The Columbia Restaurant

VERY TOURISTY — The Columbia Restaurant was a cool little Spanish restaurant tucked away in the St Augustine touristy barrios. There was a nice selection of very basic tapas on the menu. We had fried calamari, lobster croquets, and some small beef and chicken kabobs with a cup of gazpacho. The food was ok. NOTHING GREAT BUT NOTHING BAD.. As this is in the most touristy are it is PRICEY. Over all I would say it was a good choice.

I’d like to say this rating is ONLY in relation to the last visit here. This was our fourth time here and the first three times were amazing!
We loved the table we were seated in, cozy table in the corner. The waiter, unsure of his name, was polite but no where near as friendly as the other waiters we’ve had! He brought us our drink and we ordered our food. We always order the same thing when we come here because we love it so much! When he came to the table to serve our black bean soup, it was in a blue plastic bowl that did not look clean. He made our «1905» salad without wearing gloves, which wasn’t appealing to me at all! I remembered reading in another patron’s review the waiter did the same to their salad. What really irked me was he wore gloves for the two other tables I watched him make salads! When our steaks arrived, I knew something was wrong. I cut into it and it was well done, not medium as I had requested. The bottom of the steak was burnt to the point of making each piece crunchy. My boyfriend’s steak was exactly the same. We were both extremely disappointed. The only nice thing I can say about this visit was the bread pudding was fantastic as usual. We visit Saint Augustine on a regular basis and we will not be back to the Columbia for awhile. With tip, our bill came to $ 170ish and for that price, I’d rather eat somewhere with excellent reviews!

Very good food! The Cuban sampler was great. Wish we could have eaten there again before we left St. Augustine, but alas was not to be. We did make it back for some mojitos though. The mojitos are the best I’ve ever had. Be warned that the cookbook they sell includes a mojito recipe which is not actually the one they make there.

Unfortunate dinner at his well known restaurant my friends and I ordered many different plates and at least 50% of us had to return our dinners. Either too salt paella or cold entrees or in my case dry chicken tapas and dried octopus tapas with only approximately 7 pieces of octopus with a load of fried potatoes and carrots. The picadillo empanadas were fried well but a little too spicy. We were 30 ppl in our group and because of the many complaints the manager had to come out and make adjustments to our bills. I’m so sorry that I came here after all the hype and I will probably will never again return.

We were looking for a place for a large group to get quality dinner together on a very busy weekend evening in St Augustine without a reservation — yikes! This place is large and therefore pretty accommodating and with a fairly brief 20 minute wait (just enough time to grab a drink in the upstairs bar) we were seated in one of the large high ceilinged rooms, and proceeded to have a very fun and delicious dinner filled with fresh seafood and rich flavors. The sangria was way too sweet for me but I enjoyed all the food I tasted — not exactly your «simple fish» kind of place but if you’re in the mood for big varied flavors and complex dishes you’ll enjoy it.

Not good!!! I would stay away from this tourist trap. The queso fundido is awesome though!

Everything you would expect from a Columbia! 1905 salad is always on point! I ordered the Pollo Machego with asparagus and it was amazing. The chicken was breaded and moist. The cheese and the citrus sauce was an excellent compliment to the dish.

This is the St Augustine location. Service was excellent, food fabulous as always. One of the few FL chains I like!

Always eat at Columbia when we come to town. Would have given a 5 star but when the waiter prepared the 1905 salad, he squeezed the lemon with bare hands. Noticed another waiter at a different table wore blue gloves. Our waiter appeared a bit cockey. Brought the bill in a dirty wine glass; not classy.
Food on the other hand was Delish. Hubby had mussels which he said was the best he ever had. I had half sandwich combo; Cuban and 1905 salad.
I’m sorry I didn’t comment to the waiter about his bare hands. Not sure why I didn’t cause my normal personality would have. Will for sure next time. Must have been the result of the white sangria I had while waiting for a table.

Horrendous.
After waiting two hours for a table we then waited 16 minutes just to get water.
Not even two stars.
The food was average.

We’ve been before on a visit and had to come again. Try not to eat too much so you’ll have room for the White Chocolate Bread Pudding!
The salad is really good and even the small one is large enough to split!

I came with my family for a «weekender» vacation and almost spent 20 minutes walking up and down orange street looking a good place to eat. (We were not interested in any sandwich or small restaurants)
Got on Unilocal and found this gem! Being from Miami, we were skeptical as to how authentic this Cuban restaurant may be but let me say… AMAZING! Totally surpassed our expectations.
Piccadillo was seasoned and cooked PERFECTLY.
I had a palomilla steak with white rice and plantains! This was to die for! If you’re a picky eater like me that likes your steak paper think, well seasoned and well done… This is your dish! The steak was so deliciously thin, topped with some chopped onions and cilantro… OH MY LANTA!
Can’t get over how good this place is after we thought it wouldn’t be so great.
Highly recommend, kid friendly, waiter was great!
Desert was OUTSTANDING! Had the crema catalana which was executed perfectly!
Must try this place when in town!
Enjoy!

We had a deal — hey it was for free sangria! We did like this place though it’s a little touristy and appears to be very big, and not for an intimate evening. We walked through 2 dining areas just to get to ours.
None the less, the food was pretty good and service was better than just good. I had the Cuban sandwich (on pressed Cuban bread, kind of dry and smallish) with a cup of the Spanish bean soup for $ 12.95, the soup was very good, surprised to see it was made from garbanzos, with a couple slices of sausage, nicely done. DH had the Paella «A la Valenciana» $ 29, it took longer and we were forewarned but maybe that’s why my sandwich was dry and cold. The Paella was great, loaded with a variety of seafood and a few pieces of chicken breast that was also dry, honestly he didn’t bother with the chicken because the seafood was great.
Service was very attentive. We didn’t make it back there, but the 1905 salad including what looked like table-​side preparation, would have been prime on our list to try.

This place permeates ambience! It has a good selection of food and drinks. I had the cheap sangria and was completely satisfied. Everyone at the table got a warm freshly baked piece of bread with deliciously whipped butter. I ordered the gazpacho soup which came with a selection of freshly chopped tomatoes, onions, and peppers. It was delicious. I Aldo ordered the crab croquettes with a bed of rice, grilled asparagus and yellow squash. It to was very tasty.
Our waiter was very conscious of what was happening at our table but not to the point of annoying. The room we sat in was on the top floor of the three story restaurant snd gave you a sense of feeling special even though each floor would give you that same feeling. Totally liked the place and recommend it to anyone visiting the restaurant in St. Augustine.

My wife and I had dinner here Christmas 2015. The location is wonderful with a beautiful décor. The staff were very good and we were seated quickly. The bread was great, as was the butter. I had an excellent caesar salad that had perfectly tangy dressing. My wife enjoyed the three stuffed mushrooms that came with my steak. Sadly this is where any praise ends. My wife did not enjoy her bourbon steak, and my $ 39 Bambino steak tasted like a gas grill. Later that evening I got ill from the steak, as did my step daughter who ate what I brought home (I usually finish all my steak but it was simply not very good). I called and the manager was very nice and understanding.
We spent Over 100 dollars for the two of us to eat, it was not a very good value. We could have had better tasting food at Chili’s. You are paying for the history and décor at Columbia, not the food.
As a followup, we recived a %50 gift card from the manager. We returned for lunch. My wife had sliced pork, I had a cuban sandwich. The food was adequate but nothing special. I doubt we will return to the Columbia, the food is just not worth the cost.

Excelente lugar para comer comida Española. El Restaurante es muy amplio y típico en su decoración. La comida exquisita. Sin duda lo recomiendo

The Columbia has been a family favorite for years. The food is consistently good and service is usually also good. If you’re around Tampa, check out the restaurant there as they also have a flamenco show available while you have dinner.
For the past two years, my mom has requested her birthday dinner be at Columbia so she could get paella. Having a birthday two days before Christmas pretty much ensures reservations are mandatory and it’ll be crazy no matter where we go.
In recent years, Columbia closed in what was previously an atrium to allow for more seating. We were seated there last year and I wasn’t a fan. Acoustics were very loud making it hard to hear the table conversation, it was very cold, and our waitress was off her game. The food, however was good. This year I requested a table on the first floor in the main room with the fountain.
We were seated a few minutes after our reservation as they originally tried to seat us in the atrium and I said no. The hostess didn’t initially see the note for my seating request but it was remedied pretty quickly. It was packed like it always is this time of year.
We started with a pitcher of the cava sangria. The white sangria is bubbly and refreshing. Not too sweet, not as heavy as the traditional red sangria. Then we were brought out warm Cuban bread and butter. The Cuban bread is seriously some of the best you can find in this area of Florida. It has the perfect crispy crust to soft inside ratio. Put on some butter and a tiny sprinkling of salt and I’m in heaven.
For starters, you can’t go wrong with the croquettes or the 1905 salad. The salad is made table side with their signature dressing, ham and cheese and is practically a meal in itself.
For entrees, my mom loves the paella valenciana which has both meat and seafood. I personally love the boliche criollo. The round roast is so tender, the chorizo in the middle is flavorful and there is a killer gravy poured on top. Portions are very generous here so bring your appetite or leave with leftovers like I always do. The roast pork is similarly great. The arroz con pollo is standard but I can make that at home and rarely order it.
My brother tried the Marilyn and Joe dates do today. He was brought the wrong dish twice. Again, so many people at once means occasionally mistakes are made. He got chicken salteado instead. Luckily, his dish was actually waiting for him and was fixed quickly. Our waiter boxed up the chicken for us to take home since it would have been just thrown away. Most dishes are served with white rice and beans or yellow rice with vegetables and platanos maduros which are sweet fried plantains.
For dessert, our waiter brought out a small flan with a candle for mom to enjoy and they sang her happy birthday. If you’ve saved room? m, you must try the bread pudding. Many years ago a waiter at Columbia convinced me to try the bread pudding. I was not a huge bread pudding fan but he told me to go with it and if I didn’t like it, he’d replace it. Well, yeah, I loved every bite. White chocolate and Cuban bread combined in firm textured bread pudding. It’s topped with dark chocolate shavings and rum sauce. It’s lick the plate good. Like I’ll stop eating my meal just to save room for dessert.
There is a small shop attached to the resultant where they sell various gourmet and Hispanic themed items — Cuban bread, paella pans, their cook book, etc. I’ll typically buy some bread if they haven’t run out.
Prices tend to skew towards the special occasion restaurant, but it’s definitely worth a try. You’ll just probably want to call for reservations or be prepared to wait!

We were a party of 10 with a reservation so we were seated immediately. That turned out to be the best service of the night.
This place is huge with lots of banquet rooms and large parties scattered throughout so it was a disappointment that our server, kitchen, bar… couldn’t keep up.
Our food arrived at room temperature with the rice already congealing. My aunt’s steak arrived 20 minutes after our fish. We ordered the 1905 salad for the table and either the server miscounted or he portioned it out wrong but one aunt didn’t get a salad. He finally brought her one after she was already halfway done through the meal.
You go for the atmosphere and history, I guess. I doubt that the Columbia Restaurant cares about my opinion because this joint is a serious cash cow.

Love the building and the bread they bring out, warm and fresh, yum! Food used to be much better, not bad; but for the price not good enough. With 4 eating and 2 pitchers of sangria 2 teas $ 118 and that was getting cuban sandwich and salad empanadas and I ate the most expensive with a sample plate of their, supposed best dishes, like 4 things good but wow.

I love the Columbia… this restaurant holds a special place in my heart. This is a «special occasion «kinda place, and every time I get to go I enjoy myself… it gets 5 stars for the whole combined dining experience.
Ambience– absolutely beautiful, the restaurant is right in the middle of St. George St, romantic, decorated Spanish style with fountains and Lush greenery growing all around. It’s perfect to eat here then go walk around old St. Aug. afterwards and enjoy the night.
Service– our last server was great, he was very knowledgeable about the menu and the coolest is they make a few things tableside, sangria (excellent! Try the white sangria! Soooo good), the salads they make right in front of you too, I think some desserts too! Cool dining experience!
Food– yummy, this would fall under Spanish food, everything we tried was good, not the best Hispanic food I have ever had (I prefer the mom and pop places) but it was solidly good. The 1905 salad is killer and I have to get it each time, the ropa vieja was good, with a very flavorful tomato sauce, but definitely not the best version I have had. The pallomilla (thin pounded sirloin steak) covered with onions and garlic was ehhh, just ok
All around I love it, always a treat to go! If you have never been make reservations (always busy!) and go!!! :)

I don’t know how anyone could rate this restaurant above a single star.
My veteran husband asked for a quiet area near a wall and the hostess noted our request. We were told that it would be a few minutes wait, so we turned & sat at the waiting area where the seat was matted cloth & that was completely dirty/​black (originally red?). When we were called to be seated, the hostess tried to seat us in the center of the dining room despite our request for a wall table. We asked for a table near a wall (again) and was eventually lead upstairs and sat near a window.
We wanted to try their Cuban sandwich for lunch, however, the waitress told us that since it was a holiday, they were only serving from the dinner menu, which meant the pricier meals and no Cuban sandwiches. We were highly disappointed, but we were already seated, so we decided to go ahead & order a dinner meal…
The table had MOLD on it! This restaurant sets their clean (but still wet?) water glasses mouth-​side down on the tables, which holds moisture. The grout lines in the table had dark moldy areas where the glasses were placed. We tried to overlook this by asking for fresh water glasses before ordering our meals, but it really was gross.
One Unilocaler posted an image of a cocktail with a slice of watermelon on it & it looked so good! I tried to order it by showing the waitress the image. She had no idea what type of drink that was. She tried asking the bartender, but apparently he/​she didn’t know what it was, either, so I just went with a Sangria.
We received their «fresh» bread that was hard as a rock all the way through. We received a second loaf because the first was just too hard to chew through, & was able to pull the center out to eat.
The food reminded me of a meal that I would get at a gut-​truck in Miami, FL (e.g., meals served in aluminum foil containers with clear lids). The sangria was not great. The food was sloppy and the presentation was horrifying. My husband ordered some meal that came out with so much sauce that it was served in a bowl that looked like soup. If you have never eaten this type of cuisine, then you might enjoy this restaurant, but if you are familiar with Latin food, then I recommend that you dine elsewhere.
Our plates were never cleared from our table during the entire experience. My husband had to ask for a drink refill.
We left disappointed and confused by all of the positive reviews.
Never again…

Excellentes spanisches Restaurant auf 3 Ebenen, Mit Bäumen und Springbrunnen in der Mitte, Galerien rundum — wo man gemütlich und hell sitzen kann.
Mitten in der Altstadt der ältesten Stadt der Vereinigten Staaten in Florida gelegen, mit großem Garten und gepflegten Aussenanlagen, in denen man sowohl mittags als auch abends bewirtet wird.
Sonntags wird auch Brunch angeboten — zu absolut zivilen Preisen — ansonsten während der Woche gepflegter Mittagstisch.
Essen kann man durchgehend — von 11h — 21h (So — 22h) — Tischreservierung speziell für abends wird sehr empfohlen, da das Restaurant überaus beliebt ist.
Die Karte ist äußerst appetitanregend: Tapas aller Art, Paella Valenciana, Salad 1905 (Gründerjahr des Restaurants), Shrimps al ajillo, Fische je nach Jahreszeit immer frisch, Calamares fritos, Langostinos, Muscheln, Krabben, Langusten — aber auch Filet-​Steak Salteado, Ropa Vieja (cubanische Spezialität), Criollo und viele Arten Filet Mignon.
Vegetarische Küche, Salatvariationen, Desserts ohnegleichen — den Kuchen ‘Schwarze-​Bohnen mit Guacamole’ nicht zu vergessen… — Kinder-​Menüs — und man kann, wenn man will, auch alles mit nach Hause nehmen (Vorbestellung erbeten).
Die Weinkarte läßt keine Wünsche offen, alles, was gut und typisch spanisch ist, wird angeboten, genau so, wie gute kalifornische und chilenische Weine — aber auch sämtliche Biersorten, Schnäpse und Soft Drinks — es gibt eigentlich nichts, was es im Columbia nicht gibt.
Und die Ober sind von erlesener Höflichkeit und Schnelligkeit — und sehr aufmerksam!
Wir lebten 10 Jahre in Saint Augustine — das Columbia war unser Stammlokal. Und auch heute, wenn wir — wie jedes Jahr — dorthin fliegen — gehen wir als erstes dorthin — es ist einfach unvergleichlich idyllisch, gut und excellent!