Looking for the best festive and Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC? Here are our top picks!
If you’re visiting NYC over the festive period, you absolutely need to visit some of the best Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC!
There’s no better city to spend Christmas in, and during the festive period of December and early January, you’ll find so many wonderful Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC to enjoy.
Lucky for you, we’ve compiled all our favorite Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC into one handy list!
So, let’s get into it!
Here are our favorite Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC!
Rolf’s German Restaurant
Rolf’s German Restaurant is first on our list of Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC.
It’s no surprise we’ve put them first on our list of Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC, this place is the epitome of festive dining.
This place is usually the first place that people recommend when anyone is looking for Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC.
Rolf’s go absolutely overboard with their decor around Christmas time, and you couldn’t possibly find a more festive and more Christmassy restaurant if you tried!
There are decorations hanging from every surface of this place, it’s like stepping into a winter wonderland.
It’s one of the classic picks for Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC, and we know you’ll love it.
Read more about Christmas in NYC: 42 festive things to do in NYC at Christmas time
Lillie’s Victorian Establishment
Lillie’s Victorian Establishment is next on our list of festive and Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC.
Lillie’s Victorian Establishment is located in Times Square, so if you’re visiting NYC and stopping in Midtown, this place will be pretty easy to get to (even for NYC newbies!).
This beautiful eatery is decorated with thousands of festive, glittering garlands, glistening baubles, and even life-sized Nutcracker soldiers (!) so you know you’re going to feel extra festive here.
The food here is also great, so you’re getting all that Christmas cheer, plus some fantastic and tasty meals too.
A great option for Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC, and a perfect pick for tourists who don’t want to venture too far from Midtown.
Tavern on the Green
Tavern On the Green is our next suggestion for Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC.
Tavern on the Green is located in the heart of Central Park, so it’s a gorgeous place to visit if you plan on exploring the park too during your trip.
The restaurant usually requires booking ahead, but they also have a lovely outdoor bar too, which is usually fine for last-minute walk-ins.
Their beautiful restaurant is also decked out in the most festive Christmas decor, and they also have a wonderful Christmas brunch menu (just to make you feel even more festive!).
It’s a perfect pick for Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC, and we know you’ll love it.
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The Garret Coctelería
The Garret Coctelería is our next choice for Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC.
This quirky and cool bar / restaurant in NYC oozes all the nostalgic Christmas vibes, and we’re totally here for it.
This place is bright, colorful, festive, fun, basically everything you could possible want from a Christmas-themed restaurant in NYC.
Aside from their Christmas decor, they also do some amazing christmas-themed cocktails too, so that’s another reason to visit!
There are photo opportunities galore here, so make sure you’re phone is fully charged before visiting!
We think this is one of the top Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC, so don’t miss it!
The Winter Garden at The Standard, East Village
Next on our list of Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC, it’s the amazing Winter Garden inside The Standard, East Village.
Located in the East Village, this place has festive yurts you can book, that ooze festive vibes and Christmas cheer.
You can book the Christmas yurts for parties of two to ten guests, so they’re a really gorgeous option if you want something unique and special.
It’s cozy, Christmassy, and we absolutely adore it.
This is definitely one of the most romantic Christmas-themed restaurants too, so if you’re planning to pop the question, we think this would be a beautiful location.
Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden
Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden is next on our list of Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC. This is an outdoor option (so be sure to wrap up warm).
THis place is laid back, fun and festive and it’s a great place to enjoy some festive cheer in NYC at Christmas time.
They also have a Christmas market during some days in December, so make sure to check that out too, for some fun crafts and independent vendors.
It’s a fantastic pick for Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC!
Read more about Christmas in NYC: What’s open on Christmas Day in NYC?
Serra Alpina at Eataly
Serra Alpina at Eataly is our next beautiful suggestion for Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC!
This place is a little more along the vibe of ‘sophisticated Christmas’ – so if you’re looking for somewhere that is super festive, but also very stylish and romantic, this could be it.
This is a beautiful seasonal rooftop bar, that change up its decor each season to reflect the weather and atmosphere out in the city.
So, as you can imagine, they don’t do things by half. And Christmas is always a show-stopping display.
This is a wonderful choice Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC, and we know you’ll love it.
Not just for the amazing decorations, but also the delicious food!
Read more about Christmas in NYC: Top 20 restaurants for NYE dinner in NYC
Frosty’s Christmas Bar
Frosty’s Christmas Bar is next on our list of Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC.
This pop-up restaurant and bar in NYC is a perfect place to visit during the holiday season in NYC.
It’s back with full force for the 2022 Holiday season, and (we don’t mind saying!) it’s better than ever!
You’ll find Frosty’s Christmas Bar in Bacall’s & Blue Midtown, and they are occupying 4 Bars, and 3 Levels for their themed Christmas fun!
You’ll find amazing festive cocktails here, lots of festive photo opportunities (which we love!) as well as music, twinkling lights, and a great atmosphere.
This is one of the Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC with a party vibe, so if that’s you’re kind of thing, you’ll love it here.
Our top tip? This place is going to be one of the most popular Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC, so be sure to book ahead.
Read more useful NYC recommendations: Top 22 group-friendly restaurants in NYC
PHD Terrace at Dream
PHD Terrace at Dream Midtown is our next suggestion for Christmas-themed restaurants and bars in NYC.
This amazing rooftop bar does a different theme each year, and in 2022 their theme is ‘Winter Rose Garden’.
This is a different kind of Christmas decor than the other places on this list, but still super magical and festive.
Their winter rose garden would be perfect for romantic festive nights, Christmas date nights and beautiful for special events too.
The PHD Terrace will feature a whimsical dreamland of roses, including 10,000 twinkling lights, oodles of flowers and a magical flower tunnel.
It’s an amazing choice for Christmas-themed restaurants and bars in NYC.
Read more about Christmas in NYC: Our guide for how to see the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights in NYC
Ophelia Lounge NYC
Cocktail lounge Ophelia is next on our list of the best Christmas-themed restaurants and bars in NYC.
Ophelia decorates their lounge each year, and this year will be no different!
This year, the decor will transport visitors into a magical snow globe, with all the trappings of a classic festive holiday movie.
Including… cozy blankets and throws, holiday cocktails, fairy lights, dangling snowflakes, and so much more.
Ophelia Lounge NYC is a great pick for Christmas-themed restaurants and bars in NYC, and a really romantic Christmas hideaway too!
La Grande Boucherie
La Grande Boucherie is next on our list of Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC.
La Grande Boucherie give their festive decor a Parisian flair, so if you’re looking for festivities with a side of sophistication, this is the place.
La Grande Boucherie is a classic NYC dining destination, made even more magical during the holiday season.
It’s elegant, the food is delicious, and you can be sure to try some authentic French cuisine too.
During Christmas, the restaurant is decorated in a unique and intriguing Art Nouveau style, which sets it apart from many other places on this list of Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC.
Read more about Christmas in NYC: Top 18 restaurants open on Christmas Day in NYC
Sunday In Brooklyn
Next on our list of Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC, it’s Sunday In Brooklyn.
Sunday in Brooklyn is an amazing pick for Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC if you’re based in Brooklyn for your trip to the big city!
This restaurant is all about comfort, familiarity, and feeling at home. So you know their festive decor is going to be beautiful and nostalgic.
This is a restaurant to get warm, feel cozy and take it slow.
Sure, their festive decor might not be as loud and colorful as others on this list, but that’s kind of the point.
Sunday in Brooklyn is a great choice for Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC, if your idea of Christmas is quality time, mellow vibes, and great food.
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Keens Steakhouse
Keens Steakhouse is next up on our list of Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC.
This is one of the most famous and iconic steakhouses in NYC, so you better believe they go all out during the holiday season.
There’s just something about the old-school style of Keens Steakhouse, that lends itself perfectly to Christmas decor.
If you’re craving steak, and you want to combine steak with some uber-festive decor – then Keens is the best choice of Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC for you!
Read more about Christmas in NYC: The 8 best Christmas trees in NYC you have to see!
Mr. Purple
Mr. Purple is another fantastic addition to our list of Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC.
Mr. Purple is an amazing rooftop bar and restaurant, located on the 15th floor of Hotel Indigo in the Lower East Side.
This bar is in a great part of the city, and the rooftop offers up some amazing views too. But that’s not really why you’ll be visiting during the festive season.
Why visit in the wintertime? Well, they transform their rooftop into the ultimate winter wonderland, and it’s simply amazing.
Picture yourself cozied up in a giant igloo, overlooking the skyline of downtown NYC, and you’ll see why this place is such a great pick for Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC.
Russian Tea Room
The Russian Tea Room is next on our list of Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC.
It’s a classic pick for festive dining in NYC, and one of the Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC you can rely on to go all-out with their Christmas decor.
The Russian tea room has been open for over 95 years, and Christmas is when they really push the boat out with their experiences and decor.
At this Christmas-themed restaurant in NYC, you can expect lots of trees, plenty of decorations, twinkling lights and festive menus too!
Read more about Christmas in NYC: 17 perfect restaurants for Christmas Eve dinner in NYC
The Cabinet
The Cabinet is next on our list of Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC.
This is one of the original Christmas-themed pop-ups in NYC, and it’ll be returning to the East Village again this year.
Located in the epic cocktail bar the Cabinet, this is such a wonderful choice for Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC.
You can expect every inch of this amazing Christmas-themed restaurant in NYC to be covered in festive decorations.
Oh, and don’t miss out on the festive-themed drinks too!
Top tip? This place books up fast, so make sure you book ahead!
Paddy Maguire’s
Next on our list of Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC, it’s Paddy McGuire’s.
This is a classic Irish pub in NYC, and they really go all out for the festive season.
If you fancy some casual drinks, some cheap food, and a good time, this is a really nice place to check out.
The decor won’t disappoint, and the vibe here is really lovely too.
Bryant Park Winter Village
Last on our list of Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC, it’s the Winter Village in Bryant Park.
Now, this is last on our list, because it isn’t technically a restaurant. It’s a festive market, with a food hall attached to it!
So, it delivers all the festive goodness you’re searching for, but with a slightly more chilled-out vibe than a restaurant or bar.
It’s also a great alternative to Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC, because it won’t require a pre-booking! You can just rock up when you’re hungry!
Read more about Christmas in NYC: What stores are open on Christmas Day in NYC?
We hope this list of Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC has been helpful and given you loads of ideas!
Which of these Christmas-themed restaurants in NYC do you think you’ll try first?
