Restaurants Ready to Party for Christmas and New Year's Eve

Sometimes having a bunch of people over to celebrate the holidays just doesn’t sound appealing. There’s the preparation, the hosting duties, cleaning up…the holidays are stressful enough as it is, why add to it?

That’s why some people opt to go out for Christmas or New Year’s Eve, and there are plenty of restaurants--nice restaurants--willing to accommodate. Good news for you, bad news for anyone in the food industry.

So this year, if you decide to enjoy a night out on the town for the holidays, just remember…tip your waiters, people. Here are a few restaurants ready for the festivities.

Border Grill: Kick off 2012 the best way possible—with massive amounts of Mexican food. At $55 per person, they’ll serve you a four-course dinner that includes spicy crab taco, smoked mussel ceviche tostadita, and coriander-roasted leg of lamb. And who needs champagne when you have margaritas? Woah, calm down. They probably also have champagne.

445 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, (213) 486-5171, and 1445 4th St., Santa Monica, (310) 451-1655; bordergrill.com.

City Tavern: Three words: “Brew Year's Eve.” Oh wait, I’m sorry. A fourth word: UNLIMITED. Yes, from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., customers can drink unlimited beer, wine and champagne for $68 per person.

9739 Culver Blvd., Culver City, (310) 838-9739, www.citytavernculvercity.com.

Ocean and Vine: Open for Christmas, the restaurant in the Santa Monica Beach Hotel has vast views of the Pacific Ocean. The restaurant will be offering a four-course prix-fixe menu for $72 per person. Dishes will include as pan-seared Mano de Leon scallop, lobster bisque and sweet potato-crusted halibut. The venue will also be open on New Year’s Eve.

1700 Ocean Ave. Santa Monica, (310) 576-3180, www.oceanandvine.com.

Locanda Del Lago: Celebrate Christmas Eve or Christmas Day Italian style. And no, I don’t mean by watching reruns of the Jersey Shore. Chef Gianfranco Minuz will cook a meal showcasing Italian winter ingredients. The holiday menu includes Scottish salmon marinated with pomegranate and spiced wine reduction, capon chicken tortellini with chicken consommé and Grana Padano, and roasted veal tenderloin with morel mushroom and chestnut sauce.

231 Arizona Ave., Santa Monica, (310) 451-3525, lagosantamonica.com.

Fig and Olive: Fig and Olive is setting a French Riviera ambience for their New Year's Eve dinner. They’re offering a four-course prix-fixe menu at $150 per person. Each guest will be greeted with a complimentary glass of Moët & Chandon Champagne and a set of white and gold party favors to celebrate the New Year.

DJ Julien Nolan will be spinning after dinner.

8490 Melrose Place, West Hollywood, (310) 360-9100, figandolive.com.