Where to Dine on Christmas Eve in Los Angeles, 2016

Because it isn't the holidays without a decadent meal with family and friends

by Crystal Coser Dec 14, 2016, 11:00am PST

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Kali

| Wonho Frank Lee

by Crystal Coser Dec 14, 2016, 11:00am PST

Maybe you've wrapped your presents and already made your Christmas Day dinner plans. Or maybe you're like most of us and still have the Christmas Eve scramble to shop for last-minute holiday gifts. Either way, all you hungry shopping warriors deserve a a decadent feast. And that culminates in a massive and decadent Christmas Eve dinner that will fall on Saturday evening this year.

Thankfully, restaurants across Los Angeles are busting out the mistletoe and turning up the holiday spirit with some pretty festive holiday meals. There's a swanky dinner at Redbird in Downtown LA that will serve roasted pheasant, all the way to the beefy confines of Chianina in Long Beach, with dover sole and grilled beef ribs to help memorialize the holiday. With everything from bougie prix-fixe menus to buffets in whimsical settings, here is your last minute guide to Christmas Eve dining in Los Angeles, in no particular order.

Clifton's Cafeteria

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The recently renamed Clifton’s Republic a.k.a. Clifton’s Cafeteria is celebrating the holidays with an all-you-can-eat Christmas Eve buffet on the Tree Tops level. The special is $65 for adults and $25 for children, and includes dishes like bacon-wrapped pork loin, herb-crusted prime rib, and broccoli cauliflower casserole.

648 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90014

(213) 627-1673

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CUT by Wolfgang Puck

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Wolfgang Puck’s steakhouse will serve an a la carte menu from 5 to 10 p.m. with specials that include red wine braised bone-in short rib and eggnog cheesecake.

9500 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212

(310) 276-8500

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Toscana

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Brentwood’s longstanding Toscana will open for lunch on Christmas Eve to feed last-minute holiday shoppers. Specials include a selection of white truffle dishes like soft polenta with egg and white truffle and Wagyu ribeye with fingerling potato puree and more white truffles.

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11633 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049

(310) 820-2448

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Redbird

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There are few better ways to celebrate the holidays than in the beautiful, historic confines of Redbird. An $85, four-course prix fixe includes menu highlights of bucatini with uni and French butter, pheasant roulade with roasted chestnuts, traditional turkey with cranberry stuffing, and grilled New York steak with bone marrow.

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114 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

(213) 788-1191

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AR Cucina

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Akasha Richmond’s newest venture, Sambar-turned-AR Cucina, is serving up Christmas Eve specials that include Sicilian pizza, grilled prawns with dried fava bean puree, lobster spaghetti, and lamb chops scottadito. The restaurant will be open from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

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9531 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

(310) 558-8800

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KALI Restaurant

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One of the year’s most lauded new restaurants, Kali, will host a set menu for $85 with dishes like sea urchin with crispy polenta, dry aged ribeye, and Douglas Fir pine panna cotta with gingerbread. You are definitely going to want to add wine pairings to this one.

5722 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

(323) 871-4160

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Nerano

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The newest restaurant by The Toscana Restaurant Group, Nerano, is presenting a holiday dinner inspired by the Amalfi Coast. Think dishes like tuna tartare with winter citrus, raviolini with Main lobster and nettles, and seared diver scallops with porcini mushrooms.

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9960 S Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Faith & Flower

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One of Downtown’s prettiest eateries is getting in the holiday spirit with a $65 prix-fixe with dishes like roasted squash and cresenza ravioli, persimmon and chicory salad, and aged Angus beef roast.

705 W 9th St, Los Angeles, CA 90015

(213) 239-0642

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Mélisse

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Those looking to go for gold on Christmas Eve can do so at Josiah Citrin’s Melisse, which will be serving a $175 per person, 5-course prix-fixe with pinkie raising offerings like foie gras terrine with endive confit, truffle risotto, and aged liberty duck.

1104 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401

(310) 395-0881

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Chianina Steakhouse

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Long Beach and South Bay denizens can have a meaty feast at Chianina, where a four-course, $85 menu offers dishes like Dover sole with romanesco and grilled beef rib with smoked potato and leek terrine.

5716 E 2nd St, Long Beach, CA 90803

(562) 434-2333

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LA Chapter

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Order a la carte or from a $50 prix-fixe, with options like heirloom carrot soup with coriander creme fraiche, savory bread pudding with leeks, and 18-hour osso bucco.