Tulsa restaurants open for Christmas 2024

You might hope to have all your Christmas dinners in someone's home around a big table surrounded by throngs of family, but that's not always possible for one reason or another. The Christmas after my father-in-law passed away was also our second Christmas as a married couple. My mother-in-law, normally the "hostess with the mostest," was not in the mood for a big production, so Christmas dinner was at the restaurant at the Rogers Holiday Inn, just me, my wife, and her mother and sister.

Whatever your reasons for dining out on Christmas day, there aren't many options, but there are more than you might think. KOTV News on 6 published a list, but it wasn't thoroughly fact-checked. Whoever compiled the list didn't bother looking at the websites or social media pages of the restaurants on the list. Cracker Barrel locations and Roosevelt's have explicitly said they're closed; Logan's Roadhouse doesn't have anything on web or social media one way or the other. There's an India Palace in Springfield, Missouri, that will be open tomorrow, but the Tulsa India Palace doesn't mention Christmas hours on their website, and the Tulsa India Palace isn't on Facebook. Mr. Kim's doesn't say they're open Christmas day -- they were open Christmas eve, and their OpenTable doesn't show any availability on Christmas day.

Here is KOTV's list, winnowed down to those that have explicitly said that they're open, plus a few more that I checked based on other sources. Best to call that number before you go.

• Black Bear Diner - 9026 E. 71st St. - (918) 459-8711: The chain has a tradition, going back to its earliest days, of being open for Christmas, but the linked video says that most locations honor the tradition. Nothing explicit one way or the other about the Tulsa Woodland Hills location.
• The Chalkboard - 1324 S. Main St. - (918) 582-1964: They have a Christmas lunch buffet, but OpenTable says they have no availability
• Hooters - 8108 East 61st - 918-250-4668: Open 4 pm to midnight
• Main Street Tavern - 200 S. Main St., Broken Arrow - (918) 872-1414: Open with a limited menu (burgers) from 4 pm
• Mandarin Taste - 9107 S. Sheridan Road - (918) 878-7998: Open normal hours -- 11:00 am to 9:30 pm, with a break from 3 pm to 4 pm
• Mizu Sushi & Bar - 8320 E 71st St. - (918) 449-8068: All you can eat sushi, opens at 11 a.m.
• Rabbit Hole Tulsa - 116 S Elgin Avenue - (539) 664-4232: Kitchen open 7 pm to 1 am.
• Red Lobster - 4525 E. 51st St. - (918) 496-3323 & 6728 S. Memorial Drive - (918) 250-5330: Open regular hours, 11:00 am to 9:00 pm
• Saltgrass Steakhouse - 4550 E. Skelly Drive - (918) 488-8794: Open from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Scooters South 40 - 24100 East Hwy 51, Broken Arrow: 10th annual Christmas dinner at 4 pm. "Feel free to bring a side dish or just yourself."
• Texas de Brazil - 7021 S. Memorial Drive - 918-921-7994: Open 11:00 am to 9:00 pm, dinner menu and pricing all day ($54 per person, not including drinks, desserts, taxes, and tips)
• Waffle House, multiple locations: Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year

Restaurants listed by KOTV that don't explicitly mention being open on their own website or social media:

• Kirin Asian and Sushi Cuisine - 8041 S. Mingo Road - (918) 893-8006: They were open Christmas 2023 and on Thanksgiving, but there's no indication on their Facebook page or website that they will be open this Christmas.
• The New Royal Dragon - 6528 E. 101st St. - (918) 299-1888: Their order.online site allows you to order for pickup between 11 am and 4 pm on Christmas, but perhaps that's an oversight.

Bars listed by KOTV -- minimal or no food available:

• 473 - 2224 E Admiral Blvd. - (918) 202-8835: They're open 5 pm to midnight, but it's a bar and doesn't serve food.
• Grumpy's Tavern - 4775 S. Harvard Ave. - (918) 582-3637: Open from 5 pm, but it's a bar, and I don't see any reference to food. It's got a Facebook presence but is not on Google Maps.

EatThisNotThat has a list of 25 restaurant chains that are generally open on Christmas day, but with the caveat that hours may be limited and not all locations may be open, so check with the location you intend to visit. Chains with a Tulsa presence, in addition to those listed above, include IHOP, McDonald's, Denny's, Burger King, Dunkin', and Starbucks.