Best Restaurant for Christmas Parade Viewing

[SmallWorldSoCal]

Can you see the parade from Carnation Cafe? What might be our best bet to have a dining reservation that coincides with being in a good spot to watch the parade?

 

[mom2rtk]

If you get an outdoor table (no guarantee) you might see the top of the floats but I don't really even consider it a view. You can hear the music, which would be nice, but not a lot more. Lots of people will be standing on the sidewalk between you and the parade. And you'll be seated.

 

[Kittyskyfish]

Same with Plaza Inn. The dining area outside and seating by the indoor windows are not elevated enough to see over the parade watchers lining the street. Just like with the Carnation Café, you'll see the tops of the floats and hear the music, but the restaurant is not a valued viewing location.

 

[purple figment]

I cannot think of any restaurant with a "good" view of the parade. Carnation Cafe , Plaza Inn, Jolly Holiday and Coke Refreshment Corner are the ones that come to mind that are on the parade route, but there will be people standing on the sidewalk between you and the parade. While you'll see the tops of the floats and hear the music you won't be able to see much of the street level performers from any of these restaurants.

Of these restaurants Carnation is the only one that takes reservations. However, about half the tables are indoors with no view of the parade. You can request a patio table, but there's no guarantee you will get one. Sometimes they'll grant requests, but at other times they were not taking any requests at all and you were seated at the next available table for your group size. Even the patio tables, however, have a limited view of the parade (just the upper section of the floats). There is a cross over point right in front of Carnation so there are a couple of tables that have a very narrow view of the street, but even it gets blocked as people stand there waiting to cross.

 

[ParkHopper1]

While having the parade go by while dining at Carnation and adds to the ambiance, it is not a good vantage point for viewing as there is everyone standing on the sidewalk watching. You can hear the music, see the tops of the floats pass by but not a good way to "see" the parade IMO

 

[SmallWorldSoCal]

Thanks everyone. Decided to cancel the reservation. We’ll grab quick service dinner and stake out a spot