Columbia Restaurant - Ybor CityDine in a Historical Icon!The Columbian in Ybor is the original of the chain and boasts authentic Flamingo Dancers. The Courtyard atmosphere and feeling of old Cuba surrounds you. The experience is great - the noise is very loud, and the food is better at their other sites.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMBirthday CelebrationI would recommend The Columbia in Ybor City to anyone looking for a true dining experience. We made our reservations for the dinner and show at 8:30 pm. We arrived early and they seated us early much to our surprise. My Mother is handicapped so we were thankful. The ambience and architecture of this restaurant is like no other, absolutely gorgeous. The menu offers many choices and the food is delicious. I'd suggest you preview the menu online before you go. You won't want to waste a moment with your head buried in the menu. Our waiter Tony was very polite and extremely professional. This place is riveting with excitement!5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMTastes for All GenerationsThe cuisine and ambiance are appealing to patrons of all ages.5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMThe gem of Spanish RestaurantsThe Columbia Restaurant has been in Ybor for a number of years. In the past I can honestly say it was not one of my favorite places. The food was fair to great....I used to think that was based on who was cooking. As of recently I've been to the Columbia on two occassions. One with a group of friends and another with the recent celebration of Mother's Day. I can honestly say they outdid themselves in quality of food that it was excellent. The appetizers, the food itself, the sangria we all enjoyed. Plus it just added to make our short time there a wonderful fun time. I would recommend them to anyone. Even the location in Sarasota has excellent matching standards as of of the original one in Ybor. It was a great joy to be there.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Place-Great History!We went for Mother's Day and have been several times prior. Every time we have been, everything has been outstanding. Great food and perfect Mojitos (the sangria is very good too!) This is mine and my boyfriend's favorite restaurant, it is "our place." Just the history of the restaurant speaks volumes.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Cuban FoodWe always try to stop at the Columbia when we're in town. Great Cuban food at great prices. Everything is good but try the 1905 salad!5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMFood, ambiance and serviceFood, ambiance and service were very good. We had to wait an hour with reservations (Mother's Day)5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMSpecial occasionWe went here for my daughter's college graduation. I loved the room were in; it felt like we were outdoors. Excellent food. I've been here before and will miss it due to moving out of the area.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMdinner for 6As usual everything was perfect. The food the staff and the whole experience.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Classic TampaOver a century old, the original Columbia in Ybore continues to shine. The menu is expansive and while the prices are on the high side, the food, the service, the ambiance, and the history all make it worth-while. This place hardly needs an OpenTable review to help encourage business so if you're considering going, make a reservation at least a couple days in advance to avoid being turned away or given a disappointing wait time.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMFlamenco Anyone?Food was very good but the Godiva chocolate cake was very dry and disappointng. Go for the flan. But the Flamenco show was great! I'm definitely going back!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMColumbia AwesomeExcellent ambiance, food and service. Returned after 41 years, live in Texas.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMexcellent showThe show was fabulous! The food was good, I had the Columbia salad and my brother had the cgicken palalla. The bread was amazing. Order the pitcher of sangria-it is worth the price. Don't forget yhe gift shop before departing!5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic as alwaysFood was great - ambience was awesome and the service we reveiced was cheerful and professional. The place is truly one of a kind.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMOur return to a gem!It had been years since we were last at the Columbia. We worried a little about how we would find the food and service on our return. No worries! The food (paella) and drink (sangria - made tableside) were fantastic. The last paella and sangria we had was in Barcelona. We couldn't imagine that the Columbia would compare. But..while a slight notch below Barcelona, it was the closest we have had since. We would not hesitate to return!5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMFlamenco DancersIf you go, make sure you see the dancers. They do a very good job and add to a great dinner.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMSoooo goodIf only they didn't forget the olives in the delicious salad it would have been 5 stars! The service was awesome though and she made up for missing the olives by sending us home with a flan on the house. Columbia restaurant is awesome. Perfect for anyone on any occasion.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMFan-taste-tic!Delicious food and prompt service on a busy night for proms. The salad as well as our entrees were out of this world with flavor. The seafood was about as fresh as can be and prepared perfectly. Will definitely be back again.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Graduation DinnerThe night was perfect to celebrate my son's graduation from USF5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent all the way around.We had a party of 12 people and they easily accommodated us. Service was top notch. Only drawback was that 2 dishes arrived cold. They fixed that by quickly bringing out replacement dishes. Waitress was friendly the whole time despite our large number. I will return there many times.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMLove it!What a special experience. Not only was the food outstanding, but the ambiance was so unique. This is old fashioned dining at its best. You feel like you're stepping back in time into Florida's unique history. The paella was delicious, as was the flan. I will definitely go back.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMA Taste of "Old" FloridaThe Columbia is a must stop if you're in Tampa. My favorite is a lunch of cuban black bean soup and a cuban sandwich. Brings very good food and Florida history together. Florida isn't just a fast food/ chain restaurant strip although it can seem to be at times. The Columbia is a great change of pace and reminds you that Florida is a melting pot of cultures (and how to best represent that? Food of course).5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst Time @ Columbia R.Made res. online, very easy. When we walked into the resturant from the corner-of-the-bldg- Bar area no one asked us if we had a reservation or needed a table. Once we found the main entrance & were seated promptyly our waiter was very friendly and offered many suggestions for two of the 'first-timers' in out party of 3. We had the various Tapas-3-tier appitizer - very good! House salads w/signiture house home mades sauce good! & three differnet entres' , two Seafood & one Meat, all fresh, hot, good portions & many flavors & textures...all very good. The service lapsed a few times w/water or Drink refills due to the increased amount of filled tables in our section & had to wait a bit to get our 'bill'. But over all a very good experience.4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMVenerable Restaurant!Florida's oldest restaurant (my first visit was in 1966) is still deserving of its reputation. The architecture is exquisite Spanish hacienda with high ceilings, balconies, picturesque ceramic tiles and chandeliers. The wait staff is attentive but not intrusive and the food is delicious. Noise level was moderately high but not to the point of suppressing conversation. I shall definitely return!4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, service needs attentionThe food was amazing. The waiter was triple sat after us with one table being 12 people. Service took nose dive a waiter practically disappeared. Poor sating choices/4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMThe ColumbiaI love this restaurant! Thank you to OpenTable for making reservations easy!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMOur group of 4, 3 ladies andOur group of 4, 3 ladies and 1 male child; were thrilled with the food and service at the Columbia. For 3 of us it was our first time, and we will certainly return.
Thank you!4/26/2013 12:00:00 AM2nd time there and was as2nd time there and was as wonderful as first time! I love this place and food is awesome! Very good service and amazing wine selections! Feels like I am eating in Spain. A true gem!4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, livelyMy first time to this restaurant,but it won't be my last. The ocassion was an introductory business meeting with a group of six men. The appetizers: scallops, calamari & empanadas were outstanding. Salads were fresh, well prepared and presented. The entree selecton covered all tastes. The difficulty was having so many selections from which to choose - everyone was happy with their choice of entree and we all look forward to our next opportunity to dine at Columbia!4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMThe Gem of Tampa BayGreat dining experience, from the minute you walk in the door until you leave, an absolute wonderful, enjoyable time will be held by all. The food is by far the most authentic Cuban/Spanish one can find. The service was impeccable, our server was friendly, very attentive and she was very knowledgeable. Award winning food and service -simply the best! We are always ready to go to the Columbia!4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a wonderful experienceWe had a wonderful experience at the Columbia.
My dear friends flew into town from Seatlle and had never been to the restaurant before and LOVED it. Thank you for making our night.4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMThe entertainment was greatThe entertainment was great fun. Dancers were great and the music really set the tone for the evening. We are both vegetarian and my husband's eggplant dish was amazing. My vegetarian paella was disappointing but the gazpacho soup made up for it. The ambiance was old world and the service superb. Not a place for a quiet romantic dinner but if you are up for an energetic scene, this is for you.4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food is always excellent.The food is always excellent. The service is impeccable.
However, the sound level is extremely loud. Normal dinner conversation is almost impossible.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMThe setting for dinner isThe setting for dinner is incredible in this historic restaurant. Wait staff dressed in formal attire provide for an atmosphere that is more than Florida casual. Food was outstanding!4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMCarlos and Jodi the waitersCarlos and Jodi the waiters were AWESOME!! The food was amazing especially the Rice with Chicken~~ When Carlos recommended the bread pudding, I was skeptical, but he was right... IT WAS DELICIOUS!! I was floored!Im a bread pudding lover now... but only from Columbia!!! Thank you!!4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMIf anywhere within 100 miles,If anywhere within 100 miles, you have to hit Columbia in Ybor City. It was our first time and we thought it was fantastic.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways a great place to entertainAlways a great place to entertain out-of-town guests.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, great menu andGreat food, great menu and a great dining experience. A must-visit in Tampa.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMFor the sea foodI always visit the Ybor Columbia while in Tampa. The snapper, grouper and pompano are exceptional.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and service - highlyGreat food and service - highly recommend! Wish they would have had the flamenco dancers on sunday.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMI dined with a group of 3I dined with a group of 3 friends for a bachelorette celebration, and we had a great time.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMMy wife actually made theMy wife actually made the reservation as a birthday present for me. I enjoyed the show, it was really nice. The food was really tasty however it was not hot. It was warm which in most occasions it's ok, but the a/c was turn down really low and the restaurant was cold which caused the food to get cold rather quickly. Although it was tasty, the end of the meal was very cold. My wife didn't finish her meal because it was cold. I finished mines but it was disappointing towards the end.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was wonderful, couldThe food was wonderful, could not have been better. However, the service was disappointing. I was there last year, and the service was much better, so maybe it was just a bad night. I would still recommend this restaurant.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMWas energetic and crazy fun!!Was energetic and crazy fun!! Loved it so much, we are going back this Friday!!!! Food was very, very good, too! Had crab stuffed grouper and wow! Sooo good! Love the place and the menue has lots of wonderful dishes to choose from! I also did the scallop appetizer and it was delicious! Great place to go! Even though very noisy, it is dark and tables are candlelit so has a romantic feel to it! If you like crowds, busy energetic spot with awesome food and white tablecloths with candleliting, loud Spanish dancing and alot going on in this dimly lit spot, this place is for you! Loved it!4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat a fun restaurant! MyWhat a fun restaurant! My first time there and I loved it, will be back the next time I visit Ybor City!4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMMust ExperienceOne of Tampa's great restaurants....not to be missed.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous fish, wine, dessertWe had such a wonderful experience at Columbia that we invited our tennis friends back for another visit two nights later. We were in Tampa for tennis at Saddlebrook and Columbia was well worth the drive in for dinner. My husband had the most fabulous snapper and I had salmon stuffed with crabmeat, artichoke and asparagus and cooked in paper. So delicious. I recommend the churros for desert if you're not counting calories. The Chilean savignon blanc was delightful. Sometimes it's hard to find a full-bodied savignon blanc and I was pleasantly surprised. We caught a glimpse of the Spanish dancers on our second visit and enjoyed that also.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMI brought my dear friendsI brought my dear friends from Gemany. We had a wonderful time, and the food was prefect!4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMThe atomosphere of this restaurantThe atomosphere of this restaurant is outstanding and the food was very good. Highly recommend.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food and great serviceExcellent food and great service & atmosphere. Never been there for dinner, but don't even think about showing up for lunch without a reservation, as the place is consistently mobbed. (Nevertheless, with my Open Table reservation they seated our party of three on time -- almost to the second.4/9/2013 12:00:00 AM