Holiday Dining

These Dallas restaurants are open and serving on Christmas Day 2019

SAVOR Chocolate Tasting Experience: Christmas Carol Confections

The holidays are a festive time.

Photo courtesy of Delysia Chocolatier

Christmas isn't really a food holiday like Thanksgiving. But you gotta eat, and if there's a chance you gotta eat out, then these restaurants are here to serve. Some offer special meals for the holidays; others offer regular menus. But all offer a bite to eat if you're not up to doing it at home. Note: Some restaurants maybe already be fully booked.

Here's our list of restaurants serving festive Christmas holiday dining:

Avanti
Sophisticated Uptown Dallas restaurant starts its Christmas Day late: Dinner seatings begin at 5 pm and extend to the last seating at 10 pm, wth live music by Miguel Antonio, 7-10 pm.

Buca di Beppo
Italian restaurant will do regular family-style menu from 11 am-10 pm. 214-361-8462.

Buzzbrews
All locations of this Mex-accented home-cooking local chain are open 24-7.

Boston Market
Nearly all Boston Market locations will be open Christmas Day (menu selections and hours may vary by location) to offer guests who wish to dine-in a traditional plated holiday meal featuring sliced roasted turkey breast, half signature rotisserie chicken or boneless ham, two sides, a dinner roll and a slice of apple or pumpkin pie for $13.99. Family meals, whole pies, hot side dishes or appetizers can also be picked up on Christmas Day, while supplies last. A complete list of Heat & Serve Meals, Home Delivery and A La Carte options can be found online.

Bowl & Barrel
Entertainment and eatery will have bowling with late night bites and $5 local beers in addition to a full bar. 3-9 p.m. 8084 Park Ln., #145. 214-363-2695.

CBD Provisions
Restaurant at Joule Dallas will serve a la carte brunch and dinner menus featuring special fare in celebration of the holiday alongside selections from its regular menus. On the brunch menu, diners will find an assortment of signature breakfast favorites that includes a Brioche French Toast special with candied pecans, orange and royal. Dinner specials include an Acorn Squash Hummus and Chateaubriand served with roasted winter vegetables, chimi, sherry and bearnaise that feeds three to four people alongside regular menu selections (Smoked Pork Chop, Charred Octopus, Pan-Roasted Gulf Catch and Cote de Boeuf). Breakfast 7-9:30 am, brunch 10 am-3 pm, dinner 4-8 pm. Open on Christmas Eve, closing early at 9 pm. 214-261-4500.

Elm Street Cask & Kitchen
Downtown Dallas’ bourbon bar & grill is offering a holiday menu worthy of the season. Served on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., the three-course dinner features a Spiced Root Vegetable Soup or a wintertime Spinach & Arugula Salad to start. The main course includes the option of Honey Glazed Baked Ham, Stuffed Pork Loin with Spinach & Mushrooms or Apple Cider-Brined Roast Turkey — all paired with Sweet Potato Mashed, Cranberry Sage Stuffing, and Sautéed Broccolini & Garlic. To finish, guests can then select either a Peppermint Bark Chocolate Lava Cake or Bourbon Caramel Bread Pudding. $32.

Fogo de Chão
In addition to the Full Churrasco Experience and Market Table offerings, all Fogo locations will be serving special limited time holiday indulgence offerings, including a Wagyu New York Strip, Cauliflower Steak and Chocolate Brigadero dessert. Open Christmas Eve 11 am-9:30 pm, and Christmas Day 11 am-9 pm. Uptown Dallas and North Dallas/Addison locations.

Furr's
Three Dallas-area locations of cafeteria chain will serve special buffet with roast beef, ham, popcorn shrimp, pork chops, sweet potatoes, broccoli and rice casserole, cheesecake, red velvet cake, and pies. 11 am-6 pm. $12.89, or $5.29 for 12 and under. 6765 Samuell Blvd. in Dallas; US-75 at Park Boulevard in Plano; and 1540 Eastgate Dr., Garland. 214-321-8070.

Gorji
Three-course dinner with choice of steak, turkey, pork chop, or salmon, with mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables. Salads include mixed greens with pomegranate vinaigrette and roasted pistachios, and a traditional Caesar. Vegetarian option is a three-cheese spinach lasagna. Desserts include kefir cheese butterfly or flourless chocolate cake. December 24-25, 5-9 pm. $59-$69. Pre-payment required and reservation required. 972-503-7080.

Grand Met
Grand Hyatt DFW restaurant has duck breast with mustard greens and butternut squash. $36. 972-973-1244.

Howard Wang's
Chinese restaurant will do regular menu 5-10 pm. Uptown: 214-954-9558. Preston Hollow: 214-366-1606.

Jeng Chi
Open regular hours, 10 am-10 pm. 972-669-9094.

Kirin Court
The Richardson Chinese restaurant offers dim sum service from 10 am-10 pm. 214-575-8888.

Kona Grill
In honor of the holiday, Kona Grill will be serving a special Surf & Turf for $39 that features an 8-ounce pan seared beef filet brushed with angry butter, accompanied by lobster butter and sea salt, and served with a Monte Carlo Roll — a lobster and butter filled crispy tempura roll with spicy motoyaki sauce. In addition, a special children’s dinner featuring a 4 ounce filet, mashed potatoes, asparagus, lobster butter, and the ever-present orange bear will be available for $12. Open Christmas Eve and Day from 11 am-10 pm.

Libertine Pub
Greenville Avenue bar-restaurant will be open regular hours starting at 6 pm. 214-824-7900.

Luby's
Holiday meal at cafeteria chain includes prime rib or chicken breast with bacon-wrapped shrimp, plus choice of two sides. At all nine DFW locations including 6221 E. Mockingbird Ln., 13455 Midway Rd., and 5600 S Hampton Rd. in Dallas. 214-826-4400.

Meddlesome Moth
Design District gastropub opens December 25 at 5 pm for a special Christmas Night Dinner featuring festive holiday specials and a la carte menu crafted by Chef Suki Otsuki. Holiday offerings include Oysters Rockefeller, Honey Almond Baked Brie, Texas Quail, Prosciutto wrapped Monkfish, Peppermint Cheesecake, and Milk and Cookies. The full a la carte menu will also be available. Reservations are recommended and walk-ups welcome. 214-628-7900.

Pyramid Restaurant
Restaurant at Fairmont Dallas hotel has two options: TXmas brunch buffet prepared by Chef James Phillips features a complimentary mimosa or a glass of champagne. Seating times are between 10:30 am-2 pm. $69, or $34.50 for children. TXmas dinner offers a PrixFixe holiday menu from 5-10 pm. $59, or $29 for children. 214-720-5249.

Perle on Maple
Bistro inside The Stoneleigh will be open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day serving full menus between 6:30-10 am, 11 am-2 pm for lunch, and 5-10 pm for dinner. 469-375-5846.

Roy's Restaurant
Three-course meal features Chateaubriand with wild mushroom port wine pan sauce, plus Roy's signature dishes. Open Christmas Eve from 5-10 pm, and Christmas Day from 11 am-9 pm. $62.95, or $82.95 with two glasses of paired wine. Children’s menu is $13. 972-473-6263.

Ruth's Chris Steak House
Regular menu of steak and seafood from 12-8 pm. 214-922-7062.

The Rustic
Annual Drink the Tree event features tamales, live music, and beer from the beer tree. 4-9 pm. 214-730-0596.

holidays lists

Today's Seafood News

Dallas seafood king Shell Shack to expand with new location

Shell Shack

Seafood boil with potatoes and corn from Shell Shack

A pioneering DFW chain is heading into 2026 with an expansion: Shell Shack, the Dallas-born seafood favorite known for its spicy seafood boils, is opening a new location in Arlington on the south side at 4000 Five Points Blvd. #101.

The location is a former Sleep Experts store, initially slated to become a Paris Baguette (which has since opened a location in Mansfield).

According to a release, Shell Shack will open on April 27, with an opening special on crawfish at $7 per pound from April 27-May 3. (It's usually $10 per pound.)

Shell Shack was founded by entrepreneur Dallas Hale in Uptown Dallas in 2013, with their first location at 2916 McKinney Ave. They left that address in 2018 to relocate to 2326 Henderson Ave. Hale sold the company in 2021 and sadly passed away in his sleep in 2025.

The chain has since expanded with locations in Plano, Fort Worth, Mesquite, and Arlington's Lincoln Square, which opened in 2016. They also opened a location in Lake Highlands in 2022 which has since closed. This new location will be their sixth.

They were among the first in town to champion the Louisiana-style seafood boil — a restaurant category that has become widespread across Dallas in the past decade.

In Shell Shack's version, diners choose from seafood options like crab, shrimp, lobster tail, or live crawfish, then a flavor option such as Cajun, garlic, lemon pepper, or Kitchen Sink (a combination of all their flavors in one), plus choice of heat from mild to extra spicy.

Each boil is served hot in a bag with corn, potatoes, and sausage, then poured directly onto the table for a hands-on, communal dining experience.

“The boil is really what defines us — it’s not just a meal, it’s an experience,” says Director of Operations Mike Colatarci in a statement. “It’s fun, it’s flavorful, and it brings people together in a way that’s memorable.”

Other seafood options include oysters, catfish, and shrimp in a variety of preparations; po’boy sandwiches; gumbo, crab-stuffed tater tots; and crazy crab fries. They also offer non-seafood dishes such as wings, burgers, and fries.

A full-service bar features specialty cocktails with tropical rum, plus low-price $4 domestic beers, $6 imports, and $5 shot specials all day. Happy Hour starts bright and early at 11 am-2 pm, and again from 10 pm to close.

The new Arlington location is opening in one of the region’s fastest-growing communities, with proximity to Fort Worth and bustling Mansfield.

“We’ve been watching this area for years, and with the growth and energy happening here, the timing is finally right,” Colatarci says.

The restaurant spans 3,727 square feet and has seating for 161, including a 22-seat patio. The space features trademark design elements like lobster trap light fixtures, a nautical-inspired host stand, and an open-concept kitchen, as well as a lively, colorful atmosphere, designed to be both casual and high-energy.

“This brand started in Dallas and has grown because of the incredible support from our guests,” Colatarci says. “Arlington felt like the natural next step—this location allows us to better connect with guests from Arlington, Fort Worth, and Mansfield while continuing to build on what makes Shell Shack special.”

openings arlington seafood