Christmas meals made to order
Don't feel like cooking for Christmas? Here are some holiday dining options in the area.
Prairie Grass Café, 601 Skokie Blvd., Northbrook, hosts its second annual Holiday Sunday Brunch on Dec. 23. It begins with a Brunch Benedict for everyone and includes waffles and omelets made to order and a crepe station. It costs $42. For available times and reservations, call (847) 205-4433.
Courtright's Restaurant, 8989 Archer Ave., Willow Springs, serves a four-course fixed price menu on Christmas Eve. Reservations for the fine dining establishment are accepted at 4:30, 5, 5:30, 7, 7:30 and 8 p.m. Dec. 24. It costs $65, with a $30 three-course menu for children available. For reservations, call (708) 839-8000.
Va Pensiero, 1566 Oak Ave., Evanston, celebrates Christmas Eve with an Italian tradition. It's a five-course all-seafood dinner, complete with a series of wines. The 6 p.m. Dec. 24 dinner costs $85. For reservations, call (847) 475-7779.
Cyrano's Bistrot & Wine Bar, 546 N. Wells St., Chicago, offers a four-course prix-fixe Christmas Eve dinner for $39.99. An a la carte holiday menu is also available, featuring roasted French goose and traditional Bûche de Noël. Cyrano's is open from 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 24. For reservations, call (312) 467-0546.
Café Matou, 1846 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, offers two different menu prix-fixes for Christmas Eve. Priced at $42 (four-course) or $32 (three-course), the meals include dessert and a choice of beef or fish entrée. They're available from 5 to 10 p.m. Dec. 24. For reservations, call (773) 384-8911.
Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse, 10233 W. Higgins Road, Rosemont, offers Christmas specials from 2 to 8 p.m. Dec. 24 and 25. Entrees available include honey baked ham and seared magret duck breast. For reservations, call (847) 699-1200. Also, the location at the Westin Lombard, 70 Yorktown Center, Lombard, offers Christmas specials including prime rib of beef and sliced roasted turkey from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 25. For reservations, call (630) 953-3400.
Osteria di Tramonto at the Westin Chicago North Shore, 601 N. Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling, presents holiday specials from 4 to 10 p.m. Dec. 24. The Italian eatery also offers a special buffet from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 25, costing $49.95 or $12.95 for ages 12 and younger. For reservations, call (847) 777-6570.
O'Donovan's Pub and Restaurant, 2100 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago, offers Chef Victor DeLeon's late night menu from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Dec. 24 and 25. A $1 discount on all drinks is also in effect, including a range of Christmas-inspired drinks on Christmas Eve. Call (773) 478-2100.
Ann Sather, 909 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, celebrates its first Christmas in its new space with a selection of holiday meals available from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 24 and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 25. The meals include bread, soup, vegetable and dessert and cost $17.95, $10.95 for ages 12 and younger. Reservations are accepted for parties of six or more at (773) 348-2378. The Andersonville location, 5207 N. Clark St., Chicago, also offers the holiday dinner menu from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 25. Call (773) 271-6677.
NoMI at the Park Hyatt Chicago, 800 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, presents a French "Veille de Noël" three-course prix-fixe menu from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Dec. 24. It costs $80. The seventh-floor restaurant also offers a holiday buffet brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 25. That runs $95, $30 for ages 5 to 12. Both meals require reservations with a credit card, which can be made at (312) 335-1234.
The Peninsula Chicago, 108 E. Superior St., Chicago, serves holiday meals in two of its four restaurants. The Lobby offers a four-course dinner with a live string trio from 6 to 10 p.m. Dec. 24 for $98, plus a brunch buffet including suchi, dim sum, a jazz trio and Santa visits from 10:30 a.m. to 5 :30 p.m. Dec. 25 for $128, $30 for children younger than 12. Meanwhile, the "jackets preferred" Avenues offers two five-course dinners for $150: with a live harpist from 5 to 10 p.m. Dec. 24, and with a classical guitarist at 2, 5 and 8 p.m. Dec. 25. For reservations, call (312) 573-6760.
Eaglewood Resort & Spa, 1401 Nordic Road, Itasca, presents a Christmas buffet from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 25. Choices include omelets made to order, goose and snow crab legs, and complementary champagne is served. The buffet is $32.95, $16.95 for ages 6 to 12 and free for ages 5 and younger. For reservations, call (630) 694-5922.
Drury Lane Oakbrook, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, offers a holiday brunch buffet from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 25. Featured items include tomato bruschetta, Oysters Rockefeller and chicken peppercorn. The buffet is $25.95, $11.50 for ages 6 to 12, $8 for ages 3 to 5 and free for ages 2 and younger. For reservations, call (630) 530-8300.