• Home
  • popular
  • EVENTS
  • submit-new-event
  • CHARITY GUIDE
  • Children
  • Education
  • Health
  • Veterans
  • Social Services
  • Arts + Culture
  • Animals
  • LGBTQ
  • New Charity
  • TRENDING NEWS
  • News
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Home + Design
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Innovation
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • subscribe
  • about
  • series
  • Embracing Your Inner Cowboy
  • Green Living
  • Summer Fun
  • Real Estate Confidential
  • RX In the City
  • State of the Arts
  • Fall For Fashion
  • Cai's Odyssey
  • Comforts of Home
  • Good Eats
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2010
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2
  • Good Eats 2
  • HMNS Pirates
  • The Future of Houston
  • We Heart Hou 2
  • Music Inspires
  • True Grit
  • Hoops City
  • Green Living 2011
  • Cruizin for a Cure
  • Summer Fun 2011
  • Just Beat It
  • Real Estate 2011
  • Shelby on the Seine
  • Rx in the City 2011
  • Entrepreneur Video Series
  • Going Wild Zoo
  • State of the Arts 2011
  • Fall for Fashion 2011
  • Elaine Turner 2011
  • Comforts of Home 2011
  • King Tut
  • Chevy Girls
  • Good Eats 2011
  • Ready to Jingle
  • Houston at 175
  • The Love Month
  • Clifford on The Catwalk Htx
  • Let's Go Rodeo 2012
  • King's Harbor
  • FotoFest 2012
  • City Centre
  • Hidden Houston
  • Green Living 2012
  • Summer Fun 2012
  • Bookmark
  • 1987: The year that changed Houston
  • Best of Everything 2012
  • Real Estate 2012
  • Rx in the City 2012
  • Lost Pines Road Trip Houston
  • London Dreams
  • State of the Arts 2012
  • HTX Fall For Fashion 2012
  • HTX Good Eats 2012
  • HTX Contemporary Arts 2012
  • HCC 2012
  • Dine to Donate
  • Tasting Room
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • Charming Charlie
  • Asia Society
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2012
  • HTX Mistletoe on the go
  • HTX Sun and Ski
  • HTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • HTX New Beginnings
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013
  • Zadok Sparkle into Spring
  • HTX Let's Go Rodeo 2013
  • HCC Passion for Fashion
  • BCAF 2013
  • HTX Best of 2013
  • HTX City Centre 2013
  • HTX Real Estate 2013
  • HTX France 2013
  • Driving in Style
  • HTX Island Time
  • HTX Super Season 2013
  • HTX Music Scene 2013
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013 2
  • HTX Baker Institute
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • Mothers Day Gift Guide 2021 Houston
  • Staying Ahead of the Game
  • Wrangler Houston
  • First-time Homebuyers Guide Houston 2021
  • Visit Frisco Houston
  • promoted
  • eventdetail
  • Greystar Novel River Oaks
  • Thirdhome Go Houston
  • Dogfish Head Houston
  • LovBe Houston
  • Claire St Amant podcast Houston
  • The Listing Firm Houston
  • South Padre Houston
  • NextGen Real Estate Houston
  • Pioneer Houston
  • Collaborative for Children
  • Decorum
  • Bold Rock Cider
  • Nasher Houston
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2021
  • CityNorth
  • Urban Office
  • Villa Cotton
  • Luck Springs Houston
  • EightyTwo
  • Rectanglo.com
  • Silver Eagle Karbach
  • Mirador Group
  • Nirmanz
  • Bandera Houston
  • Milan Laser
  • Lafayette Travel
  • Highland Park Village Houston
  • Proximo Spirits
  • Douglas Elliman Harris Benson
  • Original ChopShop
  • Bordeaux Houston
  • Strike Marketing
  • Rice Village Gift Guide 2021
  • Downtown District
  • Broadstone Memorial Park
  • Gift Guide
  • Music Lane
  • Blue Circle Foods
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2022
  • True Rest
  • Lone Star Sports
  • Silver Eagle Hard Soda
  • Modelo recipes
  • Modelo Fighting Spirit
  • Athletic Brewing
  • Rodeo Houston
  • Silver Eagle Bud Light Next
  • Waco CVB
  • EnerGenie
  • HLSR Wine Committee
  • All Hands
  • El Paso
  • Houston First
  • Visit Lubbock Houston
  • JW Marriott San Antonio
  • Silver Eagle Tupps
  • Space Center Houston
  • Central Market Houston
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Travel Texas Houston
  • Alliantgroup
  • Golf Live
  • DC Partners
  • Under the Influencer
  • Blossom Hotel
  • San Marcos Houston
  • Photo Essay: Holiday Gift Guide 2009
  • We Heart Hou
  • Walker House
  • HTX Good Eats 2013
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2013
  • HTX Culture Motive
  • HTX Auto Awards
  • HTX Ski Magic
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2014
  • HTX Texas Traveler
  • HTX Cifford on the Catwalk 2014
  • HTX United Way 2014
  • HTX Up to Speed
  • HTX Rodeo 2014
  • HTX City Centre 2014
  • HTX Dos Equis
  • HTX Tastemakers 2014
  • HTX Reliant
  • HTX Houston Symphony
  • HTX Trailblazers
  • HTX_RealEstateConfidential_2014
  • HTX_IW_Marks_FashionSeries
  • HTX_Green_Street
  • Dating 101
  • HTX_Clifford_on_the_Catwalk_2014
  • FIVE CultureMap 5th Birthday Bash
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2014 TEST
  • HTX Texans
  • Bergner and Johnson
  • HTX Good Eats 2014
  • United Way 2014-15_Single Promoted Articles
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Houston
  • Where to Eat Houston
  • Copious Row Single Promoted Articles
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2014
  • htx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Zadok Swiss Watches
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2015
  • HTX Charity Challenge 2015
  • United Way Helpline Promoted Article
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Fusion Academy Promoted Article
  • Clifford on the Catwalk Fall 2015
  • United Way Book Power Promoted Article
  • Jameson HTX
  • Primavera 2015
  • Promenade Place
  • Hotel Galvez
  • Tremont House
  • HTX Tastemakers 2015
  • HTX Digital Graffiti/Alys Beach
  • MD Anderson Breast Cancer Promoted Article
  • HTX RealEstateConfidential 2015
  • HTX Vargos on the Lake
  • Omni Hotel HTX
  • Undies for Everyone
  • Reliant Bright Ideas Houston
  • 2015 Houston Stylemaker
  • HTX Renewable You
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • HTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Kyrie Massage
  • Red Bull Flying Bach
  • Hotze Health and Wellness
  • ReadFest 2015
  • Alzheimer's Promoted Article
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Professional Skin Treatments by NuMe Express

    christmas day dining guide

    Houston's best restaurants open for Christmas Day — dine-in or to-go

    Eric Sandler
    Dec 21, 2020 | 1:10 pm
    Bloom & Bee interior
    Bloom & Bee makes an appropriately festive location for Christmas Day dining.
    Courtesy of Landry's

    Even in a year as strange as this one has been, not everyone wants to stay home on Christmas. Some people don’t celebrate the holiday; others are bad cooks.

    Regardless of the reason, Houston restaurants are ready to serve with options that range from prime rib to goat chops. The list below also includes a couple of our favorite Chinese-American spots for those people looking to celebrate what we typically describe as Jewish Christmas — even if the traditional trip to a movie theater is swapped out with watching Wonder Woman 1984 on HBO Max.

    Many of the Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, Thai, and other East Asian restaurants located along Bellaire Boulevard will also be open. We recommend calling your favorites to verify exact hours.

    Aga’s Restaurant and Catering
    Feast on goat chops, biryani, and other Indo-Pak fare at this Southwest Houston institution, 11 am-close.

    Black Bear Diner
    The family-friendly restaurant with seven Houston-area locations will be open for both dine-in and to-go with special three-course menus featuring turkey, ham, or prime rib.

    Blacksmith
    The popular coffee shop will be serving its finest lattes, scratch-made biscuits, and other fare from 8 am-2 pm.

    Bloom & Bee
    The restaurant located inside The Post Oak Hotel will feature a three-course, $85 menu that includes choices such as celeriac bisque, crab salad, pan-seared duck breast with foie gras, and prime rib with vegetables.

    Bowl & Barrel
    CityCentre’s fancy bowling alley will offer a limited menu of sliders and pretzels plus cold beer from 3 - 9 pm.

    China Garden
    The downtown institution opens at 11 am on Christmas to serve dumplings, egg rolls, and other Chinese-American favorites.

    Chow Wok
    General Tso’s chicken is the west Houston restaurant’s most-popular dish, but real fans know the shrimp egg rolls are also can’t-miss, 11 am - 9:30 pm.

    Cleburne Cafeteria
    The Houston institution will be open for dine-in and to-go from 11 am-8 pm with its familiar menu of classic comfort food and scratch- made desserts.

    Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse
    All of the Landry’s upscale steakhouses — including The Palm, Morton’s, Mastro’s, and Vic & Anthony’s — are open on Christmas. Rather than list them all as individual entries, we’ll highlight this option in the Galleria that’s feature prime rib in 16 and 20-ounce portions ($48 or $58) along with the rest of its classic steakhouse fare.

    Doris Metropolitan
    The Israeli-inspired steakhouse will be open for dinner on December 25, because nothing says Christmas quite like dry-aged beef, grilled octopus, and the best bread service in Houston.

    Fielding’s Local Kitchen & Bar
    This globally inspired restaurant in The Woodlands will serve brunch (until 3 pm) and dinner on Christmas. Featured specials include lobster bisque, garlic chili crab claws, and prime rib.

    Grupo Herrera Restaurants
    All of the company’s Houston-area restaurants — including five locations of Alicia’s Mexican Grille, Galiana’s Tex Mex & Agave Bar, Dario’s Steakhouse & Seafood, and Marvino’s Italian Steakhouse in Cypress — will be open from 11am to 9pm for both dine-in and to-go.

    Himalaya
    The CultureMap Tastemaker Awards Restaurant of the Year will open with its menu of acclaimed Indo-Pak fare as well as specials like smoked brisket tikka masala mac and cheese.

    Le Colonial
    The elegant Vietnamese restaurant in River Oaks District will be open on Christmas from 11 am-10 pm with a three-course prix fixe menu ($65, lunch; $85, dinner). Choices include over a dozen different starters and entrees, including lobster bisque, spicy beef carpaccio salad, bo luc lac, lamb chops, and five spice duck cassoulet. Wine pairings are available for an additional $65.

    Mala Sichuan Bistro
    All four locations — including the newly opened Sugar Land outpost — will be open for dine-in and to-go on Christmas.

    Phat Eatery
    Spice up Christmas with roti canai, beef rendang, and other Malaysian fare at this Katy restaurant. Open on Christmas from 11 am - 8:30 pm.

    The Rustic
    The Uptown Park location of the combination bar, restaurant, and live music venue will be serving tamales and beer from 4 - 9 pm.

    Safina and The Naturalist Café and Lounge Bar
    Located inside the InterContinental Houston in the Medical Center, the two restaurants will serve a limited menu that includes dishes such as braised short ribs and cioppino, 11 am - 10 pm.

    holidaysnews-you-can-eat
    news/restaurants-bars
    CULTUREMAP EMAILS ARE AWESOME
    Get Houston intel delivered daily.

    What's Eric Eating Episodes 516 and 517

    Food experts draft the best dishes at Vietnamese restaurants in Houston

    CultureMap Staff
    Dec 12, 2025 | 5:15 pm
    Moon Rabbit food spread
    Moon Rabbit/Facebook
    Two panelists selected dishes from Moon Rabbit in the Heights.

    On this week’s episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” CultureMap editor Eric Sandler recruited five of his friends and colleagues to select their favorite dishes at Vietnamese restaurants in Houston via a fantasy football-style draft.



    The panelists — Stevie Vu of the Chowdown in Chinatown Facebook group and Asia Society, Texas; Chelsea Thomas of Local Foods Group; Heights Grocer and Montrose Grocer owner Mary Clarkson; Have A Nice Day AAPI pop-up market co-founder Isabel Protomartir; Houston BBQ Festival co-founder Michael Fulmer — joined Sandler to draft Vietnamese dishes and restaurants in six categories. They are:

    • Appetizer/Salad
    • Entree
    • Sandwich
    • Soup
    • Viet-Cajun
    • Wildcard

    In the first round, Vu kicked things off by selecting the sandwiches from Chinatown institution Nguyen Ngo. Thomas followed with the duck salad at Thien An. Clarkson took the mango-papaya salad from Old Saigon Cafe, and Sandler scored the Beef 7 Ways at Chinatown favorite Saigon Pagolac. Protomartir took the Duck House’s crispy egg rolls, and Fulmer closed round one with the beef rolls at Nam Giao, which holds a Bib Gourmand designation in the Michelin Guide.

    Sandler shared the full results on Instagram.


    View this post on Instagram
    A post shared by Eric Sandler (@ericsandler)


    As he noted, the draft results include some of Houston’s most prominent Vietnamese restaurant as well as a few under-the-radar choices that will give listeners some new options to try. Listen to the full episode on any podcast platform to hear the panelists explain the choices and recommend a few places that they could have drafted instead.



    In this week’s second episode, chef Christine Ha and her husband John Suh join Sandler to review the results and pick a winner. Since no one selected their restaurant The Blind Goat, each drafter is on an equal footing.

    Listen to the full episode to hear who won. Ha and Suh also share thoughts on their favorite selections by each panelist. They also catch us up on the latest happenings at both The Blind Goat and Stuffed Belly, their sandwich shop, including the recent addition of a gumbo pot pie to The Blind Goat’s menu.


    View this post on Instagram
    A post shared by The Blind Goat (@theblindgoathtx)


    -----

    Subscribe to "What's Eric Eating" on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hear it Sunday at 9 am on ESPN 97.5.

    podcastsnews-you-can-eat
    news/restaurants-bars
    Loading...