California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating

Name: California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating
Address: 401 Main St, Columbia, SC, United States, 29201-4147
Telephone: (803) 254-6767
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.4

4.4

2604 Reviews

$30 and under

American

Make a booking

2 people

24 Feb 2025

7:00 pm

Booked 39 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.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
American, Seafood, Steak
Hours of Operation
Daily 11:00 am–9:00 pm
Phone number
(803) 254-6767
Website
http://www.californiadreaming.rest/
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress

Location
401 Main St, Columbia, SC 29201-4147
Area
Columbia
Parking details
Public Parking
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Takeaway, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

She Crab SoupUSD 8.94
A rich and creamy Charleston classic
Steamed Peel & Eat ShrimpUSD 10.95
(9) Old Bay boil, served with cocktail sauce
Fried Crab ClawsUSD 15.95
Served with spicy cocktail sauce. Llimited availability
BBQ Chicken NachosUSD 14.95
Smoky BBQ sauce, red onions, house-made chips, cheese sauce
Seafood NachosUSD 16.95
Spicy shrimp, salmon, red onions, house-made chips, cheese sauce and lobster cream sauce with dill
Tijuana Chicken WingsUSD 15.95
Marinated in hot pepper sauce, fried crispy, with bleu cheese dip
Our Famous Croissants (5)USD 6.95
Topped with honey-butter
Baked Potato SoupUSD 7.95
Creamy soup, scallions, cheese, ham, bacon

Entrees

Chicken Tenders PlatterUSD 16.95
Fried chicken tenderloins, served with house-made honey BBQ sauce and french fries
Blackened Chicken PastaUSD 17.95
Alfredo, scallions, tomatoes, with romano cheese
BBQ ChickenUSD 15.95
Double breast of chicken basted with BBQ sauce, with side item
Knob Hill ChickenUSD 17.95
Topped with ham and monterey jack cheese, with side item
Crispy Shrimp Tacos (3)USD 15.95
Jicama slaw, chipotle mayo, tomatoes, pickled onions, scallions, queso fresco

Seafood Favorites

Shrimp San FranciscoUSD 17.95
Mushrooms, garlic cream, white wine, served over pasta, topped with romano cheese
Roasted SalmonUSD 24.95
Encrusted with rosemary and thyme, with side item
Carolina TroutUSD 24.95
Grilled with arugula and lemon

Fried Seafood Platters

ShrimpUSD 20.95
OystersUSD 24.95
FlounderUSD 20.95
All ThreeUSD 26.95
Served with french fries

Salads

California DreamingUSD 13.95
Mixed greens, ham and turkey, cheddar and monterey jack cheeses, egg, tomatoes, almonds topped with warm ham and bacon, house dressing
Roasted Salmon or ChickenUSD 16.95
Mixed greens, bacon, egg, avocado, tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette
- SalmonUSD 16.95
- ChickenUSD 15.95
CaesarUSD 14.95
Crisp romaine, grated romano cheese, croutons
- Chicken or Fried ShrimpUSD 14.95
- Fried OystersUSD 17.95
Chicken ClubUSD 15.95
Mixed greens, fried chicken strips, avocado, bacon, egg, tomatoes, house-made ranch dressing

Steaks, Chops + Ribs

Aged USDA Choice | Served with a house or caesar salad and side item

Pork ChopUSD 26.95
16oz. double bone, frenched chop, peach jalapeno jam
Marinated SirloinUSD 24.95
10oz. CAB sirloin marinated in fruit juices, garlic, soy sauce and spices
Steak + ShrimpUSD 25.95
Two 3oz. filet medallions, crispy fried shrimp
RibeyeUSD 35.95
14oz. hand cut
Filet MignonUSD 37.95
8oz. barrel cut
Baby Back RibsUSD 20.95
Danish full-flavored ribs, grilled with a charred exterior, basted with BBQ sauce, with side item
- One RackUSD 20.95
- Two RacksUSD 29.95

Burgers

Served with french fries

AmericanUSD 12.95
Lettuce, tomato, red onions, pickles and Duke's® mayo
VeggieUSD 13.95
Beyond Burger®, sweet soy, Duke's® mayo, monterey jack cheese, lettuce, pickle, tomato and red onions

Sandwiches

Served with french fries

Spicy ChickenUSD 14.95
Crispy fried chicken, american cheese, jicama slaw, pickles, chipotle mayo
ClubUSD 13.95
Thinly sliced turkey, ham, bacon, cheddar and monterey jack cheeses, lettuce, tomato and mayo on toasted sourdough
ChickenUSD 14.95
Broiled, topped with jack cheese, bacon, arugula, tomato and honey mustard
BBQ PorkUSD 12.95
Pulled pork, pickles, red onion and cole slaw
New Orleans Po' BoyUSD 14.95
Flounder, Fried Shrimp or Oysters with lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce on french bread
SteakUSD 17.95
Two 3oz. filet medallions, lettuce, mayonnaise, tomato, and jack cheese

Sides

French FriesUSD 5.95
Seasonal VeggieUSD 5.95
Mashed PotatoesUSD 5.95
Creamy Cole SlawUSD 5.95
Baked PotatoUSD 6.95
after 4pm

Desserts

Chocolate BrownieUSD 8.94
Apple Walnut CobblerUSD 8.94
Croissant Bread PuddingUSD 7.95
CheesecakeUSD 9.94

What 2,604 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
4.5Service
4.5Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

South Carolina
Most Booked
Columbia
Good for groups
Columbia
Neighbourhood gem
Columbia
Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

California Dreaming in Columbia offers a charming dining experience in a historic setting. Guests rave about the "excellent service" and "delicious food," with highlights including the croissants and California Dreaming salad. The ambiance is noted for its unique "old train station" vibe, although it can be a bit noisy. Reservations are recommended to minimize wait times.

2,604 Reviews

D
Devin
Charleston
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
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.
Is this helpful?
L
LaTina
Charlotte
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
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.
Is this helpful?
T
Trey
Charleston
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Wait for a table was entirely too long. When we arrived we were told they were just starting to seat people with reservations 30 mins prior to ours and with a toddler was hoping “priority seating” would be somewhere where the wait wouldn’t cause fussiness. Food was good but being overbooked & too crowded caused the service to become delayed
Is this helpful?
B
Bill
Jacksonville
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
Host table played favoritism. Waited 40 mins w a reservation for table while others w later reservations, same quantity, seated sooner!! Otherwise excellent food
Is this helpful?
J
Julie
Charleston
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had an awesome experience this time around for dinner! The Resturant was so busy with folks but able to accommodate and provide incredible service and a delicious meal. Our server was Tyler J. He did a fantastic job as he was hustling all night! We were politely greeted and offered time to get appetizers and enjoy our meal. The Fried Shrimp Po Boy and She Crab Soup were just on point! The service was so quick -yet thorough. Tyler kept our drinks refreshed and anything we needed he was on it right away, with a smile. Our food was delicious and hot. Our reservations were honored and we used our generous gift card to enjoy our meal. We sure did enjoy ourselves. We were able to have fun, stay on time -and make both the Gamecock baseball and basketball games Saturday night! Thank you again for an amazing dinner experience!
Is this helpful?
D
Desiree
Charleston
15 reviews
4.0
15 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Some of the food at the table didn’t come out from the kitchen as hoped. The server did a great job of attempting to remedy the situation. The salad with the house dressing is always on point.
Is this helpful?
T
Trey
Charleston
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Busy but good. Was seated about 15 minutes after reservation time but a nearby baseball game likely increased the crowd rush after the game.
Is this helpful?
S
Shannon
Charlotte
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Exactly what we anticipated, an excellent dinner at a place that feels like home.
Is this helpful?
D
Dustin
Charleston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Absolutely great experience!! Our server (can’t remember her name) was awesome!!
California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority SeatingResponded 5 days ago
Hey Dustin, thank you for your interest in working with us. We have open interviews Mon-Thurs from 2-4. You are more than welcome to stop by. If you have any further questions, you may email me at Trutledge@californiadreaming.rest. Taylor Rutledge
Is this helpful?
K
Keyon
Charleston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 16 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The experience was the greatest day of my life as I got engaged and our waitress was a very important part of this special day!
Is this helpful?

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 2604 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people

24 Feb 2025

7:00 pm

Booked 39 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating

401 Main St, Columbia, SC 29201-4147

Additional information

Area
Columbia
Hours of Operation
Daily 11:00 am–9:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
American, Seafood, Steak
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Public Parking
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Takeaway, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.californiadreaming.rest/
Phone number
(803) 254-6767

California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Steak

Our Famous Croissants (5)