christina Slaton

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When a restaurant has a tasting menu option called “I Don’t Give A F*ck,” it’s probably a way more fun place to be than your aunt’s house in Naperville. Maple and Ash is a steakhouse in the Gold Coast, and it’s over-the-top in the best way, with chandeliers, candelabras, and huge velvet booths. During the holiday, they’re serving their regular a la carte menu, plus a $285 chateaubriand with truffles and seared foie gras. Which you should give a f*ck about.


If you wake up on Christmas Day with a burning desire for hot pot, head to Qiao Lin. This restaurant in the 88 Marketplace building is one of our favorite hot pot places in the city. For one, they have tables designed for two people so you don’t need a big group. And you can order pots with either one, two, or three-way broth dividers, which is really convenient. The menu also has suggested cooking times, which is not only helpful but can help avoid potential arguments about how long you should leave the fish balls in the spicy broth (five minutes, by the way). Just know that they’re walk-in only, and there’s often a wait unless you show up right when they open.


Located on the second floor of 88 Marketplace, this sushi restaurant inside the supermarket is a good pivot if the wait for Qiao Lin is the same length as It’s A Wonderful Life (two hours and nine minutes, to be exact). 312 Fish Market has excellent sashimi, nigiri, and maki, along with starters like seared tuna tataki with smoked jalapeño shoyu. There’s a decent amount of counter seating, so it’s perfect if you need a solo escape from your family. If you’re not trying to hide from your relatives, then grab a table with them and split one of the party platters.


If you’re staying in a downtown hotel for the holidays, Cherry Circle Room is a convenient, upscale dinner option in the Loop. And if you booked a room at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, the Cherry Circle Room is only one elevator ride away. Their Christmas special is a $140 prix fixe with dishes like steak paired with lobster motoyaki, a twice-baked truffled potato, and a bûche de noël. The space has plenty of wooden accents, leather seats, and framed banners with all sorts of mysterious symbols (we promise it’s not part of a cult), so it feels like eating in an exclusive clubhouse.


If you’re craving dim sum on December 25th, Minghin in Chinatown has you covered. The massive dining room has tons of tables and is open 365 days a year. It’s great for groups, and even on holidays, it’s easy to get a table. This is helpful to know in case all your friends are stranded in town, and you need a last-minute place to meet up on Christmas Day.


For a cozy meal inside a yurt, head to Jibek Jolu in Lincoln Square. OK, it’s not a literal yurt, but when you’re hanging out in the small tan dining room complete with lattice decorations and a fake smoke hole, it’s easy to believe the illusion. And while there might not be an actual fire pit here, the Kyrgyz food is a comforting substitute. From juicy pieces of kuurdak to saucy hand-pulled noodles in their boso lagman, everything is hearty and delicious. Plus, it’s BYOB, so your favorite bottle of wine or housemade spiked eggnog is welcome.


Mother's Ruin in Avondale is ideal for meeting up for drinks when you don't want to commit to a full dinner but still want the option to grab some food. This casual cocktail bar has tasty snacks like pimento cheese with fried saltines, a very good smashburger, and deep-fried red velvet Oreos. The food is way better than it needs to be, the cocktails are all around $13, and the space is busy without feeling chaotic. Plus, the kitchen is open until at least 2am 365 days a year, which yes, includes December 25th.


This is an upscale French restaurant inside the Pendry in the Loop. And they’re open for brunch on Christmas, serving things like blueberry French toast, duck and waffles, and a croque monsieur. They also offer bottomless mimosas, and have a variety of brunch cocktails.


This BYOB Chinese restaurant in Lincoln Park serves dim sum all day, every day. And while D Cuisine has a limited selection compared to other dim sum spots in the city, what they do have is delicious. You’ll find excellent pork buns, creamy steamed egg buns, shrimp dumplings, and sesame balls that are crispy on the outside and perfectly chewy inside. They might not have large circular tables that seat a whole family reunion like some other banquet hall dim sum spots, but it’s great for small groups.


Eleven City Diner is a deli in the South Loop that should be a poster child for retro diner chic. We’re talking 1950s music, neon signs, and counters with glass cake stands and huge jars of old-timey penny candy for sale. Come here for things like pastrami and corned beef sandwiches or all-day breakfast dishes like their black and white french toast made with challah.

Ghareeb Nawaz used to be known primarily as a late-night spot (they were open until 4am), perfect for grabbing food after a night out. Now, this Indian spot on Devon is only open till 2am—which, by the way, is still really late. Thankfully, this includes December 25th. Order the biryani, one of the thali meals, or a vegetable curry.

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