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Christmas dining update
The Christmas dining options keep rolling in. Here’s an updated list. If your restaurant is open Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day, post a comment below and let Forklore readers know about it. See the latest list of comments here.
OPEN CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY
Chon Som Thai & Sushi Bar
2013 Wells Branch Parkway, Suite 109. 989-5559, www.chonsom.com.
Open 4 to 9 p.m. Christmas Eve, noon to 9 p.m. Christmas Day.
Asian food and a movie part of your Christmas Day tradition? You’re in luck.
El Chilito Tacos y Cafe
2209 Manor Road. 382-3797, www.elchilito.com.
Open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
A casual stop on Manor Road’s restaurant row for soft tacos filled with cochinita pibil, puffy tacos with picadillo and coffees to warm the spirit.
European Bistro in Pflugerville
From their press release: “Our Regular menu along with some special favorites will be available Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Christmas Eve 5p.m. to 9p.m.
Christmas Day 11 a.m. to 9p.m. 512-835-1919.”
Manny Hattan’s
From their press release: “Join Manny Hattan’s NY Delicatessen & Restaurant for breakfast, lunch or dinner on Dec. 25… We’re serving our entire eight-page menu, starting with H&H bagels, Belgian waffles, pancakes, custom omelets & corned beef hash and much more for freakfast starting at 8 a.m… Manny Hattan’s is located at the corner of 360 & 183 in the Gateway Shopping Center (next to Crate & Barrel).”
They’re also open Christmas Eve from 8 a.m. to 2:30 or 3 p.m.
SWB
208 Barton Springs Road (at the Hyatt Regency Austin). 480-2035, www.austin.hyatt.austin.
Open 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Christmas Eve, 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a Christmas Day buffet.
The Christmas Day Buffet at the new Southwestern bistro at the Hyatt will include a dozen antipasto, cheese and salad choices, a seafood station with crab claws and sushi, a carving station with prime rib, pork loin and ham, plus desserts, a glass of champagne and more. $52 for adults, $27 for children 5 to 12. Reservations required.
Threadgill’s
6416 N. Lamar Blvd. 451-5440
301 W. Riverside Drive. 472-9304, www.threadgills.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Home cooking (chicken-fried steak, pecan-crusted chicken, fried catfish, meatloaf), with dozens of vegetable options, including jalapeno cheese grits and San Antonio squash.
Trio at the Four Seasons Hotel
98 San Jacinto Blvd. in the Four Seasons Hotel. 685-8300, www.fourseasons.com.
Call for hours and reservations.
An upscale steakhouse with a dizzying array of chops and seafood dishes, many starting in the low $30s and going into the high $40s. One lower-cost avenue is the $27 braised short ribs, which are out of this world.
Wyndham Garden Hotel Austin
3401 S. Interstate 35, www.wyndhamautin.com.
From their press release: “Christmas Day Brunch served in ReVive! Restaurant 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. $29.50 adult/ $12.50 children 12 and under. Reservations 744-4841.”
OPEN CHRISTMAS EVE, CLOSED CHRISTMAS DAY
Blue Star Cafeteria
4800 Burnet Road, C-300. 454-7827, www.bluestarcafeteria.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
Comfort food with a fine-dining pedigree: shrimp cocktail, filling desserts and a decadent pork chop with macaroni and cheese.
Chez Zee American Bistro
5406 Balcones Drive. 454-2666, www.chezzee.com.
Open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Christmas Eve for brunch.
Chez Zee does so many things well, and brunch is at the top of the list.
Ciola’s
1310 RM 620 S., Lakeway. 263-9936, www.ciolas.com.
This reliable Italian restaurant in Lakeway is hosting dinner on Christmas Eve called “The Feast of the Seven Fishes,” with a four-course seafood menu to celebrate the Italian tradition. The cost is $50 per person (a limited version of the regular menu, plus the kids’ menu, will be available as well). Seating begins at 4 p.m., with the last seating at 8 p.m.
Cool River Cafe
4001 W. Parmer Lane. 835-0000, www.coolrivercafe.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Christmas Eve. Closed Christmas Day.
An enormous space with an equal appetite for a boisterous bar scene and a refined menu with steaks and seafood.
Cru A Wine Bar
From their press release: “Cru will be open on Christmas Eve and will offer a three-course dinner priced at $32 per person in addition to our normal dinner menu. Reservations can be made for our location downtown on Second Street by calling 472.9463 or for our location at the Domain by calling 339.9463.”
Eddie V’s Edgewater Grille
301 E. Fifth St. 472-1806, www.eddiev.com.
Open 4:30 to 10 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
One of Austin’s strongest seafood restaurants, with a bar scene to match.
El Chile Cafe y Cantina
1809 Manor Road. 457-9900, www.elchilecafe.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
A nuevo-hip clientele packs the place for shrimp and beef fajitas, the chile relleno stuffed with pork and the shrimp in a chipotle barbecue sauce.
Hayashi Modern Japanese Cuisine
1335 E. Whitestone Blvd. 986-7176, www.hayashigrill.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
Cedar Park is becoming a growth corridor for restaurants modest and fancy. This falls into the latter category.
Kenobi Restaurant and Sushi Bar
10000 Research Blvd, Suite 138-A (at the Arboretum). 241-0119, www.kenobiaustin.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
Upscale Asian favorites and sushi in a welcoming embrace of earth tones in the Arboretum.
Lamberts Downtown Barbecue
401 W. Second St. 494-1500, www.lambertsaustin.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5:30 to 11 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
Upscale barbecue in the Second Street District, with desserts that include chocolate friend pie with sour cherry bourbon sauce.
Mighty Fine Burgers
10515 N. MoPac Blvd. (Loop 1), No. 205. 524-2400, www.mightyfineburgers.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
Having been through a few burger-stand Christmas Eve rushes myself, all I can say to the mighty fine Mighty Fine burgermeisters is good luck trying to close at 3 p.m.
North
11506 Century Oaks Terrace, Suite 124 (at the Domain). 339-4400, www.foxrestaurantconcepts.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
The Domain’s Italian presence scores with grilled artichokes, a pizza with gig and proscioutto and short ribs “osso bucco” style.
Roaring Fork
701 Congress Ave. 583-0000, www.eddiev.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
Steaks and drinks beside a fireplace in an upscale rendition of Texas ranch-house chic.
Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Q
2451 S. Capital of Texas Highway (Loop 360). 329-5554, www.rudys.com.
Open 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
There’s plenty of country kitsch to go along with the regular sausage, which has a little zing, and the smoked pork loin with its distinct peppery coating.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
107 W. Sixth St., 477-7884, www.ruthschris-austin.com.
From their press release: “The lounge will open at 4 p.m. with $5 martinis and half-price appetizers. The dinning room opens from 5:15 to 9 p.m. Reservations are recommended.” Closed Christmas Day.
Sagra
1610 San Antonio St. 535-5988, www.sagrarestaurant.com.
From their press release: “Sagra, a casual, yet elegant Italian enoteca and trattoria, will be open 11:30 am to 10:00 pm on Christmas Eve. Executive Chef/Owner Gabriel Pellegrini’s menu boasts new renditions of Old World classics that feature wood-fired pizzas, homemade mozzarella, house-cured meats and homemade pastas.”
Santa Rita Tex-Mex Cantina
1206 W. 38th St. 419-7482, www.santaritacantina.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
In addition to its central location in the 26 Doors shopping center, folk-art ambience and patio seating, Santa Rita offers top-notch Mexican food.
34th Street Cafe
1005 W. 34th St., 371-3400, www.34thstreetcafe.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
Executive chef Justin Raiford’s creative and beautifully prepared menu includes duck confit pizza and an exquisite plate with beef tenderloin, a short rib and a deconstructed cauliflower au gratin.
III Forks
111 Lavaca St. 474-1776, www.iiiforks.com.
Open 5 to 10 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
The beauty of the prime steaks here is that they arrive on a fully loaded plate. Freedom from a la carte can be a gift in itself.
Wink
1014 North Lamar Blvd., Suite E. 482-8868, www.winkrestaurant.com.
When I spoke to them last week, Wink still had seats available for Christmas Eve. The last seating will be at 8:30 p.m. They change their menu all the time, but you can count on top-quality seafood and American-bistro dishes anytime.
Comments
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By Mike Sutter
December 18, 2008 1:22 PM | Link to this
Press release from the Wyndham Garden Hotel Austin, 3401 S. Interstate 35: “• Christmas Day Brunch 12/25/08 Served in ReVive! Restaurant 11:30 am – 2:30 pm Prime Rib, Ham, Cornish Game Hen, Pasta Primavera Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Fresh Vegetables, Salads, Breakfast Favorites including Omelets cooked to order and Dessert Station $29.50 Adult/ $12.50 Children 12 & under Reservations Call 512-744-4841”
By Charles
December 22, 2008 7:39 AM | Link to this
Green Pastures
Christmas Eve Brunch 11-2 $40
Christmas Day 11-2 $60
By H
December 24, 2008 7:52 PM | Link to this
Today, Christmas Eve, I went by two restaurants listed in your “open Christmas Eve” section: Blue Star at 5:30 and El Chile at 5:45. Both were all kinds of closed. We went to Hoover’s, thanks!
By ben
December 25, 2008 10:29 AM | Link to this
the jackalope on 6th is also open today/tonite.they’ve got great big burgers,fantastic pizza…and beer.
By diogenes
December 25, 2008 4:26 PM | Link to this
What about Katz’? I thought they never closed. Yeah, I just checked their website and they have a special xmas day menu. Is this list supposed to be complete?