Horrible customer service and not good food! We were 11 people and no one liked their food. Also, paella portions are tiny read more

This was the best and most enjoyable meal we had in St. Augustine. My son went to Spain last summer and was excited to eat some of the real Spanish dishes he had been missing. He wasn't disappointed. The atmosphere is great and the dishes consist of traditional Spanish favorites. They start the meal with this yummy bread and butter. Normally, I try to lay off the bread so I don't fill up before the main dish, but my will power was low because this bread was FANTASTIC. We ordered a few tapas items for appetizers. The Croquetos de Pollo was TO DIE FOR. Order it. I mean it. Order it. We also ordered the Chorizo Espanola, which was fine. The sangria was delicious. You can order it by the pitcher. I got the red wine sangria and the glass contained yummy fruit that set off the drink perfectly. All our meals were really wonderful. The seafood dishes were fresh and the beef dish I had was perfectly cooked and presented. We ordered cafe con leche (coffee with steamed milk) that was perfectly delicious. WARNING: Their desserts are HUGE. We ordered two desserts to share around the table, thinking they would be small, but the bread pudding (delicious!) was big enough for all of us to share. We also ordered the chocolae brazo gitano, which was also quite large and soooo gooood. (Their specialty seems to be flan, which you can get anywhere, and creme brulee, which is french. We decided not to go with these.) There's a cute gift shop attached that sells their pottery and sangria mix for you to take home. The only downside was the service. We made a reservation for 6:45, but when we got there, it seemed as though we were just given a pager and put in line with everyone else there, many of who didn't have a reservation. I didn't feel like it made any difference. Also, the waitress was slow. My water was never refilled and it took forever for her to clear our dinner plates when we were finished. We didn't mind so much because we were on vacation and had a relaxed schedule, but I did consider knocking off a star for this. The rest of the experience was so good I decided not to. If you're in St. Augustine and only have one choice for dinner, this would be my pick! Really excellent. read more

Found two legitimate spaces at the bar, but one of the stools was missing. Tried to order drinks and tapas while waiting to see if another stool would be vacated. Were told we could not be served unless we both were seated. We were not in a server area, we were in the middle of the bar, there was just a missing chair. Ridiculous non customer friendly policy. Go somewhere that wants your business. read more

Took my wife here for her birthday. He had ate there before during an earlier visit to St. Augustine. This is a must visit. The food is amazing, the prices are very reasonable, the portions are plentiful, and the staff are magnificent! Oh, and they take reservations! How cool is that! read more

The Columbia - You must eat here when you're in St. Augustine - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

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This place permeates ambience! It has a good selection of food and drinks. I had the cheap sangria and was completely satisfied. Everyone at the table got a warm freshly baked piece of bread with deliciously whipped butter. I ordered the gazpacho soup which came with a selection of freshly chopped tomatoes, onions, and peppers. It was delicious. I Aldo ordered the crab croquettes with a bed of rice, grilled asparagus and yellow squash. It to was very tasty. Our waiter was very conscious of what was happening at our table but not to the point of annoying. The room we sat in was on the top floor of the three story restaurant snd gave you a sense of feeling special even though each floor would give you that same feeling. Totally liked the place and recommend it to anyone visiting the restaurant in St. Augustine. read more

The Columbia - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

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Delicious food, but service was a bit rushed and impersonal. Sangria was delicious and the dessert was amazing! Also strongly recommend the black bean soup ! read more

We came as a party of two on a Saturday night. The wait was about 1.5 hour. Maybe call ahead for reservation if available? Luckily we found seats at the bar. Our bartender/server was patient and friendly. Each person gets their own little loaf of bread to start! I got a mojito and it was great. It was even served with a sugar cane which I thought was a nice touch. I forget the name of what I got but it had the chimmichuri steak, shrimp, "good rice", and veggies (asparagus& mushroom). 10/10 recommend this dish! read more

The Columbia - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

Great food and great ambiance! Our server was very nice and always attentive to our table, even though it was a packed house. This restaurant is in the colonial area of St. Augustine and it has beautiful decor and even better food. My boyfriend and I shared a pitcher of sangria and the queso fundido as well as two entrees everything was excellent. I would return. read more

Truly a St. Augustine staple. You can't come to St. Augustine and NOT go to The Columbia. It's got such a rich history that really sinks in the moment you put your foot in the door. You're surrounded by beautiful architecture and a family story that has been written at this restaurant since 1905. I find going for lunch will save you a few bucks. Their signature salad really is THAT good, and I can never pass up the paella; cooked to perfection every time with amazing flavor. Treat yourself to a glass of sangria. And definitely don't pass up any of their yummy desserts. I'm partial to the key lime pie but really, anything will be delicious. The wait times can be long, but you can peruse the gift shop or explore other parts of the restaurant while you wait! read more

This is a must try on St. George Street!! There's definitely a shortage of Cuban food in the area and thank goodness the Columbia doesn't ever let me down. I always get the Palomilla steak with buttery Cuban bread and share around pitchers of mojitos and sangria. Definitely go for a dessert at the end as well, they're all delicious!! read more

Beautiful Spanish style restaurant located on the Main Street in St Augustine. We arrived at noon (weekday) without reservations and were seated immediately. Our waiter arrives promptly and took our drink order. He gave us ample time to go over the menu and ask questions. We ordered our food and the waiter returned with warm Cuban bread individually wrapped for each of us. Our food arrived quickly and the presentation was beautiful. One had a fried steak sandwich with plantain chips - excellent! Next had 1/2 Cuban sandwich and gazpacho soup again excellent. I ordered 1/4 dark meat chicken with Spanish rice and it was very good too. The rice was a little more "mushy" but was tasty. The cost of the meal with 3 waters was 47.00. A little high for lunch but worthy of the special visit. read more

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This place is definitely delicious. We were told about this place from my shuttle driver. We ordered a trio of tapas: bacon fried shrimp(Amazing!), stuffed mushrooms(just ok), and Tomato-Melted Cheese dish(was ok, could've been hotter. Maybe the tomato sauce was cold, so it made the cheese not melty?). 1905 Salad is delicious! We had this at dinner and at lunch the next day. Taste does depend on your server. Dinner time, our server used more lemon juice, scrapped every last bit of dressing out of the bowl and used less Worcestershire. Yum! Unfortunately, the next day at lunch, this server just seemed more happy that he didn't have to explain anything because we heard the story behind the salad. He just through everything together, then putting a ton of Worcestershire. Since he didn't scrap out the dressing bowl and barely squeezed the lemon, it didn't taste the same. I ended up having to add salt & pepper to help it along. This server pretty much sounded & looked sad, not a great person to have serving. He worked Monday(3/27) AM shift. Chacho Steak: Yum! Bit on the salty side, but delicious! Ribeye Steak: Yum! Good grill/char flavor. Bread pudding: just ok, very soggy. Some parts were burnt beyond wanting to eat it. Creme Catalana: this is tasty. Similar to creme brûlée, but maybe not as sweet. Table side torched. Cuban Sandwich(lunch next day): This was pretty disappointing. The sandwich was so dry. Flavor was just ok. Nothing about this sandwich made me want to order it ever again. Coffee: Yes! We got a strong batch! Ask if they can leave the pot at your table. read more

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Food was amazing! Drinks were made perfectly! 10/10 recommend for locals and tourists!

The food was amazing! Everything was fresh and rich in flavor I asked for the crab cake. My server was great. Super friendly!!!! Loved it. Would definitely come back!!!! read more

We have not gone out a lot recently and this evening- my husband and I remembered masks and hand sanitizer but completely forgot our wallets (so very awkward). Upon realizing this the staff was so helpful even including the valet/parking lot attendant who offered to lend us some cash. What a kind gesture. We were able to work it out and had a lovely evening. Delicious food. I love the 1905 salad with warm bread. The key lime pie was a touch too sweet for my taste but my belly is full, my family is happy and we had the best experience. Thank you! read more

Charming ambiance dripping with Spanish design. The staff is warm and engaging. Both sangrias were light and refreshing but layered with flavor. The stuffed peppers were bold and delicious!! One of the best stuffed pepper dishes I've had! The black bean soup was also very good. I look forward to coming back for another meal!! read more

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We ordered take out and ordered two 1905 salads, the black bean cakes and the empanadas. The salad dressing is just something special. The empanadas are prob the best I've had - the meat inside had a great brothy sauce on it. Sometimes empanadas are kind of dry. Not these! We asked for a bit of bread and they gave us a whole loaf! Mmmm the salad dressing doubles as a dip for the super soft Cuban bread. read more

Beautiful restaurant, love the ambiance. At first I was a bit annoyed by the service. I feel like in this price point you shouldn't have to wait several minutes for a server to come over and for a glass of water. Our drinks took a long time too, and it was a quiet night. Our server seemed a bit distracted and not very engaging. Once the salad came out, which he made in front of us, he seemed to loosen up and things got much better from there. The salad is a must-have. My prime rib was very tasty but slightly over cooked for medium. I loved the potatoes that came with my steak. It turned out to be a nice, relaxing, enjoyable dining experience and I would go back. read more

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St. Augustine is my favorite place in Florida. We come here every time we want to get away to a pet friendly place that we can drive to. We arrived Saturday Nov. 20, 2021 without a Thanksgiving reservation. We were lucky enough to get a spot at The Columbia. Cannot recommend it enough. They not only had their full menu available but a Thanksgiving meal was available too. The food was great. The service too. We selected a pretty good wine to pair with our food and dessert was even better. Cannot say enough good things about this place. Even on a busy Thanksgiving day, they delivered great food and service. read more

Brandon made our first visit worthwhile. Had reservations, good thing because the wait was 2 hrs at 1 pm on 2/28/21. My cuban wasn't even warm or melted, but we overlooked that because Brandon was so professional. We thanked the hostess on our way out and told her Brandon was an excellent server and she said yes, he was one of their best. (St. Augustine.) read more

My husband and I came here for dinner after it being recommended as a must visit from a number of other tourist attractions. It didn't live up to our expectations. The mojito we ordered was way to sweet and limited options for glasses of wine. Food and ambiance was ok, but nothing we would rush back for. Our server also wasn't engaged but did a good job of not rushing us through courses. read more

Cute place! Nice outdoor garden with benches, really nice staff and cute gift shop with awesome pottery. Delicious sangria to boot! read more

The Columbia - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

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Love, love, love!!! As a native, third generation Floridian, I love the history and authenticity of this restaurant. The cuisine never disappoints and you simply can't go wrong ordering anything on the menu. Everything is delicious! They ambiance is lovely. The staff is always friendly and on point. read more

Service was a bit slow otherwise I would give 5 stars. Crab cakes were fresh, light and had the perfect amount of crab. Stuffed shrimp got A+ reviews from 2 in our party and the chicken was also delicious. read more

We went there for lunch in a Tuesday at 1:30. If you're in a hurry call ahead for rezos because they only open the main dining room. I ordered the Cuban sandwich and it is worth skipping and going for something more exotic than a flattened ham and cheese sandwich. The soups are to die for but they don't sell to-go portion which sucks! The ambiance is quaint just like the town of St Augustine. I'll have to return and be a bit more adventurous with my order. Great service and in the middle of the action! read more

Phenomenal and excellent. This restaurant was very accommodating. We made reservations for a Sunday night at 7:15pm and boy are we glad we did the line was out the door. The wait was small and we were taken up to the 3rd floor of the restaurant. We ordered the 1905 salad, mussels and chorizo tapas, picadilla with black beans and rice and plantains. We also had the Cuban bread with butter and key lime pie. Everything we ordered was phenomenal. Tom was a great waiter very attentive and couldn't have been a better waiter. We have been a lot of places in st Augustine this long holiday weekend but this was our favorite by far. Thanks Colombian for making our last night in the city the best night. read more

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I usually try to make to this restaurant once when visiting St. Augustine. I love the decorations of the building inside and outside. They've got delicious sangria (I prefer red), recommend getting by the pitcher of group of you are drinking. The traditional chicken and yellow rice is my favorite. Very flavorful. The paella is great also but it is bit pricey and gotta give 30-40 min to prepare so if you are starving, definitely not the dish to order read more

The Columbia is a memorable experience of family tradition and Cuban food. Sangria is so good and fun to share a pitcher w a friend. Grouper stuffed w crab was wonderfully prepared. The special house salad and bread is a must. It does tend to be nosy and busy but a fun environment. read more

Nice ambience. However this ain't Spanish. This is a Cuban restaurant. All plates come with rice, side options are poor, either rice or plantains, the Spanish cuisine is richer than what this place offers. The bread and butter is great, but again not a typical Spanish bread type, just the Cuban type. Don't order the Mussels and Chorizo, About 10 mussels with 5 or 6 slices of chorizo, uncooked tomato and onions swimming in uncooked white wine and tomato sauce, it was an unpleasant experience. Good Cuban cuisine options but won't call this Spanish. read more

This restaurant was really great - we had table side sangria which was delicious. The bread is so warm and crispy on the outside soft on the inside. I forgot the name of what I had fuedo something - a shellfish stew - picture attached. Huge portion and super delicious. read more

The Columbia - Awesome shellfish stew - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

We stopped in for a quick bite and drinks. Had Queso Fundido and sangria. Best snack we've had in a long time. Would go back in a heart beat.Service was quick and efficient. read more

The Columbia - Sangria with Queso Fundido - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

Absolutely not worth the 300 dollar price. The service was incredibly below average, for example the hostess was completely away for almost the entirety of the night, me and my brothers drinks were never filled unless asked numerous times, and to top it all off she never even cleaned up after the appetizers those plates were there when we left. one of the people present had chicken that was dry and tasteless. My chicken was overly sweet and was accompanied with hard peas in a pod and frozen peas on my rice. And of course in typical fashion the host acted like an outstanding citizen as soon as it was time for the check. Also why did she feel the need to move our tables because we had two extra seats. Even the other host who provided help doing so was confused. And a small but weird thing they did was she didn't finish handing out bread she gave it individually to 3 of our guests and then just put the rest on the table. In conclusion for the exorbitant pricing this wad 100% not worth it read more

Tapas were good. 10 bucks for 2 empanadas little pricey. Ordered pitcher of Mojito and tasted like club soda only. Server was very kind to switch out for sangria. Food felt like it was warmed up and pre made. Did not taste fresh. I suppose we should think twice before going out to eat @ 9pm. Overall server was really nice and did a good job. read more

Made a reservation 6 weeks ago for the 4th of July but when we arrived the hostess said they had no reservation on record. The hostess did not apologize and said they have over 400 expected guests today and could not accommodate us. Her attitude was go somewhere else. Columbia is off my list of restaurants. read more

The food here was very good and the atmosphere was fantastic. Highly recommend. Tried the filet, Cuban and the scallops. Not disappointed.

Would give this place zero stars if not for the fact that the Manager seemed to genuinely care that we had horrible service. The food was okay (nothing to rave about) but the poor service ruined our dining experience. We have been coming here for forty years but, sadly, after this experience we will not be back. read more

From the moment you walk in to this legendary family restaurant, you feel at home. You're greeted with beautiful smiles from the hostesses and shown to one of the tables in a majestic and historic building. There are several unique seating areas, each with beautiful art, tile and woodwork. You look out the windows onto well tended gardens with courtyards and fountains. The central room is capped with a skylight dome which makes you feel as if you're dining outside. The menu is is a work of art with photos and stories about the history of the restaurant and some of the larger than life characters who have worked there. There are also wines which have been lovingly created and named after some beloved family dogs! The selection of classic dishes is impressive and we wanted to try everything, but we finally settled on the Paella. This is one of my favorite dishes and I was so excited to see it on the menu. It was made fresh (we were told it would take about 40 minutes to prepare) and presented at our table in the classic paella pan. We were given hot, freshly made bread with creamy butter. This was some of the most delicious and authentic paella I have ever had. Our waitress, Nikki, was outstanding, even offering to refrigerate our leftovers so we could enjoy the nightlife in St. Augustine without having to carry around our food. What an absolute pleasure!! There are several locations of this restaurant and I imagine that they are all of the same high quality. You won't be disappointed! read more

I stopped here during one of my visits to St.Augustine. I had saw great reviews and always noticed how busy it was so I assumed it had to be a nice spot to eat. I was not disappointed! The food was amazing and the portions were pretty big. My favorite item would be the empanadas! They were made to perfection. I also loved the ambiance of the restaurant! It was such a nice place to have lunch with my boyfriend. I will definitely be coming back! read more

Besides it being a historical architectural building the food is quite good and authentic spanish cuisine. The service is excellent and the staff is friendly and accommodating. Definitely the place to go I'd you like Spanish-Cuban food. They have several restaurants throughout FL. The one in Tampa was my favorite and most authentic I thought but the St Augustine one is also excellent. read more

A gem in a sea of average restaurants in St Augustine. The food is fresh, thoughtful and wonderfully presented. The building alone is worth the visit but the food is the real star of the show. Wonderful authentic Cuban food prepared fresh. I have the marinated pork with plantains, black beans and good rice. The Paia is wonderful. Served made to order (lunch) and full of wonderful fresh seafood and yellow rice and a rainbow of vegetables. I prefer the lunch menu myself mainly due to portion sizes but anytime of day is a great time for a meal. Highly recommended. read more

The Columbia - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida