Sometimes the Christmas meal doesn’t end up as you had expected. Or you might not feel like working yourself into a frazzle with meal prep, cooking and cleaning when you’ve got company to entertain and gatherings to attend all over town. Or, maybe like some people at our office, your home renovations – expected to be complete last May – are still not finished and you’re bursting at the seams in your dinky garage apartment, feeling more Grinchy than merry.

If you just can’t fit in cooking this year – or if you’re strategizing a way to make things a little easier on Christmas Day – make your holiday reservations soon. We’ve pulled together a few suggestions on where to eat (and eat well) during the Christmas holiday.

CHRISTMAS EVE

Brennan’s of Houston
A la carte Christmas dinner featuring a complimentary lagniappe of Froberg Farm Satsuma Eggnog
The menu: Creole partridge and pear crepe; Bayou Rum-smoked salmon; woodgrilled filet mignon; Creole lobster bouillabaisse; milk and cookies and Creole cream cheesecake.
RSVP: 713-522-9711

Caracol
A la carte menu available during dinner with live music by Ikaru
RSVP: 713-622-9996

Etoile Cuisine et Bar
$65 per person for a three-course prix fixe menu (kids’ menu available for $28)
The menu: Maine lobster bisque or cold duck foie gras terrine; pan-roasted seabass or a duo de bouef; and desserts such as Bûche de Noël (milk chocolate and passionfruit Christmas log with mango sorbet).
RSVP: 832-668-5808

Hugo’s dessert buffet

Hugo’s
Christmas Eve buffet; $39 per person / $12 per child; live music by Viento
RSVP: 713-524-7744

La Table (Table on Post Oak) 
A la carte menu with Christmas Eve specials; reservations beginning at 5 pm
Specials include chestnut soup, foie gras ravioli, Mediterranean seabass, capon and Bûche de Noël au Chocolat.
RSVP: 713-439-1000

Mockingbird Bistro
Three-course dinner; $75 per adult ($99 with sommelier’s pairings), $30 per child; 5 to 9 pm
The menu: Features a choice of appetizer, entree and dessert, with dishes such as winter squash soup, roasted beets, shrimp and grits, cavatelli, pan-seared Pacific seabass, seared scallops, Harris Ranch ribeye, molten chocolate torte and Granny Smith apple bread pudding.
RSVP: 713-533-0200

Ouisie’s
A la carte Christmas menu
The menu includes a number of restaurant favorites as well as holiday specials.
RSVP: 713-528-2264

Ouisie’s shrimp and grits

The Pass and Provisions
$125 for a seven-course seafood dinner in collaboration with Logan Ely and Steve Lamborn
This is the fourth installment of the restaurant’s dinner series The Feast of Seven Fishes, featuring seven courses of seafood.
Call 713-628-9020 for tickets.

Paul’s Kitchen
$65 per person for four courses (
$100 with wine pairings); $12 children’s menu for 12 and younger
The menu: Butternut squash soup or warm goat cheese salad, roast pumpkin or cocoa pappardelle; Marseillaise fish stew or pepperberry-crusted 44 Farms bistro filet; and le pain perdu or chocolate cheesecake.
RSVP: 713-360-2002

Quattro

Quattro
Three-course dinner menu with an extensive appetizer and dessert buffet; $65 adults, $35 children (5 to 12), ages 4 and younger eat free; 5 to 9:30 pm
The menu: Appetizer buffet to include items from raw bar with chilled Gulf shrimp, Maine crab claws, fresh-shucked Louisiana oysters, New Zealand mussels and an American farmstead cheese display. Diners will have the choice among five main entrees.
RSVP: 713-276-4700

Radio Milano
Four-course menu priced at $75 per person; 5 to 9 pm
The menu will feature dishes like porchetta with chestnut spread, apple and Barolo glaze; quail with wild seasonal mushrooms, potato cake and cipollini; and apple tart with Calvados ice cream and caramel sauce.
RSVP: 713-827-3545

Rainbow Lodge
Open from 5 to 9 pm
RSVP: 713-861-8666

Underbelly – A Christmas Dinner, inspired by A Christmas Story
Four-course menu priced at $70 for adults and $30 for kids; two seatings at 5:30 and 8 pm 
The menu: A first course of Houston holiday favorites such as charcuterie/pimento cheese/pickles, Javi’s tamales, big ‘ol salad and crispy dumplings; second course featuring peking duck, General Tso’s chicken, shrimp and broccoli and crabmeat fried rice; third course featuring meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy and braised red cabbage; and dessert will feature cookie trees and fudge.

Zifty 
Delivers on Christmas Eve from 11 am to midnight
Depending upon delivery location, customers can choose from restaurants such as Batanga, Texas Tamale Company, Mascalzone and Mandola’s Deli.

CHRISTMAS DAY

The Original Brenner’s Steakhouse 
Open 3 to 10 pm
RSVP: 713-465-2901

Cleburne Cafeteria 
Serving continuously from 11 am to 8:30 pm
This will be the restaurant’s 72nd consecutive year of serving all your holiday favorites

Hubbell & Hudson Bistro
Three-course prix-fix menu for $69 per person; noon to 8 pm
Menu highlights include roasted bone marrow with bacon jam, crispy octopus and charred baguette bread; sea salt and herb crusted prime rib with truffle potato puree, horseradish cream sauce, beef jus and grilled asparagus; and gingerbread spiced tres leches with meringue and cranberry passion fruit sauce.
RSVP: 281-203-5641

Kiran’s Restaurant & Bar
Mistletoe Brunch Buffet. $60 per guest ($25 for children under the age of 12; children under the age of 5 eat free.) Three seatings: 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm
The menu: Includes crabcake egg Benedict, chicken tikka masala, tandoori Scottish salmon, Goanese shrimp and chicken, lamb and vegetarian tamales. There will also be special offerings for kids including chicken nuggets and sliders, macaroni and cheese and hot chocolate and donuts.

Kiran’s chicken tikka masala

Morton’s The Steakhouse
Open 2 to 9 pm
RSVP: 713-659-3700 (downtown) or 713-629-1946 (Galleria)

Quattro – Brunch
$92 per adult, $39 per child (ages 5 to 12), complimentary for children ages four and younger. 10 am to 3 pm
The menu: 70 different menu items including traditional breakfast, made-to-order omelets, carving station, sous-vide eggs and caviar and hand-made pasta. Also features complimentary bloody Marys and mimosas.
RSVP: 713-276-4700

Quattro – Dinner
Three-course dinner menu with an extensive appetizer and dessert buffet; $65 adults, $35 children (5-12), ages 4 & younger eat free; 5 to 10 pm
The menu: appetizer buffet to include items from raw bar with chilled Gulf shrimp, Maine crab claws, fresh-shucked Louisiana oysters, New Zealand mussels and an American farmstead cheese display. Diners will have the choice among five main entrees.
RSVP: 713-276-4700

Radio Milano
Christmas Day brunch buffet for $35 per person
The brunch will include stations for pasta, omelets, meat carving, salad and sweets.
RSVP: 713-827-3545