Where to Dine This Christmas in Newport Beach!
If hosting the holidays feels overwhelming, let Newport Beach’s finest restaurants open on Christmas do the work for you! This season, exceptional chefs are crafting elegant Christmas Eve and Christmas Day menus, offering an effortless way to celebrate with family and friends. Before you pull together a towering grocery list or spend hours in the kitchen, explore these curated restaurants open on Christmas Newport Beach and discover restaurants with Christmas dinner designed to delight every palate. Indulge in a stress-free, festive feast prepared by the city’s top culinary talents.
Christmas Eve Dining
21 Oceanfront
Situated steps from the Newport Pier, 21 Oceanfront invites guests to celebrate the magic of the season with an elegant three-course Christmas Eve prix fixe dinner on Wednesday, December 24th, 2025, from 4–9 p.m. ($140 per person, excluding tax and gratuity). Surrounded by festive décor and the beauty of the ocean, guests will enjoy first-course options such as Butternut Squash Bisque, Bacon-Wrapped Dates, Steak Tartare, Coconut Curry Mussels, Poached Pear Winter Salad, and Colossal Prawn Cocktail, followed by second-course selections including Prime NY Steak au Poivre, New Zealand Rack of Lamb, Bone-In Pork Chop, Shrimp Étouffée, Maple-Glazed Salmon, and Eggplant Parmesan. For dessert, choose from Red Velvet Cake, a Snickerdoodle Cookie with Eggnog Gelato, or Vanilla Bean Flan with Hibiscus Caramel Sauce.
Five Crowns
Eager to skip the holiday hassle this year? Five Crowns in Corona del Mar invites you to enjoy an elegant Christmas Eve Dinner featuring a menu full of festive favorites. Start with options like Lobster Bisque or Pride of the Crowns Salad, followed by mains such as Prime Rib, Roasted Duck Breast with cranberry port reduction or Ora King Salmon with brown butter sauce. Pair your meal with classic sides, including Creamed Corn, Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans, and finish with indulgent desserts like Whiskey Caramel Bread Pudding or CC Brown’s Hot Fudge Sundae.
Rothschild’s Restaurant
Rothschild’s Restaurant in Corona del Mar is once again offering a festive three-course Christmas Eve Menu, featuring your choice of starter, entrée and dessert. Begin with classics like their Ribollita, Rothschild’s Caesar or the Arugula Salad with pecorino and pickled radish. Entrée highlights include favorites such as Lobster Ravioli with smoked paprika cream sauce, Grilled Chilean Sea Bass Piccata, Sangiovese Braised Short Rib and Pistachio Pesto Fettuccine. For dessert, enjoy sweet creations like Tiramisu, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Chocolate Mousse or Rothschild’s signature Ice Cream Pie.
Christmas Day Dinner
SET Steak and Sushi
Celebrate the season at SET Steak and Sushi at Pendry Newport Beach with a festive Christmas menu featuring culinary favorites perfect for the holidays. Available on Christmas Eve from 5 to 10 p.m. and Christmas Day from 4 to 9 p.m., guests can enjoy a three-course menu including Maine Lobster Carpaccio, Braised Lamb Shank, and a reimagined Buche de Nöel as a matcha-dusted éclair. Reservations are recommended for this seasonal dining experience.
Pelican Grill
Perched on 504 acres of breathtaking coastline, The Resort at Pelican Hill is a haven for luxury seekers, families and anyone looking to celebrate the holidays in style. This year, Pelican Grill is making Christmas Day unforgettable with chef-crafted, festive menus that highlight the warmth and joy of the season. Guests can enjoy elegant starters like yellowtail crudo or burrata with heirloom beets, followed by indulgent entrées such as filet, seared black cod or roasted quail, and a beautiful Italian-inspired panettone to finish.
Pelican Grill will offer a three-course Christmas Day lunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., priced at $195 per adult and $58.50 per child (ages 3-10). A four-course dinner will be served from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., starting at $253.50 per adult and $123.50 per child ages 3 to 10.
VIEW Restaurant & Lounge
VEA Newport Beach’s signature VIEW Restaurant & Lounge invites guests to celebrate the holiday season with a festive three-course prix fixe dinner, offered on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Available from 5 to 10 p.m., this exclusive menu showcases elevated seasonal dishes such as Lobster Bisque or a Belgian Endive Caesar to start, followed by entrées like Grilled Ribeye, Pistachio-Crusted Chilean Seabass or a Portobello en Croute. Guests can end their evening on a sweet note with decadent desserts including an Eggnog Panna Cotta or Chocolate Truffle Mousse Cake. The prix fixe dinner is priced at $128 per person, not inclusive of tax and service fee. Reservations can be made via OpenTable.
Christmas Brunch
City Cruises
Looking to switch things up this Christmas? Climb aboard and enjoy a decadent brunch on the water with City Cruises! This vessel/event company is hosting a festive Christmas Day Premier Brunch Cruise, which includes a 2-hour cruise on Newport Harbor, a delicious holiday brunch buffet, live entertainment, full bar service and stunning bay views. Other highlights of this on-the-water excursion include unlimited mimosas, a carving station and a dessert station.
Balboa Bay Resort
This year, Balboa Bay Resort is making the holidays sparkle with Champagne Brunches on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Celebrate the season by the water and indulge in an extravagant buffet crafted by Executive Chef Diego Bernal, complete with a complimentary sparkling wine station. Guests can savor chef-action Egg and Carving Stations featuring Prime Rib, Maple-Glazed Ham and Salmon, along with the resort’s signature Chilled Seafood Display. The experience continues with the Butcher’s Block, Farmers Market & Tuscany Corner, classic holiday sides and a decadent assortment of seasonal desserts.
Both brunches take place in the Lighthouse event space, offering indoor and outdoor seating with beautiful bay views. Indoor versus outdoor seating is not guaranteed and is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so guests are encouraged to dress weather-appropriate. Adults are $145 plus service charge and tax, and children 12 and under are $60 plus service charge and tax.
