Are you wondering where to have your Christmas dinner this year? Maybe you’d rather skip cooking and doing dishes and enjoy a meal at your favorite restaurant. This post will detail all the great spots you can dine at for your Christmas celebration in San Diego. Hotel del Coronado, Amaya at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, The Marine Room, Arlo, and Covewood have already announced their 2026 Christmas Eve and Christmas Day plans. The rest haven’t yet, so for those you’ll find recent Christmas details, labeled with the year, to give you an idea of what to expect.
Note: This list is always a work in progress, so if I’m missing San Diego restaurants with Christmas or New Year’s offerings, please leave a comment or email me. Restaurants handle tax, fees, and gratuity differently, so check each booking page before you reserve.
Christmas Dinners by Style
Ultimate Luxury & Fine Dining
Lavish Holiday Buffets & Brunches
Family Fun
Stunning Ocean & Waterfront Views
- Adelaide at L’Auberge Del Mar
- Covewood at San Diego Mission Bay Resort
- Mediterranean Room at La Valencia Hotel
- The Marine Room Restaurant
- Vistal at the InterContinental
- JRDN
- George’s at the Cove
Unique Holiday Experiences
Herb & Wood
For Christmas Eve 2025, this popular Little Italy restaurant served a four-course, family-style menu that began with a choice of a Waldorf Salad, a Lobster Louie lettuce cup, or Venison Tartare. The second course featured Seared Shrimp, Ditalini with smoked broccolini and brie cream, or a Lamb Lollipop with green tahini and pomegranate.
Entrée selections included Prime Rib, Seabass, Seared Duck, or an Embered Sweet Potato vegetarian main. Family-style sides—Mashed Potatoes, Creamed Kale, and Parker House Rolls—came with the main entrée. Dessert options included a decadent Date Cake with black walnut ice cream or a Hazelnut & Chocolate Tiramisu.
- Location: 936 W Ivy St, San Diego, CA 92101
- 2026: Not announced yet
- Date (2025): Christmas Eve, December 24
- Times (2025): 3 p.m.–8 p.m.
- Price (2025): $92 per adult, $37 per child
- Reservation Page: Reserve on OpenTable
Herb & Sea
The sister restaurant to Herb & Wood in North County San Diego, Herb & Sea is one of Encinitas’ best eateries. In 2024, its four-course Christmas Eve dinner included choices like Scallop Crudo, Wild Boar Sausage, Prime Rib, and Seared Barramundi, with family-style sides.
- Location: 131 W D St, Encinitas, CA 92024
- 2026: Not announced yet
- Date (2024): Christmas Eve, December 24
- Times (2024): 3 p.m.–8 p.m.
- Price (2024): $92 per adult, $38 per child
- Reservation Page: Reserve on OpenTable
Animae
This world-class steakhouse comes from celebrity chef Brian Malarkey and his longtime business partner, Christopher Puffer. Chef Tara Monsod’s three-course Kamayan-style dinner on Christmas Eve 2025 was inspired by the Filipino-American heritage of the kitchen and served as a communal feast.
The feast started with Ube Pandesal (sweet cheddar butter), Kinilaw (coconut, calamansi, cilantro-chili oil), and Hamachi with heirloom tomato and toyomansi vinaigrette. The main course brought a spread that included whole fried snapper, lechon kawali, and grilled short rib bistek, and the meal concluded with Chocolate & Ginger Profiteroles with candied cashew and Ube Butter Mochi with banana and salted egg yolk.
- Location: 969 Pacific Hwy, San Diego, CA 92101
- 2026: Not announced yet
- Date (2025): Christmas Eve, December 24
- Times (2025): 3 p.m.–8 p.m.
- Price (2025): $110 per person, $42 per child
- Reservation Page: Animae Reservations
Amaya at Fairmont Grand Del Mar
Amaya, one of the restaurants at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, has announced four-course tasting menus for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2026. Read my full Fairmont Grand Del Mar review if you’d like to stay the night.
- Location: 5300 Grand Del Mar Court, San Diego, CA 92130
- Dates: Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24, and Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, 2026
- Times: Christmas Eve seatings run 4 p.m.–8 p.m. on Amaya’s booking page, though its event page says 5 p.m.–9 p.m. Christmas Day runs 4 p.m.–9 p.m., and the resort’s holidays page also lists 12 p.m.–8 p.m. Confirm your seating when you book.
- Price: $185 per adult and $85 per child ages 3–12, before tax, gratuity, and alcohol, on Amaya’s Christmas pages (some other Fairmont pages list $210 per adult or $75 per child, so you may see different figures)
- Reservation Page: Amaya’s Christmas Eve and Christmas Day pages
Hotel del Coronado Crown & Coronet Rooms
You can dine in The Del’s Crown and Coronet rooms on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day this year.
On Christmas Eve, The Del serves a lavish holiday buffet dinner. The sumptuous menu includes coastal seafood, Baja ceviche, Scottish salmon, and, of course, a roasted turkey. There are even customizable salad and pasta stations, and a decadent dessert spread with bûche de Noël and chocolate truffles.
- Date: Thursday, December 24, 2026, starting at 3 p.m.
- Price: $245.99 per adult, $130 per child ages 5–12, and children 4 and under free with a paid adult (prices include fees)
- A glass of sparkling wine is included for guests 21 and over, and there’s live music
- Reservation Page: Buy your tickets on The Del’s Christmas Eve page.
On Christmas Day, a holiday brunch buffet is served in the same rooms. The menu is similar to the Christmas Eve buffet, with an omelet station, Belgian waffles, and pancakes added for breakfast.
- Date: Friday, December 25, 2026, starting at 10 a.m.
- Price: $246 per adult, $130 per child ages 5–12, and children 4 and under free with a paid adult (prices include fees)
- A glass of sparkling wine is included for guests 21 and over, and there’s live music
- Reservation Page: Buy your tickets on The Del’s Christmas Day page.
While at The Del, you will be surrounded by thousands of sparkling lights on the property, as well as Christmas trees, garlands, and holiday decor that will surely delight guests of all ages. Reserve early.
Enjoy your Christmas Eve dinner or Christmas Day brunch and spend the night! Read my full Hotel del Coronado review. Through me, you have access to the following:
Arlo Restaurant
San Diego’s destination eatery inside Town & Country Resort, Arlo, will serve holiday specials on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The à la carte dinner menu is available on Christmas Eve too, and on Christmas Day the specials come with live music and a choice of dining inside or on the heated patio.
Town & Country’s holiday page says the 2026 specials are coming soon. In 2025, Christmas Day was a buffet with a seafood display, action stations like rosemary-crusted prime rib and crispy-skin salmon, roasted root vegetables, and desserts including bûche de Noël.
Location: 500 Hotel Cir N, San Diego, CA 92108
Dates:
- Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24, 2026
- Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, 2026
Times:
- Christmas Eve Dinner: 5 p.m.–10 p.m.
- Christmas Day: 12 p.m.–6 p.m.
Price:
- 2026: Not announced yet
- Christmas Day buffet (2025): $95 per adult, $40 per child 12 and under, tax and gratuity not included
Reservation Page: Arlo Reservations
Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa
On Christmas Day 2025, the hotel’s Pony Room hosted a festive buffet with a seafood station, a carving station, and traditional holiday trimmings. Live music, seasonal sweets, cookie decorating, arts and crafts, and horse-drawn carriage rides accompanied the meal.
- Location: 5921 Valencia Cir, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067
- 2026: Not announced yet
- Date and times (2025): Christmas Day, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Price (2025): $245+ per adult, $95+ per child ages 4–11, and children 3 and under free
- Reservations: Call the Pony Room at (858) 759-6246
- Christmas Day details on the resort’s site
The hotel also offered a fantastic pickup option in 2025 for those who fancy a feast at home without all the work. Its Rancho To-Go Christmas feast had to be ordered online by December 19 for pickup on Christmas Eve, and the 2026 dates aren’t posted yet.
You can also stay overnight with our benefits!
Veranda at Rancho Bernardo Inn
For an elegant Christmas dinner (which, for some, is the only way to do it), consider Veranda, where the presentation and plating are beautiful.
In 2025, Veranda served a chef’s special prix fixe Christmas menu, alongside its à la carte menu, on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. AVANT, also at the resort, served its own four-course dinners both nights.
- Location: 17550 Bernardo Oaks Dr, San Diego, CA 92128
- 2026: Not announced yet
- Dates and times (2025): Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, 11:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m.
- Reservations: Call (844) 338-9275.
Vintana Wine + Dine
Perched on the penthouse level of The Centre Escondido, Vintana Wine + Dine brings delicious California cuisine to Escondido in a posh and hip setting. Its three-course Christmas menu was served on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in 2025, with dishes like filet mignon and miso seabass and desserts like lemon cheesecake and banana bread pudding.
- Location: 1205 Auto Park Way, Escondido, CA 92029
- 2026: Not announced yet
- Dates and times (2025): Christmas Eve, 4 p.m.–9 p.m., and Christmas Day, 12 p.m.–8 p.m.
- Price (2025): $74.95 per adult, $23.95 per child 12 and under, before tax, gratuity, and a supplemental fee
- Vintana’s events page
Adelaide at L’Auberge Del Mar
Gorgeous ocean views, impeccable service, and the freshest, ocean-forward entrees welcome you at Adelaide. This elegant restaurant at the upscale and charming L’Auberge boutique hotel served a chef’s prix fixe dinner on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in 2025, plus a Christmas Day buffet.
- Location: 1540 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, CA 92014
- 2026: Not announced yet
- Prix fixe dinner (2025): Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, $155 per adult plus tax and 20% gratuity
- Christmas Day buffet (2025): Served until 4 p.m. with last seating at 2:30 p.m., $125 per adult and $39 per child 12 and under
- Adelaide Reservations through OpenTable
Stay overnight at L’Auberge Del Mar with extra benefits.
Covewood at San Diego Mission Bay Resort
Who says Christmas has to be stuffy and formal? Not Covewood! Barefoot chic is the vibe here, so feel free to walk in straight from playing on the bay for a casual but delectable Christmas Eve and Day dinner.
Their special Christmas menu is still to be announced, but after dinner, you can be sure to take an idyllic walk along the bay…still barefoot, of course.
You can also spend the night at the San Diego Mission Bay Resort.
- Location: 1775 East Mission Bay Drive, San Diego, CA 92109
- Dates: Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, December 24 and 25, 2026
- Time: Not announced yet for 2026 (2 p.m.–8 p.m. in 2025)
- Reservations: Call the resort’s dining line at 619-275-7922, or book on OpenTable
Mediterranean Room at La Valencia Hotel
In 2024, La Valencia’s Mediterranean Room served a three-course prix fixe dinner on Christmas Eve and a Christmas Day brunch with an ocean view.
Dine in style at this restaurant known for its stunning views and exceptional cuisine.
Christmas Eve Dining
- Date: December 24
- 2026: Not announced yet
- 2024: 3 p.m.–8 p.m., $130+ per person, with a children’s menu
Christmas Brunch
- Date: December 25
- 2026: Not announced yet
- 2024: 9 a.m.–3 p.m., with the regular dinner menu from 4 p.m.
- Reservations: Through the Mediterranean Room page on La Valencia’s site
You can also spend the night at La Valencia Hotel in La Jolla.
The Marine Room Restaurant
The Marine Room has announced four-course dinners for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2026. The menu is still to come, but you can be sure it will be as spectacular as the crashing waves outside, which delight diners at high tide.
The only thing that matches the food here is the ocean views, so make sure to soak in both this Christmas. The Marine Room is adjacent to La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club.
- Dates: December 24 (Christmas Eve) & December 25 (Christmas Day), 2026
- Time: 4:30 p.m.–9 p.m.
- Price: $165 per person, before tax and gratuity
- The Marine Room Christmas Dining Reservations via OpenTable.
Vistal Bar + Restaurant at the InterContinental
For Christmas Day 2025, this bayfront restaurant at InterContinental San Diego served a three-course tasting menu of duck confit carnitas, a 16-ounce prime ribeye, and a Chocolate Rocher dessert. Each dish could also be ordered on its own. You can be assured of gorgeous views and, more than likely, a beautiful sunset as you dine at Vistal.
- Location: 901 Bayfront Ct, San Diego, CA 92101
- 2026: Not announced yet
- Date and price (2025): Christmas Day only, $90 per person for the tasting menu
- Vistal Reservations
JRDN
The popular beachfront restaurant at Tower23 Hotel served Christmas Day breakfast and a three-course Christmas dinner in 2025, with mains like roasted turkey and herb-crusted tenderloin. It was also open on Christmas Eve with its regular menu and a few holiday additions.
- Location: 723 Felspar Street, San Diego, CA 92109
- 2026: Not announced yet
- Times (2025): Christmas Day breakfast 9 a.m.–12 p.m., three-course dinner 2 p.m.–7 p.m.
- Price (2025): $75 per person for the three-course dinner
- Reservation Method: Call 858-270-2323
George’s at the Cove
One of my favorite La Jolla restaurants served a three-course prix fixe Christmas dinner in 2024. Choices included tuna crudo or beef carpaccio to start, a New York strip, smoked duck breast, or salmon for the main course, and Black Forest bûche de Noël or orange pavlova for dessert.
- Location: 1250 Prospect Street, La Jolla, CA 92037
- 2026: Date, times, and price not announced yet
- George’s at the Cove Reservations via ExploreTock.
Lionfish
Everyone’s favorite restaurant at Pendry San Diego usually offers a Christmas Eve feast with an innovative twist. In 2024, it served the Holiday Large Cast Iron, with half a roasted duck, duck confit stuffing, harvest mashed potatoes, and buttery biscuits.
- Location: 435 Fifth Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101
- 2026: Not announced yet
- Date and time (2024): Christmas Eve, from 5 p.m.
- Price (2024): $75 for the Holiday Large Cast Iron
- Lionfish Reservations
Where will you go for Christmas dinner in San Diego?
