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Where To Eat Christmas Eve Dinner In Orange County 2017

What Orange County lacks in a 'white' Christmas, it sure does make-up in flavor. Yes, it's true East coasters, in this part of town it's common for Santa to come cruising along in a Woody truck, or hang ten with reindeers on jet skis, but that doesn't mean everyone is having their beloved fresh fish tacos for dinner again. One can tell immediately by these carefully crafted menus that Orange County's finest are excited to serve up some of the most lavish dinners of the holiday season.
Oak Grill - Wine  - VERIFIED
(credit: Oak Grill)

Oak Grill
Island Hotel
690 Newport Center Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 760-4920
www.oakgrillnb.com

Oak Grill is getting in the Christmas spirit with a four-course prix fixe meal on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day this year! The menu is full of delicious food, including a winter harvest salad and seafood platter to start. For your second course, sip on a potato leek soup. Then, for your third course, a slow roasted prime rib, a shrimp and scallop risotto, a jidori chicken and more are offered. For dessert, sweeten up the evening with a buche de noel, a pumpkin pie pudding and a chocolate molten cake!

Waterline Restaurant
(credit: CJ Y./yelp)

Waterline Restaurant
Balboa Bay Resort
1221 West Coast Hwy
Newport Beach, CA 92663
(888) 445-7153
www.balboabayresort.com

Celebrate an authentic Southern California coastal Christmas Eve dinner along the waterfront at Balboa Bay Resort's Waterline. Enjoy a traditional holiday dinner as Christmas spirit fills the air with holiday tunes and festive decor. Guests dining on the night before Christmas will feast on items like their fluke crudo with pickled apples, green alder pepper and cherry blossom shoyo, as well as a braised oxtail tortelloni, seared scallops almandine, a liberty seared duck breast, and much more!

The Ranch-The Ranch Restaurant & Saloon- VERIFIED ASHLEY
(Credit: The Ranch Restaurant & Saloon)

The Ranch Restaurant
1025 E Ball Rd
Anaheim, CA 92805
(714) 817-4200
www.theranch.com

Known to have the best steaks in Orange County, The Ranch Restaurant is a sophisticated locale with farm fresh seasonal steaks and seafood dishes within an elegant interior. Join this O.C. institution on Christmas Eve in this huge Anaheim restaurant. Items this year from the four course meal include veal & ricotta meatballs; a Nebraska raised imperial wagyu beef cheek taco, and a pumpkin ravioli to start. For main's, choose from a land and sea combo of Maine lobster and a Black Angus filet, as well as a free-range Sonoma Pheasant, a Mediterranean sea bass, as well as a Colorado lamb shank. Dessert options include a hand-crafted pumpkin tart, a meyer lemon cheesecake and other tasty desserts! View the full menu.

Summit House Restaurant
(credit: Summit House Restaurant)

Summit House Restaurant
2000 E Bastanchury Rd
Fullerton, CA 92835
(714) 671-4111
www.summithouse.com

Summit House Restaurant embodies a fine dining experience featuring a well-rounded selection of English style fare infused with California flair, and a sophisticated wine program. On Christmas Eve, Summit House will be presenting diners with a special menu to celebrate. Starters include a prawn cocktail, Chesapeake crab cakes, a seaside sampler with crabcakes, chilled Mexican prawns and ahi sashimi and more. Soups and salads, as well as mains like a roast prime ribs of beef, a Chilean sea bass, a USDA prime filet mignon and more are next up! Sides can also be added to the meal for an extra cost per side. The menu is a la carte. View the full menu.

Antonello
(Credit: Marissa L./yelp)

Antonello Ristorante
3800 S Plaza Dr
Santa Ana, CA 92704
(714) 751-7153
www.antonelloristorante.com

Santa has a long night ahead of him on Christmas Eve so it is safe to hedge your bet that he is going to stop by Antonello Ristorante before climbing into that sled of his. He's heard from the elves where the antipasto, primi, secondi and dolce is just as great as the one Mrs. Claus makes. Who would've thought Italian food was so popular in the North Pole? So this Christmas Eve delight your taste buds with 4 different holiday menus on offering. You can view the entire menus by visiting www.antonello.com/menus/.

Bistango 1-Bistango- VERIFIED ASHLEY
(credit: Bistango)

Bistango
19100 Von Karman Ave
Irvine, CA 92612
(949) 752-5222
www.bistango.com

Bistango has designed a special Christmas Eve menu this year to really get fa-la-la-la about. Don't come expecting figgy pudding, sugar plums, or traditional holiday dishes though, because you are about to embark on a culinary sleigh ride that you will be dreaming about well into the new year. The Christmas Eve menu includes a bevy of options to choose from and is a la carte. Stand outs include a wedge salad with ripened tomato, a lobster louie salad, USDA prime steaks and chops, a surf & turf option, and many side dishes like potato au gratin, sauteed exotic mushrooms, spicy roasted brussels sprouts and more!

Cafe Mozart
(credit: Morgan M./yelp)

Cafe Mozart
31952 Camino Capistrano
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
(949) 496-0212
www.cafemozart.net

Dine on European fine cuisine for the holidays at Cafe Mozart in San Juan Capistrano! For Christmas Eve and Christmas Day from 4pm to 8pm, the restaurant is offering a 3 course dinner with your choice of soup or salad, an entree and dessert. Entrees include a marinated duck breast, a filet & crab, a tasty beef stroganoff, a Northern halibut, as well as a roast pork loin and an Australian rack of lamb. Go with the cup of butternut squash soup to start!

Jordan Schlecter is CBSLA's "Best of LA" and "Best of Orange County" editor.
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