SeeCalifornia.com

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. — On Christmas Day you don’t need to say, “Open Sesame,” to get the doors of one of the city’s favorite restaurants to magically open. Though the phrase from “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” in “One Thousand and One Nights” was used to open the mouth of a cave in which 40 thieves stored a hidden treasure, Open Sesame restaurant is opening its doors to all on Christmas. The Beverly Hills restaurant begins serving at 11 a.m., offering from-scratch meals and a full bar with amazing cocktails and beverages. Among its patrons are Bill Maher (pictured with owner Ali Kobeissi,) and an all star cast of celebrities, tourists and locals.

Kobeissi, who was born and raised in Beirut, came to Southern California in the late 1980s. A decade later he launched Open Sesame in Belmont Shore. “Many of our regular guests were making the trek from LA’s Westside just to dine at Open Sesame,” he said. The second location has been a hit. On YELP it receives a 4 Star rating from over 2,000 fans. Its popularity comes from incredible dishes inspired by Kobeissi’s training. In  his youth he spent his summer vacations working in a spice factory learning to mix exotic spices. Many of Open Sesame’s signature items are family recipes. See: opensesamegrill.com

Here are dining options on Christmas Day for cities around California.