We had a wonderful family dinner at Columbia Restaurant in Sand Key, and it was an excellent experience from start to finish. We sat on the covered patio overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway at sunset, and the atmosphere was outstanding -- warm string lights, a lively yet relaxed energy, and beautiful views over the water as the sky turned to dusk. The tableside preparations really made the evening special. Our sangria was prepared right at the table and was great -- fresh, flavorful, and perfect for sharing. We also had their popular 1905 Salad, prepared tableside as well, crisp and full of flavor. For the meal, we shared an assortment of great tapas, which was ideal for the table and allowed us to enjoy a variety of authentic Spanish-Cuban flavors together. We finished with the flan, which was truly outstanding -- smooth, rich, and the perfect ending to the meal. Attentive service, excellent atmosphere, and memorable food. Highly recommended, and we would absolutely return on our next visit to Clearwater Beach. read more

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The Columbia Restaurant in Sand Key Clearwater has pretty water views of the inter-coastal and features a vintage interior style blending old-world Spanish charm with relaxed coastal energy. You can watch boats cruise by while you eat. The best spots are on the open outdoor deck or at a table next to the large windows. Inside, the dining room is decorated in a Mediterranean style. It features colorful Spanish tiles, lush tropical plants, and authentic artwork. The famous historic 1905 salad originally created in 1905 was made table side by Tossing 4 cups of chopped iceberg lettuce, 1/2 cup julienned ham, 1/2 cup julienned Swiss cheese, 1 ripe chopped tomato, and 1/2 cup green Spanish olives. Top with Romano cheese, Worcestershire sauce, fresh lemon juice, and a tangy garlic dressing. The flavor is great and it's a nice light healthy option. 9/10 The Ropa Vieja was Originally introduced to Cuba by Spanish sailors. The name means "old clothes" because the choice beef is shredded, sautéed and simmered with onions, green peppers and tomatoes. Served with platanos and white rice. 9/10 The Shrimp Salteado came with Jumbo shrimp sautéed in exra-virgin olive oil, sliced Spanish onions, green peppers, fresh garlic, mushrooms, diced potatoes, chorizo and red wine. Served with yellow rice. 9/10 For dessert, the flan is one of the best I have ever tasted. The recipe dates to 1935 when the Columbia opened Tampa's first "Conditioned Air" dining room, the Don Quixote. Our grandmother and great-grand-mother, Carmen Hernandez, helped the Columbia gain national fame with her great recipes, especially her flan. Spanish caramel egg custard, prepared the old-fashioned way, using only the best natural ingredients. 9/10 Our server was friendly and informative and our food came out in a timely manner. If you're in the Sand Key or Clearwater area and craving some authentic Cuban food in a classy atmosphere with a nice view of the water, i highly l recommend visiting the Columbia Restaurant. read more

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The Columbia Sand Key is one of my most favorite restaurants. Everything on the menu is so full of flavor and is unique and delicious. I also love that their outdoor deck dining area on the water is dog friendly. I have always been treated with exceptional and friendly service, and the restaurant is so beautiful no matter where you sit. This time I sat in the bar area with an amazing view of the bay, even though it was a rainy day. I love to bring out of town guests here, and have celebrated lots of special occasions at the Columbia. There has also been many times when I have really just craved their 1905 salad, Red Sangria and warm Cuban bread and butter, so I pop in for a quick visit. It is so addicting!!! On this visit with my daughter, we enjoyed a pitcher of table side red Sangria, a 1905 salad also made table side, warm Cuban bread and butter, Champiñones Rellenos, and Pollo Manchego. We ended this fabulous feast with Café Con Leche and a Flan to share. I will be back again soon. read more

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A trip to the Clearwater area isn't complete without a dinner at Columbia. It's always a treat to dine here -- from the Cuban food to the ambiance to the service. Excellent! The food remains solid. We enjoyed the mahi mahi, the thin steak, and the Cuban sandwich. Plus, we also once again ordered the mojito pitcher. It's made table side -- though this time they did not add the rum in front of us. It always made us laugh when they poured a bottle of rum into the pitcher. When we asked, the waiter said the rum was already in the pitcher. That's the only bummer. Great restaurant that continues to deliver. read more

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This is just over the bridge from Clearwater Beach. Different cuisine and things to choose from Tip: Parking is limited in the strip mall this is in. Suggest valet for $6 or a couple of trips around the lot to find a spot. We sat outside, which was enclosed and heated and your are right on the water. Super cool and great views. We started off with the toasted bread and butter and the devil crab croquet. Not a fan - full of crab but the flavors didn't sit well and really needed some type of sauce to pair with it - we only had hot sauce. The original salad - is a must we shared it across four. It's made table side has cheese and olives in it and was really good. We got ours with a side of shrimp. Main courses - Cuban - it's a classic sandwhich which we shared. Comes with fried plantains which were ok. Again would have been better with some kind of sauce to dip it in. Steak Salteado - good flavor l, was expecting thin sliced steak and it was more like stew meat. Paired with rice and was good. Palomilla - would be better as the sandwhich version. Again this one needed a sauce for dipping. Shrimp "Al Ajillo" - this is a must and the oil garlic mix is perfect for dipping you toasted bread. read more

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By far the best restaurant in Clearwater beach!!! I dream of this place! This isn't my first time but I forgot to review last time because I ate it too fast lol. -Pollo manchego.........it's soooooo good!!! It just melts in your mouth. This is what I dream about lol!!! -Huckleberry martini.... Now I'm not a martini drinker but I love huckleberries and I never see anything with it so I had to try it. It was good but not my thing. It was strong. To me I think it needs to taste more like huckleberry. -Guava turnover.....was so good sauce and all. Just get it! Always great staff and friendly, fine dining. The best place!!! I will go every time I'm in Clearwater!!!! read more

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Parking lot situation is deserving of a 3 star rating. The valet double parks the cars - thank fully the guy was there when we went to get our car that was blocked. Food was great. Our server Debbie was attentive and helpful. She made great recommendations. We tried the empanadas, and shrimp for tapas and then the shredded steak and Mahi for the main courses. Bread pudding for dessert. Lovely outdoor dining. Everything was delicious. read more

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Of the 3 locations we have tried so far of this "chain" we love this one the best due to location and outside water view. The food is stellar at every location! As well as the friendly and excellent service. We highly recommend the empanadas and the salteado. Can't wait to go back!! read more

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The oldest restaurant in the state of Florida, every single room is like one out of a museum. They have room for about 2000 diners and each dining room has a story to share. For example, the red room where we were seated was Marilyn Monroe's favorite room to eat and it was actually a cigar room back in the day. The bathrooms were so clean and same vibe as the rest of the place. Service was wonderful, super attentive and knew a lot of the history of the restaurant. Now the important part... THE FOOD!! The most comforting, home style, flavorful, Cuban food I've had! I asked for a surprise me plate and she gave me bites of several dishes... AMAZING To finish off my dining experience we had a key lime pie (not as tart as I like) and a Cuban coffee. Highly highly highly recommend! Note: they do not allow tank tops or swimsuits in the dining hall read more

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We love this place ... we have the same thing most of the time. We eat at the bar to enjoy our time with the bartender staff. Eric is adorable. Cute, young, friendly and knows the menu well. The view is outstanding. The food great! Of course, we'll be back. read more

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This place is a Florida staple, it's my second time here and they did not disappoint. They gave us some amazing fresh bread m!! I ordered the Adelita red snapper it was so good!! The service was excellent and they were very good with our large group. I'd definitely come back when I'm in the area I recommend you going! read more

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Every time we come to Clearwater, a visit to Columbia Restaurant is a must! The food is always amazing--served hot and delicious--and the service is excellent every time. The restaurant has a large, beautiful dining area with white tablecloths, but it never feels stuffy or overly formal. It's comfortable, welcoming, and just a wonderful place to enjoy a meal. We always look forward to coming back! read more

Overall a great experience from being educated on the history of the restaurant to the food. I will say it's very authentic and it's an experience if you want that for your meal. I recommend knowing the menu before going, as it is not a typical "Mexican" restaurant but Spanish or columbian food. I loved the stuffed peppers. I would recommend them x10. I also enjoyed the sangria. The service was great & attentive. We made reservations and I do recommend reservations as it can be a bit busy. The hardest part of eating here is finding parking and if you vallet you may have to wait as well. read more

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The atmosphere was calm and beautiful. I had a seat in front of the ocean and got to watch people jet-ski as I had my food. Sitting outside watching the waves and that natural view was awesome. The service was top-notch. The waiters and waitresses were friendly and attentive and checked up on us. The bread and butter given at the beginning was so good. I'm not sure if the butter was homemade but it tasted homemade and creamy. The bread was crispy and fluffy inside. I got a Cuban sandwich with turkey and pork slices, a side of fries. A Filet Steak Salteado. The Filet was moist and saucy and good to eat with the yellow rice. I also had a steak. The steak was a little dry but I liked the taste of it and how it was cooked to my liking. read more

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Food was very good! Definitely recommend the jimmy grouper and the bread pudding. Service was very good as well, server was very friendly!

The food was so gooood!! So glad we made reservations for our first night out here. I wish we got seated outside for the sunset views though since that's the whole reason I reserved for the time chosen. But nonetheless, we're so happy with what we ordered, the presentation, the flavor and the ambience of the restaurant as well. Will come back to try something else next time we visit! read more

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Based on some of the reviews here I ordered the Pollo Manchego for $28. It was ok, it was edible and bland. Reminded me of airplane food. Service was fast and friendly. I don't think I'll be back. read more

2nd time dining at this water front restaurant. This time we went during lunch hours. No reservation. We ate outside, with water views. The host/server were both very kind and knowledgeable. Food was absolutely delicious. Started off with each of us getting warm toasted bread. We then had their famous 1905 salad with turkey chunks on the side. This was a special experience. They make it table side! I used yelp photos to help decide what I would be eating. I actually end up choosing a plate from the dinner menu but they were nice enough to order it. I can't wait to have lunch or dinner here again! Compliments to the chef read more

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The Columbia on Clearwater Beach is iconic -- and honestly, the location alone could earn it five stars. Set right on the water with those stunning Gulf views, it's one of those spots that makes you stop, breathe it in, and think, "Yep... this is Florida living." And then the food arrives... and somehow it gets even better. The 1905 Salad is legendary for a reason. It's bright, tangy, perfectly seasoned, and genuinely one of the best salads I've had in my entire life. They toss it tableside, and every bite hits with that perfect mix of garlic, ham, Swiss, olives, and their famous dressing. Absolute perfection. And the Cuban sandwich? Unreal. Hands down the best I've ever had -- crisp, warm Cuban bread, perfectly roasted pork, and all the classic flavors done exactly right. If you're looking for breathtaking views paired with unforgettable classics, The Columbia delivers in every way. A Clearwater Beach must-visit. read more

This is the 3rd location we've visited of the six they have. We sat at the bar and the Queen Bee ordered a half and half combo...in her case half a 1905 salad and a cup of Spanish bean soup, which is basically a Cubanized version of "caldo gallego." This stuff has chickpeas rather than the more traditional navy beans; no kale either. Daughter Unit decided on an order of crab cakes, which is a pair of big, well: crab cakes, also a Cubanized iteration. She washed it down with an "Aguilita"; not my kinda drink so I didn't try any...DU enjoyed it well enough and complimented Eric the barkeep, who spent much of his time chopping limes and running the service bar. He did provide good service and we didn't feel ignored at all, BTW. I settled for a simple tapa; I wasn't really hungry TBH...so it was what they call a "pincho mixta," which was basically 3 skewers of grilled meat...chicken, pork and chorizo, along with caramelized onions. Meantime this place is much like the others in terms of decor. It basically has the vibe of an old Cuban restaurant...which is basically what it really is (DUH). Loads of old pictures of the four generations of family that's owned this lil empire since day one. All the food was nicely prepared and reasonably priced for the area. Would I recommend it? I certainly would...as I noted above, this is the third location of the six they have. It's fairly uniform in quality and the menu is the same. Nice lil touch was the manager on duty stopped to check in on us... So if U want a touch of Old Cuba and/or Spain on your Florida vacation here in Clearwater Beach area, then do yourself a favor and c'mon in after your siesta and have a nice fiesta. Old retro Cuban music they pipe in even gives U the impetus for just that... read more

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As with all Columbia restaurants this one has the best people taking great care with every aspect of your dining experience. The hospitality is like being out on the town and with intracoastal waterway views it's an amazing place! The food is amazing and it's always served perfectly and a feast for your eyes as well. read more

Scary when the best item is the bread which was very yummy. It is clear they care more about the family history and mass production of food (for example- rice made in bulk and thus clearly not fresh). Steak was somehow over cooked and yet under seared so fat cap wasn't rendered. Stuffed mushrooms had a very strange taste. Red snapper was just smothered in a brown sauce. Mahi-mahi was average at best. Even the red sangria was below average. Tried some tapas shrimp In oil which was just okay and a meat skewer which was very dry. I had an old fashioned which used small ice cubes and thus was watered down. Server seems annoyed at our speed and never had a smile. To be fair we finished with a key lime pie slice as no one really ate their meals and that slice was excellent. Over priced and over hyped. read more

Fantastic service and clean well lit atmosphere. We dined for lunch and it wasn't too busy. Food was tasty and portions were quite large. Definitely a must try in the area. read more

Columbia Restaurant - Chicken and Yellow Rice - Spanish Near Me - Clearwater Beach, Florida

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We had a wonderful memorable family lunch at The Columbia Restaurant at the north end of The Shoppes on Sand Key, just south of Clearwater Beach! We reserved ahead because we were a party of 19 for 11am on a Tuesday, and timing it just as they opened made it easy, maybe we even could have been seated without reservations! (Self-parking was already tight, you might want to use their valet.) They had time to set up two long tables for us by the windows. Perfect! They also have some shaded outdoor seating facing the mid Clearwater Harbor area of the Intracoastal. Service was prompt and attentive, and everything we ordered was amazing. Several of us had their legendary 1905 Salad, a meal in itself, artfully prepared tableside, of Florida iceberg lettuce and tomatos, sweet tender julienne ham, Swiss cheese, olives, grated Sicilian Romano, and a classic Cuban worcestershire-garlic dressing. You cant beat their perfect tender moist boneless grillled Red Snapper "Adelita" filet dressed with palm hearts, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and extra-virgin olive oil. Some of us were patient enough to wait the 30min for their loaded Paella. The menu offers a broad range of tapas and appetizers and sides, such as piping hot croquetas and César's favorite bright salad of chopped ripe Florida tomatoes and julienned Spanish onions with their yummy "1905" dressing. So we all shared and no-one was left waiting to eat. At lunch they make Paella "Española", generous individual servings of shellfish, shrimp, calamari, chicken, pork, veggies, and garlic, with Spanish short-grain "bomba" Valencia rice. After they are open at 11am, you could order paella in advance to skip the wait, and there are more paella recipes during dinner hours, including a vegetarian one. I had their simple yet flavorful Spanish Bean Soup, soft garbanzo beans simmered with smoked ham, lightly-spiced seasoned chorizo sausage, and potatoes, supported by a savory chicken and ham broth. And everything comes with their fantastic fresh hot crusty soft Cuban bread! I would come here for the bread alone! And the servers were happy to re-supply me when they saw i had finished mine and was helping myself to everyone else's bread :-) A number of us shared pitchers of superior-rum Mojitos, made in front of us with great flourish! For me, early on I had walked into the as-yet empty bar area, and the terrific bartender, still busy setting up for the day, kindly took the time to craft a custom cocktail for me, a colorful riff on Cuba's maybe-oldest recipe, the Canchánchara: white rum that i requested instead of traditional aguardiente, deep-orange aromatic house-made guava syrup in place of honey, and fresh sprigs of mint and a wedge of lime. Shaken with crushed ice. Sublime and delicious, especially with that guava syrup! Pro-tip: Tip the guy well! It's a custom cocktail you can boast about :-) We've been here other times for simpler meals, often their overstuffed Cuban sandwiches on their amazing bread. Today was a sensational family meal in a lovely historically decorated setting with excellent staff. On the way out we bought some of their rich aromatic coffee, delicious flavors bringing delicious memories of The Columbia. read more

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Every thing is fantastic. So good all of the food is. Serves is wonderful.Your missing out if you don't eat there. I have ate at all of them and I loved it. My whole family.I took my kids all the time when they were 8,10,&13 Now there grown and take there children. read more

I have lived here locally for years and have frequented this restaurant many times. The last 4-5 times the 1905 salad lettuce has been warm and not crispy at all and very liquidy. Like the lettuce was not washed properly nor dried. The Cuban sandwich was pressed too long and very hard to bite into. I have been to the Columbia in Ybor City and the food there is much better. read more

Can't beat the 1/2 Cuban sandwich and salad lunch deal! Friendly and knowledgeable bartenders too are a plus

Family owned since 1905, one of the oldest restaurants in Florida. Vibes, feels like stepping into a Time Machine with the rich historic decor at this beautiful establishment. The service was excellent and the food was incredible. A mix of Cuban and Spanish entrees make up this special place. A unique combo. I wish I had two stomachs so I could continue eating all night long. I will be coming back here. I doubt before my short time ends here in Clearwater. read more

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Came here with a group of 18 for dinner. Staff were great, making sure everyone got what they ordered. The red sangria was really good and the crab cakes (my favorite), scallops and churros and flan were sooooo good! Definitely a place to check out! It's a pretty view right on the water! read more

Columbia Restaurant - Crab cakes - Spanish Near Me - Clearwater Beach, Florida

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The location, the decor and just everything about this location I love! The open airy environment is so comfortable! Super friendly staff from the time we came in until when we left.. Dane was our server and was excellent, great service and food...Ordered the Still Bottled Water to drink, the famous Salad and Cuban Sandwich and the Manchego Chicken which did not disappoint! The food arrived fresh and hot and was served with fresh, warm Cuban Bread...if you are on the Clearwater area you must come here? They do offer valet parking, this location, parking lot can be a little tricky for parking.... read more

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I can't get over that it shows I haven't reviewed this location. I've been here many times. We love all of the seating areas here including the outside, main inside dining area, and bar area. This time around we ordered a chicken salteado with small 1905 salad, & a Cuban sandwich. The salteado was $10 more than on the menu. It was the dinner menu since the Cuban sandwich was not on the menu provided. We always order the chicken salteado. It was ok this time, something missing, and for $30 it wasn't worth that price. The Cuban Sandwich, they state is a winning Cuban Sandwich. We have been trying different Cuban Sandwiches lately. This is definitely on the bottom of the list, it's very dry, it doesn't have any flavor. It was a big disappointment. My favorite here, and it's an always must have is the 1905 salad. It is so simple, but I just can't get enough. It's still so good. Service was pretty good. Nice guy, pretty helpful. I still really like Columbia. I think some locals think it's a tourist trap, but whatever it is, I still like going and bringing out of town guests. I love this location. I've been to most locations too. read more

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Birthday dinner for my husband and we were very excited to try it. Service was not good. Very very slow, left with empty glasses a couple times....ordered the famous salad as a side to our entrees, entrees came and salad never did. At that point, didn't bother to mention it. Food was decent. read more

Columbia is an institution in Tampa, reportedly the oldest restaurant in Florida, but despite living here for almost 3 years I've never been. I happily jumped at the chance to go to their Sand Key location, which was spacious and rustically decorated (though the parking situation was highly competetive). I made reservations for a large group for a Friday night reunion. I called in to modify the reservation twice, and both times the person I spoke to on the phone was very friendly and helpful. There were no issues with our reservation. Our server got everyone's order a right and did several separate checks with no issue. On to the food. For a Cuban restaurant they actually had a decent smattering of vegetarian options for my wife. We share the black bean cakes and stuffed mushrooms which were both good, if not game-changing. I was very happy with my stuffed salmon. Big portion, perfectly cooked, lots of seafood stuffing, big pile of savory yellow rice as a side. My only gripe was the parchment paper it was served with. A lot of it got stuck in the fish and I was pulling little paper pieces out of my mouth for the whole meal. My wife liked her eggplant. Overall a good meal; our whole group was happy, and they did a great job accommodating us. I think the hype is worth it; I can't speak for the Tampa location, but the Sand Key location won me over as a dinner destination for a group. read more

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Love Columbia!! Have been to a few. This one is fairly close to home. The view is amazing! We had a pitcher of red sangria which was delicious! We did the half Cuban sandwich and half 1905 salad. Very delicious although the salad could have used more lemon. Cuban was great, crunchy and flavorful. We split bread pudding which is dynamite!! So hot and chocolatey, gooey and amazing!! It's a huge portion so we took half home! Our server James was kind of blah. He was a good server but not real personable or friendly. Overall a delicious fun lunch out!! read more

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The food was so good! We had the grouper, a chicken plate, some kids Mac n cheese, Caesar salad , and some tapas! The pitcher of mojito made at the table was so yummy! Eric our waiter was funny, friendly and attentive. The warm bread and butter is so AMAZING. It's a very big restaurant right on the inter-coastal. We sat inside the chairs were not comfortable and the bathroom floor was sticky. The plant next to our table was also very dusty. But we really enjoyed our meal. Reservations are highly recommended. read more

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This is the fourth columbia restaurant that we've been to , and by far, this is our most favorite colombia. The interaction with the staff talking about restaurants. Our waitress Courtney was awesome, checked on us several times throughout the meal.Talked about food in general, and had a genuine person to person talk, a lot of restaurants, staff don't interact with you that way. They did here, and it was really nice. Our food from the appetizers to the famous 1905 salad, Our main courses was amazing, brought back a lot of memories for my wife from her family being from cuba food was very authentic. All the photos and memorabilia, on the walls, was nice to see This restaurant is tucked away in a little shopping center.You would not even know it's here. It's right on the water where you can see jet skis, boats and even an occasional dolphin while you're eating your dinner. If you're staying on sand key or in the clearwater area, definitely a must do! read more

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We have wanted to always try this place based on the reviews we've read and how folks have raved about the food. I'm so glad we did, it more than lived up to the hype. This place has so much history and it's all on display with tons of photos from its was long history in the area. While we were really impressed with the food the service was what we enjoyed. Roberto was our waiter and he could not have been more welcoming and helpful. He took the time to help stand what we liked and then pointed us in the right direction on the menu. And boy was he spot on! I had the Fideua de Mariscos which is an incredible mixed of seafood prepared in a very flavorful spicy tomato sauce with garlic, white wine and chili pepper. A healthy amount of Large shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams were cooked in this dish on top of fresh pasta. Roberto talked us out of ordering an appetizer and I'm so glad he did, I ended up taking home half the dish. My wife had the Eggplant Riojana and it was equally as flavorful and a very large helping. And did I mention the restaurant is located directly on the water in Sand Key which is less than a mile away from Clearwater Beach. The views are spectacular and while we sat inside it was still an amazing view of the intercostal. So if you stop in ask for Roberto, he'll hook you up or pretty much the whole staff if very friendly. read more

Columbia Restaurant - Fideua de Mariscos - Spanish Near Me - Clearwater Beach, Florida

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I have eaten at the OG Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City many times and found myself next door to an offshoot while on a recent stay at the Clearwater Beach Marriott Resort on Sand Key. I had enough of the bar food at Kokomo's bar and grille and used Yelp to look to see what was nearby. I was shocked to see the Columbia was literally next door...! I wish I knew this earlier...! I'd have never eaten anything at Kokomo's...! This visit I had a Mr. Clean experience; and had the best server in the room! Donn was amazing and one of the best servers you could hope for! He was super familiar with the menu and also quite intuitive of every guest's needs. You cannot go wrong having Donn as your server. The food was absolutely phenomenal...!!!! Epic Cuban Sandwich and Black Beans & rice. The fresh bread brought to the table was hot! Fresh out of the oven. The first bread I've had in two months so was a nice treat! This location is right on Tampa Bay with amazing views and chill Sand Key ambience! read more