Hadn't been to California Dreaming in a bit so met friends for drinks tonight. Bustling during rush hour on a weekday (Tuesday), I was glad I made a reservation. The restaurant is aging gracefully; interiors haven't changed in some time. Servers were fast and friendly. The food is a known quantity; always good hot and tasty. I just reminded myself to go more often. read more

After an initial terrible start, California Dreaming has had a heck of a hot streak for me. That streak ended today. I ordered the Cali Bowl - Miso Salmon (added blackened shrimp) and fries WITH NO SALT as an APPETIZER! My buddy orders wings and a salad. His salad comes out promptly but no fries. The food comes out shortly after and he says the wings are great. Great for him! My fries finally make an appearance and are overly salty. I reminded the waitress they were requested unsalted so she took them back. By the time she'd returned with the new batch of fries, which was quite prompt, I'd mixed the ingredients of my Cali Bowl only to discover that it was lukewarm at best. The fries tasted refried, soaked with grease. The third time was a charm for the fries. I'd mentioned temperature of the bowl and although she'd offer to have it remade, it was quicker to reheat it, thus my request. It came back slightly warmer but not enough to eat. At this point, I was over it and just packed it up to take home. It wasn't the best visit but it definitely wasn't the worst. The croissants are the reason I'm sure I'll be back. read more

The food was good. The service wasn't that great--our party made a reservation in advance and they did not have the tables situated leaving us to sit at separate tables. Ambiance was okay--hard to place since we didn't get to sit together. read more

Like always its so delicious. We had no wait and were sat down immediately. I love the ambiance and everything about this place. The service was great as she was so attentive and on it. The food was fresh and fast too. Everything was cooked to perfection. read more

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This will always be one of my favorite spots. I love to visit it when I come home I actually used to work at the one in Columbia in college. I always get the Dreaming salad and the honey butter croissants. Service is always amazing and the portions are large. The Tijuana wings with the house-made blue cheese always hits the spots. Love the atmosphere. read more

California Dreaming - Dreaming Salad - American Near Me - Augusta, Georgia

The food is excellent very good appetites, and excellent entrees. The drink are very good. The service is outstanding. Highly recommend this restaurant. We drove 2 hours from Atlanta to Augusta to eat dinner. The experience is well worth the trip. 5 stars There is a wonderful atmosphere read more

California Dreaming - Appetizers and drinks - American Near Me - Augusta, Georgia

California Dreaming located on Washington Road in Augusta, GA Food: It's been a couple of years since my last review nevertheless California Dreaming new menu is fresh and exciting with new items from Tacos to bowels. It's exciting times for California Dreaming. We ordered the blacken chicken pasta, steak tacos and California Dreaming salad. What can I say, it was good eating all around. Service: We had the most amazing waitress. She was really on top her game. Ambiance: A very large dining area offering booth and table seating, a full bar and patio seating, providing a chill ambiance. read more

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The food was delicious, the service was great and the atmosphere was good! We'll be returning for sure!

Great food great service. A place with a ton of variety. I came for the salad and stayed for the bread. The croissant was amazing and I wish I could have had 5 more of them. The staff were on point, with quick service and friendly smiles. The place is a bit loud during peak service times but that's not to big an issue. Not an ideal quiet date spot, but good for upbeat vibes. read more

California Dreaming - California dreaming salad - American Near Me - Augusta, Georgia

My wife and I decided to stop in after a quick work trip. We had a fantastic experience. I ordered the Blackened Chicken Pasta, which came loaded with penne tossed in creamy Alfredo, scallions, tomatoes, and romano cheese, topped with perfectly seasoned blackened chicken. The flavor was bold and balanced, and the portion was generous. We also tried the Spicy Chicken Sandwich -- a crispy fried chicken breast tossed in buffalo-style hot sauce, served on a toasted bun with lettuce, tomato, and ranch. It had the perfect kick of heat, cooled nicely by the ranch, and was one of the best spicy chicken sandwiches I've had in the area. Our server, Shai, was outstanding. They were extremely attentive, kept our drinks filled, and checked in at just the right times. Their professionalism and friendliness made the whole meal even better. The atmosphere was lively yet comfortable, and the food quality matched the reputation California Dreaming is known for. Overall: Excellent food, generous portions, and top-notch service. Highly recommend the Blackened Chicken Pasta if you love Alfredo, and the Spicy Chicken Sandwich if you're craving something with a kick. Shai deserves recognition for making our visit memorable. read more

California Dreaming - Blackened chicken pasta alfredo - American Near Me - Augusta, Georgia

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Check your meat! My wife and I went to eat dinner at California Dreaming in Augusta, Ga. today and I was served rotten steak. The meat had a strong rancid odor when brought to my table. Asked for Kitchen Manager and she confirmed the beef (steak) was old and decaying. They gave me another meal, but had lost my appetite. Shocking that someone did not smell meat before served at table. Would be dangerous if someone ingested rotten food. We have been eating at California Dreaming for 35 years and never dreamed this would happen. Very disappointed. Be careful and check your order. read more

Enjoyable and amazing food - you have to get the warm, soft, and buttery croissants. The ambiance and staff are stellar and nothing bad can be said. My colleague and I shared two rack of ribs. Her salad was gigantic and filled with fresh lettuce and every ingredient you can think of. Then her loaded baked potato came with the ribs - wow! The ribs had a candy coating of a light bbq and were fall off the bone. I'm picky and loved them! Everyone enjoyed their dinners - steak tacos, trout, steak bowl, and the California dreamin' salad. read more

California Dreaming - Warm, buttery Famous Croissants (we ordered an extra one) - American Near Me - Augusta, Georgia

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This is my Valentine's Day restaurant review. I am not thrilled about Valentine's Day in general because I have never been fond of the candy and flowers, Valentine Cards or large stuffed animals. But my husband is so, I chose California Dreaming for our romantic dinner. To be sure, reservations for this fun day are definitely needed. I saw people turned away at the door. Very politely, I might add. Getting an early time, 5 pm, turned out to be perfect. Usually we opt for a bit later, 5:30 or 6pm but 5pm was perfect timing. Despite reservations we had to wait for a table for about 10 minutes. We were given a small, round romantic table in a comfortable area surrounded by other couples. The noise level was high as it seemed that management put together as many table as possible to accommodate many guests. Our Server, Britney, could not have been more accommodating and pleasant if it were possible. Our salads and entres came out as promised and we had a delightful dinner. This venue has always been a favorite and defiantly put their best foot forward for Valentine's Day. I rarely give 5 stars. I like to leave room for improvement. Happy Valentine's Day. No improvement required. read more

California Dreaming - My view of the kitchen. - American Near Me - Augusta, Georgia

If I could rate it 0 stars I would. The food was disgusting, even the dessert. Don't do it.

I hate giving this restaurant this score but they earned it. We have been dining at multiple California Dreaming restaurants since the early 90's. We have always loved them. Until now. This experience was bad enough that we'll not be back. The restaurant was grimy/sticky feeling. They did not have their menu's beer selection (cans). We ordered shrimp, the CD salad, and a ribeye with spinach. Firstly, they sent all the food at once a mere 5 minutes after we ordered it (not a good sign). The shrimp was fine though not cleaned. My spinach tasted ok but had the look and feel of wet papers matted together. My steak was cooked and seasoned well but was so tough (mid-rare) that the knife they gave didn't cut through it but had to tear through it like a saw. I had to dink water to soften the bites to swallow. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM though was as my wife began eating her favorite salad in the world she discovered a sticker in the midst of it (not little 1"x1") that must have come from whomever made it. NASTY. When we were finally able to flag a server (nor ours she was awol after dropping off the funky food) she took the salad, didn't ask us anything and said she was going to go yell at someone. They later brought a new salad without asking if we wanted one. As you can imagine, she had lost her appetite. After removing the salad, the manager came over and asked if we wanted desert-seriously?!? I asked for the check. As I paid, I noticed they auto tip calculator was calculating tip based on the meal WITH the salad we did not eat. Another once great restaurant falls. I should have known because the Yelp reviews rated it at 3.5. My bad for feeling nostalgic and not trusting the rating. Stay far away! read more

I will say I grew up going in Charleston and am very familiar with California Dreaming and their multiple locations in South Carolina (Charleston, Columbia, Greenville). This was our first time at the Augusta location. It's a bit smaller and cozier than the other locations, so be sure to make reservations, especially if you have a larger group. We were a group of seven and were promptly sat at our reservation time. We started off with a plate of the honey croissants, which are a must! They are so soft and have that nice sweetness from the honey butter. What we got: *She crab soup - this was very good! *Mahi sandwich - I didn't try it, so I can't say anything, but my husband enjoyed his sandwich. *California Dreaming Salad - it is hard to pass this salad up, it is so flavorful with all the deli meat, cheese, eggs, etc. I like to pair it with their ranch dressing. Their ranch is a little bit different, but it is so good! I wish they sold it! My only complaint - service. We were enjoying our meals and our server asked us how our bills would be split. She brought us our bills while we were still eating. I'm not sure if that is their new way of service as I do not recall that being a thing, but it felt rushed and something I did not care for. I'd definitely recommend California Dreaming if you are in the area! read more

California Dreaming is the best restaurant in town! Their pork chop is very good, as well as their croissants. Service is usually good. My only complaints are I think they should expand the restaurant because they are always so packed and their prices are very steep. It is very easy for a meal for three to run over $100! Other than that the food is very good as well as the service! Overall, I would definitely recommend this place if you've never tried it. read more

Our server, Michelle, went above and beyond. Service makes all the difference. She was super helpful with our kids.

Great service provided by Karen L. on 3/22/26. Overall excellent experience during our Sunday lunch. Party of 3 read more

The customer service was good. H the server was really nice. It was a little dark and drab where we were seated. The menu is extremely limited. It's not much to choose from. I ordered a basic Caesar salad with fried shrimp. It was ok. Nothing to rave about. read more

California Dreaming - Menu - American Near Me - Augusta, Georgia

If you are not a seafood person..I wouldn't recommend it. The small menu is composed of 12 to 15 seafood dishes and that is 80-90% of the menu. There's is little to no variety except just seafood. Not a good drink menu either read more

One of our favorite places in Augusta! We come here often. I think the chicken tender platter is a masterpiece. The tenders are unique, and the fries and honey barbecue sauce are great. My wife likes the tenders too, as well as the blackened mahi sandwich and the shrimp tacos. I could also recommend the crescent rolls with the honey butter drizzle! And the sweet tea - they make a good sweet tea! We've had many of the menu items and these are our favorites. The staff is nice and I think the atmosphere is really pleasant. The outdoor seating is great too. read more

The service was good, the food was tasty. My favorite item on the menu is black bean burger. They could improve on the desserts. It would be nice if they had a petite salad. Small portions for dieters this is one of my favorite restaurants in town. read more

Fun place for lunch, great salads and service. We ordered the classic California Dreaming Salad with warm bacon dressing was delicious. Definitely be back! read more

Great big salads. She crab and potato soup is good too. My husband likes the ribs. We eat here often.

Food great! Service is wonderful, and the overall vibe is relaxing and pleasant. I can for lunch and service was fast! read more

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8 minute wait for a table for dinner on a Friday night. Very friendly hostess seated us. Friendly and helpful waitstaff. Food came in a reasonable amount of time considering the restaurant was packed full. Drinks were good and dinner was delicious and hot. Great quality Mahi. Very enjoyable evening. read more

California Dreaming - Raspberry Bramble - American Near Me - Augusta, Georgia

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We usually always sit at the bar because you get a good sense of the whole restaurant. The bartender was more about what she was doing in her life than attending to those around her and that's okay because we like talking to bartenders but acknowledge us with a menu. The chef knows what they're doing. Food was yummy but it felt like a chain restaurant. Ambiance was standard. read more

The service was truly amazing, our server Shy, was probably the most attentive and sweet server I've ever experienced, the food was good and extremely quick, made for a beautiful date night. Shy deserves a raise!! read more

I ordered the California Dreaming salad and mannnnn was it good!!! Loaded and very filling.

The food was good the service was on point . The drinks actually were tasty and loaded with alcohol. I enjoyed the experience.

California Dreaming what can I say definitely not the dream I was expecting and not my flavor. My salad was over dressed the potatoes were old and over cooked my steaks were just okay the shrimp were good, however my she crab soup stole the show best thing I ate while there. read more

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Outstanding! My nephew is a culinary student and very critical about his dining experience. He wanted to go somewhere that has cheesecake, so I did a quick search and found California Dreaming in the results of restaurants with cheesecake on their dessert menu. As a pastry chef, his first impression of the croissants was pleasantly surprising. He commented on how fluffy they were and said oh these people know how to bake! As we were eating our meals he went on about how the kitchen staff really knows what they're doing. And when the cheesecake came, he said he would definitely come back to this restaurant. It is now on his top 5 list! I'm so pleased, as it's hard finding restaurants theatre meet his approval. Well done, California Dreaming! read more

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It had been awhile since we had eaten at CD. My wife selected it for her birthday dinner so off we went. We found it like we left it! Great food and our server was spectacular. The last time we ate there was when they were able to offer veterans a free enter and half off for your spouse. The economy has done that in but it was the best offer of all time. They still have a special offer for Veterans. This is a great restaurant! read more

For a first timer coming to this location, I can say this spot is outstanding. Before I even got to the restaurant to enjoy lunch, this place was already packed. I ended at sitting at the bar so I didn't have to wait for a table or booth. Not long after I got to the bar, did so many people follow suit. It was fun at the bar. Ordered the seafood nacho and scarfed it all down single handedly. It was filled with shrimp, onions, salmon, and a type of seafood queso dip. I really enjoyed it and was almost full until I seen the menu had a shrimp pasta with mushroom and white creamy sauce served with onion and garlic sauce. It was fantastic!!! While eating my lunch entree, I enjoyed it with a Blue Hawaii. Everything was nothing less than amazing. Loved the atmosphere and company found at the bar. Definitely coming back to this location to enjoy more of the menu. read more

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The restaurant was lacking lighting but the food was amazing and our server did an amazing job.

The hubster and I stopped in on Friday for lunch. It has been a while since we've dined at California Dreaming and we asked ourselves why we don't dine there more often. The portions are huge and the service was great! read more

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Today, 10/20/25, I had the privilege of being served by one of the most beautiful, sweet and caring waitresses at California Dreaming, Her name is Riley Evans!!! If we had more individuals with a heart to serve like her the world would be a better place. The the Word of God says the servant is the greatest among us. I would like to add those with a heart to service, like Riley. She never stopped smiling the whole time. She made my day! I couldn't help but watch her as she was service everyone in the same manner. Riley Evans, thank you and I will be looking for you on my next trip to California Dreaming! Have blessed day and keep on doing what you do adding a smile, happiness, and joy to the world! A truly satisfied customer Ron and Shelia read more

Impeccable dessert. California Dreaming has the best, most delicious and awesome Croissant Bread Pudding I've ever tasted. And I was quite surprised to find out that Vanilla Ice Cream is served with the dessert but it was a wonderful combination as the ice cream melted and mixed well with the bourbon sauce from the dessert . Whenever I want some excellent bread pudding, I sure know where to go besides French Grille West. Next time, I will try the Apple Walnut Cobbler. :) read more

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Food mediocre, good service, very, very loud. Did call ahead so only a 10 minute wait for table.