Enjoyed Excellent Food, Service & Ambiance for our Anniversary Dinner tonight. Mary Kate was an Incredible Server

California Dreaming in Columbia, SC, never disappoints! From the moment you walk into the beautifully restored historic train station, the atmosphere is warm, inviting, and full of character. The food was fresh, flavorful, and prepared to perfection. We had the veggie burger and the Blackened Carolina trout! The trout was seasoned to perfection along with the vegetable medley! Our server was attentive, friendly, and made sure we had everything we needed. Whether you're looking for a casual lunch, a date night, or a place to celebrate with family and friends, I highly recommend California Dreaming. Great food, excellent service, and a memorable dining experience. We'll definitely be back! read more

California Dreaming - The Blackened Carolina Trout - Seafood Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

See all

Ambiance 10/10 Food maybe 3/10 Ambiance: The building, design and over all feel of the place is outstanding! My only complaint would be how dim it is (almost makes you wonder what they are trying to hide). With the historic train station, beautiful wood work, plaster highlights and coffered ceilings, the place should be a little brighter to show off how absolutely impressive it is. Quite possibly the most impressive restaurant venue in Columbia Food: meh.... Wife got the miso salmon and veggies. The salmon tasted like it was frozen, thawed, and coated with a generic store bought miso without much flavor. The veggies weren't frozen but there wasn't really anything added to elevated them. I had the Hob Nob chicken which is basically like a. Deconstructed chicken cordon bleu without breading. It was like something I would put together in my house if I didn't feel like going to the store. The chicken was also likely frozen and thawed. Tastes like it was coated with a genetic, off brand teriyaki sauce right before it was cooked us as there was no absorbed flavor and the sausage itself was mid. The ham was basically lunch meat ham and then a couple deli slices of Swiss on top. Loaded baked potato as the side. Nothing special. Food wise - chain restaurants like Applebees has more flavor and variety. Service: the hostess girls at the front were very welcoming and friendly/. Our server was a little slow and inattentive to us but was nice enough. She was friendly at the start and did fine, checked on us a couple minutes after we got our food to make sure everything was right but then we didn't see her and had to wait a very long time for our check after we were done eating with no refills in our drinks. When we paid, she quickly moved on from us, turning away as she was saying "have a good night" or something. Maybe she got really busy, so service wasn't great but wasn't terrible. Will we be back? I don't know. Maybe because the ambiance is so cool and, while the food wasn't particularly good, it wasn't inedible we might try it again. read more

For a birthday celebration, we had a less than stellar experience. From the warm she-crab soup (not hot) to a more than 20+minute wait for our meals, a happy occasion turned sour. By the time the two orders of ribs were served to our table, one other dish was cold and dish and my Carolina trout was at room temperature. Unfortunately, I must leave an unsatisfactory review for the service and the pace of orders. As for ambiance, a great venue should be better lit in the evening to add to the allure. read more

Always a great vibe at California Dreaming in Columbia. We visit all the time as my wife and my mother in love are USC alumni and my daughter is destined to be a Gamecock. So quick bites and campus tours are always good. Started off with expresso martins, honey butter croissants and seafood nachos. All were good and the nachos are a staple. Both wife and mom missed the heart of palms salmon salad that was offered for years along with some other menus changes. We settled on the she crab soup and house salads with extra dressing along with the full rack of ribs. Again everything good but we miss the old menu or the one similar to the dinner menu in Charleston. The waitress was very attentive and apologetic as we had a party of 10 and not able to sit together but in the same area. Overall good vibe and food as always. read more

See all

Downtown Columbia, Assembly St, across from Sonic; a Friday night around 9pm. No wait, party of 3, sparsely occupied The interior was converted from Union Train Station to restaurant in 1980, most of the architectural components still intact. Quite impressive indoor views, large bar near entrance, seating part in front rest in rear with view of train tracks below. My main negative is the condensed menu, it is one page/side, literally the other side is only alcohol. I feel like a lot more restaurants are doing this but I would prefer more variety. I chose Veggie burger w broccoli, wife had full rack ribs. There was no bread pre-meal. Despite my main con the food is prepared well IMO. The location is historic and the menu available items are tasty. Still a great choice but still not fan of less choices. read more

California Dreaming - Sorry for such dark pic - Seafood Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Food was good but menu is limited. Service was slow almost thought I had to get my drinks myself. I do like the look of the restaurant but not my favorite. read more

California Dreaming was an OK spot for upscale dining. I didn't have a special event that I went here for, but just wanted to try something new. I'd say that it was slightly above average. They had a decent selection of beers on tap, and my friend definitely liked their selection of wines. I got some of the croissants as an appetizer, which were good, but a little expensive for what you were actually getting. I got the chicken tenders and fries to eat, which were solid, but nothing otherworldly. I do think my guest liked her meal, although I'm not completely sure what it's called. As for the service and ambiance, California Dreaming is definitely the darkest restaurant I've ever been to, which I guess is either a pro or a con based on personal opinion. I presume that it would be a good spot for a date night, but maybe not the best spot for casual dining (which is obviously the point of a restaurant like California Dreaming). Our server was nice, relatively attentive, and I'd say that he did a good job overall. All-in-all, I debated giving the restaurant either three (3) or four (4) stars, but I ultimately went with four (4). It was a unique experience, but I won't necessarily be rushing back. I think that has as much to do with personal taste than anything that they did wrong or right, however. read more

See all

We arrived with a party of four and was seated immediately. We got in our drink orders and food. I ordered a Harvest Ember and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT. I'm kicking myself for not ordering another. It was GOOOOOD! Food options are low for vegetarians. I got the veggie burger. It was good. The avocado on it was fresh. My husband ordered the shrimp platter. The food came out hot and without asking they brought me ketchup for my fries. Our server was nice and attentive. I'd love to see more options on the menu for vegetarians say a veggie pasta, quinoa dish or a veggie soup. read more

See all

In town to meet some friends here for lunch. Our server was very nice and attentive. She gave good recommendations. She shared the BBQ Chicken Nachos for the table. Tasty, just needed more cheese. I got the Shrimp Pasta dish and a glass of wine. Very tasty! I ordered the Salmon Salad with no bacon and the She Crab Soup to go for dinner. Very good as well. Slightly disappointed that my soup cup was only halfway full. Be careful in the restroom. Its very dim and I had to inform the hostess that the paper towels were gone. It really needs a good scrubbing. Didn't smell good at all and the water in the sink could be warmer. read more

Cool place in an old train station. Great service and the food was yummy. Started with the croissants. Then the San Francisco pasta and the Cali bowl with steak. The bowl with the mango was an unusual combo but tasty. The jalapeños were a little spicy. Pasta with the shrimp was good as well. Also a nice selection of wines by the glass for a reasonable price (under $10). Would go back when in Columbia read more

California Dreaming - Seafood Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Visiting USC and heard this place was a staple. It was very casual and family oriented. Right off the edge of campus, there were a variety of things on the menu. Charles our server was kind and gave great advice about the food. The drinks were also delicious! The wings and pasta were great! read more

See all

I have been excited to come here for quite some time. We came on a rainy and crowded day, but that didn't ruin the experience. We made reservations, so that moved things along nicely. Of course we started with a couple orders of the "famous croissants". From there I ordered the Blackened Chicken with Pasta and it came out with minimal wait. The dish was full of flavor and a pretty good portion size. For dessert we shared a slice of delicious cheesecake. Our server did a wonderful job of being attentive even after the food was delivered. The restaurant is well designed and the noise level wasn't too bad. read more

See all

Amazing views of the harbor. The bread rolls were to die for. The service was great. My wife and I enjoyed a nice dinner here with steak, salad, drinks, and desert. The shrimp appetizer was also delicious...highly recommend it. read more

The restaurant is this old amazing building that is breathtaking to look at the character of the structure. (Exterior & interior). We ordered blackened chicken Alfredo, flounder, shrimp & a hamburger. Food tasted great! Our only complaint was on the loaded mashed potatoes we asked for no sour cream & both orders had sour cream. We did pay a $1.50 up charge for these mashed pots so it was disappointing they were wrong. Our waitress was great & the staff was very friendly. read more

See all

I came him for dinner with a friend, she was visiting for a work conference and we wanted something nice but a bit relaxed. The service was good, on top of things but not constantly interfering with our meal. The food was delicious; simple, yummy and just what we wanted. The restaurant was crowded but not unbearable, the lights were dim for the start of the meal, it was right on cue, we were starting to say it was too dark to see and the lights came on! We enjoyed a nice meal and great conversation, this is a must stop for your meal! read more

Our lunch today was incredible. My husband had the club with fries, and I had the miso salmon with broccoli. Everything was spot on. The host stand was friendly and accommodating and found us a table super quick. Zaid, our server was hands down one of the best ever. Drinks were refilled without asking, everything extra we asked for he brought. Plates were cleared at an appropriate pace. Just an all around fantastic experience. read more

California Dreaming - Miso Salmon with charred broccoli - Seafood Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

We heard this was a Columbia staple. Other than being seated 20 minutes after our reservation, the place was packed, everything else was great. Old Fashion was spot on, pork chop cooked to perfection and the ribeye melted in your mouth. Place was decorated for Christmas and had the feel of a 1920's train station. We'll be back! read more

Came for my graduation. The food was okay but my ceasar salad had raw chicken it took them almost 25 minutes to bring out the new one. By the time is came back everyone was done eating so I took it to go. Server didn't apologize and the salad wasn't even discounted. read more

The wait to be seated wasn't long at all, maybe 5 minutes. Atmosphere is really cool. Building is an old train station so it's nice. Food was good. Had a mishap with my order but it was taken care of quickly and everyone was very nice. We had Brian as our waiter he was awesome, kept bringing refills and was very attentive. Recommend! read more

The server was excellent and food was great. Atmosphere appropriate. There was not much wait time read more

See all

Best baked potato soup ever , really good salads and their special honey bacon dressing is awesome , their Ribs are so tender , love the atmosphere too ! read more

Nice place for a college town, but mediocre food. The waitstaff was nice. But things are very slow down south.

I left a mention of our anniversary and no one noted it or gave a care. I waited for 15 minutes with a reservation

Beautiful building with lots of history, it used to be a train station. Interesting, right? But we're here for the food: The she crab chowder lacked crab & flavor. Pork chops: were cooked well but also lacked flavor. Nachos: Cheese should ALWAYS go directly on top of the chips so they can soak up all of that ooey gooey flavor, but that's not how it's served here. The chips were salty, the shrimp was fine, but the salmon was salty. The cheese sauce was highly processed with capers in it, which also made it salty. I asked for pico de Gallo & avocados to add some depth, flavor & and texture, but it was still lacking. We loved our waitress, so we tipped her well, and the building is really beautiful, but we were really surprised by the limited menu and the mediocre food, so we're unsure if we'll return. read more

See all

First, I was in the restaurant business as a head server, in private clubs, as a corporate trainer etc etc long story short I have a lot of restaurant experience. My family used to love this restaurant...but that was decades ago. Now it is just awful. I've been there a few times in the last couple of years, and I would not recommend this place to my worst enemy. We show up with 9 people at 4PM on a Monday (the place was practically empty) and it still took 20 minutes to get to a table because they forgot about us even though we were standing right in front of them the entire time! They also said they could not accommodate 9 people on one table. Meanwhile they have a giant backroom with multiple 4 tops that could have been used. We were sat AT A BOOTH with 9 people!!! They sit us at a booth with two of us ON THE ENDS with zero room to eat or put our legs. I used to get my favorite California Dreaming salad, but it is not good anymore. They can't possibly screw up fried shrimp, right? WRONG! The fish my grandfather had also had giant bones in it. Give this place a hard pass unless you have low standards or a time machine to the 90s. read more

My husband treated me to dinner for my birthday. The food and atmosphere is fabulous. But Mariah J was AMAZING. She was so nice (even though she was very busy), very attentive and added this special touch to my cheesecake! I very much appreciated her kind gesture. read more

California Dreaming - Seafood Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Had a good experience at California Dreaming! We were able to grab a same-day reservation, which was a nice surprise. From the moment we arrived, the service was fantastic -- our waitress was friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed without ever feeling rushed. The restaurant is located inside the historic Union Station, built in 1902, and you can feel the charm of the past with its brickwork, and beautiful old-world architecture. It is a really cool setting. Inside, the ambiance was casual with comfortable seating and a lively bar area. The drink menu had a great selection of cocktails, wines, and beers; I had an old fashioned and it was well poured. The house salad was surprisingly fresh and flavorful -- definitely a step above the usual "included salad." For the main course, I had the baby back ribs -- they were good, not the absolute best I've ever had, but definitely satisfying. Overall, I really enjoyed the meal and the whole experience. The combination of great service, solid food, and a unique historic setting makes this spot worth a visit! read more

I almost always get the California Dreaming salad but decided to go for something a little differnt this time. I've vowed to try she crab soup at every restaurant that serves it. I was so disappointed in CD's she crab soup. It was bland and did not taste anything like the she crab soup I'm used to having. That was a definite bust for me. I also had the shrimp San Franciso, and it was yummy. The shrimp were cooked perfectly and the sauce was divine. I took a star away for the soup and one star for the sheer volume of the restaurant. The music was incredibly loud. I could not hear the person I was dining with at all. All that to say, I'll be back to California Dreaming for two reasons: 1) their salad and 2) their impeccable service. read more

Had a short wait with priority seating, so I recommend using priority seating when planning to visit this location. The service was excellent, server was friendly, attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. The food is always excellent. The lights are kept pretty low, so that may be an issue for those guests with vision impairments of any kind. read more

See all

What a great way to enjoy traditional American cuisine other than a historic train station. Jordan was our super friendly, and ambitious server, we never even came close to running out of our drinks and was very charming. My wife and I had a burger and a turkey club and we split and shared our meals. read more

California Dreaming - Burger and turkey sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Service was great. Had the soup, and ribs. I enjoyed everything. I will be back. The rolls with the honey butter glaze is amazing read more

First of all every time I'm in Columbia South Carolina I'm definitely going to visit this restaurant. This building is old but amazingly restored. My server Jaylynn will forever be family. I love to see her grow at this place. She has upgraded to the bar and baby the way she made my hibiscus cocktail I see that she belongs behind the bar. This time I had the Cali bowl with Salmon. This dish explodes in your mouth and will definitely light up your taste buds. Very well made. Jaylynn I will see you in August. I love this place it's welcoming to me and my Tummy. I will always support good food and beautiful people until next time you all stay well. read more

See all

Food was ok nothing special about it but the cost Too expensive for what we received Service was good and a pleasant sports bar atmosphere read more

Great food and great service! Welcoming atmosphere! Kaileigh L is a wonderful server with a pleasant and friendly demeanor. She treated us like we were her special guests! read more

California Dreaming - Thanksgiving Dinner - Seafood Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

I have never seen such black on white/asian racism as my gf and I experienced this past Friday night at the bar while waiting for a table. All black female bartenders completely ignored us while serving cheerfully all other black customers. It was very embarrassing and sad. Even other black customers noticed their lack of proper professionalism. I would encourage you to speak up if it ever happens to you. read more

Very nice ambiance in an old train depot, but average food and slow service. Kids didn't like their tacos and my ribs tasted store bought. I wouldn't return. read more

Everything... great Svc. Great atmosphere. Awesome, delicious, outstanding food! While visiting my grandson at his college, we found this jewel of American, seafood and other cuisine!! read more

we absolutely love the food and service ,we will be back for sure .come check them out

We stop by several times every year. I usually order the CD salad. Mix the hot bacon and honey mustard dressings.