With COVID-19 restrictions easing, Christmastime at Southern California casinos is back to its regular delicious programming.
On top of Christmas Day dining, some of the restaurants are offering Christmas Eve dinners for guests who prefer to splurge the night before.
If going out is too much of a hassle, Agua Caliente Cathedral City, Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage and Pechanga Resort Casino are also offering to-go meals. Pricing is per person unless otherwise noted. Each casino has a cut-off date for orders and in-person dining reservations, so contact the casino you plan to visit for the most updated information.
Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City
68960 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City. 888-999-1995 or aguacalientecasinos.com.
Café One Eleven: A three-course meal with mushroom soup or heirloom apple salad starter; honey-glazed ham with mashed potatoes, stuffing, candied sweet potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts and orange cranberry chutney. Dessert is a yule log with candied hazelnuts. 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Dec. 25. $55 per person. The meal is also available to-go and must be ordered by 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23 at aguacalientecasinos.com.
Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs
401 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs. 888-999-1995 or aguacalientecasinos.com.
360 Sports (Palm Springs): Meatloaf sandwich served with Yukon Gold whipped mashed potatoes and gravy. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Dec. 25. $16.
The Steakhouse (Palm Springs): Three-course meal with butternut squash soup or salad starter; entrée choice of cinnamon-braised beef short ribs with whipped potatoes and the rainbow garden medley or baked salmon and crab with tarragon beurre blanc sauce, garden medley and green tea infused jasmine rice. For dessert, choose apple, cranberry and pecan cobbler with vanilla ice cream and caramel. 5-11 p.m. Dec. 24 and 5-10 p.m. Dec. 25. $95.
Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage
32-250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage. 888-999-1995 or aguacalientecasinos.com.
360 Sports (Rancho Mirage): An eight-ounce New York steak with spicy garlic broccolini and smashed red potatoes. Dec. 24 and Dec. 25. 10 a.m.-11 p.m. $30.
The Steakhouse (Rancho Mirage): A 60-day, dry-aged 16-ounce prime rib, served with Yorkshire pudding, horseradish, au jus, and duck fat roasted fingerling potatoes. 5-11 p.m. Dec. 24 and 5-10 p.m. Dec. 25. $80.
Waters Café: A three-course meal with pumpkin and green apple soup or iceberg wedge salad starter; entrée choice of lamb with mashed potatoes, porcini mushroom bordelaise and Thumbelina carrots or seared salmon with celery mousseline, lemon parsley gremolata and garlic butter haricot verts. Dessert is sweet potato cake with agave whipped cream. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Dec. 25. $48.
Pívat Cigar Lounge: The cigar lounge, which also serves alcohol, will have “The Grinch,” a holiday cocktail made with Jameson, Baileys, green Crème de Menthe, crème de cacao, cream, garnished with crushed candy canes. Dec. 25. $15.
Holiday-To-Go: The dinner includes maple-Dijon glaze honey ham, tomato bisque soup, dinner rolls, baby lettuce salad with Julienne tri-color peppers, candied walnuts, feta cheese and raspberry vinaigrette, mashed potatoes, pasta primavera with sundried tomatoes, spinach and ratatouille vegetables, spiced rum pineapple relish, virgin eggnog and more. $225. Serves 6-8. Orders must be placed by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21 at aguacalientecasinos.com.
Augustine Casino
84-001 Ave. 54, Coachella. 760-391-9500 or augustinecasino.com.
Café 54: Honey-baked ham served with green bean casserole, crispy fried onions, garlic mashed potatoes, gravy and a dinner roll. Desert is sweet potato pie with marshmallows or whipped cream, served with a glass of champagne or Pasmosa sangria. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Dec. 25. $21.
Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
84-245 Indio Springs Drive, Indio. 760-345-2450 or fantasyspringsresort.com.
Fresh Grill Buffet Christmas Eve Dinner: Pork pozole, cream of wild mushroom soup, Thai beef salad, oysters on the half shell, poached New Zealand mussels, Scottish smoked salmon, prime rib, maple roasted turkey breast, seafood scampi and barbecue pork ribs. Desserts include a chocolate fountain and a spread of cakes, pastries and sugar-free selections. 4-9 p.m. Dec. 24. $44.99 adults; $34.99 children; children three and under are free.
Fresh Grill Buffet Christmas Day Dinner: Menudo, New England clam chowder, Korean shrimp noodle salad, Norwegian smoked salmon, gulf shrimp cocktail, roast prime rib, honey Dijon-baked ham, maple glazed turkey breast, New York steaks, Mediterranean seafood cioppino, cornbread stuffing and mashed potatoes with gravy. Desserts include bananas foster, pastries, Christmas cookies and a chocolate fountain. 3:30-9 p.m. Dec. 25. $44.99 adults; $34.99 children; children three and under are free.
POM Christmas Eve Dinner: Soup of the day followed by braised boneless beef short ribs, garlic whipped potatoes, sautéed baby rainbow carrots with a red currant demi-glace. 5-11 p.m. $38.
POM Christmas Dinner: Amish chicken corn chowder, beef Wellington, spinach-mushroom duxelles wrapped in flaky puff pastry, sautéed asparagus and a port wine demi-glace. 5-11 p.m. $46.
The Bistro Christmas Eve Dinner: Crab-stuffed Maine lobster, colossal Australian prawn and Cape Cod diver scallops served with truffle risotto, cauliflower-cheddar soufflé, butter, with a lemon-garlic sauce. 5-10 p.m. $70.
The Bistro Christmas Dinner: A 16-ounce center-cut New York sirloin, garlic-braised fondant potato, haricots verts, mushroom Dijon demi-glace. 5–10 p.m. $50.
Harrah’s Resort Southern California
777 Harrah’s Rincon Way, Valley Center. 760-751-3100 or harrahssocal.com.
The Café: An a la carte menu that features items such as salt-encrusted prime rib with chestnut sage dressing, charred bacon Brussels sprouts, and horseradish crème. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Dec. 24 and Dec. 25. $39.
Cocktail bar: A sugar plum cocktail made with Absolut vanilla, plum-infused simple syrup, black cherry syrup, lemon and glitter garnish. $12.
Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa
49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon. 951-849-3080 or morongocasinoresort.com.
Cielo: A three-course meal with a starter of heirloom beet salad; entrée surf and turf-style with grilled filet mignon, half lobster tail, parsnip puree, butternut squash, and red wine with bitter chocolate. Desert is an eggnog cheesecake with brandy cream and sugared strawberries. 5-11 p.m. Dec. 25. $125.
Good Times Café: Dinner includes braised short ribs, mashed potatoes, red wine sauce and gremolata with red velvet cake for dessert. 11 a.m.-midnight. Dec. 25. $35.99.
Fiesta Taco: The restaurant will offer two fully loaded pork tamales with Mexican rice, beans. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Dec. 25. $14.99.
Pit Stop Diner: Located next door at Casino Morongo, the restaurant has a three-course meal, starting with kale and sausage soup, an entrée of bourbon brown sugar glazed ham with mashed potatoes and gravy, seasonal vegetables and a dinner roll; Dessert is eggnog pudding. 8 a.m.-midnight. Dec. 23. $28.99.
Pechanga Resort Casino
45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula. 877-711-2946 or pechanga.com.
1882 Cantina: A 20-ounce, bone-in ribeye steak served with Baja-style white rice, refried black beans, grilled onions, guacamole, and Mexican crema. 9 a.m.- 9 p.m. Dec. 25. $68.
Great Oak Steakhouse: Dinner entrée choices include filet mignon with crispy bacon and scalloped potatoes, free-range chicken served with sweet potato and Tuscan kale, Chilean sea bass with baby bok choy and bunashimeji mushrooms, or surf & turf featuring filet mignon and an 8-ounce Australian lobster tail alongside potato au gratin and steamed asparagus. 5 -11 p.m. Dec. 25. $120.
Journey’s End: The restaurant near the casino’s golf course will serve a bunch menu that will include items such as avocado toast ($16), smoked salmon ($16), New York steak & eggs ($21), crab cake benedict ($23), huevos rancheros ($15). 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 25.
Kelsey’s Bar and Grill: A three-course meal with a starter salad, seasonal mac & cheese or Brussels sprouts and pork belly gratin; entrée choice of slow-cooked short ribs or smoked prime ribs; Dessert is a chocolate Buche de Noel with cherry compote and kirsch Chantilly cream. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Dec. 25. $58.
Paisano’s: The Christmas dinner includes a prime rib roast served alongside sautéed mushrooms, Cipollini onions and pecorino Romano risotto in a red wine demi-glaze. 5-11 p.m. Dec. 25. $68.
Pechanga Café: An a la carte Christmas day menu with items such as a cranberry and walnut salad ($14), a Chilean seabass alongside fingerling potatoes and sugar snap peas ($38), and a chocolate peppermint cake ($12) for dessert. Open 24 hours.
Umi Sushi & Oyster Bar: Three a la carte specials with an appetizer of sashimi ($42), an entrée of Misozuke Wagyu served with diver scallops, Swiss chard, turnips and a cranberry cheese puff ($125); dessert is a chestnut shortcake ($12). 5 p.m.-11 p.m. Dec. 24 and 25.
Pechanga’s Holiday To-Go: Bone-in prime rib, potato puree, crisp winter chop salad, roasted baby carrots, lemon-roasted Brussels sprouts, au jus, creamy horseradish sauce, fresh bread rolls and apple pie. $260. Serves 6. Must be reserved by Thursday, Dec. 15. Pick-up is between 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 25 in the hotel valet area.
Soboba Casino Resort
22777 Soboba Road, San Jacinto. 951-665-1000 or soboba.com.
Canyons Steakhouse: Three-course meal with salad or mushroom spinach soup starter. Entrée choice of 10-ounce fillet served with peppercorn cream sauce, root mashed potatoes and asparagus; a pork chop, served with root mashed potatoes and asparagus; or pistachio-crusted cod spiced, served with butternut squash risotto and asparagus. Dessert is a chocolate cherry yule log. 4-9 p.m. Dec. 25. $125.
Fairway Café: Three-course meal with salad or butternut squash soup starter. Entrée choice of herb-roasted beef tenderloin, horseradish-infused mashed potatoes autumn vegetables, and mushroom demi-glace; or apricot chicken, stuffing and broccolini. Dessert is a sweet potato roll cake with cream cheese filling. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Dec. 25. $34.99.
Noodle Bar: The dinner special for two includes two porkstickers, four shrimp tempuras, a salad to share, braised short ribs, 9-ounce Asian-seasoned lobster tail, broccoli, cauliflower and white rice. Dessert is a pumpkin crème Brulee. Noon-2 a.m. on Dec. 24 and noon-midnight on Dec. 25. $120 per couple.
Spotlight 29 Casino
46-200 Harrison Place, Coachella. 760-775-5566 or spotlight29.com.
Taproom 29: A 16-ounce prime rib served with loaded baked potato, asparagus, broccolini, au jus and horseradish. 4-10 p.m. Dec. 25. $29.95.
Valley View Casino & Hotel
16300 Nyemii Pass, Valley Center. 760-291-5500 or valleyviewcasino.com.
Black&Blue Steakhouse: A classic Caesar salad or red potato soup to start. Entrée choice of glazed pork shank, shrimp and scallop scampi linguine served with zucchini squash noodles and roasted heirloom tomatoes or Brandt beef filet mignon paired with seasonal roasted vegetables and Yukon potato puree with Cabernet wine sauce. 4:30-9:00 p.m. Dec. 25. $59.
Patties & Pints: A starter of butternut squash bisque with fried sage or a brown butter crème Fraiche. Entrée includes Osso Buco with potato au Gratin and roasted root vegetables. Dessert is spiced bread pudding with orange liquor crème anglaise. 3-9 p.m. Dec. 25. $39.
The Buffet: The casino’s buffet will serve items such as glazed baked ham, potatoes au Gratin, maple-glazed roasted butternut squash, lobster bisque and beef tamales. For dessert, there’s a chocolate or vanilla Christmas yule log and assorted Christmas cookies. 3-8:30 p.m. Dec. 25. $49.
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