Restaurants open on Christmas Day in South Florida

Whether you've been naughty or nice, diners can cross a stress-free holiday meal off their wish list. A number of restaurant chains will be open Christmas Day. So, once the presents are opened, it's OK to leave the mess for later.

Following are some helpful ideas of places to eat. Oh, and we're fairly certain that most restaurants inside hotels will be open to serve guests and visitors alike but don't forget to call ahead to confirm. Times and availability are subject to change.

Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

Here are some low-cost and moderate-price options. As always, we urge you to call ahead and confirm, as some independently-operated franchises opt to close on Christmas or limit their hours.

Benihana: There are 10 restaurants that will be open at 11 a.m. in all three counties.
Denny's: Christmas is actually the diner chain's busiest day of the year. Serves breakfast, lunch and dinner all 24 hours of Christmas Day.
Dunkin‘: Some are open and others have limited hours.
Flanigan's.Locations in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties will be open regular hours, with the regular menu. Find a location here.
IHOP: Open all day (24-hours restaurants will keep to schedule, hours may vary at other locations).
Golden Corral: Some locations are open but varies by restaurant. Call ahead to confirm.
McDonald's: The ones that are corporate-owned are open while franchises may be closed
Red Lobster: Most locations are open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Hours may vary by location.
Starbucks: Most Starbucks are open on Christmas Day and you can pick up some breakfast, lunch, dinner, and of course coffee. Hours vary by location
TGI Fridays: There are several locations in South Florida that will open at 11 a.m.
TooJay's Deli & Bakery: :ocations in Broward and Palm Beach counties that will be open.
Waffle House: Waffle House is open on Christmas Day, also following its 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week normal schedule.

NOTE: Look to your neighborhood ethnic restaurants. Many Asian and Indian spots are open on Christmas for lunch and/or dinner, as are some Jewish delis.

Following is a sample list of moderately priced local eateries:

Brio's Brushetta Quattro

Restaurants open on Christmas Day

Broward County

Batch New Southern Kitchen & Bar (Contemporary Southern Food), 525 N Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale. Open at noon batchsouthernkitchen.som
Brio Italian Grille restaurants will be open on Christmas. Guests can enjoy the a la carte menu. Reservations can be made online
Buca di Beppo (Family-style Italian), 3355 S. University Drive in Davie, will be serving up generous portions of your favorite Italian dishes from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. dineatbuca.com
Del Frisco's, (American Grille) located at 501 E. Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale, will be open from noon to 8 p.m. and serving an a la carte menu featuring holiday favorites. For more information and to book a reservation, call (754) 312-3235.
El Camino (Contemporary Mexican), with multiple locations throughout South Florida (Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Delray Beach and Boca Ration) will be serving up your Mexican food favorites from noon to 10 p.m. May we suggest the Watermelon Jalapeño Margarita paired with the Carnitas Tacos and chips and guacamole and you're set for a festive night out. elcaminofla.com
Havana 1957 (Cuban), with locations in Pembroke Pines and throughout Dade County, will be serving up classic Cuban dishes from noon until 10:30 p.m. in an atmosphere that allows you to relive the glamour of Cuba from the 1950's.
Piola (Italian), with multiple locations throughout Dade and Broward, will be open until 11 p.m. on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day; piolausa.com
Taverna Opa (Greek), located at 410 N Ocean Drive in Hollywood has reservations available on Christmas Day from 12:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. tavernaopa.com
TooJay's (Jewish deli) with multiple locations throughout Broward and Palm Beach Counties will be offering up a 3-course Christmas Dinner Dec. 21-27 complete soup or salad; turkey, ham or brisket and all of the fixings; and dessert. The regular menu will also be available. toojays.com.
Tropical Acres (Steakhouse): For steakhouse quality food without the fancy holiday prices that you might find in other restaurants, Tropical Steakhouse is a safe bet. This Fort Lauderdale will be serving up their traditional a la carte menu. tropicalacres.com

(Photo Courtesy of Red Rooster Overtown)

Miami-Dade County

Bored Cuban will be open 7 a.m. to 9.m. Christmas Day, offering modern Cuban staples and creations that blend traditional flavors with contemporary flair. Bored Cuban is at 831 NW 42nd Ave, Miami, FL 33126
Catch of the Day will be open noon to 10:30 p.m., offering is regular menu at 1050 NW 42nd Ave, Miami, FL 33126.
Latin Cafe 2000 will be open Christmas Day, serving Cuban and Latin American dishes. Hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Brickell, 1053 Brickell Plaza, Miami, FL 33131; 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. at Lejeune Rd, 875 NW 42nd Ave, Miami, FL 33126; and 7 a.m. to 11 in Hialeah, 1192 W 49th St, Hialeah, FL 33012.
Piola (Italian), with multiple locations throughout Dade and Broward, will be open until 11 p.m. on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day; piolausa.com
Red Rooster Overtown (Soul Food), 920 NW 2nd Avenue, Miami will serve an a la carte holiday dinner from 4 to 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve and a $65 Christmas Day brunch buffet from noon to 7 p.m.

Margaritas (Photo courtesy of El Camino)

Palm Beach County

Cafe Centro (Italian) in West Palm Beach's Northwood Village at 2409 N Dixie Highway will be open on Christmas Day. Guests will enjoy the restaurant's regular a la carte menu that includes a selection of traditional Italian appetizers, pizzas, pastas, entrees and luscious desserts. For more information, call (561) 514-4070.
Deck 84 (Contemporary American on the waterfront) will be serving up their regular a la carte menu, along with holiday specials from 12 to 7:30 p.m. in downtown Delray Beach. Reservations can be made by calling 561-665-8484 or visiting sevenrooms.com/reservations/deck84
El Camino (Contemporary Mexican), with multiple locations throughout South Florida (Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Delray Beach and Boca Ration) will be serving up your Mexican food favorites from noon to 10 p.m. May we suggest the Watermelon Jalapeño Margarita paired with the Carnitas Tacos and chips and guacamole and you're set for a festive night out. elcaminofla.com
All Lemongrass Asian Bistro locations (Thai & Sushi) will be open on Christmas Day. Hours may vary by location; the Boca Raton location is open 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. The restaurants will be serving up their regular a la carte menu, complete with a variety of sushi rolls and sashimi, curries, rice bowls, classic Thai dishes and more. Lemongrass Asian Bistro has locations in Boynton Beach, Wellington, Boca Raton and Delray Beach.
Park Tavern will be open from 5 to 10 p.m. on Christmas Day and will serving up the restaurant's regular a la carte menu complete with your favorite cocktails, salads, sandwiches, burgers, entrees and more. Book your reservations early, as time slots are filling up quickly. Park Tavern is located 32 E Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach.
TooJay's (Jewish deli) with multiple locations throughout Broward and Palm Beach Counties will be offering up a 3-course Christmas Dinner Dec. 21-27 complete with soup or salad; turkey, ham or brisket and all of the fixings; and dessert. toojays.com.

Looking for a more formal dining experience? Check OpenTable. The online restaurant reservations site lists upscale restaurants (the kind that take reservations) open on Christmas Day. You can search by city.

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