11 Houston Restaurants That Have Christmas Dinner Covered
Let the pros do the cooking.
Canceled flights. Postponed gatherings. Quieter holiday plans. Christmas is going to be different this year, no matter which way you cut it. So you may as well take advantage of the fact that you don’t have to help cook dinner for 10+ of your closest distant relatives by letting a local restaurant take care of the meal for you (plus, restaurants could really, really use our business these days). Whether you plan on getting gussied up and dining out or ordering an epic holiday feast that you can enjoy in your sweats at home, these restaurants will make this oddball Christmas a little merrier with eggnog, prime rib, and (since this is Houston) margaritas and tamales to-go. Here’s where to score reservations or order ace takeout this Christmas Eve and Christmas Day:
Backstreet Cafe
The Christmas Eve Dinner at this charming restaurant—a part of the Hugo Ortega/Tracy Vaught empire—starts with herb butter-slathered, sea salt-sprinkled Parker House rolls and ends with the most perfect chocolate cake (just one of the three dessert options). In between there are things like stuffed quail, scallops over butternut risotto, baked oysters, and beef tenderloin in bourbon reduction. Oh, and live jazz and complimentary eggnog. Backstreet offers holiday catering, as well.
Cost: $49 per person/$15 per child for the Christmas Eve Dinner and a la carte for the Holiday To-Go, call 713-521-2239 or order online
B & B Butchers
Looking for an epic takeout spread? The Butcher Shop at B&B has it all, and by all, we mean whole tenderloin Beef Wellington, ready-to-roast Pork Crown Roast, classic creamed spinach and mac & cheese, hors d’oeuvres from shrimp cocktail to house bacon, and apple crisp, key lime, and pecan pies. The restaurant is also open for lunch and dinner service on Xmas Eve.
Cost: A la carte, orders are available for pickup through January 1 with at least 48 hours notice, call 832-767-4828
Brennan's of Houston
Staying in? You can order this Creole fine dining spot’s a la carte holiday items (which come with reheating instructions) for an epic at-home Christmas—think herb-crusted lamb rack, braised collards, seafood gumbo, gouda potato gratin, and Creole bread pudding. Or, you can go for the piece de resistance: the Christmas Prime Rib Feast. You’ll get a beastly 3 lb or 6 lb smoked ribeye as the centerpiece, with demi-glace or horseradish cream sauce plus choice of three sides and a dessert. Those who prefer to dine-in can score a reservation for Christmas Eve.
Cost: A la carte of $350 (serves 2-4) to $700 (serves 6-8) for the Christmas Prime Rib Feast, order online by December 18 at 3 pm for pickup on December 22 - 23 from 11 am - 3 pm
Doris Metropolitan
As a holiday gift to us all, the Israeli steakhouse is keeping its dining room open (and chandelier-adorned meat locker) on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day; and its Butcher Shop is open for premium cuts and takeout packages for those who prefer to stay in. Dine on tzatziki-kissed octopus, Moroccan tomato salad, dry-aged Porterhouse, and truffle frites.
Cost: A la carte with takeout packages starting at $150 for two, call 713-485-0466 or make reservations online
Mala Sichuan
A choose-your-own adventure spread from this fiery Sichuan haunt will hit the spot on a day, particularly a holiday when it means you don’t have to clean any dishes. Mala’s three locations are open regular hours on Christmas Eve and Day (with takeout available, too). Challenge your heat tolerance with Chengdu-style pot roasted tilapia, red chile oil dumplings, mala prawns, and not-spicy-but-plenty-festive tea smoked duck.
Cost: A la carte, reservations are available
Molina's Cantina
Is it even Christmas in Texas if there aren’t tamales on the table? You can ensure there are some by ordering a Tex-MeXmas feast from this Houston standby. Traditional pork tamales, fajitas, enchiladas, taquitos, and Molina’s famous Jose’s Dip are all available for contactless curbside pickup from all locations. As are margaritas by the dozen.
Cost: A la carte (tamales are $11.95/dozen), call nearest location or order online
Phat Eatery
Think outside the (gift wrapped) box and do a holiday dinner at Malayasian street food spot Phat Eatery, which is open from 11 am - 8:30 pm on Christmas Day and Christmas Eve. Get a mix of crystal prawn dumpling, Kerabu prawn, roti canai with curry dip, beef rendang, and Hainanese chicken. Party trays are also available for at-home dining, and sibling establishment Phat Kitchen, a ghost kitchen operating out of Blodgett Food Hall over in the Third Ward, introduced catering options in time for the holiday, too.
Cost: A la carte, reservations are recommended
Pondicheri
If you're going to put your holiday feast in the hands of another, let it be the capable hands of Pondicheri chef Anita Jaisinghani. She and the team have crafted two catering menus to choose from: the Herbivore (with treats like smoked eggplant raita, butter paneer pot pie, and sweet potato rolls) and an Omnivore option (featuring Roghan Josh pot pie, crab samosas, lobster truffle mac ’n cheese, and more.
Cost: $195 for the Herbivore menu (serves four) and $230 for the Omnivore menu (serves four); orders will be available for pick up from 12 to 5 pm on Wednesday, December 23
Revival Market
Revival’s favorite farmers represented are well repped in its Christmas offerings, from Yonderway Farm Holiday Hams smoked in-house to 44 standing bone-in rib roasts. Add on charcuterie, fruit and cheese boards, extras from mac & cheese to cherry cobbler, grab n’ go two- and four-packs of wine, and a whole damn Christmas goose.
Cost: A la carte, with packs starting at $125; deadline to order is 4 pm on December 17 for pickup December 22 - 24
The Rustic
The Rustic’s halls are all decked out for the holidays, the Post Oak location will be open on Christmas Day for its Drink The Tree celebration. From 4 to 9 pm, you can pop by to unwrap hot tamales, drink cold beer, and “Drink the Tree” by choosing from an assortment of beers its beer bottle Christmas tree. The Rustic Downtown will be open on Christmas Eve (11 am - 8 pm) with the same Drink the Tree celebration, but will be closed on Christmas Day.
Cost: A la carte
Tony's
No need to source salumis and fresh mozz for your holiday antipasto board. Tony’s got you. The fine dining establishment is offering a smashing array of homey takeout options (plus some boujee ones) for pickup on Christmas Eve. Set yourself up with all the antipast, Italian sausage and peppers, baked ziti telefono, and fancy plates from braised Colorado lamb shank to whole prime tenderloin.
Cost: A la carte; order online by December 19 for pickup on Xmas Eve