We stopped in for dinner and sat at the bar. What a great visit. Thanks to Carolyn, it felt like we…read morevisited a family member for dinner. The food was delicious. Do not forget to have dessert and coffee, both were worth the calories.

Cheryl and I celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary today with dinner at Columbia Restaurant in…read moreSt. Augustine, and I can honestly say it was one of those afternoons where everything just came together exactly the way you hope it will. We had made reservations ahead of time, and when we arrived, we were seated immediately. That set the tone right away, no waiting, no stress, just walking in and being welcomed like the day actually mattered, which of course it did to us. Our waiter, Elijah, was outstanding. He struck that perfect balance, attentive without hovering, always nearby when we needed something, but never interrupting the flow of our dinner. You can tell when someone takes real pride in their work, and that's exactly how he came across. It made a difference. For dinner, I ordered the Shrimp Salteado, and Cheryl had the Chicken Salteado. Both dishes were excellent, rich with flavor, perfectly cooked, and exactly what you want from the Columbia's Spanish-Cuban style. My shrimp was tender and well-seasoned, and Cheryl's chicken had that same depth of flavor that makes you slow down and really enjoy each bite. Nothing felt rushed, nothing felt off, just consistently great food from start to finish. What makes the experience even more meaningful is the history you're sitting inside. The Columbia isn't just another restaurant, it's part of Florida's story. It was founded in 1905 by Casimiro Hernandez Sr. in Ybor City and has grown into Florida's oldest continuously operated restaurant. Knowing that you're dining in a place with that kind of legacy, where generations of families have gathered for celebrations, adds something you can't really replicate anywhere else. As we sat there together, celebrating 31 years of marriage, it just felt right. The atmosphere, the service, the food, it all lined up with the moment. Everyone we encountered was attentive and genuinely kind, and that consistency is what turns a good dinner into a memorable one. For us, it wasn't just a meal. It was the kind of experience you hope for on an anniversary, one where you can relax, reflect, and just enjoy being together. And today, the Columbia delivered that perfectly.

Everything about De Leon Cocina is five star. They have traditional, vegan, and gluten free…read moreoptions. I am vegetarian and had the black bean arepas and tostones. The arepas were perfectly crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. The beans were simultaneously simple and complex. The sauce that comes with them was a perfect match. The tostones were large and crispy - not overly dense nor mushy. The music and overall ambiance was chef's kiss. I am excited to go back soon!

My wife and I took my mom, who was visiting from So Cal, to Saint Augustine. We got on the Old…read moreTrolley Tour (informative but overpriced) and decided to head out to De Leon Cocina for lunch. We got off the trolley at Stop 20, National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche, and were going to walk to the restaurant. Unbeknownst to us, there was no crosswalk to cross the busy Ponce de Leon boulevard. Mom isn't as spry as she once was so we didn't risk crossing without a crosswalk, so we had to walk another 1/4 or so to the nearest crosswalk then doubled back to the restaurant. Located in the The Ponce St. Augustine hotel, the restaurant is just to the left of the main doors. We had to wait a bit to get seated as the lone server had to clean a table first. Service was slow. I ordered the Bistec a Caballo (medium), my wife tried their Pork de Leon with fries and my mom opted for the Inca bowl. Did I say service was slow? Our orders weren't synched up. My order and my wife's sandwich were served first and we had to wait a few minutes before my mom's dish was served. My wife liked her sandwich and fries although she thought the shredded pork was a bit dry. My mom liked the flavors of her dish, with tender cuts of meat and smoky soy sauce flavor. The Bistec a Caballo had decent flavors BUT that steak was tough, even ordered medium. I felt like I was cutting through shoe leather cutting it with the serrated knife. Slow service and a tough steak bumped our rating down. We just couldn't overlook the quality and/or preparation of my steak, even with good flavors. Lunch for 3 came out to just over $67 with tip. Oh yeah, they add a surcharge for credit card payments.

THE RESTAURANT: Very clean! THE FOOD: The food is very…read moreauthentic Cuban food, as far as we can tell. It was so good we came back a second time a day later for lunch!. We got a chicken empanada & a beef empanada. They were delicious! Then we got a guava pastry.which I think was a special treat! ! We also got the flan. It was perfect without being too eggy. For drinks, my husband had the Malta India & a Cuban Coffee. I hag a cafe con Lache. All three were great! THE SERVICE: Service here is always with a smile & fast!

Walking around Saint Augustine on a busy spring break March day we stopped by the Cuban Cafe for…read morelunch. Lots of people, very popular, no inside seating but we did snag an outdoor table. The ordering process seemed chaotic but I ordered two Cuban sandwiches and a Cafe Con Leche for lunch. Told the wait would be 15 minutes, we sat outside in the meantime. After 25 minutes and no sandwiches, I inquired inside as to the status - finally, five minutes later the sandwiches were ready. However, no Cafe Con Leche . Again went inside, waited for the front desk server to process several orders before I could ask about the status of the drink. Nothing had been made, so another five minutes for the drink order. By this time I was plenty hungry, and was disappointed with the Cuban sandwich. It's basically a toasted ham sandwich, nothing particularly unique about it. Given the hassles just getting the meal entailed, not a great experience.

Excellent birthday dinner at Asado. Stopped by without a reservation and they were able to fit our…read moreparty of four in. Two had the porterhouse for two and it was excellent. Also had salmon and a small steak. Good drinks and wine. Definitely recommend for St Augustine.

We decided on a Sunday morning that we wanted to go to Asado Life for dinner. We've been meaning to…read moretry it, but hadn't yet made time for the 45 min. drive. Well, we finally made it and were so glad we did! Our reservation was for 4:45 and we arrived early (so we still had the option for the lunch menu choices). We sat on the patio and the water view was a bonus, made for a chill vibe. Our server was friendly, told us a bit about the menu and brought our drinks. We decided to start with a house salad, which was perfectly light and refreshing, it hit the spot! For dinner we ordered the trio (for 1) to share (with 2 sides of rice) and it was the perfect amount of food. We requested medium rare for the picanha (steak) and our server told us that's how all their meat is cooked. Unfortunately it came out more like medium (on the med well side), but was still very tender and tasty. I really enjoyed the crispy seasoned crust. The chicken was delicious, love the chimichurri topping. The chorizo was ok, not our favorite. It was accented with broccolini, carrots and potatoes. Those were yummy, wish there had been a few more. Overall, we were very pleased. Atmosphere was 10/10. We explored the little market, loved the option to buy several of the menu items (dressing, chimichurri, etc.). We would have liked to see the outside grills working, I feel like the "show" is part of the draw. Unfortunately they weren't in use when we were there, the server said due to it being a slow night. I'm looking forward to our next visit and trying more of the menu items.

Just an absolute waste of time and money. The service was terrible. I was the only person in line…read moreand the older, white woman working was so rude -- the type of attitude that makes you wonder why they even choose to be around anyone that breathes. The price of a single empanada is not listed, at check out my price was just as much as the meal, so I asked about making it a meal and the attitude just got worse. Unbiased to the service the empanadas are repulsive, flavorless beef filling and a crust that's twice as thick as the meat. (2) empanadas and (1) off brand bottle of water $21. Save yourself time and GO ANYWHERE ELSE, there is too much competition in St. Augustine for trash service and food.

We stopped here for a quick lunch and we all enjoyed it. The young lady at the register was very…read morenice and friendly and the atmosphere was just perfect as sat outside at a table. The food was delicious and a perfect portion for what we were wanting.

Iced Cafe Con Leche and homemade flan! Wow! Taste of heaven! I'll be back for some pastries ....read more

Very good Cuban sandwiches! Got in right on time because the place filled up really quick! Give…read moreit a try if you want a quick meal!

Great place just steps from the beach! Sara was our awesome bartender!! Great drinks, awesome…read morefood! Don't pass this place!

The good, bad, and ugly. No ugly here! A fun and funky unpretentious restaurant - I will be back!!…read moreHad to wait 20 minutes on a Thursday night, Everywhere was hopping at 6:30 nearby as we walked arou d while waiting. GOOD: Good size portions, reasonable prices, especially for cocktails. The same margarita would be $14 elsewhere. I had the "Wrap it up mango" tuna wrap with fried plaintains as my side. Plaintains were a big portion, so I took half home. The wrap was very tropical with fruit and sushi grade tuna. I ate it all, which was greedy of me, but I enjoyed it and felt overfull (my bad). Hubby had the clam and shrimp chowder and 2 apps. Very tender clams, thick texture and more shrimp flavor than clam, tasty for sure. Conch fritters good and in our top 5 (we get them everywhere and have been disappointed but now here). The wings were cooked perfectly, not heavy and crispy. The key lime flavor was good but too light. BAD: Service was a bit slow, but our waitress was super friendly and welcoming. The other servers seemed right on top of the other diners. 2 person tables are a bit too small if you order multiple appetizers. But nothing bad at all here.

Service kind of slow! Cute little place. Just grabbed a ginger beer here and I loved it! Spicy too!…read moreMade in the USA! We were not hungry maybe next time in town we'll try a bite. Told my husband that I even love the color of the beer. Hubby got Blue Chiar spice rum with coke. They don't carry Captain Morgan spice rum. Kind of dark which I really don't care for dark places but it wasn't too bad. Service can be better!

The city was packed for Night of Lights kickoff. Not a place without a long line. We somehow ended…read moreup here, quite lucky to find a table. Our server Jude, was bustling all night. The place seemed understaffed for the overwhelming crowds. But Jude got it done as did the rest of the staff. Fresh catch of the day was mahi. Oh my goodness, I swear it's the best I've had. My husbands shrimp was huge and delicious. The beers went down nice and cold. We will def be back. Great service, great food, and great ambiance. Sorry, no pics! Too tired and hungry. lol

We had comfortable seating outside, and the weather was perfect. I ordered the avocado and roasted…read morered pepper taco. It was amazingly good with a perfect avocado and a tasty house made sauce. Our server was great and very attentive. Highly recommend this place, though I can't guarantee the perfect weather

Cute, lowkey spot! Really nice service and the food was pretty good! We were a large party on…read moreChristmas Day and they really accommodated us.

The Conch House Restaurant was great. We arrived expecting a long wait, they said 25-35 minutes,…read moreand took us less than ten to get seated. Our waitress was wonderful, her name escapes me, but she was great. I had the Minorcan Smash burger, which was great! Mark had the nights special of a grilled fish (mahi?) It was wonderful! It was a bit chilly, the wind was blowing. The palatable (sp?) style tables were adorable!

Came out to see a band play and it was a time! In all the years I've been in the area I had never…read morereally been to see a band here! The drinks were great. And some were quite a heavy pour... if you're into that kind of thing. And the lines in the bar area out back went pretty quick and the service was lovely. However the food was a different story. We were told a certain amount of time and it ended up being about double that. I heard the same story from others as well. We had to order basically "to go" inside and wait and take it outside to our table. Fine process. But LONG. The food was pretty good tho. Can't rush tasty food. It would just be nice to have a more accurate time. If you say 15 mins I'll just wait there. But when it's nearing 40 mins and now I've missed some of the band - that's a bummer. I would have just gone back out and came back to check in. Idk. There has to be a better process there somewhere. It won't keep me away tho!