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

California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating

4.4
4.4
2488 Reviews
$30 and under
American

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 103 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Good for groups
  • Good for business meals
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
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Neighbourhood
    Columbia
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 2,488 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
  • 4.3Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • South Carolina

    Most Booked

  • Columbia

    Good for groups

  • Columbia

    Healthy

  • Columbia

    Hot spot

  • Columbia

    Neighbourhood gem

  • Columbia

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
California Dreaming in Columbia offers a "fabulous atmosphere" within a historic train depot, perfect for special occasions. Guests rave about the "delicious food" and "great service," with standout dishes like the Cali Dreaming salad and seafood nachos. Priority seating ensures prompt service, though the place can get busy on holidays.

2,488 Reviews
  1. Darius

    Charleston

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    Took my team here for dinner and we had a great time. The food was excellent the only thing that wasn’t top tier was the service. To her defense she had entire area by herself and was working very hard to accommodate everyone. Maybe should get the waitress more help on a busy Friday night she she isn’t so overwhelmed.

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  2. Janet

    Charleston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was great as always and Jordan was an awesome server.

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  3. Sandra

    New York City

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was excellent as always- such a nice place for casual dining

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  4. Stanley

    Charleston

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Service was excellent. We could not have asked for a better waiter. The ranch dressing on the salad was not good, tasted more like blue cheese. Our waiter informed us he'd heard that complaint all night and happily brought me a new salad with thousand island dressing which was very good. Our baked potatoes were just barely warm and our steaks (marinated sirloins) were, although very flavorful, tough as leather. Definitely not worth the money.

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  5. Janet

    Coastal Georgia

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food and Eli’s service was outstanding. Atmosphere was enjoyable.

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  6. Doug

    Atlanta Metro

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I fell in love with California Dreaming when we lived in Kennesaw. We frequently dined at Chastain Rd location which unfortunately has since been closed. I was beyond thrilled when my daughter moved to Columbia and I found they had a location. Every time I visit my daughter, it’s our first dinner. Never disappoints, always delicious and the service is impeccable.

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  7. Jationna

    Las Vegas

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 16, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    this was my first time at this location, the service was great! the food was good and at a reasonable price.

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  8. J. A.

    Little Rock

    9 reviews

    4.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on November 16, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Service staff young and inexperienced; but friendly. Food came out too fast appetizers had just been brought to the table and the salads came. After three bites of salad, entrees came. I felt rushed and had to eat entree cool; of course cool pasta with congealed cream-based sauce is not super pleasant. Flavors were good though. I’ll go back for sure, but will temper expectations.

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  9. Malinda

    New York City

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 16, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great. Server Nicole was helpful and responsive. Great local Resource.

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  10. Ray

    Pittsburgh

    18 reviews

    4.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on November 16, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Lunch before USC football game. Everything was very good.

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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 2488 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 103 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating

401 Main St, Columbia, SC 29201-4147

Additional information

  • Neighbourhood
    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 Lot
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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