NYC Christmas Day lunch recommendations pls?

[Slaav]

As above really….

We’ve been several times but despite ‘you know what’ we are ticking an item off our list - Christmas in NYC! Didn’t want to wait another 3 years.

Looking for a reasonably smart, upper end Christmas lunch. We are doing the touristy Tavern on the Green on Christmas Eve as hoping for snow and Christmas bling.

Any wise old folk with recommendations pls?

TIA

[Panamax]

Slaav said:

Any wise old folk with recommendations pls?

Yes, avoid use of the word "Christmas", it's not really their thing.

Essentially the period between "Thanksgiving" (26th November 2026) and "New Year's" is simply known as "The Holidays". amongst other relevant matters you have the concept of Hanukkah which begins at sundown on Friday, 4 December 2026 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, 12 December - and they seem to like to peddle it all the way through to New Year's.

[TheHeadhunter]

Echo that. my brother lives in the US, Chicago rather than NYC, but same vibe.

Christmas Day is not really a celebration day in the same way. Christmas Eve is usually the 'party', big dinner (Ham, they don't do Turkey at Christmas). Then Christmas Day is home, informal, then a lot of families go to the movies on Christmas Day afternoon. Christmas is all about the build up.

By the 26th Christmas is done. The majority of my brother's neighbours have tossed their Christmas trees into the street for collection by 8am on the 26th.

But for a great meal, somewhere like Jean Georges, Gramercy Tavern or The River Cafe are old school favourites.

[Abc321]

We were there last year and it was fab.

First time in NYC and did all the usual touristy things.

We had a reservation booked in a nice restaurant on Xmas Day but we ended up in a bar around 3pm on the day after a busy morning, just grabbing a beer and a sit down while waiting for our reservation. After an hour in there, the atmosphere was great with the football on (lots of matches on Xmas Day if youre into your sport), we decided to get a pizza and stay in there as we simply couldnt be bothered!

I'll find out the name and post in here of that restaurant

[Drawweight]

Abc321 said:

We were there last year and it was fab.

First time in NYC and did all the usual touristy things.

We had a reservation booked in a nice restaurant on Xmas Day but we ended up in a bar around 3pm on the day after a busy morning, just grabbing a beer and a sit down while waiting for our reservation. After an hour in there, the atmosphere was great with the football on (lots of matches on Xmas Day if youre into your sport), we decided to get a pizza and stay in there as we simply couldnt be bothered!

I'll find out the name and post in here of that restaurant

You phoned and cancelled the reservation of course.