I so so so wanted to love this place because the atmosphere was so incredible and the restaurant is historical. The positives: The service was fantastic with out server making the salad table side. She was also very attentive with checking up on us and refilling out drinks/bread. The interior was beautiful and very unique. They had a beautiful little gift shop. The negatives: Expensive. The food was not up to our standards, especially for the price. The pork was dry and the seafood pasta did not have a very good flavor and was also a bit overdone, which was covered up by cheese, but you could tell due to the texture and flavor. Overall if you are in historic St Augustine, I would give this place another chance, but be aware that some items on the menu are significantly better than others and you may not always have consistency. read more

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Seth was the most incredible waiter!!!! It was such a lovely and wonderful night, beautiful ambiance, delicious food, great drinks, and most of all INCREDIBLE service!!! 10/10 highly recommend. read more

First time dining in St. Augustine and we very much enjoyed our total experience at Columbia Restaurant. Food, setting, and service were all good. Very different menu, it is best to read the details on everything. We will be again to explore more food and flavors. read more

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Beautiful ambiance. Great service. Shared a large tossed salad table side with shrimp and red sangria. Sat at table in the bar. Reservation a must. read more

The food was fantastic, atmosphere was beautiful and the service was great! I had the steak salteado... the sirloin tips were just perfect! My wife had the pollo manchego... some of the best chicken we've ever had. And don't sleep on the white chocolate bread pudding! Our waitress, Annalise, was phenomenal too. Friendly, attentive, and very conversational. Great experience... highly recommended! read more

The Columbia is one of the most beautiful restaurants you'll ever visit anywhere! That being said, once you go there to see it, LEAVE and go have your dining experience elsewhere. On Thursday, Nov 20, 2025, our group of 6 family members arrived at 7pm for our 7:30 pm reservations to celebrate one of our member's birthday. We were given a table in a timely manner at 7:10 pm. We were brought water and menus and two of us ordered coffees. We placed our orders and waited. After two reminders to the female server, she finally brought two coffees that were COLD. Over a half-hour later she got around to bringing two new and tepid coffees which tasted like the coffee beans were burnt before brewing. Then even after 3 times inquiring about our food, and the server saying she didn't know WHY the kitchen was taking so long, a young male kitchen worker came out with a large tray with most of our food on it. This was now 8:30 pm, almost an hour and a half after having been given the table. The server was nowhere to be seen and the kid that brought out the cold food didn't even know which table it belonged to. We had to motion to him because we recognized the plates on his tray. One of our party did NOT get her food order, which took another 25 minutes to get, so it was NOT prepared with the first batch. The food was cold, except for the one they cooked in a rush cause they forgot it the first time around. MY ribeye steak, which was supposed to be cooked "medium," was well-done on half of the steak and pretty-much burnt on the bone half. And it was COLD. I don't know how it was seasoned but it did not taste good at all. The accompanying yellow rice was also cold and looked and tasted like it came from the batch that was left over from the night before and just re-heated to make the order. The fried plantains were cold and tasted like it came from those frozen packages you buy at the market. The meal had not "zing" to it! Everyone else at our table had a similar experience. The order that was forgotten originally was at least warm but the steak and rice were likewise lacking in taste. The water and ice cubes were fine! Oh, in the end the server brought our bill and said "Thank you for visiting us." I reminded her that this was a birthday dinner and asked her what happened to the birthday song we requested and notified THREE different employees about, including the front desk upon arrival? She then whispered to me that she forgot, but which ONE was having the birthday???!!! A couple of minutes later six servers came out with a cup of flan and sang acapella the WORST rendition of a Spanish happy birthday translated song I've ever heard. Even THAT SUCKED. For this fiasco I blame the server, the cook, and the head waiter if there was one. The badly prepared food was probably placed on the "pick-up" counter and the server never bothered to get it. Eventually someone (maybe the cook who put the food there?) noticed this cold food order just sitting there for well over an hour and sent a kitchen worker to take it out. INCREDIBLE. They say laughter is the best medicine and actually our group analyzed and laughed the entire rest of the evening at our jointly-experienced WORSE-ever restaurant experience. Never again, Columbia! read more

The Columbia - Our group before going into the restaurant! - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

Amazing food from an extensive menu. All 4 of us ordered various seafood dishes and all were as fresh as can be expected. Fideua de Mariscos and the Paella Valenciana were on par with Barcelona's. Mojitos were a tad too sweet, the Sangria was perfect. Exceptional service. Offers parking. All were impressed and would return for sure. read more

The Columbia - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

Annaleese was our lead server - she and her colleagues took great care of our table of 17 adults ... yes, we had reservations for a Friday night at 7:30 and the wait time for walk-ins was 1 hr!! Pays to plan. Hostess was welcoming. Yes, we had 17 adults ... appetizers, bread (OMG), entree's, desserts, drinks! Separate tabs were no problem - and bill has a QR code that allows you to pay bill from your phone. Easy Peasy!! Manager thanked us for coming and the Chef (Albert) stopped by to ensure our meals were good. All 17 entrees arrived in a timely manner and were hot! Everyone enjoyed their meals, drinks & dessert. That white chocolate bread pudding was deliciousness! This restaurant is centrally located in historic St Augustine. Has great presence and decor. Clean bathrooms. Gift room too! read more

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We always love The Columbia! The food and service are always fantastic. It can get really busy, so I always try to get a reservation. My favorites are the Cuban bread and butter - I always eat my whole loaf. I also love the 1905 salad. We usually get an order and split it. I also love the chicken and yellow rice. The white chocolate bread pudding was yummy! The restaurant is so pretty - I love the different dining rooms and all of the colorful tile work and portraits. read more

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Visiting St Augustine and heard great things about the Columbia!!! Excellent food and friendly staff! Make a reservation as it's very busy always!!! read more

Genuinely one of the most bizarre dining experiences of my life, made more puzzling by previous reviews. In summation, subpar food and we were rushed out in what felt like record time. For all the tea: I went here with my best friend for her birthday dinner. We had reservations for 6:45, but were having trouble finding the parking lot. We called ahead to let staff know, and whoever we spoke to on the phone was super gracious. We ended up being less than 10 minutes late, which wasn't an issue and we were seated in less than 10 minutes. You may think that this was a sign for good things to come, but it was simply foreshadowing for the dinner speedrun that we would be subjected to. After being served some tap water that tasted like it came from the indoor fountain behind us. We knew what we wanted when we came in, and so we were ready to order right away. We ordered the croquettes, empanadas, and ropa vieja. I told the waitress she could bring it out all together, because we wanted to eat it all at once. I want to emphasize now that I did not at all mean this in a "we need it now we're in a rush" kind of way, but it wasn't my first day on earth and so I know sometimes the waitstaff will ask you if you want your apps at the same time as your entree. Shortly after, we got our bread, which was honestly pretty good. But, before we even got halfway through, our apps and entree were already out and being served. This was all within 20 minutes of sitting down. Literally as soon as the girl who brought out our food left, our waitress was back to ask how our food came out, and I was just like! We just got it?? We didn't even get past the bread yet?? I don't know! And like it would be one thing if all our food was great, but it wasn't. Empanadas were good and crispy, croquettes were fine, but the ropa vieja... I guess what they put in front of me had the potential to become ropa vieja, given a couple more hours on the stove. But, as it was, it was just tomato-y peppers and onions with a few flakes of beef thrown in. Honestly I kept eating it because I was fascinated by it because it was so unlike any ropa vieja I've had. The rice, too, was closer to sushi rice than Spanish rice. Our dinner came to an end quite quickly, and given the vibes we picked up so far (staff wanted us out, FAST), we looked around for the check. We asked someone who wasn't our waitress, and they asked who our waitress was. We pointed to our waitress (who was helping with another table) and when she noticed us, she pulled the finalized check out of her apron. I guess it was cool that she was anticipating our needs, but we were considering dessert? What if we wanted dessert? Or a drink? Or another entree?? All in all, after paying, we were out of that restaurant by 7:30. I want to be clear: this all felt different from prompt and efficient service. It felt like we were being rushed out and like we were not welcome. From previous reviews, it seems like The Columbia has had some issues with long wait times, and this might be a way to compensate. If so, I think this was too fast, so fast that it felt like we were in a quick service restaurant like Panera or something. For the price, we should have felt like we had some time to relax and unwind without overstaying our welcome. Regardless, we left feeling utterly bewildered, and it was so notable to me that I needed to vent about on Yelp. read more

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SEAN an Ahmazing waiter!! We sat up top overlooking the fountain. So, service was great which means alot to us. He has humor kindness and understanding. I have only ordered Paella before here and decided to branch out. Cuban and salad was perfect lunch on top of one of the best mojitos 10/10. Sangria was a 7/10. Key lime pie authentic, tart and sharable! read more

There are only two restaurants I know of that I will order a salad as a main meal... the Columbia is one of them. Their 1905 salad is simple but inspired. We stopped in for lunch and decided to get a 1/2 and 1/2 combo with the lunch portion of the 1905 salad with 1/2 of a Cuban sandwich. The bread is fresh and has the perfect crunch to its crust while maintaining a soft and fluffy interior. With pork, ham, pickles, and mustard, the Cuban is an absolute masterpiece. Our waiter Marc was extremely personable and attentive. The Columbia is one of the Must hit eateries in St Augustine. read more

The Columbia - Lunch combo with the 1905 salad (a few bites taken before I took the picture) and a Cuban. - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

Beautiful restaurant in the middle of busy George street! The restaurant is huge inside, and the service was quick and great! Food was perfect for a lunch after walking in the sun all day. Definitely need to try their other locations as well! read more

The Columbia - Shrimp Caesar and Cuban sandwich - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

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The atmosphere and food were good. The service was very slow. After we received our meal, we ordered dessert and it took around 15 minutes to bring 2 desserts. The waitress didn't seem to care how the service was and had a poor attitude. This was 3 months ago. I'm a little late writing this review. read more

Our first time here after moving to STA over a year ago. Wish we'd gone sooner! Everything was great. My margarita served up was perfect. Of course I ordered the signature salad as a side with my steak, which was also perfect. Husband had tomatoe salad which he loved and the chicken special. Michaela (sorry if I misspelled ) was very professional. This place just had a good vibe and will definitely be on our regular places list! read more

Loved the food the ambiance and the service. We first received fresh bread and salted butter. Amazing. We ordered 5 dishes. All amazing read more

The Columbia - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

We had a great time at Columbia in St Augustine. I recommend making a reservation ahead of time to visit this location, especially during the holidays. Our server was great, food was good, the sangria is my favorite. This location has plenty of seating and is well kept. read more

The Columbia - Sangria - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

Upon arrival their was an issue finding our reservation but was straightened out. Having being seated a waiter did not present themselves for over five minutes. Time was going by and I decided to call any waiter over and was told one would be with us momentarily. No offer for refills or checking up on us and empty plates that were just left at the table while we ate. Sitting with empty plates and empty drinks, no sense of urgency from staff. Food was good though. read more

The Columbia - What was left of the meal - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

This one was fabulous! One of the Columbia restaurants I really liked. The ybor or Sarasota ones were so-so compared to this one! Congrats delicious!!!! Had sangria, boliche with moros and yucca oh so good. read more

This is our third Columbia restaurant and it never fails to impress! The photos make the inside look dated but IRL it's a wonderful space curated to transport you to a Colombian mansion to have dinner with a friend (at least that's what it felt like to me). I saw two rooms (one 2 storied) with glass ceilings that brought so much light and ambiance; it was a great atmosphere to have a romantic dinner that wasn't dimly lit. We started with the crab cakes (fantastic!) and the sparkling white sangria, followed by the Grouper Jimmy for my husband who said it was more food than it looked like. He's an eater and didn't finish all of his rice after bread & apps filled us up. Nothing could stop me from finishing every bite of my lobster pasta, though! It was something interesting I'd never had before, sort of like taking a corn tortilla and making enchiladas with the lobster, then drowning that in this amazing cheese sauce. We were sad we didn't have any more bread just to dip in the sauce! We put the sauce on literally everything else we had at the table and it made each thing even better. We will definitely be back another evening! read more

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Our waitress Sheila ("the Sunflower Fanatic") gave us the best service I've ever had! Even in a BUSY restaurant she went above and beyond. We tried all her recommendations and loved them. Food was great, and her service made the night unforgettable, I'll definitely be back! read more

The Columbia - the BEST server ;) - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

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This place gets an extra star for the ambience. It has a lively Spanish and historical vibe that can't be missed. Spanish style crab cakes were ok, tasted more fishy than they should have. The coffee cocktails idea was nice, I had two on separate occasions. But the coffee itself in the cocktail had a stale taste. Flan was very good but I wasn't crazy about their most featured item on the menu: the bread pudding. Rum in the white chocolate gave it a nice flavor but otherwise just ok. Service was good though. read more

I'm consistently disappointed in this restaurant. The portions are extremely small and high priced. The fish is not always fresh, even the chicken dish tasted reheated and their rice tasted like it was a few days old. The food was so old I had terrible histamine reactions to it. Not acceptable for any restaurant. They consistently seat you in large groups of people when other places in the dining room are completely empty. This is done for efficiency and profit not to give their customers a positive experience. If you asked to be seated away from large noisy groups, they tell you they don't have a server for that area - total BS. The 3.7 stars that they receive on this platform is generous. The only reason this restaurant survives is because it is right off of the main street in Saint Augustine. There are much better values in Saint Augustine. The servers work hard and do a good job. read more

Service was friendly. The Hype about this salad is silly. One and done this is a bare basic salad with romaine lettuce and garlic oil and shredded ham n cheese ! The salad tableside. Was as if this was a show. Messy and and just unnecessary. We had the soup which was barely room temperature funny thing my wife ordered gazpacho soup and I think my bean soup was colder then her chilled soup. We then ordered the paella and shared it. It had flavor except something was off in flavor. We did get the sangria "tableside !" I think three items we ordered we called Tableside. Silly the gazpacho tableside. They put tomatoes and cucumbers etc into the cup. At the table!!! Not impressed. Again staff was nice but one and done. Later that night my wife had food poisoning due to what we believe to be the only thing she ate that night. I contacted the restaurant. To let them know there's a problem and they need to check their food. I haven't received and call or email from them. Confirming. The problem. Don't understand the hype. I'd eat anywhere else read more

The sangrias are definitely worth having with every meal. We love the food and service. A plus is free parking for guests.

This is a great historic place in St Augustine. The decor is very fitting for the location. Service is great. We had 2 appetizers the shrimp and chicken croquettes. They were tasty but don't know if if would order again as I'd like to try something different. I had the pork dish which was delicious and the chicken m ( I don't recall the exact name) was a very popular dish and it was great. Key lime pie for dessert is a must. read more

We had a very nice experience at The Columbia. Highlights were the Cuban bread and Tapas as starters and the amazing black bean soup. The Grouper Jimmy and Grilled Grouper were also tasty. Our server was very good and the Spanish architecture and ambiance of the restaurant was attractive and interesting. The restaurant was easy walking distance from our hotel Casa Monica. read more

My favorite restaurant of all time. Super ambiance excellent service and the food was out of this world.

We love the Columbia so much. Anytime to head to St. Augustine I have to go here. Definitely recommend making reservations. My favorite is the 1905 salad and I love the lobster cannolis. It's such a beautiful restaurant and so much to take in. Makes you feel like you are in Spain. read more

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I just have to give a shout out to Columbia. As always, the food was delicious, prepared perfectly, and presented beautifully. Our server was Raymond. He was polite, attentive, and extremely knowledgeable. Our food was served promptly and he was right on time with attention to every detail. He really made our birthday celebration extra special. Keep up the good work! The restaurant was super clean and the ambience was old world elegant. Even the music was perfect. Also, thank you Columbia for your charitable contributions right here in our community. read more

Stepping into the Columbia Restaurant in St. Augustine is like entering another world. The architectural ambiance is truly something special, with lavish dining rooms adorned with hundreds of hand-painted tiles, captivating artworks, and a beautiful Spanish-style fountain. It's clear that attention to detail was a priority in creating this unique and memorable atmosphere. Shane our server was incredible. Very knowledgeable and friendly and attentive. Their Spanish/Cuban cuisine is amazing. We had the Shrimp Al Ajillo, Jimmy Grouper, Steak Salteado, Red Snapper Adelita and the Cannelloni de Langosta. They also have tableside sangria! If you're looking for a restaurant that combines stunning surroundings with exceptional food, the Columbia Restaurant is a must-try. read more

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The salad honey! As good as you want it to be. Staff was very attentive, yummy cocktails too! read more

The Columbia - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

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The food was absolutely amazing, the service was hands down the greatest, and the ambiance was absolutely the greatest. The menu is huge and this Spanish Restaurant is a 10/10 !!!!! It has alway been my favorite and again the last time I was there was 15 years ago and it's still amazing. read more

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Columbia Restaurant hits every single mark, every single time. The building is beautiful, with a breathtaking dining area. The quality of the food is divine and the flavors are mouthwatering. Order the empanadas. Don't say, "but they have raisins and olives in them..." Order them! They are tender, juicy, crispy and absolutely delicious. A beautiful food item. Whatever you order, get some platanos with it. They are perfectly caramelized and have an amazing flavor and texture. Plus, every person gets a whole loaf of bread before their meal. What more could you want?! Im partial to this kind of quisine, but this restaurant is perfection, if ever a restaurant was. read more

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First time eating at this Columbia location. For me there are other restaurants in St Augustine way more worth the calories and time. For having a large party on the opening weekend of night of lights we were sat pretty quickly. (We did have a reservation) our waitress was friendly and our appetizers came out pretty quick. HOWEVER we waited over an hour for our entrees. Not surprising since we had to ask twice about our drink refills so think she forgot to put our food in. Frustrating as the large party that was sat after us received their food and they ordered after us as well. We could hear everything. No apology. I ordered the Columbia 1905 salad. As it is a signature dish and it is my favorite when I'm visiting Tampa. It is made tableside and I have a video of the waitress when she was making my salad - she basically threw the dressing on the salad tossed it twice then threw it on my plate. Talk about poor presentation. I assume she was in a hurry because she forgot to put our order in and we had waited over an hour to eat. The manager came out to check on us after we had finished our meal however we did not complain but we won't be back. We had two toddlers with us and thank God they were well behaved this evening because otherwise this could've been a nightmare. read more

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Steak came out as it is suppose to with a flame. Waitress, who had a cold, blew it out after I told her I wanted it with a little char. First and last visit. How disgusting and disappointing. read more

Fantastic Cuban/Spanish fare!! Service is superb and the setting is outstanding - recommend trying on the holidays as well for special meals! read more

Where's the 10 Star button?! This place was absolutely amazing! The food was outstanding, and Keontae was unequivocally the best waiter we've ever had! He was charming, fun, engaging, knowledgeable, and funny! We had the best time ever! You've got to check it out - and be sure to ask for Keontae! read more

Very good ambiance. Service was slow initially and we waited around 7 to ten minutes for a greeting but once greeted the service was friendly, efficient but not exemplary. The food was better than other reviews would lead me to believe. The highlight of our meal was the spanish garbanzo bean soup and the bread. Would definitely return just for that. read more