Where to Spend Christmas in Brooklyn if You’re Not With Family

By Rae Witte

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a heads-up that his uncle loves to debate politics at the dinner table. 

Thanks to situations like this one, home, whether yours or someone else’s, isn’t always the move for the holidays. Or maybe you don’t celebrate Christmas at all. Which means it’s time to make arrangements of your own. 

Whether you have uncontainable holiday cheer or are feeling like a Grinch this year, there are plenty of ways to enjoy Christmas Eve and Day in Brooklyn without the usual plans—from a traditional Italian-American feast of seven fish dishes or scoring a reservation that would otherwise be impossible to get. A festive drink at your local dive can be a welcome break from your YouTube yule log video on loop, as can a trip to the movies, especially since this year’s holiday releases are stacked. 

Honestly, this time of year in Brooklyn can be amazing, if only for the (relative) serenity that comes from so many transplants leaving the borough for the holidays. Here are eight good options if you’re solo in the borough over Christmas. 

Leland
Address: 755 Dean St.

For Christmas Eve, Leland is putting on their third annual Feast of Seven Fishes, an Italian-American tradition that always makes for a spectacular experience. Prix-fixe tickets are available for $85 apiece, and the menu will include Zuppa di Pesce with mussels, pollock, oysters, and garlic bread; a little gem Caesar salad featuring a 24-month parmigiano, and anchovies; calamari; spaghetti alle vongole, also known as spaghetti with clams; and a whole roasted porgy with farro, lemon, toasted pine nuts, and salsa verde.

Alamo Drafthouse
Address: 445 Albee Square W. 

Christmas Day movie releases have been a tradition since Paramount released the Bob Hope and Bing Crosby comedy Road to Rio on Dec. 25, 1947. The week from Christmas Eve through New Year’s typically accounts for as much as five percent of yearly box office sales.  

Hitting Alamo Drafthouse in Downtown Brooklyn is a great way to spend some alone time over the holidays. All 12 theaters have full food and drink menus including award-winning milkshakes. Indulge—see more than one movie. 

Red Hook Tavern  
Address: 329 Van Brunt St. 

The Red Hook Tavern isn’t open on Christmas Day, but you can make a solo reservation for a seat at the bar—there are 18 total—on Dec. 24. They also leave space for walk-ins if you’re undecided until the day of. Just get there early. This cozy favorite is best known for its out-of-this-world burger. While they aren’t planning anything special for the holidays, the Red Hook is a perfect spot for a cold night.

The Osprey 
Address: 60 Furman St. 

The Osprey, at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, offers an accessible fine-dining experience with locally sourced ingredients. You can look up where they get their produce, meat, and dairy on their site. The spot has prix-fixe menus for both Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day brunch, with vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options, even for your holiday favorites.

As You Are
Address: 252 Schermerhorn St.

Forget the old man in the red velvet suit. You deserve milk and cookies, too. In addition to a few special plates added to their normal menu, Ace Hotel Brooklyn’s As You Are is offering adult “milk” and cookies. No prix-fixe necessary. Treat yourself to aged eggnog, chocolate macarons, speculoos, and sugar cookies. Since it’s the hotel’s bakery, restaurant, and bar, breakfast is served until 11 a.m., the bakery is open until 2 p.m., lunch is from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and they’ll be serving dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. 

Freddy’s Bar
Address: 627 5th Ave.

A Christmas Day dive bar visit is nearly a prerequisite for a solo holiday. You may want to stumble home from your neighborhood haunt, but you could also swing by a Brooklyn classic—Freddy’s Bar in South Slope. Although this is their second location, they’ve been open since the 1940s and each year serve all of Santa’s nice and naughty lists over the holiday. Their happy hour runs from noon to 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Christmas Day. The drinks are cheap and strong, and you can get chicken tenders, fries, and other bar classics. Freddy’s has long been considered one of the best bars in the entire city, and now, when so many people are out of town, is a great time to make the pilgrimage.

Kings Co Imperial
Address: 20 Skillman Ave.

Chinese food Christmas is quintessentially New York, especially for those who don’t celebrate but want to enjoy the silenced Slack notifications and quiet of Brooklyn over dinner out. A long-time favorite of ours, Kings Co Imperial in Williamsburg, is open from 5:30 p.m. 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve and all day, 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., on the 25th. There’s also a Downtown Brooklyn location.

Dyker Heights Christmas Lights  
Address: 11th to 13th Avenues, from 83rd to 86th Streets 

If you really want to get in the Christmas spirit, heading to see the lights in Dyker Heights is a must. The South Brooklyn neighborhood takes holiday decor to another level, with life-size Santas, armies of nutcrackers, and enough strings of Christmas lights to illuminate Yankee Stadium. It’s just a subway ride away. And it’s free!