Our 7th Annual list of restaurants in Madison, Wisconsin open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2013

This list began seven years ago in 2007 as a post on my personal blog listing Chinese restaurants in the Madison area open on Christmas. It proved to be incredibly popular, drawing thousands of visitors. The following year, in 2008, we expanded the list by adding non-Chinese restaurants.

Over the years, publishing this list has become a very popular holiday tradition for us: We’ve welcomed thousands and thousands of visitors during the holiday season who are looking for this information — and learned that lots of people don’t dine at home on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day.

Compiling and updating the list takes an enormous amount of time: Every restaurant on the list is called to confirm when they’re open. This year, all my usual assistants were distracted by other projects, so I did it myself (just as I did in 2007 and 2008).

If you cannot afford to dine out on Christmas Day and/or would like to “share the spirit of Christmas while enjoying a traditional meal with friends and neighbors,” consider this special meal:

First United Methodist Church, 203 Wisconsin Avenue, (608) 256-9061
FREE Christmas Community Meal served in Fellowship Hall from noon until 2 p.m.
Volunteers and contributions welcome

Adhering to tradition, our list is divided into two sections: The first features Chinese restaurants; the second features other Madison-area restaurants, most of which serve from their regular menus rather than cooking up Christmas specials.

Important: Even though a restaurant is open on December 24th and/or December 25th, it may have limited hours or menu options. Please call ahead to confirm details.

Part I: Madison-area Chinese restaurants open December 24th and December 25th

A-8 China, 608 University Avenue, 608-250-8888
Open December 24th from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m.

Chang Jiang, 948 W. Main Street, Sun Prairie, 608-825-9108
Open December regular hours on December 24th and 25th

China Inn, 4702 Cottage Grove Road, 608-222-8829
Open December 24th and 25th from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.

China Kitchen, 6608 Mineral Point Road, 608-826-4432
Open December 24th and 25th

China Wok Buffet, 6913 University Avenue, 608-826-0333
Open December 24th and 25th

Fugu Asian, 411 West Gilman Street, 608-286-7277
Open “regular hours” on December 24th and 25th

Great China, 617 N. Sherman Avenue, 608-244-9988
Open “regular hours” December 24th and 25th

Hong Kong Cafe, 2 S. Mills Street, 608-259-1668
Open regular hours December 24th ; closed December 25th

Imperial Garden West, 2039 Allen Boulevard, Middleton, 608-238-6445
Open December 24th (Lunch: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Dinner 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.); closed December 25th

Oriental Wok, 532 S. Park Street, 608-255-1288
Open “regular hours” on December 24th and 25th

P.F. Chang’s, 2237 Deming Way, Middleton, 608-831-2488
Open December 24th from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Tai’s Asian Bistro, 638 S. Whitney Way, 608-661-8889
Open 11a.m. until 8:30 p.m. on December 24th and 1 p.m. until 8 p.m. on December 25th

The Journey Buffet and Grill, 4325 Lien Road, 608-663-6686
Open December 24th and 25th (call for details about lobster special on Christmas Day)

World Buffet, 2451 W. Broadway, 608-222-2962
Open “normal hours” December 24th and December 25th

Part II: Additional Madison restaurants open on December 24th and December 25th

Avenue Bar, 1128 E. Washington Avenue, 608-257-6877
Open December 24th 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. and December 25th from 11 a.m.to 8 p.m.
Serving a special Holiday Menu on December 25th (reservations suggested)

Benvenuto’s Italian Grill, 1849 Northport Drive, 608-241-1144
Benvenuto’s Italian Grill,2949 Triverton Pike Drive in Fitchburg, 608-278-7800
Both locations open December 24th from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closed December 25th

Bonfyre American Grille, 2601 West Beltline Highway, (608) 273-3973
Open from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. on December 24th (Reservations requested)

Claddagh Irish Pub, 1611 Aspen Commons, Middleton, (608) 833-5070
Open December 24th from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. Closed December 25th

Club Tavern,
1915 Branch Street, Middleton, (608) 836-3773
Open December 24th from 11 a.m. until bar closing time and December 25th from 7 p.m. until bar closing time (Note: No regular food service on the 25th, “just booze and deep-fried food.”)

Dhaba Indian Bistro, 8333 Greenway Boulevard, Middleton, 608-203-8822
Open December 24th and 25th

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, 750 North Midvale Boulevard, 608-233-9550
Open December 24th from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Reservations recommended)

Forequarter, 708 East Johnson Street, (608) 609-4717
Open December 25th from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. NO RESERVATIONS

Gus’s Diner, 630 North Westmount, Sun Prairie; 608-318-0900
Open December 24th from 6 a.m. until 4 p.m. and December 25th from 6 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Hilton Monona Terrace, 9 East Wilson Street, 608-255-0165
Capitol Chophouse open December 24th from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. (Reservations recommended)

Kavanaugh’s Esquire Club, 1025 North Sherman Avenue, 608-249-0193
Open December 24th from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Lillana’s, 2951 Triverton Pike in Fitchburg, 608-442-4444
Closed for lunch on December 24th “as the staff prepare a special 4 course dinner in the evening.”
NEW this year: December 25th Christmas Day buffet from 4:00 pm until 8:00 pm. (Reservations highly recommended)

Maharaja Indian Restaurant, 6713 Odana Road, 608-833-1824
Open regular hours December 24th and 25th

Maharani, 380 W. Washington Avenue, 608-251-9999
Open December 24th and 25th for lunch from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. and dinner from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m.

Marrakesh Restaurant, 5510 University Avenue, 608-238-7111
Open December 24th and 25th for dinner (5 p.m. until 10 p.m.)

Old Chicago, 7702 Mineral Point Road, 608-827-0033
Open December 24th from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Restaurant Muramoto,
225 King Street, 608-259-1040
Open December 24th from 11:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. (Reservations requested)

Pancake Cafe, 6220 Nesbitt Road, Fitchburg; 608-204-7040
Open December 24th from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m.

PC Kitchen (Pancake Cafe’s Little Brother), 724 South Gammon Road, 608-819-6865
Open December 24th and December 25th from 7 a.m. until noon

Sa-Bai Thong, 6802 Odana Road, 608-828-9565
Open December 24th from 11 a.m. until 9:30 p.m.

Salvatore’s Tomato Pies, 503 West Main Street, Sun Prairie; (608) 318-1761
Open December 24th from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m.

Samba Brazilian Grill, 240 West Gilman Street, 608-257-1111
Open December 24th from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m.

Sushi Muramoto, 546 North Midvale Boulevard, 608-441-1090
Open December 24th from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Swagat, 707 N. High Point Road, 608-836-9399
Open regular hours December 24th and 25th

Taj Indian Restaurant, 1256 South Park Street, 608-268-0772
Open December 24th and 25th

Takara Japanese Restaurant – West Side, 696 South Whitney Way, 608-270-1188
Open regular hours December 24th and 25th

Taste of India, 2623 Monroe Street, 608-218-9200
Open December 24th and 25th

The Great Dane Pub-Downtown, 123 East Doty Street, 608-284-0000
Open December 24th from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and December 25th from 5 p.m. until bartime; serving from late-nite menu only

The Great Dane Pub – Eastside, 876 Jupiter Drive, 608-442-1333
Open December 24th from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and December 25th from 6 p.m. until midnight; serving from late-nite menu only

The Great Dane Pub-Fitchburg, 2980 Cahill Main, 608-442-9000
Open December 24th from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. and December 25th from 5 p.m. until bartime; serving from late-nite menu only

The Great Dane Pub-Hilldale, 357 Price Place, 608-661-9400
Open December 24th from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. and December 25th from 5 p.m. until 2 a.m.

Tully’s II Food and Spirits, 6401 Monona Drive, Monona; 608-222-4995
Open December 24th from 11 a.m. until bartime and December 25th from 11 a.m. until bartime (Full menu + special Holiday Menu)

New addition this year: Restaurant Chains Open for Christmas Eve and Christmas day 2013

If you know about a Madison-area restaurant that will be open on December 24th or December 25th, please share the information with us by sending an email to us at madisononthecheap@gmail.com

Last updated 12/23/2013