Holiday Dining

These Dallas restaurants are open for dining on Christmas Day 2024

STK Steakhouse

STK

Dallas restaurants are almost always ready to serve — with one exception: Christmas Day. Most restaurants close, whether it's because of fewer customers or just to give their employees the day off.

But there are still the brave, the few, who persevere with hospitality and lavish spreads — and those generally get rewarded with mobs of diners grateful for a place to grab a bite.

That is what this list is about: Dallas restaurants that are open on Christmas day. (This list does not include Christmas Eve or Christmas to-go.)

Here's what's open in Dallas on Christmas Day:

Bacchus Kitchen and Bar. Grapevine restaurant is offering a four-course Christmas Day feast featuring frisèe & arugula salad, leek & potato cream soup, Prime rib roast, truffle mash, Brussels sprouts, and chocolate marquis paired with layers of chocolate ganache. $95. 5-9:30 pm. 817-251-3040.

Bar Louie. Four-course dinner for two features one bar bite to share, choice of soup or salad, entrée, and one dessert to share. Options include citrus grilled salmon, parmesan crusted chicken, and cinnamon donut holes. $75-$85 at select locations. 3-10 pm. Park Lane 469-638-8050, Las Colinas 469-472-1050.

Brio Italian. Allen location of this Italian chain will be open lunch and dinner on Christmas Day with an array of classic comfort dishes, signature Italian cuisine, from savory starters to salads, main courses, to delectable desserts. 11 am-9 pm. 214-884-3920.

Carbone Dallas. Italian restaurant will have a menu of appetizers, pastas, veal, chicken, pork chop, and seafood. Prices are a la carte. 4-10 pm. 469-290-6009.

Catch Dallas. Uptown seafood and steakhouse offering special holiday menu featuring $36 toro crudo, $85 prime bone-in short rib, and $23 holiday "Hit Me" cake with candy cane Klondike, white chocolate ice cream, brownie, and chocolate stout cake. 5-10 pm. 214-983-1440.

The Crescent Club. Hotel Crescent Court restaurant will host Christmas brunch featuring holiday specials and desserts. $150, or $60 for 11 and under. 10:30 am - 3 pm. 214-871-3200.

Cut & Bourbon. Live! by Loews Arlington restaurant is hosting Christmas brunch and dinner with specials like Beef Wellington, and a traditional dinner menu of king crab legs, New York strip, and salmon. Prices are a la carte. Brunch is 9 am-2 pm, dinner 5 pm-10 pm. 682-277-4950.

Del Frisco's Double Eagle. Christmas feast features 38-ounce bone-in New York strip King cut and side of sweet potato casserole for an additional $19. $195. Dinner 2-8 pm. Dallas 972-490-9000, Plano 972-312-9115.

Salmon at Bar LouieCourtesy photo

Del Frisco's Grille. Holiday feature filet mignon and lobster tail, apple cranberry cobbler, and red velvet cheesecake. 12-8 pm. Plano 469-661-8012.

Dolce Riviera. Brunch buffet includes omelet bar, bruschetta bar, carving station, and dessert station. $95, or $35 for 12 and under. All reservations require a $50 deposit. 10 am-4 pm. Harwood District 469-458-6623.

Dragonfly. Hotel ZaZa restaurant is hosting a Christmas dinner with an a la carte menu featuring a roasted half-lamb rack, pan-seared Chilean sea bass, Texas bread pudding, and Santa’s cookies. Starts at $64. 8 am - 10 pm, final seating at 8:45pm. 214-550-9500.

Ebb & Flow. Open with the regular menu featuring toasted ravioli, Cubano egg rolls, salmon piccata, and a brown sugar soy-glazed porterhouse pork chop with mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach. 3 pm-2 am. Available at both Dallas 972-913-2322 and Plano 972-483-2266.

Ellie's Dallas. Three-course prix fixe menu for dinner features winter greens salad, gnocchi, slow-cooked beef picanha, sea bass, and buche de noel sponge cake, plus a la carte selections and festive cocktails. $95. 972-629-0924.

Farena. Loews Arlington Hotel restaurant is offering an Italian Continental breakfast buffet featuring baked pastries, seasonal fruits, and traditional breakfast dishes. The traditional dinner menu includes a classic Margherita pizza, veal milanese, prime 10-ounce filet mignon, and Executive Chef Tony France's Christmas special, herb crusted osso buco. $35 breakfast buffet; a la carte dinner pricing. Breakfast buffet 7 am - 12 pm, dinner 5-10 pm. 682-318-2810.

Fearing's. Christmas brunch features seafood raw bar, kale & spinach sesame salad, fruit & berries, bagels & spreads, smoked salmon, and meat carving stations. $185. 214-922-4848. 11 am-2:30 pm.

Hall Park Hotel. Newly opened Frisco hotel wll offer a grand buffet in the seventh-floor ballroom with a hot cocoa bar, carving station, desserts, juice and coffee, and dedicated kids' buffet station. $99, or $27 for 12 and under. Buy tickets here. 11 am–3 pm. 469-922-2442.

Harwood Arms. Pub will be open on Christmas Day and feature a traditional roast. $30-$50. 11 am-2 pm. Harwood District 214-273-5151.

Knife Italian. Ritz Carlton-Las Colinas restaurant is offering a pre-fixe menu featuring cream of wild mushroom soup, winter salad, Dr Pepper glazed ham, and 60-day dry age 14-ounce ribeye of beef. $159. Lunch 12-10 pm. 972-717-2420.

Kona Grill. Special menu includes roasted turkey, baked glazed ham, prime rib, and pumpkin pie. Holiday cocktails will also be available for $16 each. 11:30 am-11 pm. Dallas 214-369-7600, Plano 214-945-2500.

The Mansion on Turtle Creek. Rosewood Mansion restaurant features three-course prix-fixe dinner with roasted chestnut velouté, heirloom beet salad, pan seared crab cake, King salmon, or Japanese A5 Wagyu. For the third course, dessert options include choice of eggnog tiramisu, tangerine giftbox, or chocolate peppermint torte. $155, or $65 for 12 and under; ages three and under eat free. 11 am - 7 pm. 214-559-2100.

Monarch. Holiday specials include pork belly porchetta with creamy fennel salad, chestnut agnolotti with parmesan, brandied chestnuts, and Meyer lemon, and The Grinch, a chocolate cake with strawberry filling and chocolate ganache. Plus a custom Monarch crystal ornament as a festive keepsake. Prices are a la carte from $28-$45. 4-9 pm. 214-945-2222.

Montage. JW Marriott Dallas Arts District hotel restaurant is hosting holiday brunch including a seafood tower, charcuterie board, omelet station, chilaquiles station, and carving stations featuring bone-in prime rib and roasted pork loin. $75. 10:30 am-2 pm. 214-736-7760.

MiYa Chinese. East Dallas restaurant will be open and serving handmade dumplings, noodles, dim sum, crispy duck, and orange chicken. Prices are a la carte. 1-8 pm. 214-484-1175.

NDA Brasserie. Harwood District spot will serve a three-course brunch with a champagne activation and custom mimosa bar. $75, or $40 for 12 and under. All reservations require a $50 deposit. 10 am-3 pm. 945-910-4671.

Nobu Dallas. Sushi restaurant will feature brunch with salad, sashimi, sushi, and sweets, along with chef’s selection of hot classic and brunch dishes made to order. Menu highlights include yellowtail jalapeno, salmon teriyaki, and snow crab eggs Benedict. $75, or $40 for under 12. 11:30 am-2:30 pm. 214-252-7000.

Open Palette. Sheraton Hotel restaurant is offering a prix-fixe Christmas menu featuring choice of either holiday salad or lobster bisque, the pork chop, served with roasted butternut squash, sauteed green beans, and tangy pomegranate sauce. Dessert includes Open Palette’s Black Forest yule log. $65. 4-10 pm. 214-777-6574.

Pyramid. Fairmont Hotel restaurant is hosting Christmas brunch featuring made-to-order omelets, Viennoiseries, avocado toast, lobster roll, smash burger, braised short rib, and smoked prime rib. Prices a la carte. 10 am-3 pm. 214-720-2020.

Ryder Grille. Frisco restaurant has holiday specials including Prime Rib with rosemary fingerling potatoes, pork belly, creamed spinach served in cast iron, glazed carrots, creamy horseradish and au jus for $48; and lamb chops with polenta, glazed carrots, roasted cippolini, and lamb jus for $44. Texas Pecan Pie with Bourbon whipped cream will be available for dessert. 7 am-9 pm. 469-888-5850.

Sadelle’s. Full regular menu will be available for Christmas, including eggs, caviar, sandwiches, and charcuterie boards. Prices are a la carte. 9 am - 6 pm. Highland Park 469-290-6009.

Sanjh Restaurant & Bar. Elevated Indian restaurant has a Christmas buffet featuring Mulligatawny soup, paneer shashlik tikka, chicken haryali tikka, and ajwaini fish tikka. Plus live stations with made-to-order dosas served with sambar and chutney, omelet station, and a roasted counter with turkey and assorted breads. Desserts include plum cake, stollen, and a chocolate and candy station. $65, or $32.50 for 12 and under. 11 am-3 pm. 972-239-1800.

Scout. The Statler restaurant will have a special BBQ sampler plate featuring a smoked brisket with cranberry-barbecue glaze, mac and cheese, green beans with caramelized onions, and cornbread. Dessert includes a slice of Turtle Cheesecake drizzled with bourbon caramel sauce. For an extra $3, add a small side of festive coleslaw featuring dried cranberries and walnuts. $38. 4-10 pm. 469-320-8993.

SER Steak + Spirits. Holiday specials include $18 roasted chestnut mushroom soup, market price Texas Wagyu Chateaubriand, and an "Underneath the Tree" dessert with ginger sable, peppermint mocha gateau, rompope, and praline bonbon. 5-10 pm. 214-761-7479.

Starship Bagel. Artisanal Dallas bagel chain will be open for Christmas at all three locations — Lewisville, North Dallas, and downtown Dallas — with bagels, coffee, and their basil schmear, which recently won Best Schmear at the annual BagelFest in New York. They're currently doing a limited-time Caprese bagel which has a festive Christmas-y flair, featuring the basil schmear with sliced tomato, mozzarella, and balsamic glaze. 7 am-1 pm.

Stillwell’s. Hotel Swexan’s steakhouse will offer a Christmas dinner including a la carte dishes and classic Beef Wellington. $95. 469-405-1911.

STK Steakhouse. Uptown steakhouse is open for Christmas Day with Wagyu, prime rib, holiday cocktails and the Holiday Features menu, with premium Wagyu cuts and caviar. Prices are a la carte. 11 am-10 pm. 972-842-9450.

Sushi Marquee. Frisco sushi restaurant will be open Christmas Day serving regular menu, including sushi, rolls, and ramen. 3 pm-2 am. 972-833-1608.

TK's Addison. Comedy club will do a three-course dinner with choics from lobster bisque or Caesar salad, filet mignon with crusted potato croquet and bernaise sauce, butternut squash ravioli with brown butter sage sauce, or Bay of Funday salmon with garlic whipped mashed potatoes & roasted red-pepper sauce. Third course features creme brulee or bananas Foster bread pudding with boozy caramel sauce. $75. 5-9 pm. 945-800-7668.

lists holidays

Farm to fairground

The ultimate guide to Texas food festivals for summer and fall 2026

Photo courtesy of Caldwell Kolache Festival

Caldwell Kolache Festival takes place September 12 near College Station.

Only in Texas can an entire weekend revolve around watermelon seed-spitting, pickle juice drinking, or a championship goat cookoff. Across the state, summer and fall bring a packed calendar of food festivals celebrating everything from peaches and peanuts to black-eyed peas and barbacoa. These beloved events pair hometown traditions with live entertainment, quirky contests, and enough local flavor to fill a cooler.

Here's a calendar guide to Texas' best food festivals to visit in 2026:

Photo courtesy of Caldwell Kolache Festival

Caldwell Kolache Festival takes place September 12 near College Station.

Tomato Festival in Jacksonville – June 13
Can you peel a tomato with your teeth? Pack tomatoes at lightning speed? Gobble them down faster than anyone you know? There’s a competition for you at this East Texas shindig, which is famous for setting the Guinness World Record for the biggest bowl of salsa. Hit up the street dance and the classic car show while you indulge in all the fried green tomatoes and savory tomato tarts you can eat.

Texas Blueberry Festival in Nacogdoches – June 13
Blueberry pie, blueberry cupcakes, and thousands of blueberry pancakes take over this East Texas town with a sea of blue. People pile onto the sidewalk to cheer at the costumed pet parade and gleefully get messy at the no-hands blueberry pie eating contests. The music is bluegrass, naturally, and free shuttles carry people to nearby pick-your-own blueberry farms.

Luling Watermelon Thump – June 25-28
Can you hear that thumping sound now? Home of the World Championship Seed-Spitting Contest, this juicy jamboree takes place just east of New Braunfels. Bid on champion-sized melons at the auction, wave hello to the Watermelon Queen, and see adorable tots wheeling in watermelons in wagons for the Lil Growers competition. Texans love our watermelon: You’ll also find the McDade Watermelon Festival (July 11), Hempstead Watermelon Festival (July 17-18), and the Naples Watermelon Festival (July 23-25).

Wave hello to the Watermelon Queen in the big Luling Watermelon Thump.Photo courtesy of Luling Watermelon Thump

Parker County Peach Festival in Weatherford – July 11
Stroll around Weatherford’s historic courthouse square and shop for fresh peaches galore from local growers. Browse 200+ arts and crafts vendors and sample treats like fried peach pies, peach ice cream, and peach wine. Slam down your winning tiles at the 42 domino tournament (the national game of Texas) and shop for just-picked peaches. Many people leave with several bushels! Peachapaloozas also erupt at Stonewall’s Peach JAMboree & Rodeo (June 19-21) near Fredericksburg and Fairfield’s Fuzzy Peach Festival (July 17-18).

Cheeseburger Festival in Friona – July 18
Just 35 miles from the New Mexico border, Friona is surrounded by cattle ranches, wheat fields, and dairy farms — which provide three of the essential ingredients for cheeseburgers. Saturday, July 18 is the big cookoff, where teams must make 200 cheeseburgers each, and the week leading up to it includes daily diversions like kite flying, archery lessons, Loteria games, and movie nights at the city pool.

World Championship Goat Cookoff in Brady – September 4-5
Labor Day weekend brings more than 200 teams of goat chefs to this tiny town that’s smack in the middle of the state. But it’s not just about shining a light on an underappreciated meat; showmanship is also key. Cooking teams try to outdo each other with elaborate themed camps, giving the event a family-reunion-meets-tailgate-party atmosphere.

Texas Banana Pudding Festival in Slaton – September 5
The Banana Pudding Capital of Texas is way out west near Lubbock, and every autumn a local bakery hosts a ‘nanner puddin’ blowout in the historic town square. The street festival oozes small-town charm (think vintage tractor displays and pinewood derby races) with fantastic b-pudding flavors like Key lime pie and peanut butter.

Caldwell Kolache Festival – September 12
With tens of thousands of kolaches, nonstop polka music, and a parade with colorful folk costumes, this celebration honors Czech culture and heritage. Found close to College Station, Caldwell is called the Czech Capital of Texas, and its signature festival also features the Beseda (the national dance of the Czech Republic) and kolache baking and eating contests.

In a Pickle Festival in Helotes – September 19
Does the idea of dogs dressed like pickles tickle your fancy? The pickled pet parade is a highlight of this Hill Country brou-ha-ha, and so is the pickle juice drinking competition. Chug! Chug! Chug! Hungry now? Try pickle pizza, pickle ice cream, and freeze-dried pickles — and if you still haven’t had enough, there’s a second In a Pickle Festival in Mercedes each spring, and Garland hosts its Pickle Party on the Square with a Pickle University every June.

Bertram Oatmeal Festival – September 26
Head to this Hill Country hamlet to meet Oatie, the festival mascot (a container of 3-Minute Oats) and his masked arch-nemesis, the Grits Guzzler (a corny cornmeal-pushing villain). Watch their shenanigans unfold down the street before you sign up for silly games like the tortilla toss and cow chip kick. Children can get ooey-gooey searching for prizes in the popular oatmeal dig, a kiddie pool filled with oats.

Meet Oatie, the mascot of the Bertram Oatmeal Festival. Photo courtesy of Bertram Oatmeal Festival

Floresville Peanut Festival – October 6-10
The enticing aroma of roasting peanuts fills the air at this South Texas fest, which dates all the way back to 1938. It kicks off with Goober Games for children (like sack races and peanut tossing) and a Kiddie Parade with pint-sized floats. Then the serious fun begins: a grand parade, barbecue cookoff, and washer tournament — plus a panoply of peanutty treats, from old-school peanut brittle to newfangled inventions like fried peanut butter sandwiches.

Barbacoa and Big Red Festival in San Antonio – October 10-11
Inspired by a Mexican American weekend lunch ritual, this giant fair celebrates the uber-Texas combo of ice-cold Big Red soda and slow-cooked barbacoa. Thousands of fans flock to the Freeman Coliseum grounds and Expo Hall for this full-blown cultural festival with carnival rides and multiple stages of Tejano and country music.

Jamburgeree in Athens – October 16-17
Turtle races? Check. Mooing competition? Check. Hamburger-building contest? Of course! This Piney Woods party is two food festivals in one: the Black-Eyed Pea Jamboree and the Uncle Fletch Hamburger Festival — because Athens is the Black-Eyed Pea Capital of the World AND the Birthplace of the Hamburger. Vegetarians and carnivores can walk hand-in-hand through the food fest and enjoy the eats along with a black-eyed pea spitting contest, a farmer’s market, and a cornhole tournament.

Seguin Pecan Fest – October 24
Snap a selfie with the world’s largest pecan in this picturesque town along the Guadalupe River, the Pecan Capital of Texas and one of the state’s leading producers of our favorite nuts. Pecan-themed festivities include a Food Truck Throwdown with pecan-inspired dishes and a Get Crackin’ Contest for masochists who like to shell pecans. Last year’s bash also had llamas.

Of course there's a Pecan Fest in Texas.Photo courtesy of Pecan Fest

Crystal City Spinach Festival – October 29-November 1
Celebrate Popeye’s favorite food for four whole days in Crystal City, located about 100 miles southwest of San Antonio in Zavala County — Texas’ top spinach-producing county for more than a century. Naturally, there’s a spinach cookoff, as well as a parade, carnival rides, and the crowning of the Spinach Festival Queen. Don’t forget to pay your regards to the statue of Popeye, who popularized spinach during the Great Depression — transforming Crystal City’s economy and spurring the founding of the Spinach Festival in 1936.

Heritage Syrup Festival – November 14 in Henderson
Watch ribbon cane syrup as it’s made with antique, mule-powered equipment at this Easy Texas folk life festival. You’ll also see demonstrations of lace making, blacksmithing, rope making, quilting, spinning, and wood carving. Hayrides and square dancing complete the old-fashioned fun.

Poteet Strawberry Festival – Second weekend of April 2027 (date TBA)
Last but certainly not least, this massive event near San Antonio attracts over 100,000 fruit fanatics to the Strawberry Capital of Texas every spring. It has it all: fireworks, rodeo thrills, marching bands, carnival rides, and more than a dozen stages of entertainment from folklorico dancers to dueling pianos. But the star of the show is the sweet South Texas strawberry, a ruby-red gem that gets gobbled by the truckload.

texas festivals