The Columbia since 1905. My first encounter with this restaurant was in Ybor City in Tampa, FL. I did not know the Tampa location was the first The Columbia restaurant we have grown to admire not only for its history, but for the delicious food and entertainment. A brief history lesson: Founded in 1905 by Cuban immigrant Casimiro Hernandez, Sr., the Columbia Restaurant is Florida's oldest restaurant, and the largest Spanish restaurant in the world. Owned and operated by five generations. I'm a big history nerd and a firm believer in you can't know where you're going, if you don't know where you've been. Therefore, what do you get when you combine one of the oldest restaurants in our beautiful state of Florida with the oldest city in Florida? Pure magic. Since I'm a native from Florida my usual attire is a tank top, shorts, and flip-flops, and if you're from the citrus state you know why. I will warn you ahead of time, unfortunately, tank tops are not allowed in this restaurant, and my recommendation would be to dress casual for peace of mind. The hostess was kind enough to provide a donated long sleeve for me to wear in order to dine-in. Great hospitality. As my friend and I were guided to our table, I was blown away by the architecture inside the restaurant and its cultural inspiration by each piece. Our server Daniela introduced herself within two minutes and also welcomed us with a warm smile. Daniela asked if we both have been here before and we both replied "No", but I also added I have been to the one in Tampa, FL. Daniela stated "The Original One". I knew exactly what she meant. Daniela offered answers to any of our questions or guide us through the entire menu. I will say, before we arrived at the restaurant I looked online for the menu, so I had a very good idea for what I wanted to order. My friend on the other hand needed some time to decide. However, for drinks we decided to go with the Classic Mojitos. Daniela complimented our selection for drinks. I also heard the Sangria is to die for. If you don't know what is in a Classic Mojito or Sangria, you've come to the right place. Classic Mojitos is a traditional Cuban highball. Traditionally, a mojito is a cocktail that consists of five ingredients: white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water, and mint. This is a very popular summer drink. Sangria on the other hand consists of red wine and chopped fruit, often with other ingredients or spirits. Both very good selections at this restaurant. When Daniela came back with our drinks, we were ready to order our meal. For lunch we both decided to go with the famous Paella. Paella is a Spanish rice dish originally form Valencia, Spain. I will say it does take roughly 30 minutes or so to make because it's made fresh in house. As they say it's worth the wait. I promise. If you don't know this about me, I have a curious mind. As such, I wanted to know Daniela's story. I also believe learning from other walks of life gives you a better understanding of yourself. Daniela shared her story on speaking French and Spanish with her heritage coming from Canada. Daniela teaches Spanish and is a qualified interpreter. I wonder background to have indeed. Not soon after our conversation, the food arrived and boy were we hungry. I could taste the history of Spain and all of its ingredients within the dish. The location of the restaurant is dead center within St. Augustine. If you are wanting to add excitement to your visit of St. Augustine this is the place to go. Indulge yourself in great food and history! St. Augustine around 300 years old. Cheers to another 300 years! Salut! Happy Yelping, Ricky read more

Had a group dinner at Columbia 35 ppl .we had a fixed menu with 3 choices which was fine, but then one choice we were told the paella would take Over an hour , so no one ordered that. The second choice was steak cooked only one way so that eliminated many, then the third was fish which was fine. They ran out of side vegetables and no alternate side as given. Size of pour for drink was extremely small. Service marginal. Very disappointing for a landmark restaurant . the mystic is overrated and undeserved read more

We had lunch their and it was great. I am not typically a mojito drinker, but decided to take our waitresses recommend and try one and was presently surprised how good theirs was. Their house salad "the 1905" was delicious. Would highly recommend this place read more

Yup! I agree. 3 to 3.5 stars. Although the atmosphere of the Spanish Architecture was spectacular and the menu had an eclectic appeal, at the onset, it was just "meh". Didn't hate it and didn't love it. The menu descriptions were much more colorful than the taste buds could agree upon. I might come back to try the Paella. read more

Had a great late lunch here on this past Saturday. MAKE A RESERVATION!!! No matter what time! It was very busy just when walking in around 3:30, glad I made the reservation. We had the 905 salad and white sangria to start! Both were awesome and I would definitely order again. Our server was Ok, seemed like she was in the weeds or just stressed with her tables she did have although everything was correct when coming out and timely. We didn't wait long for the entrees either. Had a party of 4. We ordered the calamari - BLAND. No flavor just big portion. The Queso fundido also was not up to my standards, it was not like the menu read and I did not finish. The crab croquettes were my favorite of the tapas I ordered! Someone in my group orders the empanadas(beef) and they were very tasty. My husband had the Cuban and he said it was OK but not the best he's had! Overall, worth visiting for the experience, ambiance and the 905 salad! read more

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I had one of the best seafood dishes ever. I thought the food, the atmosphere and the drinks were truly amazing. The place is also beautiful and the service is fantastic. Definitely will go back for more amazing dishes. read more

Third Columbia restaurant we have visited and enjoyed each one. This time we both had the 1905 salad and hot bread. Nice lunch, very delicious. read more

The Columbia - 1905 salad - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

Staying in the ancient city or just on a day trip this is a must if you love fresh Spanish food served in big portions in a soothing atmosphere. We have been here a few times and love that the wait staff is so knowledgeable about the menu. We look forward to our next visit. Since this is a tourist town they are not strict on a dress code but a meal is always better when you dress the part. Enjoy!! read more

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Fantastic authentic Spanish food. The service is great . The food is amazing, and the prices are very reasonable. You have to try this place! read more

We only had cocktails at the bar since we ate a big breakfast. The margaritas were fresh with high end tequila and several options. My husband had a beer. Unfortunately they needed to change the tap so he went with a bottle but enjoyed it. I've eaten at the Tampa location and it was delicious so I believe the Saint Augustine would probably be great too. read more

Loved the menu. Salad is outstanding. Service and ambiance were excellent. Only gave this 4 stars because the fountain wasn't on

My wife and I decided to try a new culture and settled on Spanish-Colombian. We found parking in downtown Saint Augustine, not an easy feat, in back of the restaurant. As we entered the parking lot a gentleman approached our vehicle and gave us a card with a coupon and let us know we had three free hours if eating at The Columbia. We needed to have the waiter validate after we ate. YOU SHOULD MAKE RESERVATIONS BEFORE GOING! The wait averages wait is 45 minutes. That does give you time to wander the little shops around the restaurant. The wait staff is very friendly and helpful. They are attentive and are checking on you frequently. We ordered an appetizer Champinones Rellenos, stuffed mushrooms. The taste was very good. My wife had the Sea Bass with rice. The Bass was very tasty and the rice burst with flavor if not a bit over cooked. I decided on the Cuban sandwich. I've never had one and again very tasty. read more

Really delicious food. The tapas were wonderful and so were the drinks. We had the stuffed mushrooms and mollusks. The fish we ordered was great too. However, the rice was grossly undercooked. Very suprising. Dont eat the rice it will swell in your stomach read more

On a girls trip to St Augustine this week and it was our very first time!! We heard great things about The Columbia and got a reservation for our friends birthday night. Such a great environment and amazing service!! Emory was our waiter and he absolutely made our night, so sweet and attentive and even made sure to help celebrate the birthday with a desert! We split a bunch of tapas and enjoyed them all so much we ordered another round! Would definitely go again:) read more

Great food, great service, wonderful atmosphere. Enjoyed all our choices and everything came out hot

First, let me just say that not much can top the 1905 salad w/ turkey, the warm Cuban bread, and the sangria at the Columbia Restaurant. But for the St. Augustine location, I'd say that every single restaurant in St. Augustine city limits has better service. Yep, I said it and I mean it! Every. Single. One. And it's such a shame too, as the beautiful architecture and decor (along with the aforementioned) could sell the place out with little to no effort! All that being said, I go when I go and I get what I get! Just wish they'd live up to their great history and true potential! read more

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Tip: make a reservation! We observed some seriously grouchy tourists griping about the wait time. This place has been open for 114 years and is in the heart of Old St. Augustine, so, yeah, it's busy. We got a same day reservation, no problem. The bread, as many reviews mention, is simply incredible. We shared 5 tapas and enjoyed them all - the stuffed piquillo peppers and the camarones (shrimp) al ajillo were our favorites, but all were great, and the bread is fantastic for soaking up extra dipping sauce. The decor and overall old school, elegant vibe are very cool and make this worth the stop. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and would come again when in St. Augustine. read more

Any Columbia wins in my book. However, has one up on a few because it's gorgeous. It's in the middle of rustic, old St. Augustine and has so much seating and the windows let a glorious light in. The first night on my recent visit, we just hit up the bar for some drinks. They have one of the best, house made white sangria. Ashley at the bar was top notch. She also had us try their watermelon margarita and it was so refreshing and flavorful, I could have sat there all night. The next day we returned for lunch and I was a little disappointed with the service. We were one of the first ones in the door and they were still setting up but they sat us upstairs without a great view. On top of that we waited over 15 minutes for our server and that was after I noted we had not received a server after the first five minutes of being sat. Oh well, the food of course made up for it. So if you are around, check out this Columbia, it's stunning. read more

The Columbia - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

I don't know how anyone could rate this restaurant above a single star. My veteran husband asked for a quiet area near a wall and the hostess noted our request. We were told that it would be a few minutes wait, so we turned & sat at the waiting area where the seat was matted cloth & that was completely dirty/black (originally red?). When we were called to be seated, the hostess tried to seat us in the center of the dining room despite our request for a wall table. We asked for a table near a wall (again) and was eventually lead upstairs and sat near a window. We wanted to try their Cuban sandwich for lunch, however, the waitress told us that since it was a holiday, they were only serving from the dinner menu, which meant the pricier meals and no Cuban sandwiches. We were highly disappointed, but we were already seated, so we decided to go ahead & order a dinner meal... The table had MOLD on it! This restaurant sets their clean (but still wet?) water glasses mouth-side down on the tables, which holds moisture. The grout lines in the table had dark moldy areas where the glasses were placed. We tried to overlook this by asking for fresh water glasses before ordering our meals, but it really was gross. One Yelper posted an image of a cocktail with a slice of watermelon on it & it looked so good! I tried to order it by showing the waitress the image. She had no idea what type of drink that was. She tried asking the bartender, but apparently he/she didn't know what it was, either, so I just went with a Sangria. We received their "fresh" bread that was hard as a rock all the way through. We received a second loaf because the first was just too hard to chew through, & was able to pull the center out to eat. The food reminded me of a meal that I would get at a gut-truck in Miami, FL ( e.g., meals served in aluminum foil containers with clear lids). The sangria was not great. The food was sloppy and the presentation was horrifying. My husband ordered some meal that came out with so much sauce that it was served in a bowl that looked like soup. If you have never eaten this type of cuisine, then you might enjoy this restaurant, but if you are familiar with Latin food, then I recommend that you dine elsewhere. Our plates were never cleared from our table during the entire experience. My husband had to ask for a drink refill. We left disappointed and confused by all of the positive reviews. Never again... read more

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Living in Miami where there is a plethora of Cuban restaurants, we were not especially impressed. If you are looking for a place that is decent where you can bring your whole family including a screaming baby, this is for sure the place to go. Extremely family friendly including other guests. The staff is used to logging around baby carriages and has no problem helping you get around the place . There are three levels the bottom being the busiest and the most noisy. The top floor has the least seating, but it is still loud enough to get the feeling that you are around lots of people. All floors are set up to accommodate large groups. The service is pleasant enough and the service is also agreeable. Our waiter was appropriately attentive. It is true that you need a reservation and the place is always packed. (This being a main reason that we were so interested in trying it out.) Also true, the Cuban bread is quite soft and tasty. The specialty salad`s main topping is woschtescher sauce, so while plenty of reviews rave about it, if you don't dig this flavor this salad is out of the question. The paella is quite tasty, but if your thoughts are on sharing, go for the tappas. We were pretty disappointed in the desserts. The bread pudding was replaced by a mango sponge cake and the Godiva chocolate cake was dry. read more

The Columbia - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

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Excellent service, beautiful painted tiles throughout, and delicious food. A friend recommended the salad, and she was spot on - who knew something so simple could be so delicious? The Complera Cubano was authentic. The crab stuffed shrimp was more than I could eat, but I kept eating them anyway because having been baked in garlic butter, I could not stop. Excellent experience all around. Note - the place sells out quickly, so be sure to make a reservation in advance. read more

We have been coming to the Columbia for years. I always get the 1905 Salad and a half Cuban ($12.) My son and husband both got the full Cuban and a side of soup ($13.) They both went with the Cuban Black Bean soup. I also asked for the Crab Croquettes ($8.) Service is always the same, they bring out warm Cuban bread and butter. The salad is always prepared table side. Our server did the salad quietly since I was the only one having any. The appetizer came out and was pretty good. It just came out at the same time as our food. Which is a little annoying, but okay. Everything came out great, as always. However, by the end of the meal, we noticed that she charged us for the full sandwich @ $10 each and a cup of Black Beans @ $4.95 each instead of the menu price of $13 and our Crab Croquettes were Crab Cakes @ $14. I didn't see that there were two crab options on the menu, but when I ordered them, I said Croquette and pointed to the choice on the menu. It's not about the money, but more that the waitress should be aware of the menu choices and prices. I was a little annoyed at that. Years we have been coming here and this is the one and only time where the service was not up to par. I will chalk it up to being an off day. read more

The Columbia - Butter... Yes please - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

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This place ROCKS!!! Located in historic St Augustine, the restaurant decor is beautiful, rustic and romantic! 3 levels of seating... we made reservations and were seated window side in a side corner type area... made it extra intimate :) Our waitress was fast, attentive and helpful when picking our dinner options. Following her recommendation we decided to do one of the tapas combos: One fish and 2 other and share the Paella. Tapas: Empanadas de Carne - good and seasoned like typical Cuban picadillo, Championes Rellenos - stuffed mushrooms were tasty - just not my taste but my partner seemed to enjoy them! and then the Coca de Langosta - a tasty flat bread topped with Lobster meat, manchego, tomatoes and their famous 1905 sauce. This was by far my favorite Tapas that we tried, i couldn't get enough of it! Paella Marinera: this Paella is filled with just Fish! a perfect combination of shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, prawn and calamari. It was brought in a skllet and then split up and mixed together table side. a nice touch since we were sharing. Portion for 2 is just enough if you do a tapas combo. Desserts: now here we decided to splurge and try 3 desserts.... yes this is not a typo...3 desserts. 1. Flan: good but nothing to write home about, 2. Brazo Gitano "Cien Anos": I have to be honest here, the only reason I chose this dessert was because they flambee it at the table... it was meh, alright but only had a few bites before I decided nah, maybe not, 3. White Chocolate Bread Pudding: WOWWWW!!! this is amazing, delicious and a MUST try if you come into this place. The experience was amazing and I highly recommend it to anyone traveling into the St Augustine area. read more

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We are in St Augustine for vacation and found this restaurant had a lot of great reviews along with vegan options... we have a vegan in our group. We started with the tomato and Mozzarella minus the cheese and that was the best part of our meal. The vegan option was the Paella which tasted like Chinese fried rice. Was also soggy. I had the Red Snapper with artichokes which was all blended together with the rice. More like a fish paella. My two children shared a Mac and cheese straight out of a box. The Cuban bread and butter was good. Our waiter was very friendly but the food took forever to arrive. read more

Beautiful setting, great service but the food is like from an old time cafeteria. We ordered some Spanish tapas which had no taste, the tortilla had a weird look and no taste; the lobster cannelloni were drawned in a thick yet tasteless sauce and almost no trace of lobster... I feel bad leaving this review because the waitress was very efficient and very polite, but they need to improve their food to make this place really great. read more

The Columbia - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

So we are in Saint Augustine for our two year anniversary. Two years ago we came here for dinner with friends and the food was amazing so we decided to come back to the Columbia. It was nice to see the place doing well and although they were under staffed our waitress Spencer did an excellent job. read more

We had reservations at 7:45 pm and we were sitting on our table promptly . We had an issue with our food but the manager Danielle and server Sean took care of us . We will Come back when the opportunity arise. The food was extremely tasty and the portions were big . Thank you so much !!! read more

Pretty sweet location right in the middle of the historical district, I bet they catch quite a few people just because it is ubiquitous and well located. We walked in because we were starving. Good food and good sangria, but found it to be still a bit overrated and overpriced for what you get. It can be characterized as a tourist trap... so just beware. read more

We were in St. Augustine for a few days and my boyfriend had told me to "pack a nice dress" and told me to wear it on a Saturday night. He had made reservations at Columbia; we walked in just in time to hear the hostess tell the party in front of us that they would have to wait 45 minutes to be seated. I did feel a little bad as we were seated rather promptly. Lesson learned: make reservations. The Spanish architecture was beautiful, both inside and out. There were water fountains outdoors and lovely Spanish tiles inside. This place caters to a lot of tourists (they even have a gift shop). The service was remarkable and our food was great! We had the: The Eggplant "Riojana": Sliced eggplant breaded with ground plantain crumbs, smothered in rich Rioja sauce of tomatoes, garlic, capers, olives and red wine topped with melted Galician Tetilla cheese. Filet Mignon "Columbia": Broiled tender center cut Filet Mignon wrapped with wafer thin bacon and topped with Columbia sauce of mushrooms, ham, onions, tomatoes, green peppers and a touch of garlic, served with yellow rice. This is definitely a St. Augustine must if you're in town! read more

Super disappointed here. Place was super busy, gave us a 30 minute wait time, we snagged two seats at the bar to wait. Turned out to be closer to an hour before we were set. Once set it took 15-20 minutes to get a drink order in and even longer to get the drinks. Our poor server was completely overset with people and was running around like a chicken with no head. A woman at one of the shops downtown recommended this place, saying how they make the Cuban bread there fresh and how best the Cubans are. It was the worst Cuban sandwiches we'd ever had! Not one of our meals was edible and after being there for two hours! Our waiter felt bad and we wanted to at least buy our drinks and make sure he was tipped for his work. We asked our waiter and a different one to speak to a manager but after 20 more minutes we left. Simply left a tip for the poor waiter and left. read more

The Columbia - Bread was so hard it hurt my mouth to bite - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

The food was pretty good. There were six of us, and no one had any complaints. The appetizers were very tasty. Calamari was nice and crispy. We also enjoyed the chorizos and empanadas. Very good bread (individually served) and great for dipping into the chorizo oil. Would have given this restaurant 3 1/2 stars, but I could not figure out how to do it. We should have skipped the white sangria. We ordered 2 pitchers. It was very sweet tasting, and it almost seemed as if there was no wine in it at all. Better-off ordering a drink that you know will have some booze in it. Our waitress, Alexandra, was terrific. She knew exactly how to handle a large table. She was personable, and made sure that we were well taken care of. She got the order down perfectly. Paid parking in the rear of the restaurant was plentiful and very convenient. You will enjoy this place, but the white sangria needs some help. Hopefully, not the red, too. We did not try it. read more

More than a year has passed since I've been here and the black bean cakes and gazpacho were as good as I remembered. Overall, still a standout spot. Minue one star on this trip, though, because the service was pretty lackluster and the food seemed to take forever to arrive. Our server never even checked in between our drinks/bread arriving until our entrees came. Still, highly recommend you check it out while in downtown St. Augustine. read more

SUPER busy area. They have a private parking lot, which is nice, but others can park there (for a fee) which made it difficult to find open spots. They quoted us 30 minutes for a group of seven, which wasn't too bad. The bar area was a too small for us to congregate around. We were seated within the quoted wait time and were greeted almost immediately by our server, Jimmilee (sorry about the spelling). She was super helpful and and patient with our rowdy and indecisive group. The sangria was DELICIOUS. We ordered the pitcher, and she gave us a play by play as she made it. The bread was warm, the plantain chips and guac were amaze. Our entrees were pretty good, but overall, I was hoping for a bit more for the price. I understand that we were in a touristy area, so that could be why. Another side note, is that the restrooms were a bit smelly and unkept. It could be Overall, though, our experience was pretty good. I left with a full belly. read more

I loved the atmosphere, the decor....the feeling I got being here. The bread was good, and we were ravenous, so maybe that helped. I got the Cuban sandwich and 1905 salad combo, and we all shared pitchers of mojitos. Being that it was only half a sandwich, it was huge and I was stuffed! Mine seem much crisper than anyone else's at the table, and I really liked that about it. It was really tasty, even though I'm not generally a ham eater. The1905 salad was WAY overdressed- I liked it despite that. So, they make the mojitos at your table. Delicious. I kind of wish they strained some of the mint out, since I don't like to chew on my beverages. And our waiter was hilarious and really helpful and nice. Lastly, I didn't think the prices were that terrible...but I'm from New York, where they tax you for breathing, so what do I know? We rarely go out to eat at a sit down restaurant for less than $50 for two of us. read more

The Columbia - Mojitos, made at your table by the pitcher! - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

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The only issue was sitting so close to the kitchen doors, there was a lot of commotion, but we're young and don't really care too much. But it was distracting. There's only so much you can do about that though. Very nice restaurant. The host and wait staff were all very friendly and attentive. The food was delicious. I absolutely love the bread and butter that is given at the beginning of the meal, it has to be freshly made. Would go again. read more

Update! I've eaten inside the restaurant instead of getting the food to-go and it was everything I could have wanted! Tableside salad preparation, the most refreshing Mojito I've ever tastes, and excellent food and waitress. Easily one of my most favorite restaurants! I highly recommend the 1905 salad, the cuban sandwich, and black beans! read more

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Wasn't really impressed. The restaurant is beautiful but the food was subpar at best. Had to make reservations and waited all day for the food to just be okay. It's basically Cuban food. Being from Miami I have had my fair share of great Cuban food and this place was just ok. For me it wasn't worth waiting all day for the reservation. Also social distancing wasn't really honored. The seats were too close together read more

Went here yesterday for the first time and it was so good!! Lexi C. Was our server and she was awesome!

I came for Christmas dinner, this was my first time at this location, my second overall. I was struck by the atmosphere of Spain music, several fountains, and old Spanish and Cuban artwork. It's really a beautiful atmosphere. We started with a pitcher of the house red sangria, which had a great blend of wine and fruit, not too sweet, but not bitter. It's a very well balanced sangria. The hot Cuban bread isn't even fair. The fact that they serve each guest a half loaf wrapped in parchment paper somehow makes it seem more special. The crust is very crunchy, but there is a dense long-lasting taste to the inside of the bread that sets it apart from other breads. The 1905 salad prepared tableside. I know it's been written about a lot, but I'll just say this. I still have no idea how such a simple salad tastes so darn good. I'm not even a fan of ham and green olives and I love this salad! But I recommend to get it with the shrimp al ajillo, with adds an extra burst of garlic and chili pepper. It's some of the best shrimp I've ever had. We had a tapas sampler of fried shrimp supreme, baked scallops, and meat skewers with chicken, chorizo, pork, and onions. I wasn't thrilled with the shrimp, the batter was just not crispy enough, The scallops with the lemon, butter, and bread crumbs were excellent, I would definitely order these again. The skewers came out quite well, but I especially liked how juicy and large the chunks of chicken were. For dessert, we went with the guava turnover. I'm not the biggest guava eater, but I loved the sugar coated flaky pastry. I could have any filling with that pastry and be happy. I have to knock the service for being way too slow, even thought it was Christmas. But between the atmosphere, extensive menu, and food quality, Columbia is a must-visit for me every time I visit Florida. read more

I've been here quite a few times over the last 8 years, and have never had a bad meal. Columbia is consistently good, not necessarily an easy thing to do given the huge amount of traffic that goes through this restaurant. Having cooked in institutional kitchens and restaurants, I know you can get mighty tired from the constant demand - and in lots of places the quality goes down a bit as the day / evening wears on. Not so at Columbia in my experience. This last visit was lunch on a Sunday afternoon. Had a great glass of sangria, black bean soup, scallop tapas, picadillo with white rice and fried plantains. All excellent. I especially like the way they cook their rice - its a short grain rice, always plump and never sticky. The highlight of this visit was dessert though. I'm almost always too "el stuffo" to have dessert, but had flan this time and it was absolutely the best flan I have had anywhere. Somebody knows how to do this dish really, really well. I will continue to make the trek to St. Augustine whenever I get the chance to eat at Columbia! read more