Service was absolutely amazing, the food did take a little wait but the flavor was worth it. The place is very nice, I love the the statue on the first floor and the design of the whole interior. read more

Get a reservation - we were seated immediately with our reservation. Had great service but the food was just ok. Husband did like the steak he ordered but my crab stuffed shrimp could have been better. My husband loves flan and we went back and forth on whether to order it with our waitress and decided not to because we were so full. She brought it anyway on the house - so that was a pleasant gesture! Would recommend for the ambiance and history but don't expect amazing cuisine! read more

The Columbia - Stuffed shrimp with black beans - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

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I have eaten at both the Tampa and now at Augustine locations of the Columbia. Took my wife to st Augustine and had dinner there. Outstanding dishes. Food was served in a reasonable time. Service was phenomenal. Very nice expetience in a great environment. read more

Location, location, location...didn't help much. First - parking downtown in Saint Augustine can add significantly to your dining bill. We paid $15 because we were unaware of their parking lot. The anticipation of eating here was way more enjoyable than the actual dining experience. Well, honestly, the experience was not that bad - it's just that the food didn't live up to the anticipation. There were five of us. Only one out of five actually enjoyed their meal. Like most restaurants, they are experiencing staffing issues and had to close off two dining rooms because of the server shortage - which made wait times and reservation times almost 4 hours. We reserved the day before. Meals ordered - Paella a la Valenciana times 2 - consensus was "Meh". It lacked seasoning - hence it lacked flavor - and the ratio of chicken to seafood was very unbalanced. Plus the chicken was cut too large and was tough. El Combo de Cuba - again two of us order this. Again, consensus was big ol' "Meh" The deep fried empanada was the highlight of the meal. Pork and Beef seemed straight out of a TV dinner. Plantains were good, yucca was tough. The beans and rice were just OK. To go boxes - we ALWAYS get to go boxes - we didn't here and there was practically an entire serving of the paella that languished on the table because no one wanted it. That was a $32 dish left behind. The shining star (dimmed by the disappointment of the other 4 plates) was the Red Snapper Adelita. I have to take her word for it because she wouldn't share - cleaned her plate actually and growled every time one of us made a gesture to sample here food. Remember the FRIENDS episode where his date steals his fries? This was sorta like that, "Joey doesn't share food!" I might have exaggerated a lil bit... Been there - done that - won't again. After splitting the pitcher of margaritas plus tip, my wife and I Venmo'ed our daughter $85 for our part of the bill. Had the food lived up to over-hyped expectations - there would be no complaints. read more

I had a Sicilian G&T which was pretty good but I guess I expected it to be a little fizzier. Had the paella which was good but a little salty. My husband had pompano with crab meat. The fish was very thin and a bit over cooked. The bread and butter was fantastic. read more

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Our server was Cheri and she was great and knew a lot about the menu. We ordered off the allergen menu since we are gf and df. Its wonderful that there is a separate menu for people with dietary restrictions however, there were a few issues with foods on that menu that should not have been included. We ordered the Mahi grilled with yellow rice and plantains. This item was marked with the gf and nut-free icons. We asked if there was any dairy in the dish due to lack of lactose icon. And there wasn't. After ordering, cook had to substitute yellow rice and plantains for white rice and yucca. Why would this be included in a meal marked gf? Despite all that, the fish, rice and yucca were delicious and the garlic oil was phenomenal on everything! read more

Absolutely amazing restaurant for Paella in St. Augustine. Place was crowded when we went (a least 1hr waiting time), however we made a reservation the day before so we got seated right away. Inside looks amazing and decorative. I liked their decorations inside and how it look. Our server was nice and friendly. We started ordering our food right before ordering drinks because the paella took at least 30min to be served. Their sangrias are amazing along the appetizer we ordered. We didn't fell like it was a long wait for the paellas because we were enjoying the sangrias. We order two paellas: one "a la valenciana" with seafood and the other "campesina" chicken, pork and sausage. The paellas was amazing and delicious. We will definitely come back for more paellas when we are down in Florida. read more

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It was ok that all I can really say Nothing really special about this place The prices are incredibly high for the quality of the food. We tried a lot of the tapas and two paellas and again they were just ok. I liked the most the sangria And of course I can forget the bread ! That bread is simply too delicious maybe the bread set the bar too high for the rest but it was still delicious read more

Not exactly sure how they have 3 1/2 stars. I can only imagine some people just go into it not knowing the type of food they actually serve. Our meal was great. My wife had the red snapper and I had the Cannelloni de Langosta (or something like that ). Everything was great and Baylee our server was fantastic. Been here a few times and have never been disappointed. Love Columbia. Be back soon . read more

This restaurant definitely lived up to all the recommendations from friends and family... the place is huge and somehow still has waiting lines because of how popular it is. It's gorgeous on the inside, very colorful and traditional Spaniard decor. The service is incredible, super nice, they know the menu very well so they can help with recommendations and just so attentive! The menu is on a whole other level-- i mean talk about the hardest decision ever, having to pick one entree took me so long because deep down i just wanted to try one of everything. After stealing a few bites from my friends meals I've decided that their ROPA VIEJA is to die for, it's literally the best plate they have. So juicy and the right amount of seasoning/flavors! Paella was good, empanadas were great, crab cake was very filling (wasn't my favorite but I think it's just their seasoning that I wasn't used to). For desert i had the crema catalanes and our server came to our table with the torch and we got to see her heat up the sugar and smell that delicious sugar melting smell! Absolutely in love with this place! So beautiful, very unique while still having those traditional Cuban/spanish recipes, fantastic service, and amazing quality of food. Also make sure to get their GAZPACHO! So refreshing and well made! read more

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Very nice ambience and decor. Six of us from Texas for the first time. We were seated promptly and got our menus. From here it went downhill. Our server was very condescending and borderline rude. Dawn , her name, felt insulted if we asked questions about the food items as we were not familiar with a few. She would not suggest or help with any request instead just would read the menu. I can read thank you. She even scolded my brother when he asked another server for water. She said im your server and not to ask anyone else for anything. Now to the food. I got the cannelloni pasta shells supposed to be filled with lobster meet shrimp and scallops. Not even close. It was just a pureed mess and more like a soup. Looked like a frozen tv dinner. Totally misrepresented on the menu and a very disappointing meal. Three of us got this mess and were all very disappointed. The other three in our party meals were very good. Guess we ordered the wrong thing. The mojito i had was very good. I would probably go back and try something else and perhaps a better experience with a decent server. read more

Great food, cool atmosphere and the best service ever from DESTINY ! Thank you for your knowledge and great great service!

What happened?? We have driven 6 hours several times to eat here and have always been impressed with the food. This trip we got reservations for 2 nights, to celebrate my birthday and continue to be impressed. Starting with weak tasting Gazpacho and unripe Chopped Tomato Salad, we proceeded to Grouper Jimmy and their signature Snapper, covered in sun dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts. Both were bland and basically unpleasant. We ate the the rice and had a few bites of the fish, but left most on the plates. I was prepared to pay the total bill, but the server took off one fish. I hate to post this because we have loved the Columbia for many years, starting in Tampa 50 years ago. We will not come back again. read more

Oh my goodness we came here with five people and the food was outrageously delicious every single thing from the great creamy butter and great fantastic Cuban bread to every single entree it really made our week. We will be back over and over and over again. I can see why this place has been around for so so many decades, one bit of advice please make reservations early because this place sells out quick. read more

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Beautiful historical building!! A restaurant specializing in traditional Spanish food with Cuban flavors is definitely a must for your visit to St. Augustine! Food was amazing along with the atmosphere!! read more

Delicious food. Outstanding service. Our server was Ernesto and he was very wonderful. I even like the background music.

My husband and I went here for our wedding anniversary lunch. We both had the fantastic signature salad the 1905 Salad- it was terrific. I had the Arroz con pollo and Walter had the Cuban sandwich with Black Bean soup. our delightful and most helpful waitress Annie W. was so proud that we belong to the Clean Plate club. The food was great but our waitress really made us feel special and cared for. I would recommend this resturant for the food, ambience and wait staff. Jamie read more

The Columbia - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

The Columbia will not disappoint as I have been there a number of times and have always enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. Two things to note they no longer have outside seating with wait service. Also they no longer allow dogs. They come up as a pet friendly site but they are not so don't get fooled thinking you can bring your dog. read more

So terrible. I'm not sure what's been happening but the place was dirty, the whole restaurant was virtually empty, yet reservations were required. Extremely slow service and when asked, the answer was nope, they don't have a staff shortage! Ok, why are all the tables empty and it taking an extensive amount of time to see get drinks and food. read more

The restaurant came highly recommended. The appetizers were fantastic. We got the empanadas and the fried crab. The fried crab actually tasted like maryland crab soup in a crab ball, which I can't believe no one in our hometown has though of. It was delicious. My husband got the stuffed shrimp. They were a little too salty for me, but he liked them. I got the 1905 salad since everyone recommended it and I didn't want anything heavy after all the appetizers and bread. It stood up to the hype, like a chopped anti pasta salad. My husband even ate some and he never eats salads. Just beware if you're on a date because it is garlicky. The red sangria was perfect, sweet and refreshing. We had a lovely time. read more

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We look forward to coming here when we visit St. Augustine and have yet to have a negative experience. The front desk staff and servers are all very nice. Their tango mango drink is amazing and smooth. The atmosphere is beautiful as well as the location. Highly recommend this place! read more

The Columbia - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

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Most expensive restaurant in town with great service...and yet the food tasted like a microwave frozen dinner doused in a jar of hormel gravy. Skip it. read more

The best thing about our experience was the white sangria with champagne. I would recommend that and the service was amazing. The 1905 salad that was so highly recommended to us was not by any means worth almost $20 for it to be shared between two people. It was very simple with ingredients that cost one or two dollars. We got the Cuban sampler plate for almost $30 and as someone who has been to cuba and stayed for two weeks traveling the beautiful country the most authentic thing on the plate was the plantains but the rest of the food was just not worth the prices. Very disappointed as this restaurant came highly recommended from far and wide. Will not be back. read more

My boyfriend and I went here for dinner a couple weeks ago and really enjoyed this restaurant. Then menu has great options, especially if you're vegan like me! I ordered the vegetarian paella (worth the wait) and my boyfriend ordered La Completa Cubana and he said it was great! read more

The Columbia - La Completa Cubana - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

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The hour wait was well worth it. Food and service was great. We enjoyed fresh, warm Cuban bread to start. The Sangria was delicious and our entrees were cooked to perfection! read more

The Columbia - Saltedo with steak - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

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Beautiful indoor seating and beautiful restaurant overall. Had a wonderful time here. However, I felt like it was a little overpriced for the portions we received. read more

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Love stopping by to enjoy the food and drinks! Right in the heart of downtown St Augustine! Food is delicious, specialty cocktails (espresso martini) are super yummy! The staff is nice and make a reservation to avoid waiting! read more

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The place was okay. It was not my type of atmosphere. The people serving seemed very nice but it took a long time to receive our food and drinks. However, my waitress spilled my food by accident. I understand that this happens and I felt bad for her. She made it a point to remake my food very quickly and bring it out. I had the meatloaf sandwich and it was decent but not anything to write home about. I thought the place overall was okay but have no desire to return. read more

The atmosphere, service, and food was fantastic. Our group tried two different sangria pitchers which were excellent. We ordered an array of appetizers-- empanadas, calamari, chicken croquettes, and stuffed mushrooms. All were delicious, but I definitely recommend the empanadas. Our server, Benny, made excellent recommendations on entrées. Dessert was also delicious. 10/10 read more

What a great meal and service. Sangria is arguably the best I have ever had... the house salad and bread are both fantastic and could be a meal to themselves... I had the Paella which was loaded with chicken and seafood with the rice cooked perfectly. Others at the table had the Cannelloni... I will be having that next time, pasta was super fresh and loaded with seafood. My wife had the grouper that was as good as everything else... While this was my first time at Columbia, I understand they traditionally make sangria and house salad table-side... I hope that will return sooon... we will be back. read more

my husband and I came in around lunch time. We had a phenomenal server by the name of Ray Z . He was entertaining to say the least. My husband ordered the Palomilla steak which he delighfully labeled "exquisite". I had the Ropa Vieja, which was amazing! Ray sold us on drinks and dessert, and didn't lead us wrong. We're from Tampa and occasionally visit the original Columbia in Ybor City, but dare I say, the St. Augustine location is better. To put it as Ray said, "Ybor has their history, but we have ours." read more

The atmosphere and the service was actually a good experience, despite the 3 stars. Unfortunately, the food knocked a star off. They take reservations for large parties, which is a plus, and you get to sit in a rustic Spanish environment. They start you off with rustic bread and creamy butter, which is amazing. The sangria was a little sweet for my taste. We ordered a couple tapas plates, and they can be described as great, good, and mediocre. The gambas are fantastic. Perfectly seasoned and cooked. The langosta flatbread was good, but not as amazing as other reviewers claimed. There probably wasn't enough spice for me. And then the stuffed mushrooms lacked flavor and were watery. There is parking that can be validated, and even though we stayed over our allotted time, we didn't get charged, which was a plus! read more

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Restaurant is beautiful and service was great. I have no regrets coming here two times within three days, because the ambience was just so enjoyable. The food was pretty good, though not particularly memorable for us. The cubano was surprisingly dry and not warm. Spanish bean soup was yummy and would get it again. Dinner portions are large - the two of us could have shared one plate! read more

I came here with my Mom when we were in town. Loved it! The service was fantastic both at the bar and for dinner. I had the white sangria and it was very good, a bit tart and a bit sweet. We also shared two tapas: the crab cakes and the stuffed peppers. The crab cakes were very lightly breaded so there was a ton of crab meat, yum! The stuffed peppers were Uhhh-mazing! The best flavors I have had with stuffed peppers. A must-try! For dinner I had the Shrimp Salteado which was very good (although a bit salty). Mom had the Cannelloni de Langosta "7 Portes" which was also delicious, and very rich in flavors. Overall, we had a great time, and the restaurant itself is beautiful! read more

The Columbia - Salteado shrimp - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

We decided to have lunch at the Columbia since we were walking downtown. Very nice atmosphere and attentive staff. We were having lunch and also ordered from the kids menu. The kids enjoyed their meal as my wife and I ordered a Cuban sandwich and the Steak Sandwich. Cuban sandwich presentation was nice and it came with plantain chips that really didn't have any taste. The sandwich was good, but dry. My wife said the steak sandwich was just ok. The dinners looked really good, but we were there for lunch. read more

this place has great food and friendly service thanksgiving dinner is amazing every year is a tradition for us every year my husband and i eat here and if we have friends or family on thanksgiving they come along as well read more

The ambience was great and our waitress was super nice. But we had a weird experience where we ordered a pitcher of mojito and it didn't seem like it had any alcohol in it. Writing this sounds ridiculous, but if I drink a lite beer I'm tipsy. We kept drinking it but didn't say anything till we were getting ready to leave. Our waitress offered us a shots, but we didn't take her up on it. She told us typically there's about 350ml in a pitcher. read more

We made a reservation for July 4th a month in advance. When we arrived to check-in she stated she didn't have anything for us. She never apologized or offered any options. She simply stated they had over 400 reservations and no tables. This was at 4:30pm and 80% of the tables were empty. We walked from our B&B in the pouring rain, so we stayed outside their lobby 30 minutes checking on our phones for another place to eat. No one was seated during that time. We will boycott this location for life. We have had good experiences at other locations around the state. We went to a Pizzalleys on St. George and had the best service from all 5 employees we interacted with. read more

The Columbia - Hostess at Columbia Restaraunt at Saint Augustine location. - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

We are vegan and for over 20 years we come here and they make us a vegan paella. It was our anniversary and they won't make it anymore. We are never coming back! Shame! read more

Great place to grab dinner in St. Augustine. A bit more on the pricey side, but worth every dime. My boyfriend and I loved every dish we ordered. I highly suggest the chorizos with onion as an appetizer, it's my favorite! Overall, the location is amazing, the atmosphere is lovely, and the food is to die for! read more

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

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