Category Archives: Holiday buffets

Restaurants open on Christmas Day

Dec. 19, 20129:18 a.m.

Mmmmmm, the flavor of Christmas Day.

The chorus of demands for our annual list of restaurants open on Christmas reached a fever pitch this year. Lots of people are either sick of turkey, craving holiday fried rice, or just don’t feel like cooking on Christmas Day.

Here it is.

This year, our amazing intern Matt made the calls and found the usual list of Asian restaurants, hotel buffets and family diners. And TWO of Wichita’s Starbucks will be open on Christmas this year.

Later today, we’ll also provide the names of several restaurants that will be open on Christmas Eve, which has been the second-most requested list by readers.

By Denise Neil | Tags: Filed under Holiday buffets, Holiday meals | Comments

Wichita restaurants open on Thanksgiving

Nov. 14, 20124:36 p.m.

Here it is: Our annual list of restaurants open and serving on Thanksgiving Day.

It’s the usual list of hotel buffets, family buffets and turkey dinners offered by 24-hour breakfast places with an upscale, plated meal thrown in for good measure.

As a bonus, I also have a list of restaurants that are willing to smoke or fry your turkey and bake your ham for you to serve at home.

Make reservations on all of the above as soon as you can.

Now, let’s all pause to give thanks for those who will do our holiday cooking work for us.

By Denise Neil | Filed under Holiday buffets, Holiday meals | Comments

Thanksgiving story is on its way

Nov. 7, 201212:44 p.m.

Each year around Nov. 1, I start getting e-mails from readers asking me which local restaurants will be open on Thanksgiving Day serving the traditional meal.

I’m working on the list right now, and it will be in the newspaper on Nov. 16, which is a week from Friday. I’ll have it on the web a week from today: Nov. 14.

People need to plan, I know, but if I start the list much earlier, the restaurants often don’t have their details finalized.

If you’re itching to make a reservation before then, though, you could consult my list from last year. My experience is that it changes only a little from year-to-year.

In the meantime, if you know of a restaurant that should be included, please let me know via e-mail or post it in the comments.

By Denise Neil | Filed under Holiday buffets, Holiday meals | Comments

Where to brunch on Easter

April 3, 20122:11 p.m.

I’ve started my annual list of restaurants serving Easter brunch buffets. Actually, I may have finished it… unless any of you see an important brunch I’ve missed.

Take a look. You’ll want to make your reservations right away.

Cinnabar Cafe, inside the Marriott at 9100 Corporate Hills Drive, 316-651-0333. Buffet $23.95 for adults, $19.95 seniors, $10.95 children 6-12, free for children 5 and under. Served 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Reservations recommended.

Corporate Caterers, 2949 N. Rock Road, 316-634-2400. Buffet $21.95 for adults, $16.95 seniors, $8.95 for children 5-12, free for 4 and under. Served 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Reservations recommended.

Drury Plaza Broadview ballroom, 400 W. Douglas, 316-634-2400: Buffet by Corporate Caterers $21.95 for adults, $16.95 seniors, $8.95 for children 5-12, free for 4 and under. Served 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Reservations recommended.

Granite City Food & Brewery, 2244 N. Webb Road, 316-636-5050, and 2661 N. Maize Road, 316-721-8500. Buffet $16.99 for adults, $6.99 children 7-12, free for children 6 and under. Served 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. No reservations.

Green Mill Restaurant, 549 S. Rock Road, 316-687-6455. Buffet $16.99 for adults, $14.99 seniors, $8.99 children 5-12, free for children 4 and under. Served 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Reservations recommended.

Legends, inside the Airport Hilton, 2098 Airport Road, 316-945-1966. Buffet $24.95 for adults, $19.95 seniors, $9.95 children 6-12, free for children 5 and under. Served 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Reservations required. Read More »

By Denise Neil | Filed under Holiday buffets | Comments

Restaurants open on Christmas

Dec. 14, 201110:37 a.m.

Syed Abbas plans to open his Middle Eastern restaurant Zaytun on Christmas Day.

It might seem a little bit early, but I’ve compiled my list of restaurants planning to be open on Christmas Day. The more time you have to plan, I figure, the better. Plus, I’ve already received about a dozen e-mails from people wanting to know.

As usual, the list includes an interesting mix of Asian eateries, family buffets and a few random restaurants willing to give Christmas hours a go.

There are a few new players this year: Zaytun owner Syed Abbas is planning to open and serve a Middle Eastern brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Christmas Day. And the Starbucks at 29th and Rock will open from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Christmas. It’ll be the only Starbucks in town that will be open.

Follow this link to see the full list, and if you see that I’ve missed a restaurant, e-mail me. I can still add it between now and Dec. 25.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , Filed under Asian food, Holiday buffets, Holiday meals | Comments

Restaurants serving on Thanksgiving Day

Nov. 16, 201111:04 a.m.

It’s Nov. 16, which is the traditional day for readers across the state to begin frantically e-mailing me, demanding to know which restaurants will be open and serving traditional foods on Thanksgiving Day.

So without further turkey adieu, I present this year’s list, which includes an interesting addition: Newport Grill has joined the Thanksgiving Day fray and is serving plated dinners rather than a buffet. (Warning: This story made every editor who dealt with it this morning very, very hungry.)

Know of a restaurant I missed? Let me know. There’s still time for me to get it in the newspaper version of the story, which will be published on Friday.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , Filed under Holiday buffets, Holiday meals | Comments

I like a man who knows what he wants

June 17, 201110:02 a.m.

This nearly made me choke on my Panera coffee.

My colleaugue Lori Buselt forwarded me the below e-mail exchange between her and her hilarious husband, Brian.

She asked him to look at my Father’s Day dining story and choose where he’d like to go.

By Denise Neil | Tags: Filed under Holiday buffets, Holiday meals, Sunday brunch | Comments

Question of the week: Best brunch?

April 20, 20112:01 p.m.

More and more restaurants are offering lavish Sunday brunch buffets with lots of extras — and not just on holidays. I’ve always loved the eggs Benedict station at the Granite City brunch, and Yia Yia’s has recently added a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar to its weekly buffet.

In honor of Easter, one of the brunchiest of holidays, I’m asking you to share your choice for best brunch buffet. Need a refresher on who’s serving? Read my story that’s going in this week’s Go! section that offers a guide to Easter Sunday brunches.

Oh, and answer the question of the week in the comments section below. Please?

By Denise Neil | Filed under Buffets, Holiday buffets, Question of the week | Comments

‘All is right with the world’

Dec. 21, 201010:32 a.m.

chopsueypalaceThe movie “A Christmas Story” has so many fabulous scenes, from the frozen tongue-on- a-pole to the arrival of the cherished and very “fra-gee-lay” leg lamp.
But as a food fan, my favorite scene is at the end of the movie, when the family — whose much anticipated Christmas turkey has been devoured by dogs — has its holiday meal at the local Chop Suey Palace.

Serenaded by the staff in broken English, they laugh, snort and dine on roast duck — squealing when the manager whacks off its head.

“That Christmas will live in our memories as the Christmas we were introduced to Chinese turkey,” the narrator says. “All was right with the world.”

That scene has always made me want to go to a Chinese restaurant on Christmas Day, and a few years ago, I made it happen.

To accommodate various schedules, my family had agreed to celebrate Christmas at my house on Dec. 26, which meant that on Dec. 25, we had no dinner plans.

A big group of us giddily caravanned to Lee’s, a Chop Suey Palace-esque restaurant at 6215 W. Kellogg.

It wasn’t just any Chinese restaurant meal we enjoyed that night. The cashew chicken tasted special, and all the diners in the restaurant felt like they were part of an exclusive Christmas club. The people at the next table laughed and sang along when we broke into a version of “Deck the Halls” inspired by that scene in “A Christmas Story.”

Schedules are such again this year that it looks like the Neil clan will be able to make another visit to a Chinese restaurant on Christmas Day.
All is right with the world.

Follow this link for a reminder of some of the restaurants open and serving on Christmas Day. (They’re not all Chinese.)

By Denise Neil | Tags: Filed under Chinese food, Holiday buffets | Comments

Dining out on Christmas

Dec. 15, 20103:40 p.m.
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Kwan Court is among the restaurants open on Christmas Day.

Lots and lots of people have asked me which restaurants are open and serving on Christmas Day. And lots and lots of times I’ve promised that I’ll publish the list as soon as I have it put together. That time has arrived.

The most interesting development: The brand new Gaslamp Grille & Lounge will close on Christmas Eve but open for dinner on Christmas Day. Other than that, your choices include a whole lot of Chinese food, some hotel buffets and Denny’s. See the full list.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , Filed under Holiday buffets | Comments