If you want to enjoy a delicious meal to coincide with Christmas but feel like the logistics are a bit of a nightmare, fear not. These Milwaukee-area restaurants are either opening their doors on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to serve a unique feast, or providing an option to pick up a dessert or take-and-bake meal in the days prior.
Dine In
1878 on the Lake
2400 E. GENEVA ST., DELAVAN
Tucked into Lake Lawn Resort along Delavan Lake, the restaurant’s Christmas Eve Prix Fixe Dinner and Christmas Champagne Brunch are festive odes to the holiday. A three-course dinner on Christmas Eve ($85 per person) features a starter, entrée and dessert while on Christmas Day there’s a sparkling wine-paired brunch ($68 adult, $25 children 8-12 years old and $14 children 4-7 years old).
Book a table through OpenTable.
Let your voice be heard about everything you love in Milwaukee, from food trucks to florists.
ARIA
139 E. KILBOURN AVE.
Located inside Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel, this fine-dining restaurant will serve a prix-fix menu ($79 per person) on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, between 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on both days. Included on the menu is prime rib with au jus, savory bread pudding, horseradish cream sauce, and double chocolate cake with raspberry sauce.
Book a table through OpenTable.
Ash Hearth & Bar
500 W. FLORIDA ST.
Iron Horse Hotel’s restaurant is hosting a Christmas Eve dinner (4 p.m. to 8 p.m.) with special dishes unique to the holiday on its menu, such as foraged pine-smoked mussels or foie-gras mousse for starters, 10-year aged balsamic braised wagu or ember-roasted black bass for a main dish, followed by chocolate bread pudding for dessert.
Book a table through OpenTable.
Mason Street Grill
425 E. MASON ST.
This street-level steakhouse inside The Pfister Hotel is hosting “A Mason Street Grill Christmas” on Dec. 24 between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. and Dec. 25 between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. This includes a special prix-fixe menu of prime rib with herb whipped potatoes, pancetta Brussels sprouts and dessert ($81 per person).
Book a table through OpenTable.
The Melting Pot
19850 W. BLUEMOUND RD., BROOKFIELD
On Christmas Eve, this fondue-focused restaurant group’s prix-fixe holiday dinner ($65 per person), served between noon and 8 p.m., naturally includes fondue (cranberry walnut cheddar cheese for a new twist on a Wisconsin classic) but also folds in cherry apple pecan salad, choice of an entrée and shortbread peanut butter cookie chocolate fondue.
Book a table through OpenTable.
The Pfister Hotel
424 E. WISCONSIN AVE.
For this historic downtown hotel’s Christmas Celebration Brunch ($95 adults, $35 children), served on Dec. 25 between 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom, there’s not much that’s missing from the menu. The feast includes Wisconsin cheeses, a meat-carving station, pasta dishes, omelets made to order, fresh seafood, holiday-themed salads and starters, and desserts.
Book a table through Tock.
The Social American Tavern
611 N. BROADWAY
This restaurant’s Christmas Eve Prime Rib Dinner ($56 per person) pairs prime rib with soup or salad, a baked potato and a seasonal vegetable dish. Other holiday specials on the menu are salmon wellington and butternut squash ravioli, with accompanying sides just as with the prime rib.
Book a table through OpenTable.
Tre Rivali
200 N. BROADWAY
Located inside Kimpton Journeyman Hotel, this Mediterranean-themed eatery will host a Christmas Day buffet meal ($85 adults, $35 children)) between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Ideal for brunch, the buffet features a waffle bar, artisanal cheese and salami board, fresh fruit platter, prime rib, Tuscan roast pork, Brussels sprouts, whipped potatoes, assorted toasts and spreads, soup and salad, and chive and crème fraiche scrambled eggs.
Book a table through OpenTable.
Take Out
BRAVO! Italian Kitchen
95 N. MOORLAND RD., BROOKFIELD
Allow your Christmas to skew Italian with this restaurant’s holiday catering packages, which serve either 10 or 20 people. There are four packages to choose from, and each includes choices of salad, pasta and dessert. Bread is also included.
Call 888-692-7286 to place an order.
Odd Duck
939 S. 2ND ST.
For a sweet treat to your holiday table, or while munching on while you cook and bake, Within the restaurant’s holiday cookie pack ($28) are gingersnaps and salted chocolate-chip cookies.
Order and pick up on Dec. 19 between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Smoke Shack
332 N. MILWAUKEE ST.
This Third Ward smoked-meats spot’s special holiday meal to-go folds in all the fixings: a smoked whole ham, creamed corn, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, green-bean casserole and pecan pie.
Order by Dec. 14 at noon and pick up on Dec. 22 or Dec. 23 between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m.