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“ Birthday Dinner”

Columbia Restaurant
Reserve a table
2
Thu, 28/03
20:00
Ranked #88 of 607 Restaurants in St. Augustine
Price range: ₹833 - ₹4,001
Cuisines: Cuban, Spanish
More restaurant details
Restaurant details
Good for: Special Occasion Dining, Groups, Romantic
Dining options: After-hours, Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast, Delivery, Reservations
Dining style: Casual Dining
Description: The exquisite Columbia Restaurant sits in the heart of St. Augustine in the historic district of the nation’s oldest city, which was founded in 1565. Enjoy our award-winning Spanish/Cuban cuisine while eating lunch or dinner in our dining rooms filled with hundreds of hand-painted tiles and Spanish-style fountains. The restaurant is owned by the fourth and fifth generation of the original family, which opened the flagship Columbia in Tampa's historic Ybor City in 1905.
Reviewed 24 April 2017 via mobile

Recommended by a coworker, specifically the seafood paella (paella marinera). Had the paella, my wife has a gluten allergy and they were able to accommodate (they have a gluten free menu). Cuban bread and butter was amazing, I felt guilty about eating my wife's portion...for about 5 seconds. Got a free birthday flan for dessert. The seafood paella was absolutely delicious. I would have paid twice the cost, it was that good. Right in the heart of the historic district. Loved the layout, floor tiles, wall tiles, old fountain out front and statue/fountain in center of dining area.

Date of visit: April 2017
1  Thank L2953YTericp
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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2,477 - 2,481 of 6,647 reviews

Reviewed 24 April 2017

First off, I'd encourage anyone looking for a quiet intimate couples dinner to re-think Columbia. I fell in love with the inside décor on the website, the menu is big and exciting, so I booked it for reservations our last night in St Augustine to celebrate our farewell to the city. The outside of the restaurant is beautiful as we walked by it all week. When we arrived on Friday night, it was to a bustling, busy, loud echo'y restaurant filled with people and waitstaff rushing about and many dining rooms on different levels. We grabbed a drink at the bar, I learned that they're known for their sangria, so I ordered it. It was okay, but I've actually had better sangria (just honest). I'd asked the hostess for a dining room table, not one inside the bar area so we were seated in the main dining area that's on their website, and it's very pretty. But - pretty loud too! And surprisingly quite a few kids with families and large groups. Our reservations were at 7:45 pm and it was hopping, even with little kids, one of which was yelling. Our waitress was very nice and eager to help us in our menu choices, but chuckling now - even she spoke very loudly and was exuberant and sometimes appeared frantic as she rushed to and fro. We ordered food, and like everyone says - it was simply fabulous. Truly truly wonderful flavors. As we got to the end of the meal and I told our waitress that I love bread pudding, she convinced me I MUST try their signature white chocolate bread pudding, she assured me I've never had anything so good. Well, I got it and it is good, but again, it's not the best I've ever had. As we closed our meal, a group of middle-aged adults came in, drunk and so loud as to have other guests turning in their chairs to look at the commotion. Cat-calling each other and creating a disturbance. The experience on the whole was a bit of sensory overload, and at the end, instead of feeling relaxed we were kind of tension-filled and ready to go. Chuckling now, but wasn't funny then. If I had it to do over again, I'd recommend trying it during the week on a more quiet night (hopefully) or trying someplace else if you're looking for a quiet, more couples-driven dinner.

Date of visit: April 2017
    • Value
    • Service
    • Food
Thank D J
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 23 April 2017 via mobile

My family and I recently celebrated a special birthday at the Columbia Restaurant and had a great evening. The bread is out of this world, each persons portion comes to the table piping hot and individually wrapped in paper. The sangria is made table side and is delicious. I ordered the grilled snapper and it was delicious.

Date of visit: April 2017
Thank IAlwaysWantToGo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 22 April 2017 via mobile

If you get to St Augustine, the Columbia Restaurant is a must. The atmosphere is beautiful and the food is amazing. Make sure to get their famous sangria it's fabulous. From tapas to full dinners and salads, everything is so yummy. It's a must to visit when you are in St Augustine.

Date of visit: April 2017
Thank Toni0630
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 22 April 2017

My family in Florida gave me my choice of locations for my birthday dinner, and I chose the Columbia. I had never eaten there but had heard only great things about it.. The ambiance is festive-love the tiles! Sangria prepared table side...The menu is outstanding...There were 7 of us, and each one ordered something different...all meals were delicious! My red snapper was the best I've ever had in a restaurant. I would go back several times and try something different each time and never be disappointed. Thanks Jon & Dee for a tasty, fun celebration!

Date of visit: April 2017
    • Value
    • Service
    • Food
Thank Paulinda K
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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