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California Dreaming | Columbia, SC - California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating, Columbia, SC

California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating

4.4 (2698)
$30 and under
American
401 Main St, Columbia, SC 29201-4147

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 54 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Good for groups
  • Lively
Located in downtown Columbia, SC, inside the historic 1902 Union Station, California Dreaming welcomes guests with its vibrant and inviting atmosphere. The restaurant's floor-to-ceiling windows offer a picturesque view of the rail tracks, stretching from the inactive platform to the main terminal. Paired with our hearty, made-from-scratch menu, it's no wonder California Dreaming has been a beloved local institution since 1984. Open for lunch and dinner daily, including online ordering with curbside pickup.

Celebrating 40 years, California Dreaming has been a valued part of the Columbia community. Union Station, its historic home, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

**We provide Advance Priority Seating to reduce wait times and expedite the seating process when your entire party arrives. To ensure the best experience for all guests, we seat groups of up to 8. While larger groups are seated separately, this arrangement is flexible during quieter hours.

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Columbia
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 2,698 people are saying

California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.3Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • South Carolina

    Most Booked

  • Columbia

    Best Value

  • Columbia

    Great for brunch

  • Columbia

    Good for groups

  • Columbia

    Hot spot

  • Columbia

    Romantic

  • Columbia

    Lively

  • Columbia

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
California Dreaming - Columbia offers a "beautiful and well-done" setting, making it a "great place" to dine. Guests consistently praise the "amazing" food and "excellent" service. The croissants and house salad are "must-try" items. While the atmosphere can be "a little noisy," the overall experience is "fantastic."

2,698 Reviews
  1. Kyle

    Charleston1 review

    3.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    The server only checked back on us twice after taking our order.

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  2. Emma

    Unspecified2 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 1
    Waited 20 minutes to get seated and when we finally sat down, the food took an hour to come out. The croissants were underdone, steak was dry and the menu was poorly organized. Steak was dry, jalapeños overpowered the sushi bowl, pasta was bland and the soup didn’t have real crab in it. Disappointed but good waitstaff. They did their best. However it was not a busy day, there were several tables empty and the food took way too long to come out. Could have been way better.

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  3. Tonya

    Charleston1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Love the food! No wait time with reservations and wonderful atmosphere! Can't wait to return!

    Is this helpful?

  4. SANDY

    Charleston22 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Ric was a great server. Busy yet attentive. An asset to your restaurant. Food was fabulous as usual. Love dining here!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Jacqueline

    Atlanta1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My Mother Day celebration was beautiful and delicious enjoyed the food with family. my place for dinner every year for Mother's Day.

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  6. Terell

    Charleston6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My experience is always great here!!! I only come for special occasions but each time, this place never disappoints!!

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  7. Carol

    Charleston1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My son took me to dinner for Mother's Day. One of the best times I've been to California Dreamin' - Reservation was on time, server was outstanding and polite. The food was excellent; the salads are always divine. She Crab Soup was delicious. I hope they never change these things; there are some things missing that they used to have. But I didn't even think about it today. Great experience today.

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  8. Amanda

    Charleston1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent even as busy as it was for Mother’s Day.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Bobbie VIP

    Charleston84 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Perfect as always! The food and the service were awesome! Those croissants... :)

    Is this helpful?

  10. Macy

    Charleston3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Perfectly paced, tasty lunch! Good choice for Mothers Day

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (803) 254-6767.

California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating is rated 4.4 stars by 2698 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. South Carolina
  4. Columbia
  5. Columbia

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 54 times today
Google Map for California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating

401 Main St, Columbia, SC 29201-4147

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Columbia
  • Hours of operation
    Daily 11:00 am–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Seafood, Steak
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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