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

California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating

4.4
4.4
2618 Reviews
$30 and under
American

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 58 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 2,618 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 vibrant dining experience with delicious food and attentive service. Guests rave about the "amazing croissants," "great service," and "delicious food." The historic setting adds charm, although some mention delays in seating despite reservations. Overall, it's a popular spot for special occasions and everyday dining.

2,618 Reviews
  1. ChocolateDrop84 VIP

    Atlanta8 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    We made a 6pm priority reservation and were seated within 10 mins of arriving. We were seated on the other side of the bar near the service station which was messy and a bit smelly but we chose not to complain due to how busy they were. Our servers were great. The young man who took care of us was also training a new server. He was honestly one of the best servers I’ve had.

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  2. OpenTable Diner

    Charleston1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My experience has been excellent previously and I am a regular you can say but today all the fried seafood just tasted and smelled burnt and they was out of the porkchop so today was horrible for me😩😩😩

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  3. MT

    Tampa16 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    As always a wonderful experience! Our server was delightful and outstanding, ensuring each detail was attended. The atmosphere was pleasant and the food was delicious! We look forward to next time!

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  4. James

    Charleston1 review

    1.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    Absolutely so over rated. Entirely too many people in one place. It was so loud we couldn’t hear each other talk. They ran out of silverware and gave us plastic to-go utensils. Food wasn’t worth the high prices.

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  5. Bridgette

    Unspecified1 review

    2.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    The food was not very good and overpriced. Kindve overrated. Was sat in a weird spot and walked past several times by our waiter. Didn't get a drink refill once on the water. Food price was not worthy quality. Used to be a great place to eat but it's just changed.

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  6. Shannon

    Charleston1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 2 March 2025

    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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  7. Todd

    Nashville3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 2 March 2025

    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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  8. Yvette

    Charleston1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    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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  9. OpenTable Diner

    Charleston2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    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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  10. Cynthia

    Charleston9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    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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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 2618 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
Booked 58 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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