Dining guide

The 9 best Houston restaurants open for Christmas Day dining

Christmas is just around the corner, and several top restaurants around town are open for business on December 25, and boast a diverse array of offerings. If Yuletide cooking isn't on your list, we suggest you skip the take-out pizza and Chinese food delivery, and hit up the nine restaurants below for some stellar Christmas Day dining in Houston.

Carmelo's Ristorante Italiano
Open since 1980, Carmelo’s in West Houston closes for good on December 25, but not before serving a final blowout meal. The Italian restaurant presents a buffet feast including pollo osso buco, spicy veal meatballs, Caprese salad, and mini cannoli. (10:30 am to 3 pm; $44.95 per person)
14795 Memorial Dr.; 281-531-0696

Mastro’s Steakhouse
Mastro's, the newest restaurant in Houston billionaire restaurateur and Rocket’s owner Tilman Fertitta’s empire, presents mainstays from land and sea including a 48-ounce double-cut porterhouse, Chilean sea bass, and jalapeno Bigeye ahi tuna sashimi. Save room for the alluring butter cake, so good it will have you hooked at first bite. (3 to 9 pm; pricing a la carte)
1600 West Loop South; 844-386-1600

Lucienne at Hotel Alessandra
How do crab cakes with roasted red pepper sauce, beef Wellington, oven-roasted chicken in rich morel sauce, and caramel chocolate mousse sound? Make ours a double. All this and more can be yours at Lucienne restaurant, located on the second floor of downtown’s Hotel Alessandra. (11 am to 3 pm; $55 per person)
1070 Dallas St.; 713-242-8555

Kiran’s
Hit up the Christmas Day buffet at Kiran’s near Upper Kirby for global dishes with explosive North Indian flavors. Load up on crab samosas, Texas quail with sabudana (pearl tapioca), Chilean sea bass with poblano-mango chutney and mushroom biryani, and more. There’s also long roster of desserts, from gingerbread brandy trifle to Cabernet-poached pears, apples, and pineapple. (Seatings are at 11 am, 1:30 pm, and 3:30 pm; $75 per person.)
2925 Richmond Ave.; 713-960-8472

Fielding’s Local Kitchen + Bar
Along with the regular menu, the kitchen at Fielding’s Local Kitchen in The Woodlands is cooking up some seriously must-try specials, from lobster Milanese with saffron spaghetti ($29) to a 38-ounce Wagyu tomahawk with two sides ($159) to veal osso buco with chili orange glaze ($36). Pair your fare with the ever-changing lineup of 20 craft beers on tap. (11 am to 9 pm; pricing a la carte)
26400 Kuykendahl Rd., The Woodlands; 281-351-2225

Cleburne Cafeteria
Comfort food favorites (think fried chicken and roast turkey) may be the hallmarks of Cleburne, but the recently reopened cafeteria takes it to a whole new level with added offerings of freshly grilled steaks, beer, and wine. The West University area eatery also accepts credit cards now, for larger living. (11 am to 8 pm; prices a la carte)
3606 Bissonnet St.; 713-667-2386

Radio Milano
Spend the holiday at CityCentre’s Radio Milano, where they're plating up a three-course prix fixe brunch. Standout dishes include Hong Kong fried toast (stuffed French toast with chocolate, nutella, banana, berry compote, and cream), Chilean sea bass, and a frittata. There's also a chocolate bomb dessert, made with mousse and milk chocolate, and served with vanilla gelato.
(11 am to 3 pm; $45 per adult and $20 per child)
800 Sorella Ct.; 713-827-3545

Toulouse Cafe and Bar
Toulouse at River Oaks District doles out a special holiday menu of French fare. Dig into Australian rack of lamb with sweet potato puree, crispy lardon, and wild mushrooms, and praline chocolate cake with ice cream. Also on the menu: the can’t-miss Dover sole served with homemade gnocchi and champagne truffle sauce. (lunch: 11 am to 4 pm, dinner: 4 to 11 pm; pricing a la carte)
4444 Westheimer Rd.; 713-871-0768

Ristorante Cavour at Hotel Granduca
At Ristorante Cavour, no less than 10 buffet stations are fully stocked with salads, seafood items, and breakfast favorites. What's more, there's also several carving stations and an array of sweets, making this a deal we can’t refuse. (11 am to 2 pm, $75 per adult and $25 per child)
1080 Uptown Park, 713-418-1000

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The bone-in filet is a sizzling offering at Mastro's Steakhouse.

Houston, Mastro's Steakhouse, Bone-In Filet, December 2017

Courtesy photo

The bone-in filet is a sizzling offering at Mastro's Steakhouse.

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best in Texas

Hidden Houston cocktail den ranks No. 47 on North America best bars list

Courtesy of the Four Seasons Hotel Houston

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The best bar in Texas is located in downtown Houston. Bandista, the speakeasy-style cocktail bar at the Four Seasons Hotel Houston, ranks No. 47 on the list of North America’s 50 Best Bars 2026.

That’s a 12 spot jump from Bandista’s debut at No. 59 in 2025. Southern-inspired cocktail bar Julep (No. 84) and Austin’s Midwest-inspired neighborhood bar Nickel City (No. 96) are the only other Texas establishments on the list. New York’s Sip & Guzzle topped the list, which was revealed at a ceremony in Vancouver on Wednesday, April 22.

“Scientific laboratory tech meets classic southern hospitality at Houston's hot spot Bandista,” the bar’s entry on the 50 Best website reads. “Deep within the downtown Four Seasons Hotel, the chic lounge is hidden behind a nondescript bookcase. Inside, a mix of local cocktailians and visiting VIPs experience a unique take on the classic speakeasy. Yes, touches of Art Deco invoke the expected 1920's vibes and the exclusive space oozes Gatsby. However, the focus here is on tequileros and Prohibition's oft overlooked smuggling routes along the US-Mexican border.”

The text goes on to highlight the bar’s use of advanced techniques, its range of agave-based cocktails, and charming service, such as a drink the Almost Famous, a mezcal cocktail that’s presented by a bartender with a Polaroid camera to capture the moment.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have Bandista named among North America’s 50 Best Bars,” says Four Seasons general manager Tom Segesta said in a statement. “Our incredible and creative team is always experimenting and innovating, ensuring that everyone who comes through the bookcase has an experience like no other.”

Bandista is led by beverage manager Jonathan Jones. The bar team includes CultureMap Tastemaker Awards Bartender of the Year finalist Josh Alden, Sam Ruiz, and Zachary Churbock.

“Our team at Bandista is absolutely thrilled with this amazing recognition,” Jones said. “We’re looking forward to celebrating well with our guests old and new all year long.”

Opened in 2022, Bandista is hidden behind Toro Toro, the hotel’s pan-Latin steakhouse. With just 20 seats — 12 in the lounge and eight at the bar — the bar offers an intimate setting for drinks made with refined techniques and premium spirits. It regularly hosts pop-ups with guest bartenders from across the country and around the world, including Jewel of the South (New Orleans), Employees Only (New York City), and VIRTÙ (Tokyo).

Patrons make reservations for 90-minute seatings. The bar is open Wednesday-Saturday from 5 pm until midnight.

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