Atlanta Restaurants Invite Guests for Joyful Gatherings this Christmas 2025
This Christmas, local restaurants are rolling out festive experiences for every kind of celebration—from joyful family outings to elegant holiday dining. Whether looking to spend Christmas Eve playing games with loved ones, singing your heart out to holiday hits or savoring a thoughtfully prepared dinner, Atlanta’s dining scene offers something special to make the holiday merry and bright.
Multiple Locations
Marlow’s Tavern invites guests to enjoy a warm and welcoming Christmas Eve with a comforting seasonal special: shrimp and corn chowder, a rich blend of shrimp, bacon, potatoes, mirepoix and cream. Taverns will be open until 8 p.m., though some locations may stay open later. Guests are encouraged to call their local tavern for hours and reservations. And of course, guests can stop by Santa’s Speakeasy for a festive experience at the East Cobb and Woodstock taverns.
Alpharetta
Cattle Shed Wine & Steak Bar’s Christmas Eve dinner features a menu of holiday-inspired specials and signature cocktails alongside its full menu. Highlights include bacon-wrapped scallops with butternut squash purée and fall succotash ($24) and beef Wellington wrapped in puff pastry with mushroom duxelles and bordelaise ($65). Festive sips include the Gingerbread Martini and Mistletoe Margarita. The last seating will be at 6:30 p.m. Reservations can be made online.
Winter comes to Halcyon where HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern has transformed its High-Up rooftop into a Ski Chalet pop-up bar. On Christmas Eve, guests can warm up with après ski-inspired cocktails like the peppermint martini and caramel apple toddy and enjoy hearty bites, including Wintertime “Cozy” chili and tableside s’mores. Live entertainment every Friday and Saturday, themed nights and festive photo ops make it a cozy holiday destination through Dec. 31. Make reservations online.
Ocean & Acre serves up coastal holiday flavor with a Christmas Eve feature of red grouper with roasted mushrooms, mashed fingerlings and chef’s seasonal sauce ($42), plus a decadent pumpkin cheesecake ($9) for dessert. The restaurant is open 11 a.m.-7 p.m., and reservations can be made via OpenTable.
Guests are invited to gather their favorite people and celebrate Christmas Eve at Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails. From 2-8 p.m., guests can enjoy a festive three-course prix fixe dinner featuring dishes like roasted pear and arugula salad, herb-roasted prime rib, rack of lamb, pan-roasted redfish and indulgent desserts including sweet potato and maple cheesecake and Milton’s carrot cake. The experience is $85 per adult and $32.50 per child (tax and gratuity not included). Seats are limited, and Christmas Eve fills fast—reserve a table via OpenTable for a holiday meal to remember. For those celebrating at home, Milton’s has the cooking covered with a 12- to 14-pound Applewood-smoked turkey ($130), spiral ham finished with bourbon–orange glaze ($120) and a show-stopping smoked and spiced prime rib served with pink peppercorn horseradish ($285). Each item serves six to eight guests. A holiday sides package includes all the classics and serves four to six guests ($100). Limited quantities are available. Orders are first-come, first-served and can be placed online with pick up on Dec. 23 between 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Brookhaven
The Ashford on Dresden invites guests to celebrate Christmas Eve and enjoy its approachable, chef-driven menu. The neighborhood favorite will be open for normal service, offering a relaxed yet elevated atmosphere perfect for toasting the season with family and friends over favorite dishes and drinks. Reservations can be made online.
Buckhead
Spend Christmas Eve savoring the refined flavors of Aria. The Buckhead favorite will be open 4:30-8 p.m. on Dec. 24, offering regular service with both its beloved à la carte menu and nightly tasting menu, each designed to highlight the season’s finest ingredients. Guests are encouraged to book early via Resy for an evening of elegant ambiance and warm hospitality.
Spend Christmas Eve in Buckhead at Gypsy Kitchen, where guests can sip a Sangria Spritzer and enjoy festive menu features available Dec. 24–31. Specials include Moroccan-spiced lamb chops with sumac tzatziki, seared scallops with saffron cauliflower purée and duck breast with Manchego polenta and port-cherry reduction. The bar opens at 3 p.m. with dinner from 4-7 p.m. Reservations are available via OpenTable.
Treat yourself to a memorable meal at Buckhead’s MICHELIN-starred Omakase Table, which will be open Christmas Eve for its 20-course tasting menu dinner for $295 a person. Reservations are available via Resy.
Celebrate Christmas Eve coastal-style from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. at The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill with a special cioppino pasta—pappardelle with mussels, Manila clams, jumbo lump crab and shrimp in a tomato–white wine broth ($42). Guests can pair the meal with festive cocktails like the Snow on the Beach made with Yave Coconut tequila or the Snowdrift Bushwacker, a frozen coconut-mocha winter cocktail. Reservations are available online.
Buckhead’s beloved holiday pop-up The Blind Elf is back at The Blind Pig Parlour Bar, open on Christmas Eve from 12-7 p.m. and through the end of the year. The bar sparkles with festive décor, creative cocktails like the Polar Express martini and Down the Chimney, and holiday bites including braised short rib sliders and Santa’s milk and cookies. Neighboring Chido & Padre’s is also open Christmas Eve from 4-7 p.m., extending the magic with The South Pole—a tropical twist on Santa’s getaway featuring bright colors, sunny vibes and playful seasonal drinks. Reservations for both pop-ups are available online. Reservations can be made online for both The Blind Elf and Chido & Padre’s.
Open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m., The Southern Gentleman offers both brunch and dinner service on Christmas Eve. Guests can toast the holiday with classic cocktails and comforting Southern fare in a warm, inviting atmosphere. Make reservations online.
There are plenty of festive ways to soak up the holiday season at Johnny’s Hideaway, Atlanta’s original hotspot for “big kids” since 1979. On Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, guests can show off tacky sweaters, sip holiday “spirits” and groove with every generation as the celebration carries on until 2 a.m.
Dunwoody
Get ready for the holidays in the most delicious way at Vino Venue’s Entertaining with Ease: Holiday Hors d’oeuvres class on Friday, Dec. 19. Led by a professional chef and hostess extraordinaire, this hands-on cooking and wine experience will teach guests how to craft elegant, make-ahead hors d’oeuvres that let them spend more time enjoying their parties and less time in the kitchen. Guests will sip reception wine while learning to create crowd-pleasing small plates such as goat cheese crostini with fig olive tapenade, brie-stuffed figs with pomegranate, and cranberry-glazed holiday meatballs. Participants will cook together in a lively, community setting before sitting down to enjoy their creations with expertly paired wines. The class runs 7-9:30 p.m. Tickets are $109 per person and can be purchased on Vino Venue’s website.
Midtown
Mary Mac’s Tea Room will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but guests can still enjoy Southern favorites from the comfort of home with the beloved restaurant’s Family Feasts To-Go, feeding four or 10 guests. These dinners feature carved turkey breast, green beans, cornbread dressing and gravy, cranberry sauce, potato souffle, yeast rolls and sweet potato pie. Other options include glazed Cobb smoked ham, whole oven-roasted turkeys and sides (available by the half gallon and gallon), such as whipped potatoes, broccoli souffle, black-eyed peas, collard greens, tomato pie, peach cobbler, banana pudding and more. These items are available for preorder online.
Old Fourth Ward
Buena Vida Tapas Bar invites guests to celebrate Christmas Eve with a vibrant Spanish twist. Open for both lunch and dinner, Buena Vida is offering its full menu of shareable plates, craft cocktails and festive favorites. With its warm atmosphere and lively energy, Buena Vida is the perfect place to toast to “the good life” this holiday season. Reservations can be made online.
West Midtown & Upper Westside
Your 3rd Spot is spreading holiday cheer with two festive events designed for all ages. On Monday, Dec. 22, from 8:30-11:30 p.m., guests 21 and older can enjoy a special Christmas karaoke night featuring a 1,000-plus song catalog, state-of-the-art sound and an experiences pass for unlimited gaming included with the $10 admission fee, with complimentary entry for annual community members. Then, on Christmas Eve from 2-8 p.m., families can enjoy a magical afternoon featuring a Christmas slide, photos with Santa, a holiday craft station and unlimited game passes included with a $25 entry fee, with complimentary admission for guests 3 and under and those 70 and older. Book experiences online.
Editor’s note: This article was posted on Nov. 26, 2025. Please be aware that pricing, hours of operation, availability of specials and menu items may change over time. For the most up-to-date information, please refer directly to the restaurants mentioned above.