California Dreaming-Columbia, Columbia, SC

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California Dreaming-Columbia

Name: California Dreaming-Columbia
Address: 401 Main St, Columbia, SC, United States, 29201-4147
Telephone: (803) 254-6767
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.4

4.4

1173 Reviews

$30 and under

American

Top Tags:

California Dreaming is located in Union Station, a historic train station in Columbia, SC.

The restaurant serves a mix of hearty American classics in a large family-friendly atmosphere. What sets them apart from the rest is that every dish is fresh and prepared from scratch daily, including notable favorites, like the California Dreaming Salad, honey-butter Croissants and fall-off-the-bone Baby Back Ribs. Additional features: online ordering with curbside pick-up.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 23, 2022

May 2022

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

7:00 PM

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout from OpenTableNew

This restaurant is currently not taking orders. Check back soon.

View takeout menu

Delivery

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
American, Seafood, Steak
Hours of operation
Daily 11:00 am–9:00 pm
Phone number
(803) 254-6767
Website
http://www.californiadreaming.rest/
Payment options
AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress

Location
401 Main St Columbia, SC 29201-4147
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

Popular dishes

Croissants (5)$6.95
Topped with honey-butter
Steamed Peel & Eat Shrimp (9)$9.95
Seasoned and served with cocktail sauce. GF
Chicken Strips$10.95
Fried chicken tenderloins, served with house-made strip sauce
Nachos
House-made chips, cheese sauce and toppings.
- BBQ Chicken$12.95
- Seafood$14.95
Tijuana Chicken Wings$12.95
Marinated in hot pepper sauce, fried crispy, with bleu cheese dip. GF
She Crab Soup$7.95
A rich and creamy Charleston classic.
Baked Potato Soup$5.95
Creamy soup topped with scallions, cheese, Hormel® ham and bacon.
Fried Crab Claws$14.95
Served with spicy cocktail sauce. (limited availability)

Salads

California Dreaming$12.95
Mixed greens, ham and turkey, cheddar and monterey jack cheeses, egg, tomatoes, almonds topped with warm Hormel® ham and bacon, house dressing.
Broiled Salmon
Mixed greens, bacon, egg, avocado, tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette. GF (Or Chicken 14.95)
- Salmon$14.95
Caesar
Crisp romaine with grated romano cheese and croutons
- Broiled Chicken$14.95
- Fried Shrimp$14.95
- Fried Oysters$16.95
California Club$12.95
Mixed greens, fried chicken strips, avocado, bacon, egg, tomatoes, house-made ranch dressing
Soup + House Salad$12.95
Baked Potato Soup | Mixed greens, chopped eggs, tomatoes, toasted almonds, Hormel® ham and bacon. GF (She crab soup + $2)

Steaks, Chops & Ribs

Aged USDA Choice | Served with a house or caesar salad and side item

Steak + Shrimp*$24.95
Two 3oz. filet medallions with crispy fried shrimp.
Marinated Sirloin*$21.95
10oz. sirloin steak marinated in fruit juices, garlic, soy sauce and spices. GF
Ribeye*$29.95
14oz. hand cut. GF
Filet Mignon*$35.95
8oz. barrel cut. GF
Pork Chop$21.95
16oz. double bone, frenched chop. GF
Baby Back Ribs
Danish full-flavored ribs, grilled with a charred exterior, basted with BBQ sauce. GF
- One Rack$19.95
- Two Racks$26.95

Entrees

add a house or caesar salad +$3.95

Chicken Strips Platter$16.95
Fried chicken tenderloins, served with house-made strip sauce and french fries
Blackened Chicken Pasta$16.95
Alfredo sauce, scallions, tomatoes, with romano cheese.
BBQ Chicken$15.95
Double breast of chicken basted with BBQ sauce, with side item. GF
Knob Hill Chicken$16.95
Topped with ham and monterey jack cheese, with side item. GF
Veggie Pasta$13.95
Roasted veggies, with romano cheese.
Fried Seafood Platter$25.95
Large shrimp, oysters and flounder, served with french fries and cole slaw.
Shrimp Tacos$11.95
Jicama slaw, tomatoes, onions, chipotle aioli, queso fresco, with side item.
Shrimp San Francisco$17.95
With mushrooms, garlic cream, white wine, served over pasta, topped with romano cheese
Fried Shrimp$20.95
Served with french fries and cole slaw.
Roasted Salmon$24.95
Herb crusted with rosemary and thyme, with side item. GF
Carolina Trout$23.95
Grilled with arugula and lemon.

Sandwiches

served with french fries

Spicy Chicken Sandwich$10.95
Crispy fried chicken, american cheese, jicama slaw, pickles, chipotle mayo.
Club Sandwich$10.95
Thinly sliced turkey, Hormel® ham, bacon, cheddar and monterey jack cheeses, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise on toasted sourdough, served with french fries.
Chicken Sandwich$10.95
Broiled, topped with jack cheese, bacon, arugula, tomato and honey mustard, served with french fries.
New Orleans Po' Boy$13.95
Flounder, Fried Shrimp or Oysters with lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce on french bread, served with french fries.
American Burger*$10.95
Lettuce, tomato, red onions, pickles and Duke's mayo, served with french fries.
Veggie Burger$12.95
Beyond Burger, sweet soy, Duke's mayo, monterey jack cheese, lettuce, pickle, tomato and red onions, served with french fries.
BBQ Pork Sandwich$11.95
Pulled pork, pickles, red onion and cole slaw.
Steak Sandwich*$16.95
Two 3oz. filet medallions, lettuce, mayonnaise, tomato, and jack cheese, served with french fries.

Sides

$3.95

French Fries
Seasonal Veggie
Mashed Potatoes
Creamy Cole Slaw
Baked Potato
after 4pm

Desserts

Chocolate Brownie$7.95
Topped with a Hershey's™ Bar, served with vanilla ice cream
Apple Walnut Cobbler$7.95
Served hot with vanilla ice cream
Croissant Bread Pudding$7.95
Warm croissants, raisins, crème anglaise, with vanilla ice cream and rum sauce
Cheesecake$7.95
Shipped direct from New York

What 1,173 people are saying

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

4.4Food
4.5Service
4.4Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

South Carolina
Most Booked
Columbia
Best Value
Columbia
Hot Spot
Columbia
Great for Lunch
Columbia
Vibrant Bar Scene
Columbia
Most Booked

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Filters

G
Gigi
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
I celebrate my birthday on May 22, 2022 at California Dreaming. The food, ambience, drinks and service was second to none. Everyone was accommodating and pleasant. My mom is handicapped and was in a wheel chair. The waiter and servers were very attentive. This is the place to go. The quality of everything was SUPERB!!!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Charlotte
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
I have no complaints it’s always on point when I dine here . This is by far my favorite restaurant. It’s always a pleasure.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Charleston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Out of town visitors
CC
ChrisC
Charleston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food as always. Never had a bad meal here.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Charleston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food, great atmosphere.
CW
ConnieW
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
overall4food4service4ambience4
Always enjoy California Dreaming when I am in Columbia!!
EC
ErnieC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience4
We had the California Dreaming Salad and a club sandwich for our entree and the Tiawana wings for an appetizer. The wings were excellent, and our entrees were very good. The service was excellent. Disappointed that they did not have Heineken beer.
J
Jennifer
Greensboro
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was amazing! Great service! Can’t wait to go back!
DG
DawnG
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
16 quest for graduation party and staff was awesome
RT
RosalynT
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great place for lunch. A little noisy but the food and service is great.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Charleston
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent service as always and the food was delicious!
K
Kimmi
Charleston
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on May 15, 2022
overall3food4service1ambience5
Getting out the house for an early Sunday dinner.
LM
LindaM
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 15, 2022
overall4food4service5ambience5
California Dreaming is consistently good. Allowing reservations is a real plus. Good food and service but so noisy!
DM
DefinateMiss
Charleston
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on May 14, 2022
overall2food3service3ambience2
Reservation system is a joke. We waited over 35 minutes after our time to be seated. Lobby was VERY crowded. After getting to a table it took another 40 minutes to get food.
TB
TrinityB
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 14, 2022
overall4food5service5ambience5
I had an outstanding experience here! The food was hot and came in a decent amount of time. The croissants definitely live up to their reputation. The salads are affordable and portion sizes are more than enough to share. Overall, I enjoyed my visit and I look forward to my return. Also, the chicken tenders appetizer was outstanding.
SG
ShawnG
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 14, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
My date and I had a nice time. Her steak was over cooked and mines was undercooked. We sent them back and when we got our food back it was cooked to perfection. The atmosphere was just right. I still give this restaurant 5 stars. Staff was nice and friendly.
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 14, 2022
overall5food4service5ambience5
The service was excellent.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Charleston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 13, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Justin provided top notch service. Very polite and professional.
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 13, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Love California Dreaming and have for 25+ years! A family favorite!
DU
DeefromUSC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 13, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience4
Friendly staff and great food! A little bit dark, but great experience overall!!
PD
PatriciaD
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 11, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
We always enjoy dining at California Dreaming. This time however we had the best waitress "Shelby". She went above and beyond to make sure we had a great evening.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Charleston
7 reviews
2.0
7 reviews
Dined on May 10, 2022
overall2food3service1ambience4
There were four in our party for an early evening meal. After a long wait, I was served my salmon first. Then we waited another twelve minutes before the next meal of fried shrimp arrived, another seven minutes for the tacos to arrive and finally, after another five minutes my wife’s soup and salad arrived. Our sever didn’t seem upset or agitated at the delay and only seemed to get herself involved with speeding the delivery of my wife’s entree. No apologies were offered by the server or management. The staggered delivery of our meals completely ruined the experience. Also, with regard to my salmon, only one side dish accompanied it. Given the price of the meal, it made for a poor presentation and I didn’t feel I received good value. And the mashed potatoes I ordered for my side were almost cold when delivered. There is clearly a problem in how the kitchen at this restaurant is being managed.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Denver
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on May 10, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience2
Love it but it is loud so just expect that if you have a large group and need to talk.
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on May 9, 2022
overall2food2service2ambience3
The food was pretty good, it could have been a little bit hotter for my liking but overall it was good.
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 8, 2022
overall4food4service3ambience4
Mothers Day nice crowd and service.
T
Tawanda
Seattle
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 8, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Good food. Good service. Menu is somewhat limited.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Charlotte
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 8, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience4
Very good experience.
CC
CherylC
Charleston
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 8, 2022
overall4food4service5ambience3
The service was excellent. It was Mother's Day and extremely busy, but the staff were well organized and worked together like a true team. The food was also well prepared and served in a reasonable time frame. I had the she-crab soup which was excellent, the croissants were warm and buttery, the salmon which was cooked perfectly, and the loaded baked potato was ok.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Western NC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 8, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excllent service!
L
Lynn
Charleston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 8, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Mother’s Day!!! My mom and I enjoyed the experience. I scheduled reservations we we seated promptly. Served quickly. Food was excellent. We ended up taking some home along with dessert. We will be back again.
MB
MattB
Charleston
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 8, 2022
overall4food3service5ambience4
Mother’s Day
DH
DonnaH
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 8, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
I love the open table app. Our experience was wonderful
F
Faith
Charleston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 8, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always good. Never disappoints. The food is great and we even ordered takeout for our meals the next day. Even though CD is always packed with diners you won’t feel rushed. It was Mothers Day and it was the perfect place to celebrate
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 8, 2022
overall4food4service4ambience4
Mother’s Day
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 8, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Mother’s Day
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 7, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Ate here for my college graduation, one of the best restaurants in Columbia!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Miami
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 7, 2022
overall5food4service4ambience5
Had reservations for Mother’s Day. we were seated immediately. Food was delicious drinks were strong. No complaints from my family on this restaurant.
TH
TiciaH
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 7, 2022
overall5food4service5ambience5
Everything was good. The server was great. It was our first time and will definitely return.
TS
TinaS
Charleston
8 reviews
vip
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on May 7, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience4
I had asked in my reservation be seated on the first level so my mother wouldn’t have to climb steps. They seated us at a nice table despite the busy YSC graduation lunch crowd and they told us about leaving by walking out the ramp to avoid steps. Waiter surprised my mom with a scoop of ice cream and candle fir her birthday after the meal. We had a lively luncheon!
MR
MatthewR
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 7, 2022
overall4food5service5ambience4
Very diverse menu, excellent food and pricing. Our waitress was an A+ and I'm a tough critical. The only draw back in my opinion was it was a little noisy due to amount of people and a lot of tile floors. I will definitely go back when I am in the area again

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

California Dreaming-Columbia does offer delivery in partnership with Chow Now. California Dreaming-Columbia also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (803) 254-6767.

California Dreaming-Columbia is rated 4.4 stars by 1173 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 23, 2022

May 2022

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

7:00 PM

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout from OpenTableNew

This restaurant is currently not taking orders. Check back soon.

View takeout menu

Delivery

Google Map for California Dreaming-Columbia

401 Main St Columbia, SC 29201-4147

Additional information

Neighborhood
Columbia
Hours of operation
Daily 11:00 am–9:00 pm
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

Website
http://www.californiadreaming.rest/
Phone number
(803) 254-6767

This restaurant now offers Takeout

California Dreaming-Columbia

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout from OpenTableNew

Delivery

Additional information

Steak + Shrimp

Croissants (5)

She Crab Soup

Starters

Croissants (5)$6.95

Steamed Peel & Eat Shrimp (9)$9.95

Chicken Strips$10.95

Nachos

Tijuana Chicken Wings$12.95

She Crab Soup$7.95

Baked Potato Soup$5.95

Fried Crab Claws$14.95

Salads

California Dreaming$12.95

Broiled Salmon

Caesar

California Club$12.95

Soup + House Salad$12.95

Steaks, Chops & Ribs

Steak + Shrimp*$24.95

Marinated Sirloin*$21.95

Ribeye*$29.95

Filet Mignon*$35.95

Pork Chop$21.95

Baby Back Ribs

Entrees

Chicken Strips Platter$16.95

Blackened Chicken Pasta$16.95

BBQ Chicken$15.95

Knob Hill Chicken$16.95

Veggie Pasta$13.95

Fried Seafood Platter$25.95

Shrimp Tacos$11.95

Shrimp San Francisco$17.95

Fried Shrimp$20.95

Roasted Salmon$24.95

Carolina Trout$23.95

Sandwiches

Spicy Chicken Sandwich$10.95

Club Sandwich$10.95

Chicken Sandwich$10.95

New Orleans Po' Boy$13.95

American Burger*$10.95

Veggie Burger$12.95

BBQ Pork Sandwich$11.95

Steak Sandwich*$16.95

Sides

French Fries

Seasonal Veggie

Mashed Potatoes

Creamy Cole Slaw

Baked Potato

Desserts

Chocolate Brownie$7.95

Apple Walnut Cobbler$7.95

Croissant Bread Pudding$7.95

Cheesecake$7.95

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Sort by

Filters

Cleaning & sanitizing

Screening

FAQs

Does California Dreaming-Columbia offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is California Dreaming-Columbia restaurant rated?

Is California Dreaming-Columbia currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout from OpenTableNew

Delivery

Additional information