What’s open Christmas Day in Fort Worth or Arlington? Buffets, steakhouses and cafes
The Christmas Day brunch choices are mostly simple:
Go upscale, or go down-home.
Figure on spending more than $40 in a hotel or prime steakhouse.
Or wait in line somewhere like the Heaven’s Gate buffet, Saltgrass Steak House or Skillet & Grill.
Here’s a rundown of some of the Christmas Day dining choices (there aren’t many):
▪ The Texas Ballroom at the Omni Fort Worth, 1300 Houston St., is serving the city’s most elaborate holiday brunch, a $70 buffet with turkey, roast beef, ham, redfish and a variety of salads, sides and breakfast items.
Desserts include mince pie, apple tarts, German chocolate cupcakes and banana-walnut fritters; 11 a.m.-3 p.m. by reservation at 817-350-4072, omnifortworthhotel.com.
▪ Also downtown: Wicked Butcher, 512 Main St. in the Sinclair hotel, is one of three busy steakhouses open for the noon meal Christmas Day.
The a la carte menu features a $48 rack of lamb, plus butternut squash soup ($12) and pumpkin cheesecake ($12).
▪ Ruth’s Chris Steak House, 813 Main St. in the Hilton Fort Worth, features prime steak-and-lobster or steak-and-shrimp combos, or choose vegetarian or gluten-friendly options.; 817-348-0080, ruthschris.com.
▪ Mercury Chophouse serves police, firefighters and first responders and everyone who wants to come dine alongside. It’s at 525 Taylor St.; 817-336-4129, mercuryfw.com.
▪ Il Modo, 714 Main St. in the Kimpton Harper hotel, will be serving its regular menu after offering a special Italian dinner on Christmas Eve; 817-415-0144, ilmodorestaurant.com.
▪ The choices grow later Christmas Day, Toro Toro, 222 Main St., in the Worthington Renaissance hotel, is open at lunch but is serving the main $65 dinner special after 4 p.m., featuring prime rib with sides, tamales and chorizo-cornbread pudding.
Toro Toro is also serving a “felizmente unidos” holiday menu featuring a pork chop in guajillo-adobe marinade ($29) with salad options ($12) and a bunuelo-apple dessert with ice cream ($11).
▪ Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, 812 Main St;., is also open at night along with Del Frisco’s Grille, 154 E. Third St.
Less expensive Christmas Day dining
▪ For less expensive dining, the Heaven’s Gate family buffet is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 3820 N. Main St., serving a vast selection for $18.99 (with drink, about $21.50).
Heaven’s Gate serves a simple home-cooking lunch buffet daily and also a breakfast buffet weekends; 817-624-1262.
▪ Saltgrass Steak House locations are open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m, at six Tarrant County locations in Fort Worth, Arlington, Bedford, Grapevine and Mansfield; saltgrass.com.
▪ Both Ol’ South Pancake House locations will open at 7 a.m. Christmas Day and serve their regular menu of breakfasts, dinners, salads and sides; 1509 S. University Drive, 817-336-0311, or 225 E. Renfro St., Burleson, 817-989-9090, olsouthpancakehouse.com
▪ Skillet N’ Grill, 1801 W. Division St., will serve a Christmas dinner special; 817-795-8682, facebook.com/SkilletnGrill.
▪ Day Break Cafe & Grill, a working-class cafe at 2720 White Settlement Road, is open daily at 5 a.m. and will serve its regular menu of breakfasts, lunches, burgers and Tex-Mex; 817-335-0805, facebook.com/DayBreakCafeandGrill.
▪ The Iron Skillet, 2001 Santa Fe Drive, Weatherford, inside the TA-Petro Travel Center, is open daily and will serve unlimited turkey and ham Christmas. Expect a line, or order takeout online; 817-599-9411, facebook.com/IronSkilletWeatherford.
Hotels in Arlington, Southlake, Grapevine
▪ Cut & Bourbon, 1600 E. Randol Mill Road in the Loews hotel, is open but has not announced menus; 682-277-4900, loewshotels.com.
▪ Bacchus, 215 E. Dallas Road in the Hotel Vin, is serving an $85 “feast” with prime rib; 817-251-3040, bacchustx.com.
The Grand Met at the DFW Grand Hyatt and the Riverwalk Cantina at the Gaylord Texan are also open.
▪ Jellico’s, 1200 Texas 114 East in the Westin hotel, is serving an elaborate $75 brunch buffet Christmas Eve but not Christmas Day, and then an $85 dinner Christmas Day with duck or salmon and eggnog creme brulee; 817-873-1900, marriott.com.
