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

California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating

4.4 (3059)
$30 and under
American
401 Main St, Columbia, SC 29201-4147

Make a reservation

A photo of California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating restaurant

California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating

4.4
$30 and under
American
Columbia

Make a reservation

2 people
9:00 PM
Booked 35 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Lively
  • Charming
Located in downtown Columbia, SC, inside historic 1902 Union Station, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, California Dreaming has been a beloved part of the community since 1984. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the rail tracks from the inactive platform to the main terminal, creating a vibrant, inviting setting for our hearty, made-from-scratch menu. Open daily for lunch and dinner, with online ordering and curbside pickup available.

Reduce your wait by joining our Priority Waitlist, which places your name ahead of walk-in guests. While it is not a traditional reservation, a table is assigned as soon as one becomes available around your preferred time. To ensure the best experience for all guests, we seat up to 8 guests per table. We are unable to combine tables or seat separate parties together.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Seafood, Steak
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 11:00 am–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:00 am–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Neighborhood
    Columbia
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

What 3,059 people are saying

California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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
  • 4.3Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • South Carolina

    Most Booked

  • Columbia

    Great for brunch

  • Columbia

    Hot spot

  • Columbia

    Lively

  • Columbia

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
California Dreaming - Columbia offers a "wonderful" dining experience with a diverse menu featuring steak, seafood, pasta, and sandwiches. Patrons appreciate the "great service" from attentive waitstaff like Allen and Gilbert. The ambiance is "picturesque," making it ideal for special occasions. Reservations are recommended for busy times like holidays.
3,059 Reviews
  1. OpenTable Diner

    Richmond1 review

    3.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Chicken tenders very greasy, but atmosphere is fun. Croissants decent.

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  2. karen

    Colombia1 review

    3.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    It’s a beautiful restaurant, but it was very hot inside and uncomfortable. We had to fight the flies to try to keep them off our food. The waiter was not attempted at all. She bought us a steak then I asked if we need steak sauce she bought us a salad with no dressing. We had to stop for several times for things we needed to eat our meal. I was highly disappointed.

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  3. Shante

    Tallahassee1 review

    2.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Had a reservation and still had to wait 30 minutes which wasn't too bad but I was told it would only be a few minutes. My husband's steak was overcooked and not seasoned well, despite it being the "Marinated steak". My mom's two racks of baby back ribs were very dry and tough. The only positive was that my server was good despite how busy they were and my daughter's shrimp and fries kids meal was tasty.

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  4. Jacquie Gold

    New York City55 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    CD NEVER disappoints. Even though it was Father’s Day the food was still delicious and well prepared. Our waitress was epic too. We’ve had her before. Wish I remembered her name.

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  5. Charles

    Raleigh2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We love dining at California Dreaming. The menu features steak, seafood, pasta, and sandwiches, so there is something for everyone. Our waiter Allen was great. Although the restaurant was extremely busy, he checked with us to see if we needed anything and was prompt with refills. Our food was delicious, and we were seated close to our reservation time. I highly recommend reservations on Sundays, game days, and holidays.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Cathy

    Charleston11 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Upon arriving at California Dreaming, we were welcomed by the hostess and sat us at our exact reservation time of 1:15. The food was wonderful and the service was efficient and hospitable.

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  7. Whitney

    Charleston2 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 2
    When I arrived , there were 3young ladies at the counter who were having a conversation. When they saw me they stopped and just looked at me and my son standing there… I literally had to raise my eyebrows in confusion for the young lady to say 1st “Hi, do you have a reservation?!” I surprisingly to her said yes lol and she in a snappy way says “What’s the name?!” And proceeded to tell the waiter to seat us. Not sure why there was an attitude to begin with and I’m also not sure why it took so long for someone to get to our table just to order the drinks, but luckily our waiter was super nice and made it a great night for us.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Crystal

    Charleston1 review

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I was there 7yrs ago..for my birthday and decided to come back to celebrate again! With my friends 🥰✨️

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  9. Michelle Gold

    Fort Lauderdale2 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on June 14, 2026

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The building was very cool, service was great but the food was not. The black bean burger was more like an impossible burger & the condiments on it made it mushy

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  10. David

    Philadelphia12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 14, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was great and service from Gilbert was excellent!

    Is this helpful?

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Seafood, Steak
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 11:00 am–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:00 am–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Neighborhood
    Columbia
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. South Carolina
  4. Columbia
  5. Columbia

Make a reservation

A photo of California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating restaurant

California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating

4.4
$30 and under
American
Columbia

Make a reservation

2 people
9:00 PM
Booked 35 times today
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