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Where to Feast on Christmas Eve in New Orleans

Special menus, Reveillon dinners, heat-and-eat kits, and more on the night before Christmas

by Clair Lorell Updated
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by Clair Lorell Updated
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If you’re facing down a day full of cooking on Christmas, dining out for Christmas Eve may be important to maintaining good cheer. Dinner on Christmas Eve affords additional opportunities to try something out of the ordinary as well — in New Orleans that means special Reveillon menus, traditional Feasts of the Seven Fishes, and Christmas cocktails. Reserve a spot early and put off the workload for one more day. And if you’re looking for restaurants open for brunch, lunch, or dinner on Christmas Day, see Eater’s recommendations here.

Don’t see a great spot that’s open on Christmas Eve? Let us know.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission.

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Cafe Degas

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The welcoming Cafe Degas makes for a lovely Christmas Eve setting, a true New Orleans classic lit up by Christmas lights all year round. Snag a seat on the patio for the affordable four-course Reveillon menu, priced at $48 per person with an optional wine pairing for just $23 and including roasted duck breast, the restaurant’s famed frog legs, and a dessert of spice-poached pear Belle Hélène.

3127 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 945-5635
(504) 945-5635
Cafe Degas

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Bywater American Bistro

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If it’s a top-notch restaurant meal for at-home dining you’re looking for this year, Nina Compton has you covered. Her neighborhood destination Bywater American Bistro (BABs) is offering a Christmas Heat and Eat to-go kit to order online and pickup at the restaurant on Christmas Eve between noon to 5 p.m. For $60 per person, the menu includes winter vegetable salad; red wine braised short ribs; truffled pomme purée; roasted Brussels sprouts; and satsuma pie.

2900 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 605-3827
(504) 605-3827
Denny Culbert/EaterNOLA

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Saint John

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At French Quarter restaurant Saint John, sister restaurant to chef Eric Cook’s Southern LGD restaurant Gris-Gris, diners can enjoy a meal of refined takes on traditional Creole and experience some of the best of the cuisine to be had in the Quarter. A Mangé Loa Voodoo feast is also available here on Christmas Eve, a three-course pre-fixe menu plus a special holiday cocktail for $60 per person including Creole red bean soup, chicory-glazed quail, and sweet potato beignets. Reservations are available by phone or via Resy.

1117 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 581-8120
(504) 581-8120
Saint John Mangé Loa menu items
Saint John

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Jewel of the South

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Yes, Jewel of the South pours spectacular cocktails from Chris Hannah and his team, but if you haven’t had chef Philip Whitmarsh’s eye-popping vegetable-forward fare, get ready to swoon. A $75 Reveillon and vegetarian Reveillon will be served Christmas Eve from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Beef Wellington or king brown mushrooms with thyme gnocchi and soft egg? One of each please.

1026 St Louis St, New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 265-8816
(504) 265-8816
Beth D’Addono/Eater NOLA

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Tujague's

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Served on Christmas Eve, the Reveillon menu at Tujaque’s is epic, and the restaurant is a Christmastime favorite. Acadiana native and chef Gus Martin will prepare a prix-fixe $56 four-course meal that includes duck and mushroom crepes, seafood courtbouillon, and apple walnut spice cake.

823 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 525-8676
(504) 525-8676

Also featured in:

Seafood Sally's

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Loosen up before the big day with a meal at Seafood Sally’s, full of fun and fancy and seaside vibes. It’s open for lunch and dinner on December 24 for a little escapism in the form of oysters, fried seafood, blue crabs, and cocktails — in addition to any specialty items the restaurant is sure to have up its sleeve for the evening.

8400 Oak St, New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 766-8736
(504) 766-8736
Hanna Smith/Seafood Sally’s

Also featured in:

Annunciation

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The elegant Warehouse District gem is serving an excellent Réveillon dinner all the way through Christmas Eve. At a reasonably-priced $59, the prix-fixe menu includes two options for each of the four courses, including the restaurant’s excellent shrimp chowder or turtle soup and drum papillote or grilled pork chop. Annunciation is romantic and cozy; a lovely option for an intimate meal.

1016 Annunciation St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 568-0245
(504) 568-0245
Annunciation/Facebook

Gris-Gris

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Order the Mangé Loa holiday menu at Gris-Gris, chef Eric Cook’s delicious Southern comfort food destination, and prepare to be delighted. The Lower Garden District restaurant is open Christmas Eve and offering a Voodoo feast, a three-course pre-fixe menu plus a special holiday cocktail for $60 per person. Reservations are available by phone or via Resy.

1800 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 272-0241
(504) 272-0241
Gris-Gris Mangé Loa dishes
Gris-Gris

Also featured in:

Picnic Provisions & Whiskey

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Picnic is closed for Christmas Day, but you can pop in on Christmas Eve to pick up necessaries like fried chicken, collards, and cornbread. Catering orders are available for delivery and carry out too — just in case you need some last-minute help. Sneak out of the house for a cocktail and catch happy hour prices from 3 to 4 p.m.

741 State St, New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 266-2810
(504) 266-2810
Beth D’Addono/Eater NOLA

Also featured in:

Mister Mao

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Do something different for Christmas Eve dinner this year at the always surprising Mister Mao. A Chinese Christmas menu includes sticky eggplant lettuce wraps, chile crisp burrata, shrimp fried rice, crispy pork belly with ginger, scallion and garlic sauce, and dessert — Mister Mao’s are incredible, courtesy of pastry chef Sarah Cotton. Reserve your spot by phone or on Resy from 5 to 10 p.m.

4501 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 345-2056
(504) 345-2056
Mister Mao desserts
Katherine Kimball/Eater NOLA

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Cafe Degas

3127 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

The welcoming Cafe Degas makes for a lovely Christmas Eve setting, a true New Orleans classic lit up by Christmas lights all year round. Snag a seat on the patio for the affordable four-course Reveillon menu, priced at $48 per person with an optional wine pairing for just $23 and including roasted duck breast, the restaurant’s famed frog legs, and a dessert of spice-poached pear Belle Hélène.

3127 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 945-5635
(504) 945-5635
Cafe Degas

Bywater American Bistro

2900 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70117

If it’s a top-notch restaurant meal for at-home dining you’re looking for this year, Nina Compton has you covered. Her neighborhood destination Bywater American Bistro (BABs) is offering a Christmas Heat and Eat to-go kit to order online and pickup at the restaurant on Christmas Eve between noon to 5 p.m. For $60 per person, the menu includes winter vegetable salad; red wine braised short ribs; truffled pomme purée; roasted Brussels sprouts; and satsuma pie.

2900 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 605-3827
(504) 605-3827
Denny Culbert/EaterNOLA

Saint John

1117 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116

At French Quarter restaurant Saint John, sister restaurant to chef Eric Cook’s Southern LGD restaurant Gris-Gris, diners can enjoy a meal of refined takes on traditional Creole and experience some of the best of the cuisine to be had in the Quarter. A Mangé Loa Voodoo feast is also available here on Christmas Eve, a three-course pre-fixe menu plus a special holiday cocktail for $60 per person including Creole red bean soup, chicory-glazed quail, and sweet potato beignets. Reservations are available by phone or via Resy.

1117 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 581-8120
(504) 581-8120
Saint John Mangé Loa menu items
Saint John

Jewel of the South

1026 St Louis St, New Orleans, LA 70112

Yes, Jewel of the South pours spectacular cocktails from Chris Hannah and his team, but if you haven’t had chef Philip Whitmarsh’s eye-popping vegetable-forward fare, get ready to swoon. A $75 Reveillon and vegetarian Reveillon will be served Christmas Eve from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Beef Wellington or king brown mushrooms with thyme gnocchi and soft egg? One of each please.

1026 St Louis St, New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 265-8816
(504) 265-8816
Beth D’Addono/Eater NOLA

Tujague's

823 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Served on Christmas Eve, the Reveillon menu at Tujaque’s is epic, and the restaurant is a Christmastime favorite. Acadiana native and chef Gus Martin will prepare a prix-fixe $56 four-course meal that includes duck and mushroom crepes, seafood courtbouillon, and apple walnut spice cake.

823 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 525-8676
(504) 525-8676

Seafood Sally's

8400 Oak St, New Orleans, LA 70118

Loosen up before the big day with a meal at Seafood Sally’s, full of fun and fancy and seaside vibes. It’s open for lunch and dinner on December 24 for a little escapism in the form of oysters, fried seafood, blue crabs, and cocktails — in addition to any specialty items the restaurant is sure to have up its sleeve for the evening.

8400 Oak St, New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 766-8736
(504) 766-8736
Hanna Smith/Seafood Sally’s

Annunciation

1016 Annunciation St, New Orleans, LA 70130

The elegant Warehouse District gem is serving an excellent Réveillon dinner all the way through Christmas Eve. At a reasonably-priced $59, the prix-fixe menu includes two options for each of the four courses, including the restaurant’s excellent shrimp chowder or turtle soup and drum papillote or grilled pork chop. Annunciation is romantic and cozy; a lovely option for an intimate meal.

1016 Annunciation St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 568-0245
(504) 568-0245
Annunciation/Facebook

Gris-Gris

1800 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Order the Mangé Loa holiday menu at Gris-Gris, chef Eric Cook’s delicious Southern comfort food destination, and prepare to be delighted. The Lower Garden District restaurant is open Christmas Eve and offering a Voodoo feast, a three-course pre-fixe menu plus a special holiday cocktail for $60 per person. Reservations are available by phone or via Resy.

1800 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 272-0241
(504) 272-0241
Gris-Gris Mangé Loa dishes
Gris-Gris

Picnic Provisions & Whiskey

741 State St, New Orleans, LA 70118

Picnic is closed for Christmas Day, but you can pop in on Christmas Eve to pick up necessaries like fried chicken, collards, and cornbread. Catering orders are available for delivery and carry out too — just in case you need some last-minute help. Sneak out of the house for a cocktail and catch happy hour prices from 3 to 4 p.m.

741 State St, New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 266-2810
(504) 266-2810
Beth D’Addono/Eater NOLA

Mister Mao

4501 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Do something different for Christmas Eve dinner this year at the always surprising Mister Mao. A Chinese Christmas menu includes sticky eggplant lettuce wraps, chile crisp burrata, shrimp fried rice, crispy pork belly with ginger, scallion and garlic sauce, and dessert — Mister Mao’s are incredible, courtesy of pastry chef Sarah Cotton. Reserve your spot by phone or on Resy from 5 to 10 p.m.

4501 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 345-2056
(504) 345-2056
Mister Mao desserts
Katherine Kimball/Eater NOLA

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