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California Dreaming | Columbia, SC - California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating, Columbia, SC

California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating

4.4
4.4
2613 Reviews
$30 and under
American

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2 people
7:00 pm

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Booked 89 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Good for groups
  • Lively
Located in downtown Columbia, SC, inside the historic 1902 Union Station, California Dreaming welcomes guests with its vibrant and inviting atmosphere. The restaurant's floor-to-ceiling windows offer a picturesque view of the rail tracks, stretching from the inactive platform to the main terminal. Paired with our hearty, made-from-scratch menu, it's no wonder California Dreaming has been a beloved local institution since 1984. Open for lunch and dinner daily, including online ordering with curbside pickup.

Celebrating 40 years, California Dreaming has been a valued part of the Columbia community. Union Station, its historic home, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

**We provide Advance Priority Seating to reduce wait times and expedite the seating process when your entire party arrives. To ensure the best experience for all guests, we seat groups of up to 8. While larger groups are seated separately, this arrangement is flexible during quieter hours.

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Seafood, Steak
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 11:00 am–9:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa

What 2,613 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.4Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • South Carolina

    Most Booked

  • Columbia

    Great for brunch

  • Columbia

    Good for groups

  • Columbia

    Hot spot

  • Columbia

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
California Dreaming in Columbia offers a lively dining experience, often bustling with a vibrant crowd due to its popularity. Guests appreciate the "great food and great service," with standout dishes like the She Crab Soup and California Dreaming Salad. The historic train station setting adds to its charming atmosphere. However, expect occasional delays in seating, even with reservations. The attentive staff consistently receives praise for their friendly service, making it a memorable spot for special occasions.
2,613 Reviews
  1. Shannon

    Charleston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great salads and the roll is perfect for dessert! Service was great! The bar area is a bit more noisy than other areas of the restaurant, but can still carry a conversation.

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  2. Todd

    Nashville

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great place, opened at 11am on Sunday, quickly had everyone seated quickly.

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  3. Yvette

    Charleston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    The experience was lovely however the lighting needs to be better. The lights were so low that it was hard to see the menu and what you were eating.

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  4. OpenTable Diner

    Charleston

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always love California Dreaming! Great food and excellent service from Isabella.

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  5. Cynthia

    Charleston

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    It was a wonderful time - my usual experience at California Dreaming. I always make a reservation - important. This time was exceptional though - it was very busy but our server was exceptional - her name is Kate! Kudos to you Kate - you made our evening!!! Thank you!

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  6. Eric

    Charlotte

    7 reviews

    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on 26 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    This was my first time seated towards the train tracks. It was much noisier in that area. The server and the food were very good. 

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  7. Heather

    Charleston

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 25 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our server was great! Very personable and knowledgeable!

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  8. ALYSIA

    Unspecified

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 24 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Had a good server! The food came out very fast and fresh. Drinks also great! Worth every penny! I will be back soon!

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  9. Devin

    Charleston

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on 23 February 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    We came on Sunday around 6:30pm. The server let us know that several items were sold out on the menu all pasta was sold out including some of the fried options on the menu. It was very disappointing. I requested an item to be added to my order and never received during my meal. The server still charged our bill and she had to remove it from our ticket. Overall, our server was nice, however we feel that it was a inconvenience to be very limited on what we could order on the menu.

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  10. LaTina

    Charlotte

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 23 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Mother's Birthday lunch with family Food,service and atmosphere was amazing as always. Waiter was friendly and attentive.

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FAQs

California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (803) 254-6767.

California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating is rated 4.4 stars by 2613 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm

Select a time

Booked 89 times today
Google Map for California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating

401 Main St, Columbia, SC 29201-4147

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Seafood, Steak
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 11:00 am–9:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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