Columbia Restaurant - St. AugustineColumbia Dinning Mother's DayThis was our first time at the St. Augustine restaurant. Our table was in a corner, which made it nice for conversation. Our salad was excellent (1905), our food was excellent, service was good. Our server did mix up one order, quickly fixed his mistake and offered another beer free. We had desert, the bread pudding was to die for and so was the key lime pie. The only negative was the A/C was not working properly, the server lowered the lighting which helped. He explained they had been working on the A/C all week. Oh well just more cold sangria to keep cool. Small fans in certain areas would have helped to move the air. Would I go back again, yes I would. I've now been to all of the locations and have enjoyed each one.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMMom's Day at Columbia _ St. Aug'sA wonderful place for Mother"s Day celebration, they are very conscious of the occasion and make every Mother/Grandmother feel very special.
Reservations are a must for this day!!
Ambiance is great, the food with a great Cuban bend is just excellent w nice selections. The 1905 salad is a must starter (splitting one is plenty sufficient when enjoying entrees as well),
The decor is just perfect.
The location in ole St. Augustine is a perfect setting, parking can be a challenge (especially on special wkends), they do validate for parking at the lot right behind the restaurant but it can reach the full level but don't let that discourage you from this treat.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMColumbia Mother's DayOur first visit to Columbia--Food was fantastic--There were several large groups because it was Mother's Day. Everyone was served in a timely manner. We were surprised at how nice our table for two on the aisle ended up being--we anticipated it would be extra noisy and people bumping into us--but that was not a factor. The aisles are large enough to accommodate crowds and the noise level really was not a factor. Great experience and absolutely fantastic food.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing Mother's Day!My dad & I took my mom for Mother's Day dinner. Our experience as always was great. Our waiter Farid was outstanding! Superb service.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMMuy Sabroso!Our favorite restaurant out of several in St. Augustine. The food & service always exceeds our expectations! The Spanish cuisine is authentic and full of robsut flavors. We recomment the Arroz con Pollo "Valenciana". It is the one and only chicken and rice dish that matches the flavor of our Cuban Mama's recipie!
Great atmosphere for all occasions!5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMFrom coast to coast!!!I have dined from FL to NYC, Canada WA State,CA, and all points in between. THIS IS MY FAVORITE RESTAURANT BY FAR!!!!!
Atmosphere, food presentation & taste, service .....it's all superb !5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMLove This Place!I enjoy going to the Columbia for special occasions. I've been there several times and always have something different. I picked the Eggplant dish this time. I expected a Spanish twist to it but it was basically an eggplant dish with cheese on it. Way too boring for the restaurant and I will not choose it again. However, I can't wait to go back again for the delicious '1905' Salad, Cuban bread, and an entrée that will reset my taste buds.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMrepeat visitbeen to St. Augustine location over 10 times now.. had a wonderful Mother's Dinner again!! Was really looking forward to the bread pudding as usual but, just couldn't save any room because all the other food was excellent and could not eat another bite!! ..had the paella de la valeciana ..excellent as always, Sangria of course...5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat for our ladies lunch!Brought my mom and sisters. We all loved it from the bread to the decor to the fabulous table side made sangria! We'll make it a tradition every year we visit.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMthis is not first visit here.we always enjoy our visit. by the way we are from tampa. used you for lunch and dinner down there.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMSo good.I went to college in St. Augustine and visited The Columbia several times while I lived there and it has never let me down. This time I brought my boyfriend and we both loved everything. The paella was just as I remember----so delicious and full of flavor. I had to order the 1905 salad-it's the best salad I've ever had. My boyfriend got a steak dish that comes with fries or rice and plantains and he really enjoyed it. We shared the white chocolate bread pudding and it was AMAZING. I'm not sure where we had room for it but we ate some and it was outstanding! I will always make room for The Columbia! Definitely worth your wait if you have to wait! The Sangria is always excellent too.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMReliableAlways a pleasant experience. Food is good, love the salad and sangria!5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMcolumbia houses reviewbeautiful restaurant sangria was very good prices are very reasonable great area to spend the day in st Augustine then have lunch or dinner5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMSpanish in St AugustineVery good restaurant. We enjoyed several tapas with friends and good wine. Service was very good - maybe even too fast.... Definitely would go back.4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMA Longstanding Tradition!Florida wouldn't be complete without the Columbia Restaurant. It has been owned and operated by generations of the same family for years. If you like Cuban and Spanish food, this is the place. The first one opened in Tampa, and there are about seven in the state. The special salad, black bean soup, garbanzo bean soup, paella, and sangria are a foodies' delight!4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMI love Columbia, if I am inI love Columbia, if I am in Florida I would never miss it!!4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved the food, ambience andLoved the food, ambience and service!!! Wonderful dining experience!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a large group. EverythingWe had a large group. Everything was outstanding, except we were hot. It seems like there was no airflow in the corner we were in.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMOverheard two couples at entranceOverheard two couples at entrance saying this was their favorite Florida restaurant. We rate it in our "top ten" also.
Located in the heart if touristy old town, parking is sometimes a challenge. The food, service and ambience is worth it!4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic food, service andFantastic food, service and ambiance. Our group of four was extremely pleased with the Columbia Restaurant.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMBeautiful restaurant and alwaysBeautiful restaurant and always delicious. It is a very large restaurant which means lots of people and can lead to service taking a while to get back to you... Besides that it's an amazing must see restuarant. Try the sangria de cava!4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMA Cuban Gem in Old St. AugustineVery good restaurant with an attentive server, ample portions and visible management making sure your meal is wonderful. Our paella was filled with seafood and the cuban bread was hot and crusty. However, there was no champagne/sparkling wine on the menu. It was our wedding anniversary and we had to ask to purchase a bottle of the cava they use in the sangria to celebrate. A bottle of Cristalino arrived a few minutes later with champagne glasses, so it is available per request. It would be a nice addition to their beverage menu, especally for celebrations like ours. This is one of my favorite, reasonably priced restaurants in the Old Section of St. Augustine. We've been coming here for years. We never leave disappointed.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMColumbia never disappoints!Columbia never disappoints! From the loaf of Cuban bread for EACH INDIVIDUAL :-) to the salad, to the desserts flambéd tableside, you know you are immersed in an awesome dining experience. You can wear a blindfold, throw a dart at the menu, and know that you will be happy with it.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a fantastic time atWe had a fantastic time at Columbia. It was our first time in St. Augustine, and Columbia was highly recommended by the owners of the vacation home.
Our group of five ordered several tapas and sides, a pitcher of mojito, and we had a fantastic time. Our server was knowledgeable, helpful, and overall fantastic.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMgreat placeOne of our favorite restaurants when we are in St Augustine. Great food, service and atmosphere.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMFamily seniors night outGreat food. The Mahi-Mahi and Grouper were outstanding dishes. The waiter made excellent recommendations based on our interest and questions. The waiter also recommended and excellent bean soup. We will return again based on our excellent experience. We were seated before our reservation time as we arrived a few minutes early. Thanks for making a great night out.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMI thought it was a great experienceI thought it was a great experience, we went for my wife's Birthday and they sang to her in Spanish! I've never thought about it, but it was funny to see all white people, of the wait staff, sing in Spanish.. Took me by surprise! "VERY COOL!" I my self as a Latino/Hispanic was getting ready to sing Happy Birthday along "in English" LOL! They made it fun, it was an awesome Birthday for my wife! :0) Thank you!!4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMA gem in St AugustineThe Columbia Restaurant is, as always, phenomenal. The service is superb, with an extremely attentive and personable waitstaff. The decor and surroundings create a unique ambiance that is an absolute gem in the St Augustine crown of attractions. A trip to America's oldest city is never complete without a stop at the Columbia Restaurant.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food a little lacking on servDinner was fabulous, service was great, my only disappointment was when I made reservations I asked about something they could offer to make it a special night and nobody responded4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMGood ambience, and great Sangria,Good ambience, and great Sangria, on the very high end price wise so it's not a regular spot to stop, but nice for the special occasion.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMMy wife and I frequent theMy wife and I frequent the Columbia Restaurant in St. Aug. on a bi-monthly basis.
This visit was for a visiting lawyer from Syracuse NY who loves the atmosphere. This is our fifth visit with them based on my initial recommendation.
My wife and I will be traveling to the SW part of the state in several months and we plan to include a visit to the Columbia Rest. in Tampa on our way back.
The food is wonderful and the sangria is the best we have ever tasted anywhere in the country.
Finally the parking is great just behind the restaurant - extremely convenient.
This was the 500th anniversary weekend in St. Aug. and being able to make a reservation and sit down was superb. Others were waiting for up to an hour for a table. Tha4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMVery authentic Spanish FoodVery authentic Spanish Food in a beautiful but busy setting.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMWe made our reservation viaWe made our reservation via the web the evening before. We were a party of five and were there between 2:45 and 3pm therefore the lunch crowed was pretty much gone. We were seated immediately. Love the 1905 Salad! We all enjoyed what we ordered.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food and service was excellent.The food and service was excellent. Parking was horrible.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst night in St AugustineFirst night in St Augustine with the kids and didnt want to wait for a table any where so decided to make reservations. Love the Columbia in Celebration and St Armands so we knew all about the menu. Got in right away, good service and yummy food.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AM23rd anniversary dinnerExcellent service, our server was Frank and was very accomadating as well as knowledgeable. The 1905 salad is to die for and the food was second to none. Can't find a negative thing to say. It was a most pleasant anniversary for my wife and I. The floral roses were on the table waiting our arrival as promised.
Thank you all and especially Frank our server for an evening we will not forget!
Anja and Harry4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMLove this RestaurantWe had Danica and she was great. She seemed to have too many tables at the same time but handled with grace. Always love the snapper or grouper dishes.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMThe management at our B&BThe management at our B&B told us that based on reports from their guests dinner here is hit or miss. We had a hit. Granted they were not busy. We had a leisurely drink at the bar and Donna was a knowledgeable and charming bartender. Our server Margot was equally professional, friendly and appropriately attentive - a pro. The food was excellent. We enjoyed the 1905 salad- slightly unique and very good. The paella was excellent. I have had the famous paella served in the Ironbound section of Newark, NJ many times. This was better.4/1/2013 12:00:00 AMWe love the Columbia Restaurant'sWe love the Columbia Restaurant's white Sangria and 1905 Salad. Their Cuban bread and the 1905 salad could be a meal by themselves! Much to our delight they have added a new Tapas selection to their menu. Their Filet Mignonette is tender and delicious. We highly recommend this restaurant!4/1/2013 12:00:00 AMLove Columbia RestaurantLovely restaurant. Historical ambiance, with a wonderful menu. The wait staff were excellent and the food came quickly and was delicious. Would definitely recommend to others.4/1/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Holiday dinner spotWe had a traditional Easter Ham Dinner and it was very good. It is a great place to go for special holidays - they always special menus. They accomaodate large and small groups - we saw several tables with at least 16 people at them. Its great for out of town guests - a great Saint Augustine ambience.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMThe only draw back was theThe only draw back was the fact we had to drive around for 20 minutes to get a parking space near by. My mother is 82, so walking long distances is a problem, so I dropped her off and then kept driving around for a space. Next time we will not bring mom.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a wonderful EasterWe had a wonderful Easter dinner;however, my son's kids meal was not available and we were not told this until our order was about to be served. There were limited options available, so three of us had a wonderful meal and our 9 year old was cpletely disappointed. I wish they would have Madeira of an effort to please the young diner.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMWe always enjoy the Columbia.We always enjoy the Columbia. Great Spanish food and the 1905 salad is the best. We had reservations and were seated immediately apon arriving. My wife is always trying something new but I always go for the hicken and yellow rice. It is made to order but worththe wait. Our waitress was on the ball keeping glasses full and making sure everything was great. The manager also came by to make sure we were havibg a great time. Highly recommend the Columbia.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMThe 1905 salad is to die for.The 1905 salad is to die for. I don't even look at the menu any more - I just order the salad!!!!!3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent service. AttentiveExcellent service. Attentive server. Great as always.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMI like this placeGood food, try their Paella. It was awesome. Fantastic Sngria...wonderful ambiance3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMFANTASTIC!Fantastic! We ate here 17 yrs ago on our honyemoon and returned on our 17th anniversery- it was as wonderful as we remembered it to be. A true gem... standing the test of time!3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMColumbia restaurant, go there!The service was excellent and the food was great. Portion size was more than I expected. I recommend this place to anyone. Using the open table reservation system was so handy, we walked in, gave our names and were seated in about 5 minutes, with a lobby full of people still waiting!3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMMy favorite place to eat inMy favorite place to eat in St. Augustine! Amazing food and wonderful atmosphere. Must try the Sangria de Cava and Columbia’s Original “1905” Salad which are both made fresh at your table.3/27/2013 12:00:00 AM