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

California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating

4.5
4.5
2667 Reviews
$30 and under
American
401 Main St, Columbia, SC 29201-4147

Make a booking

2 people
23:30
Booked 112 times today

About this restaurant

  • 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

  • Area
    Columbia
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Takeaway, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 2,667 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

4.5
4.5 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

    Lively

  • Columbia

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
California Dreaming - Columbia offers a "beautiful and well-done" setting, making it a "great place" to dine. Guests consistently praise the "amazing" food and "excellent" service. The croissants and house salad are "must-try" items. While the atmosphere can be "a little noisy," the overall experience is "fantastic."

2,667 Reviews
  1. Zach

    Charlotte3 reviews

    1.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    What’s the point in having a reservation if it still takes 30 minutes to be seated? Host was rude and dismissive as was the waitress. Glasses stayed empty. Out of our party, three steaks were overcooked and tough to chew. So loud I couldn’t hear the person I was sitting next to. Service and food is so inconsistent every time we go. I’ll have a difficult time going back.

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  2. Vivian

    Charleston1 review

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food & Service! Enjoyed ribs and seafood. Both were excellent

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  3. Patricia

    Charleston2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service was great, from the reception to our attentive server.

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  4. Desiree VIP

    Charleston18 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service and food was top notch. We enjoyed the salad and steak tacos for lunch.

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  5. John VIP

    Raleigh100 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Per our previous first visit and review, we'd be back. Here we are! This is our follow-up visit and subsequent review. This "train station stop" is so beautiful and well done. The food, staff and service are tops. I've traveled much in my day for both pleasure and work, and this establishment earns high marks. I also managed a restaurant back in the 80's (for successful finicky owners) and have an eye for detail and California Dreaming runs a tight ship. They are both clean and organized. My wife and I plan to dine here on future trips south. You folks rock!

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  6. John VIP

    Raleigh100 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our first visit and most definitely not our last. Very unique restaurant.

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  7. Matthew

    Charleston1 review

    4.0

    Dined on 20 April 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Went on Easter Sunday. Service was great. Food was good. It was a normal time at this restaurant. Nothing special on a holiday. Disappointed in lack of marketing in management- NO Easter Specials at all - in drinks or food ! It’s a holiday-could have had some special dishes. Even drinks- fun names- for peeps sake, bunny hop, spring fling I don’t know …. Happy Easter y’all !
    California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority SeatingResponded 7 days ago
    Thank you for leaving us a 4-star review Matthew, and for joining us on Easter Sunday! We're glad you enjoyed the food and service, but we hear you loud and clear on the lack of holiday specials. We appreciate the feedback and your great ideas—we’ll definitely keep them in mind for next time. Hope to see you again soon! Best regards, Taylor Rutledge TRutledge@californiadreaing.rest

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  8. Pamela

    Raleigh5 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 20 April 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    You have to get the croissants! They are the best I have ever eaten. They melt in your mouth! We ordered the seafood nachos which were loaded with cheese and had a lot of salmon and shrimp! The She Crab soup was disappointing. It was bland. The pork chop was HUGE and had lots of flavor. The salmon was delicious and juicy. The vegan burger was MASSIVE and did not disappoint. The caesar shrimp salad was very good. We were so full we could not get dessert. The staff was very good especially the host who was very busy on Easter Sunday. He was very kind and friendly to everyone who approached him. Our server was attentive and brought our food out at the appropriate time.
    California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority SeatingResponded 7 days ago
    Thank you so much Pamela, for your detailed review! We're thrilled to hear you loved the croissants, seafood nachos, and the variety of dishes you tried. We're sorry to hear the She Crab soup didn't meet your expectations—we’ll definitely take that feedback into account. We’re also glad you had great service, especially from our host! We'll make sure to pass along your compliments to the team. We hope to welcome you back soon for another fantastic meal and maybe even some dessert next time! Taylor Rutledge TRutledge@californiadreaming.rest

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  9. Faith

    Charleston5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 20 April 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a pleasure. Great food and great service A positive experience.
    California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority SeatingResponded 7 days ago
    Thank you Faith for leaving us a 5-Star review! We're so glad to hear you had a positive experience with us. It’s always a pleasure having you, and we look forward to welcoming you back soon! Best regards, Taylor Rutledge TRutledge@californiadreaming.rest

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  10. Karen

    Charleston3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 20 April 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a great Easter dinner! Our waitress was great!

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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 4.5 stars by 2667 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. South Carolina
  4. Columbia
  5. Columbia

Make a booking

2 people
23:30
Booked 112 times today
Google Map for California Dreaming - Columbia - Priority Seating

401 Main St, Columbia, SC 29201-4147

Additional information

  • Area
    Columbia
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 11:00–21:00
  • 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, Takeaway, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
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