Denver-area restaurants are busy prepping festive dine-in options for Christmas meals.
Eating out gives families and friends opportunities to come together and enjoy delicious feasts without the hassle of cooking. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, restaurants serve special holiday meal options, including seafood, prime rib, pozole, and spiral-cut ham.
There’s something to delight every palate, so make your holiday reservation today. (Note: This is not a comprehensive list, so check other restaurants in your area. Listed in alphabetical order.)
Ajax Downtown
Address: 1899 16th St. in Denver
Website: ajaxrestaurant.com
Hours: 5 to 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve and noon to 8 p.m. on Christmas Day
Menu: Christmas Eve regular dinner menu plus specials. Christmas Day dinner menu is $115 per adult and $35 per child under 12. Starter options include coal-fired oysters, bibb salad, ember-roasted wild mushrooms, coal-baked sourdough, and grilled shrimp; main dish opinions include black cod, truffle chicken ballotine, carrot cannelloni, braised lamb shank, and filet mignon; and dessert options of butternut squash pie, white chocolate cheesecake, and pear tatin.
Reservations encouraged.
Chez Maggy
Address: 1616 Market St. in Denver
Website: chezmaggydenver.com/event/chez-maggy-christmas-eve-dinner
Hours: 5 to 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve
Menu: Caviar, endive salad or tuna Niçoises; lobster bisque or French onion soup; herb-roasted New York strip or crab-stuffed Petrale sole; and key lime pie or chocolate torte. A la carte kids menu available for children under 12. Vegetarian options available.
Reservations encouraged.
Common Good
Address: 13025 E. Montview Blvd. in Aurora
Website: eatatthecommongood.com
Hours: Seatings at 5 and 7:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day Brunch 7 to 11 a.m., and Christmas Day Dinner noon-5 p.m.
Menu: This Italian-style six-course seafood-centric Christmas Eve meal includes anchovy butter with sourdough, lobster bisque, scallop ceviche tart, brown butter halibut, diablo shrimp, and more. The price is $115 per person, with an optional wine pairing for an additional $65 per person. Christmas Day specials include beef carpaccio, beef filet and lobster tail, duck al orange, and flourless chocolate cake.
Reservations required for Christmas Eve.
Coperta
Address: 400 E. 20th Ave. in Denver
Website: copertadenver.com
Hours: Dec. 22-24
Menu: The Feast of the Seven Fishes menu includes potato croquettes, hamachi crudo, smoked trout, swordfish sausage, bay scallops spaghetti, and salt cod potato gnocchi. Regular menu dining is also available.
Reservations encouraged.
Corinne
Address: 1455 California St.
Website: corinnedenver.com/happenings
Hours: 5 to 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Menu: The family-style menu includes three entree options: prime rib, glazed ham, or gnocchi.
Reservations encouraged.
Corrida
Address: 1023 Walnut St. #400 in Boulder
Website: corridaboulder.com
Hours: 4 to 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve
Menu: Regular a la carte dining with specials, including prawns with caviar and scallops, Waguy beef carpaccio, and Santa Barbara uni.
Reservations encouraged.
The Cruise Room
Address: 1600 17th St. in Denver
Website: theoxfordhotel.com/eat-drink/the-cruise-room
Hours: 5 to 10 p.m. on Christmas Day
Menu: Prime rib dinner includes roasted root vegetables, smashed red potatoes, oven-roasted yams, and Brussels sprouts for $65. Spiral-cut ham dinner includes roasted root vegetables, smashed red potatoes, oven-roasted yams, and Brussels sprouts for $55. Pumpkin pie or chocolate cake is $14.
No reservations. Walk-ins welcome.
Elway’s Downtown
Address: 1881 Curtis St. in Denver
Website: elways.com/downtown-home/downtown-news-and-events/
Hours: Dinner service on Christmas Eve and 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Christmas Day.
Menu: The holiday menu includes mixed greens salad, lobster bisque, bread dumplings, duck breast, prime rib, sea bass, eggnog cheesecake, and black forest Christmas tree cake.
Reservations encouraged.
Gattara Denver
Address: 1776 Grant St. in Denver
Website: gattararestaurant.com
Hours: Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Menu: The restaurant inside the Warwick Hotel offers two holiday a la carte dinner menus. Christmas in the U.S. includes pumpkin soup, baked salmon, and New York-style cheesecake. Christmas in Italy includes minestrone, shrimp scampi, and lava cake. Diners can mix and match items.
Reservations encouraged.
Kachina Cantina
Address: 1890 Wazee St. in Denver
Website: kachinadenver.com/event/christmas-at-kachina
Hours: 2 to 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Brunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Christmas Day.
Menu: The holiday meal includes prime rib, truffle parmesan mashed potatoes, bacon Brussels sprouts, and maple syrup glazed carrots for $55 per person. On Christmas Day, the regular menu of Kachina staples such as chicken pozole blanco, vegetarian pozole rojo, and beef birria is also available for brunch and dinner. The seasonal cocktail for Christmas Day is Holly & Jolly with Maker’s Mark Bourbon, Old Forester Rye, and house-made spiced cranberry juice.
Reservations encouraged.
Local Jones
Address: 249 Columbine St. in Denver
Website: halcyonhotelcherrycreek.com/event/holiday-dining-at-local-jones
Hours: Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Menu: House-made fettuccine with lobster, sherry cream, seared scallops, breadcrumbs, confit tomato, and a chocolate mocha gateau ornament.
Reservations encouraged.
OAK at Fourteenth
Address: 1400 Pearl St. in Boulder
Website: https://www.oakatfourteenth.com
Hours: 4 to 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve
Menu: Belgium endive salad or spiced butternut soup, tortellini in brodo or lobster arancini, braised short rib or Colorado striped bass, bananas foster or choice of sorbet (menu subject to change) for $105 per person.
Online reservations are available for parties of up to four guests. For larger parties, call (303) 444-3622.
Toro Latin Kitchen & Lounge
Address: Inside Hotel Clio at 150 Clayton Lane in Denver
Website: https://www.torodenver.com/
Hours: 2 to 6 p.m. on Dec. 23-25
Menu: Highlights include butternut squash soup, honey-glazed crispy pork belly with creamy mashed potatoes, and a hibiscus corn cake.
Price: $79 per person plus tax and service fee.
Reservations encouraged.
Urban Farmer
Address: 1659 Wazee St. in Denver
Website: urbanfarmersteakhouse.com/event/special-christmas-fare
Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Christmas Day
Menu: Charcuterie for the table, choice of local greens, seafood chowder or short rib gnocchi; spiral cut ham, prime rib, 6 oz. filet, stuffed delicata squash or salmon; and pumpkin pie or chocolate cake. The table will share sides, including roasted root vegetables, smashed red potatoes, oven-roasted yams, and Brussels Sprouts. Price: $85 for adults and $44 for kids under 12.
Reservations encouraged.
Wildflower
Address: 3638 Navajo St. in Denver
Website: lifehousehotels.com/hotels/denver/lower-highlands/restaurant/wildflower
Hours: 5 to 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 23 and 24
Menu: Two multi-course tasting menu options for $92 and $115 per person.
Reservations encouraged.
Sara B. Hansen is a Denver-based freelance writer.