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.

Cute welcoming cigar bar in what feels like a cozy house. Large selection of quality cigars. Super…read morefriendly bartender who hangs out on the porch with customers when not working. Fantastic red sangria. Like, FANTASTIC. Nice outside seating. "Kids welcome" and I mean that in the sense of we brought our 4 year old bc we're on vacation and didn't have a sitter there, sat outside with him away from the smoke while I had my drink. Another night (we went there a few times) I saw another little girl there quietly watching a show in her iPad while her parents smoked. So if you need to bring your kid, you can but not your wild kid. I also saw well behaved dogs

I come here to have a glass of wine or port with fri new that like to have a cigar. Inside and…read moreoutside seating to accommodate your preference (and based on the weather). It's a little off theaim drag but easily accessible by foot. It's quieter, but still some great people watching. Isabela still works most days. She's a nice lady. Mike holds down the Monday night shift. He's a great guy. Sit at the bar and share stories while you enjoy an El Presidente or a glass of something. My friends tell me the cigar selection is decent, they are good, and reasonably priced. I recommend this place for a nice relaxing time!!

Very cozy French bistro located in the historic downtown area of St. Augustine. It's known for its…read moreintimate atmosphere, vast wine list, and classic French dishes. The owner is very hospitable and knows his menu like the back of his hand and made great recommendations. My partner who had failed scallops in a prior encounter elsewhere fell in love all over again with them here. They were cooked in a flavorful and delicious buttered wine sauce with asparagus; it was the perfect start. The sautéed shrimp was the freshest seafood I had tasted in the area. The crème brûlée was a perfect ending to a fantastic and epic class dinner.

Service and food were excellent. We were celebrating 2…read morebirthdays. Had onion soup ( great) , escargot, Mushroom Risotto with Scallops ( fantastic) And without the scallops Good wine selection ! And dessert for the birthdays on the house Crème Brûlée , and Chocolate lava cake with ice cream Yum. We will be back

Simply, Amazing!…read more Llama is among the best dining experiences I've ever had. I would give 6 stars if that were possible! The food was super tasty and beautifully presented. My ceviche Classico was fresh, fragrant, and delicious. Pro tip: get the hot peppers on the side. The service was great. Thanks, Alondra. The star of this evening was the immersive and authentic atmosphere. I felt like I could be hanging out at a cafe in Peru. I would not have been surprised to see a morochuco tie up his horse, and sidle in to enjoy some pisco and anticuchos at the bar!

We arrived at Llama on Anastasia Island during a storm at 4:55 p.m. and stood outside under the tin…read moreoverhang while dirty water dripped on us. The lady at the bar and two waiters could clearly see us through the windows, yet instead of opening four minutes early, they simply watched us stand there in the rain. When they finally opened, we walked into an empty restaurant. We were literally the first customers there and the place was completely empty. We asked to be seated and were told by the hostess that reservations only were accepted. We then asked if we could at least sit at the bar and eat there, but she said the bar was only for people waiting and no food would be served there. What makes this even more frustrating is that when you drive by, there is nothing indicating reservations are required. We discovered the restaurant while passing through the area and were excited to try it. The flavors may be unique, but the attitude felt unnecessarily pretentious for a restaurant that should make more of an effort to accommodate walk ins, especially when the dining room was empty.

This is such a cute place. We got a charcuterie board and enjoyed some drinks and live music. It…read morewas cold when we visited and they had heaters which helped. I would highly recommend Casa De Vino 57 if you're looking for a night cap at the end of the day.

One of my favorite spots in St.Augustine. :) I had the warm mulled wine this time! Perfect!read more

I had high hopes when I walked up the stairs to this beautiful top of us/wine bar. Unfortunately,…read moremy expectations were not met. The sangria was not impressive. Honestly, this drink did not even resemble sangria....It tasted like juice and did not even come in a wine glass. On top of that, I got the seared tuna tapas which was $35. I felt like this was worth about $18. It was incredibly overly seasoned with some salty blend, the quality of the fish was not impressive, and the salad that accompanied it was soggy. Then, I got left with a $60 bill even though everything was pretty bad.

Pros: walked in with a group of 7 and were seated immediately…read more Lots of vegetarian and pescatarian options Food came our fast Food was fun for sharing Focaccia was delicious Cons: they don't have a bathroom in the restaurant so we had to leave the restaurant to use the bathroom (and the public bathroom downstairs was closed for cleaning so we had to walk a couple blocks to next bathroom. Very annoying). Food was ok. Sangria was ok. Prices were standard for st. Aug.

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.

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.

This by far was the best meal I had this trip! Everything…read moreabout this restaurant is 1st class. The staff is amazing and the craft drinks are great Even the homemade soda my daughter got was incredible. The salad was a work of art! And was amazing. The burger was cooked perfectly. Very cool restaurant and I will definitely be going back.

The ice plant was so good that we ate there two days in a row…read more We had the blue crab beignets BOTH days, they were heavenly pillows of goodness, and they were not skimpy with the blue crab. Also loved the fried chicken and hoecakes. Amazing. The drinks had a bit of variation between bartenders. They were all good though, so no complaints. It's a little bit outside of the "party" area of town but still walkable and completely worth it!! We ate at quite a few places and this was the stand out.