What the heck is open on Christmas day???

[chefinthecity]

I live in Hayes Valley - and the in-laws aren't feeling well, so our dinner is post-poned until the day after... which leaves me with a dreadful fear that i'll be stuck eating chinese buffet on market street.

so if anyone out there knows - what the heck is open on Christmas day? Where can a girl get some good food? i could cook - but i do that 6 days a week, and would like my vacation to be spatula free =)

[Robert Lauriston]

Great China will be open today. Chef said it was the first time, usually they close for Christmas but this year they took a longer vacation in the summer instead.

-----
Great China Restaurant
2115 Kittredge St, Berkeley, CA 94704

[Robert Lauriston]

For future reference, Koreana Plaza and Oasis Market were both open.

[Robert Lauriston]

Walking around Berkeley this afternoon, I noticed that Manga Sushi, Plearn, Punjabi by Nature, the Dwight branch of Bongo Burger, and King Yen were open. Also, a sign in the window at Jupiter said that Triple Rock would be open.

[whiner]

This is, of course, a day late and a dollar short. But, the past two Christmases I have enjoyed dinner at Helmand Palace on Van Ness between Union and Green. Just about my favorite moderately inexpensive restaurant in the city, anyway. Afghani.

[margieco]

wish I'd thought to check if they were open for lunch. We had a very disappointing and expensive lunch at Ducca yesterday. Last year's meal at On the Bridge (japantown) and the year before at naan n curry were significantly more enjoyable.

[hhc]

I haven't tried it yet, but:
Tommy's Joynt is open Everyday!
1101 Geary Blvd (Van Ness @ Geary)
SF CA 94109
www.tommysjoynt.com
415-775-4216

Bar: 10am-1:45AM
Restaurant: 11am-1:45AM

[MonkeyDudeSF]

Even though they may be open, I would only eat here as a total LAST RESORT. The food here is hardly better than what I got when I was in Folsom County Jail and I'd almost prefer to go back there for a meal than to eat at this place.

Not recommended.

[wolfe]

They serve French dip beef, hot pastrami sandwiches and good beer at Folsom County Jail?

[ML8000]

Tommy's Joynt is fine for what it is - inexpensive hofbrau food. $7 bucks gets you a turkey plate. Factor in $3 bucks for a brew and you get what you get for $10 bucks. Fabulous or mind blowing? Nope but what is at that price?

p.s. it's been ruled that Californa prisons and jails aren't required to serve hot meals. Look for PBJ and/or baloney sandwiches on your next visit.

[baron45]

Most, if not all, Chinese restaurants are open. The new Hong Kong Lounge on Geary at 17th is definitely open-----drove by and there must have been at least 100 people waiting outside.

[Nina]

I just got back from China Village, which was bustling but not completely full. I was with two family members who'd never been there and initially said they didn't want to eat Chinese food, but nothing else was open on Solano between Neilson and Masonic, so they were persuaded. Now they're singing a different tune. One doesn't eat chicken and neither eats pork, beef, or lamb, so choices were restricted, but we had the West fish soup and the spicy charred cabbage, which were both absolutely sublime as many others have attested, and the XO prawns which were pretty good. Our fourth dish was organic chicken in ginger and green onion sauce; the sauce was great but the chicken itself was rather bland, and so full of bones that it was annoying to eat.
Elsewhere on Solano I saw Bua Luang open (on the Albany end) and I believe King Tsin and Khana Peena (on the Berkeley end).

[Robert Lauriston]

For future reference, driving around Berkeley and Oakland to feed absent friends' pets circa 7-8pm on Christmas, I noticed the following were open:

- at least half a dozen Chinese and Japanese places in downtown Berkeley, including Ryowa Ramen
- several Indian and Pakistani places, including Udupi Palace (packed) and Kabana
- about half the Korean places on Telegraph
- Ohgane on Broadway (very busy)
- Nation's on University (busy)
- Foster's Freeze on University

[gemster]

so essentially, anything ethnic + some fast food :)

[margieco]

we ate at naan n curry (tenderloin) last year. Just got back from the kabuki and a bunch of places were open in japantown.

[susancinsf]

naan n curry on Van Ness was open tonight when I drove by a bit ago...also open was Helmand Palace, which might be my choice in that general area if I were looking to go out...(we were just heading home from a day with family in Glen Ellen). Helmand Palace didn't look that busy, which is sort of sad, especially since Chevy's further down Van Ness, was hopping....

I was a bit surprised at the number of places on outer Mission that were open, including most of the taquerias...

[mmh]

Went to the Claremont, had a decent burger and fries, and a great pomegranate cosmo. Walked down college- what happened to Buttercup? Looks like a different restaraunt there now.

[Robert Lauriston]

It's been subdivided, and half the space is the Taste of India restaurant I mentioned above.

[Nina]

And for grocery purposes, 99 Ranch is always your Christmas friend...

[Sarah]

Practically everything on Clement was open and bustling. Mad traffic, as usual!

[mmh]

Just found out all the restaraunts in the Claremont are open. Yay! Cocktails overlooking the bay.

[mmh]

Thanks for the suggestions. I found a bottle of V. Sattui red to tide me over while I wait for my delayed luggage to be delivered from SFO (grrrr!) then my sister and I will head up Solano and down Shattuck. Maybe all the lost xmas souls (or grinches) should meet up somewhere!

[lintygmom]

King Tsin has pretty good dim sum you can order off the menu. We just went to East Ocean in Alameda and it was mediocre for dim sum though the regular food is usually great.

[Mission]

Triple Rock Brewery on Shattuck in Berkeley used to be open 365 days of the year.

As far as I know they still are.

[mmh]

My family is also postponing Christmas- I'd like to get some grocery shopping done (?!). Does anyone know of any grocery stores open in the Berkeley area? I called the Safeways on Solono and Shattuck but no answer. It would also be nice to get a quick bite and glass of wine but I'm probably out of luck. Any suggestions besides Sutter Home and Cheetos from the liquor store?

[Robert Lauriston]

The Safeway on College Ave. has always been open when I've gone there on Thanksgiving or Xmas.

[Robert Lauriston]

Well, not this year. Nor was Peet's on Domingo open. Out for a long walk we didn't see anything open but a 7-11, a few coffee houses, one bad Chinese restaurant, the new? Taste of India next to Buttercup, and Afikomen.

[veggiejawn]

it's open this year (2007) until 4 both days; today is was a zoo, though!

[rworange]

For a quick bite, Saul's is open on Christmas ... tho be careful ordering (pastrami is ok as is the roast turkey) ... not so much on the wine though.

Not sure, but I think Renee's place on Solano is open ... sort of cal-Chinese ... don't remember about the wine though.
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/39918

But then again, most Chinese joints are open ... but the wine is probably Sutter Home. Don't know about grceries.

[Robert Lauriston]

Long discussion:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/346431

[drmimi]

Peets is open for coffee and snacks.

[uptown jimmy]

We ate Chinese in the Richmond last yeat. The place was packed, the food was great! Forgot the name of the place, it was one of the Chronocle's "good cheap eats" picks.

[rtmonty]

You might check OpenTable, they may have a listing on what's open today. It's also my guess than many of the major hotel cafes and dining rooms will be open. And, then as you mentioned, probably everyplace in Chinatown will be open.