What Southern California casinos are cooking up for Christmas

If your anticipation for Christmas dinner outweighs your desire to open presents, then Southern California casinos are cooking something up that you won’t want to miss.

On top of Christmas Day dining, some of the restaurants are also offering specialty holiday drinks and Christmas Eve dinners for guests who prefer to splurge the night before. Some restaurants require reservations, so be sure to contact the casino you plan to visit for the most updated information.

Here’s all the mouth-watering festive programming slated this year for Christmas at Southern California casinos.

Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City

68960 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City. 888-999-1995 or aguacalientecasinos.com.

360 Sports (Cathedral City, Palm Springs & Rancho Mirage): Prime rib sandwich on a ciabatta roll with flat cut fries and au Jus dip. 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Dec. 24 and noon-11 p.m. Dec. 25. $24.

Café One Eleven: Gorgonzola stuffed beef tenderloin demi-glace served with mushrooms, onion, shallots, cream cheese and mixed vegetables.  11 a.m.-8 p.m. Dec. 25. $43 per person. Reservations recommended.

Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs

401 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs. 888-999-1995 or aguacalientecasinos.com.

The Steakhouse (Palm Springs):  Three-course meal with a starter choice of butternut squash soup or baby kale salad; entrée choice of red wine braised short ribs with roasted garlic whipped potatoes and rainbow garden medley or baked salmon with king crab, alongside lemon risotto, sautéed asparagus, tarragon and Beurre Blanc. For dessert, choose apple, cranberry and pecan cobbler with vanilla ice cream and caramel or a red velvet cake with berries. 5-10 p.m. Dec. 24 and Dec. 25. $95.

Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage

32-250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage. 888-999-1995 or aguacalientecasinos.com.

The Steakhouse (Rancho Mirage): A dinner for two includes a 30-day, 36-ounce dry aged porterhouse served with truffle cauliflower gratin, garlic roasted marble potatoes, grilled asparagus with Meyer lemon breadcrumbs and hollandaise. 5-10 p.m. Dec. 24 and 5-10 p.m. Dec. 25. $185.

Waters Café (Christmas Eve): A slow roasted leg of lamb served with roasted red potato, garlic herbs, crushed pepper corn, duo asparagus baby carrots poached in white wine butter, mint steeped agave syrup demi-glace and carrot cake. 6 a.m.-10 p.m. $24.

Waters Café (Christmas Day): A three-course meal includes a starter choice of carrot and cumin soup or salad; entrée choice of prime rib served with Boursin mashed potatoes, Porcini Au-jus, fried Brussel sprout petals with fresh grate Parmesan or seared salmon with roasted Russian fingerlings, whole grain mustard sauce, garlic butter poached asparagus; dessert is an apple tart wit whipped cream. 6 a.m.-10 p.m. $48.

Augustine Casino

84-001 Ave. 54, Coachella. 760-391-9500 or augustinecasino.com.

Café 54: Herb-crusted prime rib served with cheesy scalloped potatoes, green and white sautéed asparagus bundles, a sides of au jus, horseradish and garlic butter. Dessert is vanilla panna cotta with mixed berry coulis. served with a glass of champagne or Pasmosa sangria. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Dec. 25. $32.

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 and ham, seafood scampi and barbecue pork ribs. Desserts include a chocolate fountain and a spread of cakes, pastries and sugar-free selections. 3:30-9 p.m. Dec. 24. $44.99 adults; $34.99 children; children three and under are free.

Fresh Grill Buffet Christmas Day Dinner: Selections include Menudo, New England clam chowder, Korean shrimp noodle salad, Norwegian smoked salmon, 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: An 8-ounce filet mignon and 6-ounce lobster tail with sautéed broccolini, loaded potato croquette, burgundy demi-glace and butter. 6 a.m.-11 p.m. $75.

POM Christmas Dinner: Two char-grilled Colorado lamb chops served with Boursin cheese mashed potatoes, honey-butter glazed baby carrots, rosemary-mint demi-glace. 6 a.m.-11 p.m. $50.

The Bistro Christmas Eve Dinner: A seafood tagliatelle with diver scallops, jumbo prawns, calamari, asparagus tips, grape tomatoes, tagliatelle pasta, truffle-parmesan cream sauce, and garlic crostini. 5-10 p.m. $42.

The Bistro Christmas Dinner: An 8-ounce filet mignon, potatoes dauphinoise, French style green beans, truffle-bacon butter, Pinot Noir demi-glace. 5-10 p.m. $48.

Harrah’s Resort Southern California

777 Harrah’s Rincon Way, Valley Center. 760-751-3100 or harrahssocal.com.

The Café: A  honey glazed ham dinner with roasted sweet potatoes, green bean Almondine and apple-sage stuffing.11 a.m.-10 p.m. Dec. 24 and Dec. 25. $25.

Cocktail bar: The Gingerbread Man made with vanilla vodka, Frangelico, Baileys, gingerbread syrup a splash of cream and garnished with fresh gingerbread; the North Pole made with house infused candy cane vodka, fresh cacao, a splash of Angostura bitters and red soda, garnished with an edible glitter rim and crushed candy cane; and the Yule Mule made with Kettle vodka, a splash of pomegranate juice, fresh lime juice, topped with ginger beer garnish, pomegranate seeds and rosemary Sprig. $14 each.

Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa

49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon. 951-849-3080 or morongocasinoresort.com.

Cielo: A three-course meal with a starter of roasted beetroot salad; entrée is a deconstructed beef Wellington served with jumbo prawns, puff cage, mushroom duxelles, broccoli rabe and mustard demi-glace. Dessert is a frozen grand mariner soufflé. 5-10 p.m. Dec. 25. $135.

Good Times Café: Dinner is a balsamic-glazed pork loin with herb-roasted potatoes, buttered garlic green beans, and chocolate cake for dessert.11 a.m.-midnight. Dec. 25. $32.99.

Fiesta Taco: The restaurant will offer a suadero beef taco made with braised beef, guacamole, pickled red onion, cilantro and lime. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Dec. 25. $3.50.

Pit Stop Diner: Located next door at Casino Morongo, the restaurant will offer a glazed carved ham with mashed sweet potatoes, cornbread stuffing with fresh cranberry sauce, honey apricot jus, sautéed vegetable medley and a dinner roll. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Dec. 25. $27.99.

Pala Casino, Spa & Resort

11154 Highway 76, Pala. 877-946-7252 or palacasino.com.

Bar Meets Grill: A three-course meal with a starter of market greens; an entrée of Dover Sole Meuniere, served with lemon, parsley, capers, mini croutons and brown butter sauce and a choice of red berry mascarpone, vanilla cake, raspberry mascarpone mouse or vanilla Chantilly for dessert. 5-11 p.m. Dec. 25. $75.

Luis Rey’s: Birria fries made with au jus, white cheddar cheese curds, guacamole, onion and cilantro. 4-9 p.m. Dec. 25. $18.95.

Pala Café: A three-course meal with a starter choice of pozole or a field greens salad; the main entrée is a grilled skirt steak, beef tamales with red sauce, black beans, roasted corn and cilantro rice. Dessert is a chocolate cake with raspberry sauce. 7 a.m.-2 a.m. Dec. 25. $55.95.

Pechanga Resort Casino

45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula. 877-711-2946 or pechanga.com.

1882 Cantina: A starter choice of albondigas soup or salad; main entrée mojo-braised pork loin served with cilantro lime rice, black bean purée and fried plantain strips; dessert is chocolate fudge cake and apple compôte. 9 a.m.- 9 p.m. Dec. 25. $62.

Journey’s End: The restaurant near the casino’s golf course will serve a bunch menu that will include items such as a biscuits and gravy breakfast bowl ($18), sticky bun brunch-fast combo ($24), and chocolate cherry cake ($12). 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 25.

Kelsey’s Bar and Grill:  A three-course meal with a starter choice of spinach salad or tomato bisque soup; entrée is a salmon served with black truffle parsnip purée, spinach, cherry tomatoes and citrus beurre blanc; dessert is black forest cake. 4-10 p.m. Dec. 25. $58.

Paisano’s: The Italian restaurant will offer a three-course meal with a starter choice of soup or salad; a main entree of veal osso bucco served with mushroom risotto and; dessert is a panettone bread pudding with eggnog ice cream. 4-10 p.m. Dec. 25. $65.

Pechanga Café: An á la carte Christmas day menu with items such as an appetizer of stuffed bacon dates ($12), an entrée of sautéed shrimp, with lemon butter sauce, a baked potato, asparagus and au jus sauce ($52); dessert is a chocolate spiced cake and peppermint Chantilly ($12). Open 24 hours. Dec. 25.

Valley View Casino & Hotel

16300 Nyemii Pass, Valley Center. 760-291-5500 or valleyviewcasino.com.

Patties & Pints:  A starter of winter green salad; the main entrée is a New York Steak, with by fondant potatoes, roasted heirloom vegetables with a luscious cherry demi-glace; dessert is a yule log with layers of chocolate cake, espresso dark chocolate mousse and a drizzle of raspberry 3-9 p.m. Dec. 25. $39.