San Francisco Christmas dinner

full, the best way to find out what's open on Christmas Day is Open Table, just put in December 25th and you'll see what's available. After you narrow it down, I'm sure we could all offer opinions! (There are some VERY nice restaurants open that day, but do you want a traditional Christmas dinner, or just a nice dinner on Christmas?)

Yeah...what sf said!

I still wanna hit The Grubstake but doubt if it's open on Chrsitmas.

Hey SF - my husband will undoubtably be craving his traditional turkey dinner, I however can live without.
I'll check with Open Table and get back to you with our options...

So after checking Open Table here are my options:
- Biscuits & Blues
- Daily Grill
- Cote Sud (prix fixe)
- Chapeau (prix fixe)
- Zingari Ristorante
Also available are the hotel restaurants:
- Westin St Francis (the Oak Room)
- Warwick Hotel (La Scene Cafe - prix fixe)
- Hyatt Regency (Eclipse)

Any input would be greatly appreciated
Also, I welcome any suggestions on what to do on Christmas Day...

The Grubstake has great burgers.

I haven't eaten at a single one of those restaurants, so I can't opine (rats!)

As for Xmas Day, the zoo is open, and then there's the movies, or a long walk or drive. Walgreen's will be open (sorry, I'm being silly, but really, not much is open on Christmas -- even the ferries to Sausalito don't operate on Christmas). I'd suggest getting up leisurely and have a nice breakfast (I assume hotel restaurants will be open for breakfast, and some of the restaurants listed on Open Table are also open in the morning), spend the rest of the morning walking the Embarcadero, back through North Beach and Chinatown (include some of the stairways of SF), back to the hotel, afternoon movie, dinner at one of the above restaurants.

Or you can join the many of us who gather at Yank Sing for Dim Sum on Christams and then wander over to the Embarcadero Theater(past the ice skaters) for a movie(we're hoping for the new Almdovar). Make reservations if you want Dim Sum that day. It fills up fast.

Hmmm I guess our invite was lost in the mail, Pammer?

While I never ate at the Daily Grill or Zingari's I've heard some good things about them.

Ice skating -- yes, the rink is open Christmas Day (and it's immediately behind your hotel) -- it just opened for the season yesterday).

Ice skating sounds good.
What sort of weather should we expect? Would a walk accross the Golden Gate leave us frozen?

fullofjoy, if I can go to Edmonton in November, you can come to San Francisco and not freeze in December!! Seriously, it will be cold to us, but probably not so much to you - low to mid 50s. However, it could be rainy, and of course, the bridge can be very windy. The biggest problem will be transportation back -- if you walk all the way across you'll have to walk back, too, unless you go into Sausalito to catch a bus (and I'm not sure what the holiday schedule looks like). You could walk half-way across and back, and then get a bus or taxi on the SF side back to your hotel.

Oh dear Kal~The "we" refers to the masses who are at Yank Sing on Christmas Day. P and I are there 1ish with our "family" (tradition) and then head on over to the movies.
No slight..no nothing.

LOL, sf - I'm sure we can handle it, I am just struggling with how light/heavy of a jacket to bring. We are planing to go to a 49ers game too, so we will be sitting outside.
Is walking across the bridge something you would suggest (we walked across the Brooklyn bridge when in NY and it was a highlight of our trip)?

Chapeau is one of my favorite restaurants - in fact, we are dining there next week. It's a pretty long taxi ride from the Ferry Bldg area, however. Have you checked their menu??? Are they really serving turkey (it's a French restaurant)???

Stu Dudley

<<<We are planing to go to a 49ers game too, so we will be sitting outside.>>>

My recommendation is wear warm boots and the rest of you will be fine!


<<<Is walking across the bridge something you would suggest >>>

I need to say this in a whisper lest any of the other San Franciscans here read this.....I've never walked across the bridge despite living and working in SF and the Bay Area for 36+ years (I have, though, walked across the Brooklyn Bridge - go figure)! But, it's a very popular activity, and the views are truly spectacular. If the weather is half-way decent, you'll be far from alone!

Stu: the menu at Chapeau looks delicious - they don't have anything set for Christmas yet, but i would be shocked if they have turkey (my husband can get his turkey fix at Tommy's Joynt instead). It does look to be quite a bit further than I was planning on venturing for dinner - do you have any other suggestions?

sf: that's ok - I find that locals very rarely do "touristy" things in their own home town. I'll let you know how the trek across the bridge goes, and maybe it will inspire you to try it yourself

>>Stu: do you have any other suggestions?<<

Opentable has the ability to only see restaurants downtown in the Financial District or SOMA (where you are) that are open on Christmas day. Post that list here & I (along with others) could comment on them. I'm not a fan of dining in hotels. Does the Garden Court at the Palace Hotel have anything going on Christmas?? - I do like that venue.

I checked One Market (across the street from where you are staying), and they are not open.

Stu Dudley