Ambience: beautiful, lively. Service: Anna was very helpful with our dinner choices mine was the sampler of pork, steak, and empanada. The flavors were spot on. Beans were tender and flavorful. Steak and pork were fork tender. The empanada was flaky with a beef filling. Overall this place is great Caesar salad was dressed well. Maybe a little too much dressing read more

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To begin, the restaurant is absolutely gorgeous! We had a reservation and I'm glad we did, because the restaurant was packed! My friend and I were helped by a very lovely waiter named Michael. He was very attentive and overall helpful. My friend and I ordered stuffed peppers which were quite tasty. My friend ordered stuffed shrimp dish which he said he enjoyed. My chicken dish while was pretty standard and edible left me unsatisfied. It lacked in seasoning. While the lemon sauce added the needed acidity, the dish overall needed something to elevate it. The asparagus as a veggie side needed another minute of cooking. The cherry tomatoes were tight so I had to be careful not to burst them and splatter their insides all over the white tablecloth or my shirt. Finally, the yellow rice was nothing special. I may even had better rice from a local bodega which you can find anywhere in NYC. All in all, I was not inspired, and will definitely not be returning. read more

The Columbia - Chicken dish, can't recall the name. - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

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Went there for my father's 78th bday on August 4th with a party of 7. The ambience is quite nice there and the service was good although it took quite a while for the food to come out. My wife and I split the paella. It was so-so. My son and his friend ordered some sort of beef and sausage dish that had a weird taste almost like manure. My sister's grouper was decent and my dad liked the snapper. The appetizers- scallops, some sort of pepper dish and black bean cakes were underwhelming. Credit for the ambience and service but ultimately it's about the food and it was very average. read more

Totally disappointed in our dinner. Our empanadas were good, in the gambas al ajillo, the garlic was completely burned which transferred the burned flavor to the shrimp. The Paella was a sticky goo, the milanesa steaks were nice and tender but somewhat tasteless, my wife had the steak salteado which lacked flavor and was tough. The appetizer Cuban bread was nice and hot but lacked salt. I had eaten here years ago but this time the anticipation was met with complete disappointment by my family. The server was very good and friendly, as was all the staff we observed. We were hoping for a different experience as we recently moved close by and expected to frequent more often. The men's room was a disgusting mess, says a lot about a place when the restrooms are not taken care of properly. Unfortunately we will not return anytim read more

The atmosphere, ambiance, decor is truly unique & beautiful. The servers are top notch with a great eye to detail... Unfortunately, First off, both our cocktails were overly sweet and if there was any alcohol added it was definitely added scantily and at the prices we were charged there should be a little bit of a bite found and there was none. On another positive note Both our appetizers were chef's kiss! With the calamari being some of the best that we both ever had.. BUT both our dinner choices were exceedingly salty, to the point that we ate maybe a 3rd of our dinner. We kept trying to eat our meal using torn bread as a means to temper down the salt level, And we really wanted to love it- the Flavor was so on point! It was just wayyyy toooo much salt added & it made it truly impossible to enjoy. Which was a disappointment, and we were dismayed on how such a top notch restaurant such as this allowed two separate plates to come out of the kitchen with such a assault to both the tongue and the cardiac system... We still loved our visit though & would definitely come again. Just Next time sticking with appetizers only & no cocktails. read more

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We Columbia Restaurant. We have been to all the locations. This one in St Augustine as the last one. Beautiful exterior, great Christmas decor. Friendly and patient staff. Food is delicious. My husband had the Cannoli Langoustine and I had the Spanish Bean Soup and 1905 Salad plus the Cuban bread. Delicious and filling. At all the locations we have never had a mediocre or questionable dish. Staff at all the locations are friendly, sweet , patient and kind. I'm f you thought about coming, don't hesitate ... go you'll be happy! read more

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Having a RSVP is a must. Our waitress was great. Our original table was near a door, which wasn't great as the cold from outside was coming in. We were switched to another table upon request. My old fashion was delicious. The bread is so good. The calamari was average. The paella was delicious. NY strip didn't come out at the requested temperature. The lechón was a very small portion but good. The palomilla was also decent. Overall a nice experience. read more

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Food was cold,plantains were dry and like rubber. Love this place but caught it on a bad night. Be a while before we go back.

Oh boy was this place a big hit with us! Appetizers were amazing! I got the gazpacho and my wife got their black bean soup. My wife is not a fan of gazpacho but she loved this as much as I did. The black bean soup is a must try as well. Main course I got the paella and my wife got the Cannelloni de langosta. Again they hit a home run, no I'm sorry, it was a grand slam! I didn't want dinner to end! Drinks I'm a big margarita person so if that's your taste, you will not be disappointed as this is one of the best I've had!! My wife had the Paloma and again delicious! Ambience Outstanding. I think the one word description says it all. Service Sean our waiter is a true professional and was very informative, pleasant and prompt with everything. I wish I could teleport this place to my hometown! But then again I might go broke because this is a place that I wouldn't be able to get enough of and a must stop if you are in St Augustine. You will not be disappointed read more

The Columbia - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

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Stopped by The Columbia while in St Augustine and it was a very nice restaurant. It had a nice classic and period look. The service was good and we were taken care of very well and quickly. The food was very good and would definitely recommend the restaurant.. read more

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Another wonderful lunch at a classic St. Augustine restaurant. The food is always fresh and delicious. Today started with the stuffed peppers and then had the Apollo manchego with a 1905 salad. As always I requested Sean as our server because he is simple the best. Attentitive and knows what I want to drink and puts it inthe table as soon as he shows up to say "hello". read more

The Columbia - Second floor - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

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If you know you know!!!! Such a delicious experience. The Cuban bread is my favorite . The 1905 salad is really good too read more

The Columbia - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

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This branch of the original Columbia in Ybor/Tampa is just as good, and the structure and interior was beautiful and unique! The food was all excellent. Our server was very attentive and took pride in her job, she has been working there for a very long time so hopefully that means they treat staff well. Our food was excellent and she even brought us our dessert warm but in a to-go box as we knew we could only get a small bite in since we were stuffed! read more

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We went here for late lunch this past weekend and very much enjoyed the whole experience. From decor to service to food, everything was superb. Our waiter was very attentive and pleasant. The interior design makes you feel like you are visiting your long lost Spanish relatives and dining at their house somewhere in South America. Even the menus were customized to make you feel like a special guest. We ordered empanadas, gazpacho, shrimp tapas plate and a paella. Everything was delicious. The mojito was excellent. The prices were pretty reasonable. Would definitely recommend this place! read more

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Columbia Restaurant - A Taste of Tradition in the Heart of St. Augustine Dining at Columbia Restaurant in St. Augustine is like stepping into a warm, familiar memory--even if it's your first time. From the moment you walk through the doors, you're transported into a space where culture, history, and hospitality are served up with every plate. I had the paella, and let me just say--it was phenomenal. Rich, aromatic, and full of the kind of deep flavor that tells you someone's abuela taught the kitchen well. The arroz con pollo was equally impressive--comforting, savory, and generously portioned. Heads up: the plates here aren't shy. I recommend starting slow--one dish at a time--unless you're ready to be sent home with leftovers for days (not that you'll mind). The atmosphere is nothing short of beautiful. It's lively, elegant, and steeped in tradition, but still relaxed enough that you can enjoy yourself without the pressure of a dress code. That said, the space almost begs you to dress up a little--if only to match the energy of the room and the timeless décor. From hand-painted tiles to wrought iron accents, it's a visual treat, perfect for selfies, date nights, or those quiet moments you want to remember forever. There's live music, laughter in the air, and a feeling that you're somewhere special. The sangria was flowing, the conversations around us felt like celebrations, and for a couple of hours, we forgot about everything else but the joy on our table. Columbia doesn't just serve food--they serve heritage, heart, and a bit of magic. We'll be back soon. And next time, we'll bring more room in our stomachs--and maybe a nicer shirt. With gratitude, Clem read more

I love The Columbia, and have ever since we lived in Tampa and visited frequently. I don't get to St. Augustine as often as in the past, and was happy when our group decided to come here after a tour at the Lightner Museum. We had a large party, so the wait for the table was anticipated, even though we had notified them in advance. At first we had two servers who took drink orders, etc., but by the end of the meal we seemed to have only one, and she was difficult to find. The reason for the 3 stars - first we were seated upstairs right above the host/hostess stand. I have no problem with staff talking and having fun at work, but they were making bird calls and hooting and being incredibly loud, and the sound just bounced over us quite unpleasantly. A couple of times we discussed actually going downstairs and asking them to tone it down a bit. Truly sounded as if we were at some type of fiesta or keg party. Second, I ordered my favorite salad (which I told the table multiple times) 1907 salad w/cup of soup. First the salad was minus the olives. I saw others at the table had olives on theirs, so know they were available, but mine had none. Second, the "size" of the salads varied considerably. The person next to me ordered the salad combo as well, and her salad was served on a plate alone, and filled the plate. Mine was served next to my soup container and took no room at all. Very inconsistent. The soup - hmmnm. Although very good in taste, it was not a soup. It was just a cup of black beans and rice. No liquid at all. Not a drop. This is not soup. I just felt disappointed as you have an expectation when you come here, and it just was not up to the standard that I have come to expect. read more

The Columbia - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

I've been wanting to eat here since my previous visit to St Augustine. We were able to walk in when they first opened and made a reservation for mid afternoon. We returned and were seated right away in a gorgeous indoor courtyard yard next to a fountain. The interior is very pretty and gives a real authentic vibe. We had big loaves of bread given to each of us with butter for the table. The server was friendly and helpful when deciding what to order. We each got glass of red sangria which was SOOOOO GOOD. I wish we would have ordered the pitcher since it served 4 glasses for the cost of 3. Now let's talk food. Ordered the beef empanadas that come with 2. Delicious. A must order. For our entrees we each got the split plate of Cuban sandwiches with the house salad. The salad is made table side and the special ingredient is Worchestershire sauce! How interesting! I though everything was so tasty and fresh. Plenty of food for the cost. I recommend everyone visiting here. read more

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

i've been wanting to try this restaurant for a long time. We were here for lunch. The sangria was good, but mainly just tasted like red wine. The complementary Cuban bread was served warm and we ate all of it. They dress the salad table side and I'm glad I was able to ask for not all the dressing. Even then it was overdressed. The fish in my husband's sandwich was a little overcooked. my Cuban sandwich was really good. We were not able to finish all our food. read more

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Went in today with my sister I got a Cuban and a salad and a dessert all for $30 and had a really nice server named Mitch. Mitch was super nice and very helpful and kept our drinks refilled. Thank you so much, Mitch! read more

The Columbia - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

This place is absolute tourist trap. Food was mediocre, table was shaky, silverware was dirty. Our experience was total disappointment.

Second time going to The Columbia. First time was in Sarasota and now in Saint Augustine. This was a party of 8 dinning in. Ambiance was nicer than the one in Sarasota. This one had three floors and it looked so much better crowded with people of course. Service Our server was Oscar. Oscar was great. Very attentive and did not disappoint with drinks and food. I like draft beers and recommended the only draft beer they have which was not bad. I actually enjoyed it. Very nice guy and willing to serve. Thank you Oscar for a great time. 5 stars for this guy for sure. Food This is where I have a second try to The Columbia and didn't really make me enjoy the food as much. My wife chose the Ropa Vieja which was actually not bad. Her and I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars on this. Beef was tender and seasoned right just wished there was more of it. Rice was also good. Also, my wife ordered a side of black beans which was delicious. I had the Cuba Completa. My food took the longest due to making an empanada. The empanada was 5 out of 5. I would have been satisfied just eating than the rest of the meal to be honest. My Round beef was so bland. I took 3 bites and did not like it at all. It had no seasoning and honestly looked like mystery meat. The pork on the other hand was pretty good, so I would have chosen this alone with rice and beans. However, yellow rice was not bad, the black beans on mine had overwhelming amount of garlic taste. I retried tasting my wife's beans and it was different. So there was inconsistency with the beans. So overall meal 3 out of 5. Dessert Flan was 5 out of 5. Delicious. I had cafe con leche which was also good. Overall, since this is my second time eating in this restaurant, it is a bit disappointing. The meal is so overpriced for the quality of the food. Wished the service be as good as the food. Oscar hands down great server. Food quality on the entrees for the price wasn't good. Empanadas and flan, I would eat all day! read more

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This restaurant was one of the worst experiences of my life. The service was horrible, our server seemed to be nice to everyone in the section except for us. He threw our bread on our plates, handed us our appetizers while talking to another table, and generally ignored our existence. This wouldn't have even bothered me as much if it wasn't for the horrible food. This restaurant had possible the worst paella I have ever eaten. The seafood in it did not taste fresh in the slightest, the shrimp was rubbery and hard. The texture of the clams was off and honestly tasted like the frozen clams you can get in Publix. As someone who has eaten a lot of paellas, this one was a strange artificial color of yellow. It also was only warm for about five seconds and then it turned cold, I'm pretty sure it was reheated. Not only this but the 1905 salad was not as good as I expected coming into the restaurant and overall I'm severely disappointed. This restaurant's entire clientele was older and white, there were some racist undertones in our experiences with everyone in there. read more

The Columbia - Paella de Valencia (tastes horrible) - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

Okay it started with an unpleasant welcoming we waited online for 10 minutes I went up to the front to see if it was okay to bring my dog even in the patio and they said it was okay Three people ahead of me had no reservations they gave them tables and as soon as I got to the front they denied me not cool read more

If you want authentic Spaniard-Cuban style cuisine, then this is the place for you! From the service to the food, everything was amazing! The servers are so attentive and the food is delicious. The restaurant is elegant and rustic. Reservations are highly encouraged. It's is always busy here and walk in waiting times can be 2-3 hours before a table becomes available. read more

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beautiful restaraunt with table side sangria. we went on the first night of the christmas lights, so it was packed. we had a reservation for 6:15, but didn't get seated until 7pm. They overbooked. I wish they told us we would have to wait so long, other wise we would've left. The food was good and very filling. The mahi mahi was kindof dry. But the free bread was good, rice was tasty, plaintains were delicious. Atmosphere was beautiful, waitress was great and sang for my birthday. She was great read more

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Best Cuban sandwich I've ever had! The table side service is excellent, both the 1905 salad, pitcher of Sangria and pitcher of Mojitos were all fantastic. Everything we ordered was top notch. Don't get too full on the half loaf of fresh baked Cuban bread they bring to each person at the table. The ambiance is great incredible too, very well done. We will definitely eat there again when we are in the area! read more

The inside of Columbia is absolutely beautiful and transcends you into a different country. Our server Dani was so great. She was spot on and very engaging. We tried several dishes and all were good. Nothing spectacular but the experience makes this place so special. The original salad is amazing and the empanadas were so flavorful. read more

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Amazing. Table side service and great authentic food. Beautiful setting - you have bring your lady here.

My fiancé and I came here for an early Valentine's Day dinner as we were visiting St. Augustine for the weekend. I made a reservation ahead of time and although we arrived very early, they seated us right away. We had a fantastic server as she was very kind and attentive! Shortly after being seated we were able to order drinks then food. Everything came out very quickly as it felt we only waited maybe 10 minutes for food to come out from the moment of ordering. I started out with the Tango Mango and my fiancé started out with the margarita garrafon. My drink was fantastic. I love rum and Bacardi especially so this was definitely for me. The floater was a great touch. His margarita on the other hand wasn't the best. Way too heavy in Brandy that it masked the orange liquor and lime juice. Just straight Brandy with hints of tequila. We ordered the empanada de picadillo for our app and they were fantastic. Perfectly crispy shells with their delicious beef filling. We were also given bread and butter before our meal and the bread was delightful and large too! I ordered the chicken salteado and he ordered the picadillo criollo. I enjoyed my chicken but it was slightly rubbery. The sauce was delicious and so was the rice! The vegetables were good but there was just way too many green peppers. There were more green peppers than anything else on the plate. His picadillo criollo was delicious as well! Perfectly cooked and the sauce was addictive. We ended the night with key lime pie and a surprise flan for my birthday as well. The key lime pie was perfect and the flan was delicious. Couldn't go wrong with either dessert choice. read more

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Truly a gem! Every bit was delicious, no lie. The best Sangria of my life (shared the Cava pitcher and a sip of the tinto). Tapas were everything I could hope for! Small portions, we shared 7 tapas and one entree family style for four adults and were pleasantly stuffed. -Devil croquettes set a new level for crab cakes...and I'm from the PNW so I have some opinions on those. -Flatbread special appetizer was simultaneously cheesy and meaty, a flavor indulgent enough to satisfy but light enough to not knock out my appetite quite yet. -Tipo mixto skewers were succulent, no better word for juicy meat morsels and sweet caramelized onions. - Shrimp al ajillo was the star of the show, we ordered two! Shrimp braised in olive oil garlic and herbs. The shrimp are great, but the real star is the olive oil for bread dipping! I'll be dreaming about the sweet-savory-garlic nectar for the rest of my life I'm sure. - Mushrooms were similarly amazing! Packed with herbs and garlic, roasted until tender, each bite was as satisfying in texture as in flavor Service was great! Attentive and friendly without being overbearing. Ambiance is gorgeous! Tables are far enough apart you don't have to worry about bumping into other diners. I'm sorry I don't have pictures! I'm so bad at remembering photos... read more

Always the best a Florida classic. You have to have the 1905 salad, but I'd it's summer time and fresh tomatoes are in season, have the tomato salad! The boliche is my favorite meat dish and I love the Pompeno en Pappiot! Beautiful restaurant with consistent, excellent service. read more

The place is really nice inside. Great decor and a lot of seating. The staff are fantastic and are on top of things. The bread is awesome. I'm not a fan of the shrimp though. It seems as if it's not fresh. The chicken and rice plate is great though. read more

Normally this is a 4.5+ rating but last night the service piece was a bit lacking. Probably had to do with the amount of people due to St. Augustine's Nights of Lights Festival. Fortunately we had reservations. Lex who was our server tried to do her best but was given our table but was working a different section of the restaurant. She was very nice & was apologetic for the length of time it took to get our order. She made things right by giving the large 1905 Columbia salad at no cost. The food as always was excellent! We started with a pitcher of Mojito's which is made at your table and served about 3 glasses each. Very refreshing! Then my wife & I had the Paella La Valencia which had a nice amount of seafood with the rice cooked perfectly along with the 1905 Columbia salad & flan for dessert. All were excellent! I will count this as an anomaly as normally my past experiences @ The Columbia have been very good. read more

The Columbia - Pitcher of freshly made Mojitos! - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

My mom and I were in St. Augustine last weekend and made a reservation here for her birthday lunch. We were seated in the dining room downstairs by the friendly hostesses. Our server was AMAZING and made sure that we were taken care of. We started with the white sangria which was so tasty and surprisingly strong even though it didn't taste like it lol. Then the server brought out complimentary Cuban bread and butter for each of us. It was so fresh and warm. Then we both ordered the lunch combination for our entrees with a half Cuban sandwich and a half salad. Our server was so kind and brought out a flan for my moms birthday and they sang. Overall a great experience here and would definitely come back! read more

The Columbia - Cuban sandwich and salad lunch combination - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

As a Latina, the food was phenomenal! The service went above and beyond to have our group feel welcome and taken care of! Despite being a group of 10, we had a reservation and were seated with less than a 5 minute wait. It's a little noisy but it's a very big restaurant. It's beautiful and we were still able to have a conversation! They also have their own parking lot which is a plus! read more

The Columbia - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

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Nice lunch, though 2 salads came late & held up our group. Nice atmosphere. Service was ok.

The service was top notch. The server recommended a nice Gazpacho soup, which was excellent. I had the Paella which was equally fantastic. Try only reason for not having five stars was due to my whiskey sour. For over ten bucks it was mostly ice with not much booze or sour mix. Overall, I was very pleased read more

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We had such a great experience at The Columbia! The service was truly amazing -- our server went above and beyond, especially knowing we were traveling with our toddler. They made us feel so comfortable and really catered to our needs, which is rare and so appreciated. read more

Bringing out the old Spanish Florida charm with classics found in Ybor City. The food is perfect and they are always busy.