We stop in St. Augustine every time we sail north/south from Key West to Chesapeake Bay but for various reasons have never eaten at Columbia. Today we did and it was a BIG disappointment. The place was impeccable as were the food servers but where appearances ended, service fell far short of any reasonable standard. Our waiter, Dylan S, put our bread right on the table and when we asked for dishes he blamed another waiter and never brought small dishes for the bread. Our shared appetizer of Shrimp Supreme was pretty good but we were still without small dishes to eat from until a 3rd request brought them. Then, when our paella arrived, Dylan simply put my wife's entrée dish to her side and made no attempt to remove her dirty, finished appetizer dish which was right in front of her. We had to move it to the other side of the table along with mine, where it remained for the rest of our meal. The paella was VERY salty, the chicken and scallops were rock hard, the shrimp mushy. I ate most of mine because I was very hungry; my wife left most hers. We may have just had a bad day with a waiter who needs some basic training and a cook who likes to salt the hell out of his paella but we'll never go back and never recommend Columbia to anyone we like. read more

4 1/2 stars! We had the 1905 Salad which was terrific. It consists of lettuce, cheese, Spanish olives, ham, tomatoes with a olive oil dressing. The Spanish bean soup was also tasty. To wash it down try the Sangria. Besides the super food the ambience and service are first class. The restaurant gets crowded, so plan accordingly. read more

You have to visit this place. We are from the Tampa Bay area, and we have the original Columbia restaurants here, so I wasn't especially enthusiastic about dinning here. Not that our local versions are bad, but it's more of "been there, done that" type of attitude. I am so glad I was talked into going. First of all, the inside of this place is absolutely gorgeous! And not just the main dinning area, there are several other dining rooms that are equally as impressive. Wines choices were great and we ordered a few bottles. Everyone enjoyed the meals that they ordered, including the decadent desserts. Place was very busy, but the very efficient staff didn't even seem fazed and carried on in with smiles. If you are looking for a "Nice" place to eat among the vast sea of casual Florida restaurants, then this is a must-go dinning destination. read more

After a really long day of walking Saint Augustine and attending all of their activities for their 450th birthday - I was famished, tired and in need of a stiff drink. I came across Columbia and took a peak inside and it looked like a very nice place to sit down and have a meal. - with that being said, I was in full blown tourist gear that day, with my shorts, sneakers and hat, I was contemplating on whether I was appropriately dressed.... I said " F*ck it". I wanted Spanish food and the hell with my touristy attire! When I entered I was at awe with how the area looked and was pleasantly surprised that there were other people that were very casual as me. Now, the menu had a very good selection to choose from and I was very happy to see that they offered Tapas. We had chosen about six tapas which did not disappoint. The portions were pretty big so I highly suggest ordering two at a time so you don't look like hungry savages like we did. The Sangria ... WAS ...THE SH#T!!!! Best Sangria EVER!! It was made so perfectly that you thought you were drinking a really refreshing fruity drink.... and then it hits you like POW!! And next thing you know you are on the floor talking Spanish! Hahah but serious, be careful, you may just end up on the floor. All in all the food was delicious and very authentic; I was very surprised on how everything was on point. I highly suggest stopping in for a bit if you are every in the St. Augustine area. Hope this helps guys! Besitos! Amanda read more

The food was better then most of what St. Augustine has to offer especially in the tourist district... The kids chowed down on their kids chicken finger and macaroni and cheese, while my husband and I enjoyed the black bean cakes, a mahi cuban, and some sort of a scallop bake (not memorable)... A little on the pricy side but that was expected by the location. Would go back for dinner minus the kids. A+++ on Decor read more

Great experience, great food and great drinks!! I would highly recommend dinning here.

Reservation was for 9:30. Arrived at 9 and seated. Immediately informed by waitress that kitchen closed at 10 and we needed to go on and place our dinner entrees. Service was horrible. Salad and dinner served at same time. Salad was drenched in dressing and not the same quality as previous times. We could not get drinks refilled despite asking 3 times. Sorry to say this was our worst experience and meal at The Columbia read more

I met a couple of friends of mine here who love this place, so I naturally expected to love it too. Sadly I did not. The atmosphere was nice enough, it was clean and bright. The service was not exceptional, but it was fine. The food however was a huge disappointment. The salad that everyone raves about was drowning in dressing with wilted iceberg lettuce. I asked for mine with no cheese and they quite obviously just picked the cheese out of the pre-made batch as I found small chunks of it still in my dish. The rice was dry and bland. About the only salvageable part of my meal was the plain black beans. Thank goodness they didn't manage to screw that up too. Over priced, food was pre-made and obviously not fresh, not someplace I would ever go back to. Especially since there are so many other great places on the same street to choose from. read more

Great classic restaurant, (don't go there as a serious foodie, just have fun) but the food is very good and the atmosphere is great. Excellent cuban sandwich and the 1905 salad is well seasoned and akin to an antipasto salad. The combo 1/2 cuban and 1905 salad is a deal for $9. Also, go for the imported Sangria pitcher, for $2 more it is subsantially more flavorful. We started with the regularl and could really tell a difference when we switched to the imported. read more

Unfortunate dinner at his well known restaurant my friends and I ordered many different plates and at least 50% of us had to return our dinners. Either too salt paella or cold entrees or in my case dry chicken tapas and dried octopus tapas with only approximately 7 pieces of octopus with a load of fried potatoes and carrots. The picadillo empanadas were fried well but a little too spicy. We were 30 ppl in our group and because of the many complaints the manager had to come out and make adjustments to our bills. I'm so sorry that I came here after all the hype and I will probably will never again return. read more

The Columbia - Dry over cooked chicken - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

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Great design and atmosphere, awesome waiters, but food could be better. Loaded with salt and overpriced. We ordered a Chilean base, and get two fish tales, overcooked and dry. This is not what you paying $30+. The pasta was so salty that no other taste was going thru. The stake was just a bad cut of cheap beef and taste accordingly. One of the tourist trap scenery. read more

This has been a staple restaurant for my family for 20 years! Absolutely delicious , classic, and great atmosphere . Meals are big enough to share ! MUST try the 1905 salad . Also, the sangria is the best around- order a pitcher and share with the table ( red is better than white). If you are in st. Augustine and haven't tried this yet... Shame on you! read more

The Columbia - Pompano " Lido Key" with yellow rice and asparagus. SO DELICIOUS - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

Went here for Christmas Eve dinner. Did not disappoint. Recommend the stuffed salmon, 1905 salad, martinis, red sangaria, chicken shrimp Barcelona, and bread pudding. Amazing food and wonderful service. Be sure to make a reservation. Love love love!!!! read more

Do you enjoy restaurants that care about attention to authenticity and civility? Do you like a little old school flare with your gazpacho? If you do, then look no further than the Columbia Restaurant in St. Augustine's old town. With walls bedecked in murals and hand-painted Spanish tiles, the restaurant has fountains and two stories of serving stations. This writer only wishes she could have infiltrated the kitchen walls to see firsthand the magic the chefs work with the calamari, which, incidentally, though boasted as "tapas" on the menu, truly act as main courses when ordered piecemeal. The waitstaff wear traditional starched whites and blacks. They might tempt you to try their perfect Malbec (and you should), but don't let them trick you into thinking they offer traditional tapas. Their tapas serving sizes are enormous, so if you thought you'd make a light meal out of a quick bowl of gazpacho and a couple tapas - you'd better bring some carry-out containers, because you will fill up quickly. Columbia serves ambrosial Cuban bread and wonderful salty butter before each meal. Consider this meal one, the delightful Malbec meal two. Your bowl of gazpacho (all the fixins, please) meal three... and if you can fit any more in you, then you are pre-ordained by higher powers, so go for it. Just beware: the calamari (sinfully good) stands alone as a true proper dinner. And don't forget to cruise the gift shop as you waddle out, fully satisfied and loving life. The measuring spoons are neat. read more

- Service: ACCEPTABLE, my father-inlaw almost had two trays spilled on his head or hit him in the head by servers walking by. Our server was too busy for his own good, because it seemed that his mind was on the other table when he was working at our table and would sporadically forget a refil. - Food: GRATIFYING, a lot of times you go into a restaurant and the topping looks to be elegantly placed upon the main item, but here for some reason the toppings seemed to be dumped on top with no care. However, the perfect mixture of flavors and textures made my tongue smile. - Environment: WOW - Cleanliness: EXTREMELY - Bathroom(s): CLEAN and STOCKED - Price: PRICEY - Parking: I think there was a couple spot where you could park for free, but on a Friday night we found ourself parking in the public dirt lot down by the church for like a $1.50 an hour. - Location: EXCELLANT, I loved the center courtyard - Coupons: NONE, that I know of... - Special Comment: You can go online and make reservations... read more

Where to begin? This was my first visit to Columbia restaurant and my impression is that it is OVERRATED. My wife and I stopped in for dinner at about 8pm. The wait was only about 10 minutes but once seated, we waited longer than that at the table for someone to acknowledge us. I went to the front to speak with the hostess to find four employees laughing and inattentive to what was going on in the restaurant. I explained my disappointment with the lack of a greeting and one of the staff at the stand brought us water. Out waitress, who was very busy with 5 tables did come greet us shortly after and took our order. It was clear throughout the rest of the dinner that she was getting no support from any other staff. The food was disappointing for the cost. I expected better after the reviews friends have given me before. Perhaps it was just this location, which is possible as I never observed a manager walking the floor greeting customers and providing support to wait staff. I may visit another Columbia restaurant in the future but most likely not this one. read more

We decided to take the whole family down to dinner in St. Augustine... It was well worth the trip! The bread that comes out first is one of the highlights and they are well known for it - fresh and a delicious, the crust was perfect and the inside was melt in your mouth delicious! The Sangria is wonderful, very fresh and a nice balance between tart and sweet... Very refreshing. Hubby had the 1905 Salad and said he would have it again. The Cuban sandwiches are delicious with ham that was perfectly cooked and flavored. On top of all of that, our waiter was fantastic - his name is Farid. Ask for him... He knows his stuff! He was able to suggest entrees and he did such a wonderful job we didn't even pick our own desserts, we had HIM pick them for us - we had the white chocolate bread pudding and the coconut pineapple cake... Both were desserts we will dream about for a long time! Definitely give The Columbia a try... We are so glad we did and are already planning a return visit! read more

I did not eat here! We only stopped in for an espresso at the bar! It took us forever to get any kind of acknowledgment from anyone behind the bar. Once we finally ordered, the bartender was kind of awkward. Their saving grace was that the coffee was really good & very strong. We were ready to go and our bartender was nowhere to be found. We let another bartender know we were ready and she gave us a little attitude and told us that she would find ____ (I don't remember her name). read more

Overall, my wife and I were pleased with our dinner choices. Service was good. So why 4 stars...I really expected a more upscale experience based on what i heard from friends who had dined at other Columbia's. I didn't really need to have a more upscale experience because I'm just as happy in bar with good food, but being on vacation, we wanted to do something different. Although there's a dress code posted, it certainly wasn't enforced after seeing one young man in a tank top and the whole gambit of dress from other customers. So why was this allowed? Easy answer....the resturant is located in the heart of the historic district which probably see's 80% of their customers as tourists. Hence, you're a one and done customer. I would certainly try them again, but I'd think about their location a little more before I went there. I don't regret going, I just wasn't as happy as I thought we would be with the experience. read more

I had a good experience here. Nice waitress, great sangria. My food was well cooked and was delicious. Loved the bread and the sangria in pitchers. The only complaint I have is about the salad. My friend is a vegetarian. You should not list the salad under vegetarian options on the menu if they contain about a pound of ham on top of them. The waitress was polite and apologetic. (and I ate the ham for him. haha) read more

Yes it's good Spanish food and a nice atmosphere. They take reservations and have a great bunch of waiters and waitresses. Don't miss this restaurant if you are in Saint Augustine. read more

Friends raved about this place, but our experienced was killed by our waitress. We asked for "sample" of Sangria. She came back with two full glasses. I've never had Sangria, but it tasted like watered down red wine. She disappeared for about 15 minutes and returned after we had our food. We asked for new drinks. We oredred the Garrafon Margarita which was pretty good, but the El Floridita Daiquiri tasted like pure grapefruit juice. The Pollo Manchego was delicious, "Good Rice" was better than Good. However, the Chicken Salteado tasted like takeout Chinese food next to a dry cleaner. I guess the iron skillet wasn't hot enough to keep the veggies and chicken from becoming soggy. Shoulda got the Paella I really wanted to like this restaurant. read more

This is the St Augustine location. Service was excellent, food fabulous as always. One of the few FL chains I like! read more

The Columbia - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

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We visited this place last Saturday for a quick snack during our visit to the oldest city in the US. I had been here before but not since I was in college. I remember it being much better then it was though. We were seated quickly and the place has a lot of history but history is not going to win you new customers. The service was very good but the food was just ok, nothing really popped out and said hey this is the best Spanish cuisine your going to have in St.Johns County. We had the Cuban Sandwich, Cuban Black Bean Soup, and the Spanish Bean Soup. It all just tasted very bland. Now the bread that came out was hot and delicious but too little to make a better impression. If your looking for good Spanish food in Northeast Florida look some where else. read more

This is a restaurant steeped in tradition. It has a warm, inviting atmosphere that you can tell has been part of the fabric of St. Augustine for decades. I recently went here for dinner with the wife and it was just as good as our first visit a few years back. We live in an age where modern, cutting-edge restaurants constantly update their menus with the latest and greatest culinary trends. That's not the case with The Columbia. Their menu is timeless, offering a selection of entrees passed down from each generation of the same family since the early 20th century. I'm a fan of good seafood and I would say that this place serves some really fresh fish. The menu asks customers to allow for 30 minutes for the Paella a la Valenciana to be prepared. It is absolutely worth the wait and bursts full of flavor from all the shellfish, chicken, vegetables and rice. The service is pleasant and the waiter we had was very knowledgable about the menu. We'll definitely be back to try more. read more

Excellent service, wonderful food. To be fair, I am a repeat customer from the Ybor City restaurant and went at an off time (3 pm) so not much competition for the waitstaff. I enjoy their cuisine , including the fresh fish dishes and their signature salad. Seafood paella is always wonderful if you have time to wait. read more

For the price I expected more. I don't know it was just plain. Nothing that made me say wow I'm coming back to eat this again. Also, I didn't get to eat the dish I wanted so I had to settle. The sangria was delicious! And mule on point. read more

Honestly, I am not at sure why this place has only two or three stars. We loved the service and latin dishes so much that we went twice today. I WOULD recommend this restaurant to my closest friends. Right now I'm off to sleep dreaming of the 1905 salad. Chao! read more

Very poor service. Food was good. Took 15 To get receipt and it wasn't even from our original waitress. Outside at the bar which is kind of noisy. The one in Ybor is much better read more

WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE! We had a group of six and had no trouble being seated, even though we arrived early. We had drinks, apps, a wonderful dinner and a birthday dessert (complimentary)! Taia was our waitress, and she didn't miss a beat. She was prompt, friendly and really added to our experience. I highly recommend the mixing of the sangria tableside. Taia made it so much fun for us!! We loved our food! My sister-in-law is Cuban, and she was especially impressed with the food and the presentation. We will visit again next time we are in St. Augustine. I think you'll love it too! P.S. The gift shop has wonderful pottery too! I think it's the same pieces they use in the restaurant. read more

It definitely isn't what it use to be. Now mind you, I've been visiting for over 20 years and live about an hour away. We started off with the red sangria. What happened to it, was there even wine in it? You use to be able to taste at least a hint of red wine but this tasted like the powdered mix they sell. Normally two glasses and I'm feeling a buzz but after an entire pitcher, nothing. The crab croquettes have turned into one? I can remember when they were 4-5 individual croquettes. The salad was still amazing but all six of us were disappointed with our food. I understand a business has to make money but it seems like they try to squeeze as many people into the restaurant as possible for money instead of having awesome food. Saddened and it will be a while before I return. I'll stick to driving the two hours to the original in Tampa because it has never failed me. read more

It's a lovely replica of the Columbia in Celebration and the service was AMAZING! The food is great, although the rice isn't made like traditional Cuban dishes serve it. It's more mushy then you'd find at home, but I still love love love this place and would recommend it! Ooo la la, and that 1905 salad is to die for!! read more

First experience at Columbia: Excellent. Second experience at Columbia: Odd. Their sangria is great. The food is pretty good. I loved their paella, and I'm usually not a fan. The food is good overall. The service... that was the strange part this time around. Our waitress would tell us stories, randomly. About her need for dresses that they don't have in Saint Augustine. That she really wants to visit Cuba, regardless of the government [mind you, I'm Cuban--please don't talk to me about how you don't care about the government and want to vacation there]. Then she told us how she wants to travel to Miami but thinks if you don't speak Spanish, you won't be welcome. Between these odd conversations, she would take our order, bring our food, ect. She also proceeded to rudely [albeit REALLY funny-ly] grab my friends' daughter's bread and break it apart with her bare hands when she saw the girl trying to cut her bread with a knife. Of course she very clearly indicated that her hands were CLEAN ["look! she said, look at them!"]. Lets just say, G [the young girl] was less than pleased with her experience at Columbia. The atmosphere and location are lovely. I love the inside courtyard and fountain in the center of the restaurant. It creates a nice ambiance. The restaurant is located right at the center of old St. Augustine. Again, food is pretty good. Service was INTERESTING and decor is pretty. read more

I have to remind myself whenever I crave Cuban in the future, diving head first into a tourist locale is probably not the best option. We met some friends for lunch on a Sunday morning. Reservations were made for 11, but we didn't get sat until well after. There was a staff meeting going on with the waitstaff. I used to wait tables and I understand staff meetings are important. However when you open at 11 and have a lobby full of people, continuing the meeting until past 11:15 is not the best idea in my opinion. While my food was tasty, I can't say everybody at my table was as pleased with what they ordered. I ordered the Gambas Barbacoa as an appetizer and a large bowl of the black bean soup for my entree. The shrimp were delicious. Perfectly cooked to the right tenderness and the sauce they were brushed in was quite tasty. It is a little on the spicy side, so if you're not a fan of spice, it's not for you. The black beach soup is nothing special, but it's always filling. Our waiter was pleasant and while he forgot our drink order and had to come back to refresh his memory, he was always charming to deal with. read more

One major reason to go here: The 1905 Salad. Other than that, this restaurant is delicious, in a beautiful building in the heart of the historical district of St. Augustine. However, none of that even remotely compares to the deliciousness of the 1905 Salad. This salad is comprised of iceberg lettuce, tomato, baked ham, swiss cheese, manzanilla [green] olives, white wine vinaigrette, romano cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice. MMMMM. It is so delicious. Other than that, this place serves your quintessential Spanish fare... yellow rice, chicken, croquettas, seafood, paella, tapas, etc etc. The building the restuarant is housed in is absolitely stunning. Ask to sit in the room with the fountain. Black and white tiles cover the floor, outside light pours in through the large windows and the large fountain sits in the center of the room with tables surrounding. It is a great place for lunch during a trip to St. Augustine's historical neighborhood, the oldest city in America. The location is amazing, the food is delicious, and the 1905 Salad is perfection. Top recommendation for all of St. Augustine! Yum! read more

I love this restaurant. It's very historic, the food is great as well as the drinks. It's in the heart of historic St. Augustine and has a great vibe. They also have a great gift shop. read more

A very Spanish ambience. Food is excellent. Great service. Must try - Crab cake

We've always had a great time at the Columbia restaurants. Over the past 20 years we've gone to the St. Augustine, Sarasota and the Celebration locations and each experience has been excellent. St. Augustine is by far, our favorite. The atmosphere of the restaurant itself is beautiful let alone the surrounding historic area. The food and service have always been wonderful and the Sangria's are almost too refreshing...lol. The only issue I would have with the Celebration location is that the tables are (or seem) closer together. It may have just been an extremely busy night. No matter the location, the Columbia has a customer for life. read more

Amazing atmosphere and food. Sat upstairs and enjoyed the beautiful architecture. I had the Paella Espanola and it was amazing. The 1905 salad was great. Server was attentive and prices were ok. Would definitely come back here read more

The Columbia - Spanish Near Me - St Augustine, Florida

What I am eating is this chicken and yellow rice. The chicken was bland. I asked the waiter I need lemon cause it was so bland. I also used the butter from the bread to make this also taste better, with salt & pepper. I did not say like hospital food. This restaurant is called Columbia restaurant in St Augustine Florida. Could buy a whole bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken or Popeyes. Would have been the same price, and taste better. read more

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