Skip to: Restaurants | Bars

Restaurants

Ambar: The reliable purveyor of Balkan cuisine will be open for brunch. 523 Eighth St. SE.

Balaji Cafe: The suburban restaurant specializes in South Indian vegetarian food, which sounds much lighter than the standard Christmas fare. 298 Sunset Park Dr., Herndon.

Bete Ethio­pian Cuisine and Cafe: The Post's Tim Carman picked this spot as the second-best Ethiopian restaurant in the Washington area. It will be open until at least 3 or 4 p.m. 811 Roeder Rd., Silver Spring.

AD

AD

Great Wall: This Szechuan storefront is a go-to for many D.C. residents and workers. 1527 14th St. NW.

Kingbird at the Watergate: A great option if you're looking for a swanky hotel meal. 2650 Virginia Ave NW.

Passage to India: It may be overshadowed by bigger name Indian restaurants in the city, but don't forget about this longtime dining room. 4931 Cordell Ave., Bethesda.

Peter Chang: Reservations are limited, but it's worth getting takeout from one of the best places for Chinese food in the area. 2503-E N. Harrison St., Arlington. 703-538-6688; 20A Maryland Ave., Rockville.

Reren Lamen: Noodles are the strong suit of this Chinatown restaurant. 817 Seventh St. NW.

AD

Shanghai Taste: Soup dumplings for Christmas? Yes, please. 1121 Nelson St., Rockville.

Vola's Dockside Grill: Channel warmer days at this seafood-heavy waterside restaurant in Old Town. 101 N. Union Street, Alexandria.

Bars

All Souls: One of The Post's top 10 bars in Washington and a regular destination for excellent $9 house cocktails, All Souls will be open from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Christmas Day. 725 T St. NW.

AD

Bar Pilar: The 14th Street bar opens at 8 p.m., though the kitchen will be closed all night. 1833 14th St. NW.

Beuchert's Saloon: While the kitchen will be closed, the Capitol Hill bar opens at 4 p.m. 623 Pennsylvania Ave. SE.

The Big Board: The Big Board opens at 4:30 p.m. with the usual “market-driven” beer prices, which rise or fall based on demand. 421 H St. NE.

AD

The Black Cat: For years, the club's Red Room bar has offered Washingtonians a place to drink, shoot pool and play pinball on Christmas Day. Doors open at 7 p.m. 1811 14th St. NW.

The Black Squirrel: Adams Morgan's craft beer bar opens as usual at 11 a.m. and stays open until 2 a.m. 2427 18th St. NW.

Eighteenth Street Lounge: It's a full house at the legendary Eighteenth Street Lounge. DJs Smudge and Keenan Orr spin in the main room while Sam "The Man" Burns and Tee Alford hold down the club's Gold Room. Jus Nowhere, Samantha Francesca and Benoit Benoit take over the upstairs Jazz Room, and Mr. Bonkerz is on the patio. Doors open at 9 p.m. and the party runs until 4 a.m.; Admission is free before 10:30 p.m. and $10 after. 1212 18th St. NW.

AD

AD

Exiles Bar: Exiles, which replaced Stetson's on U Street in June, opens at 5 p.m. 1610 U St. NW.

Flash: Dance off the Christmas turkey at Flash, where Romanian DJs Nu Zau and Sepp headline a night of dark, funky house music. Jubilee and Taiga are also on the bill. Doors open at 8 p.m., and there's a $5 cover. 645 Florida Ave. NW.

Freddie's Beach Bar: The Arlington Gay and Lesbian Alliance hosts a dinner meet-and-greet at Freddie's Beach Bar on Christmas at 6 p.m., and all are welcome. Guests are asked to bring travel-sized soap or shampoo to donate to the local homeless organization A-SPAN or nonperishable food items for the Arlington Food Assistance Center. 555 S. 23rd St., Arlington.

JV's Restaurant: Local rockabilly and roots rock group Going Going Gone takes the stage at 8:30 p.m., and doors open at 5 p.m. 6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church.

AD

AD

Little Miss Whiskey's Golden Dollar: Doors open at 5 p.m. on H Street, where the bar has been stocked with some great new craft beers from Single Cut and Wicked Weed. 1104 H St. NE.

Lyman's Tavern: The pinball bar's doors open at 2 p.m., and a free Chinese buffet is served at 6 p.m. 3720 14th St. NW.

Murphy's Irish Pub: Alexandria's top Irish pub opens at 5 p.m. for a holiday feast. Ronan Kavanagh performs traditional Irish music, beginning at 9 p.m. 713 King St., Alexandria.

Nellie's Sports Bar: Nellie's opens at 5 p.m. 900 U St. NW.

Showtime: The Bloomingdale dive bar opens as usual at 3 p.m., with a special Christmas performance by the house band Granny and the Boys. 113 Rhode Island Ave. NW.

Tapp'd: The Bethesda bar opens at 6 p.m. with craft beers, skee ball and pool. 4915 Saint Elmo Ave., Bethesda.