The Columbia Restaurant in St. Augustine, FL | Famous 1905 Salad & Florida’s Best Cuban Sandwich

[@CarolynValdez40]

My husband and I live in Clermont and recently discovered your channel. We have been enjoying watching all your restaurant review videos! Your attention to detail is really what we love! I hope your channel continues to grow. You have become one of our faves!

[@thealtemlife]

This is very kind of you to say! Thanks so much! That means a lot. We appreciate all your support!

[@jwhitty14]

My wife and I tried on multiple occasions to walk in and eat at the Columbia in St. Augi. and the wait was over an hour or more. Finally made a reservation for my Birthday and it was Amazing, Everything was Amazing!!

[@thealtemlife]

Glad you enjoyed it as well! It is always very popular so reservations are definitely recommended!

[@judycherry9074]

Definitely want to try it when we're in Florida this Winter!

[@thealtemlife]

Awesome! We hope you enjoy it!

[@PatriciaRoggero]

Thank you loved the table service

[@thealtemlife]

It was awesome! Great experience!

[@elmandalorian6671]

We have great memories with friends and family 👪 at this restaurant. La comida es riquisima! For the ambiance, history and their great employees it's a fantastic deal.

[@thealtemlife]

That’s awesome you have those memories! We really had a good time, too!

[@debbiefowler1540]

What a beautifully decorated restaurant! I would say a great place to take guests, for sure. Not just a typical run-of-the-mill place.

[@thealtemlife]

Definitely a must if you are in the area!

[@GingerBossier]

I’ve been to the Columbia in Ybor City and Celebration. Love It❗️😋The bar at the Ybor City location is beautiful ❗️Love the food❗️I also have their cookbook.👍🏼

[@thealtemlife]

Thanks for sharing! We will have to try those locations sometime!

[@laurieking9544]

Go there every trip to St. Aug. My standing order is sangria, half and half salad and bean soup. Always delish!

[@thealtemlife]

That sounds great! It was such an amazing spot!

[@chengt2236]

The one in Tampa was the original. I have been to Tampa and Celebration ones. Both are very culturally decorated. Worth the visit.

[@thealtemlife]

We would like to visit them all sometime!

[@lindakurman8642]

I love ropa vega. So good and the paella is great!! Glad u liked it

[@thealtemlife]

Awesome! Yeah we really had a great time!

[@5150skb]

Great restaurant! Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

[@thealtemlife]

You are welcome! It was very good!

[@Victorgarcia-yi1zw]

Thank you guys, we planning on going soon to San Augustine, maybe we can give this place a try, God bless

[@thealtemlife]

It’s worth the stop! Have fun on your trip!

[@joesmith7427]

An old one is in Ybor City (Tampa on 7th Avenue. ST GEORGE'S STREET IN ST. AUGUSTINE.,FL.

[@thealtemlife]

Yeah we want to go to that one sometime!

[@beingkitschroeder2507]

We were going to have lunch at the Columbia in Celebration, but opted instead to make an impromptu visit to The Villages on that day. Went to a few Open Houses and had lunch at TooJays in LSL. Needed to get our Villages fix.

[@thealtemlife]

We will have to also try that one. It was probably a fun day in The Villages!

[@lindablair919]

Everything looked wonderful. I have been to the Ybor City location as well as St Augustine and St Armand’s Circle. My favorites are the salad, Cuban sandwich and bean soup. The mojito looks great too! BTW, you should go to St Armand’s Circle if you haven’t been there. A lot of cool shops.

[@thealtemlife]

We will have to do that as we have never been there! We would also like to go the original one. Thanks for sharing this info!

[@rbcarlson54]

Enjoy your restaurant reviews. Keep it up! My wife and I live in The Villages and have been to the St Augustine Columbia a half dozen times or so. Every time was good. You might want to give the original in Ybor City (Tampa) a try as well, but do so when you can take in the Flamenco show.

[@thealtemlife]

Thanks for watching our channel! We appreciate it! Yes, we will love to try the original one sometime. Will try and find a time to make it happen!

[@robertalawson4585]

My husband and I just had lunch at Luigis Pizza Eustis. It is excellent. Thought I would share..

[@thealtemlife]

Good to know! Will have to go try it out sometime so thanks for sharing!

[@GracejoyTV]

Were you there last week (Thanksgiving week) too? We stayed a few days in Vilano Beach. Still have not tried Columbia in St. Augustine but I have been to the one in Tampa. So many great food choices in St. Aug!

[@thealtemlife]

We were there just last Sunday for a few hours! We went to Nights of Lights! Agreed on the food choices!

[@marimercy14]

Nice Cuban restaurant! Cuban bread is the bomb. You have to try it with olive oiland fresh garlic and lightly toasted..yum! Thank you for sharing. Never heard of this restaurant/s. Im a Cuban living in Miami considering moving to the Central Florida area. I realize this is closer to Pan Handle but you mentioned there were other locations and a drive somewhere is always fun. Vaca Frita is one of my favorites with Moros and Yuca with garlic sauce. I like to put a little hot sauce and lime on my vaca frita but that a personal choice. Not everyone does. Usually most just put some lime. Glad you enjoyed it!! As an aside..Flan is the most traditional dessert and guava something too.

[@thealtemlife]

Thanks for watching and sharing this info! We will have to try some more food choices when we go back! So far, everything we tried was great and that bread was awesome!

[@nancysherer4561]

Who were the people with you??😅

[@randysandford4033]

One of our favorite restaurants. Paella, gaspacho, sangria.

[@thealtemlife]

It was so good! We need to go to the original one sometime.

[@mellw1951]

Spanish bean soup n a Cuban sandwich n salad. Fantastic!!! Ybor City is original

[@thealtemlife]

Awesome! We will have to go sometime and give it a try!

[@pamela8269]

If you are going to be in St Augustine for a few days, you should try Sarbez gourmet grilled cheese (I know you love grilled cheese). They are just cross the Lion bridge, at 115 Anastasia Blvd.They have a unique decor, with arcade games.

[@thealtemlife]

Wow! This is awesome! We aren’t too far from St. Augustine so we will have to visit this location sometime. Thanks for sharing it!

[@jerome01949]

Hats off to you.

[@thealtemlife]

It was good!

[@frankkoolosko4255]

I have probably eaten at this Columbia a dozen times over the years.. Saint Augustine used to be such a beautiful place now there’s tons of homeless bothering you on St. George..

[@thealtemlife]

That is true! It’s still fun to visit and we really enjoyed this Columbia Restaurant! There does seem to be quite a bit of homeless on that street.

[@thomasbean7704]

Excellent video!

[@thealtemlife]

Thanks so much!

[@joesmith7427]

Casey Gonzmart is the owner with his daughter. His great grand father started it ! Its the oldest restaurant in Florida!!

[@thealtemlife]

That is cool!

[@Batmandabomb]

Old does not equate good food

[@beingkitschroeder2507]

Some friends of ours from The Villages recently spent 4 or 5 days in Saint Augustine. We've planned to visit Saint Augustine, but whenever we visit The Villages, we're typically there for a week and want to soak it all in. Hopefully we'll move there in a few years and then we can get out and explore. My daughter had considered Flagler College for a while, the campus is just so beautiful. If I was at this restaurant, I would order the "half and half combo", cuban sandwich with a 1905 salad. Great minds... But I'm always a sucker for chicken croquettes, as my dad and I used to always order them at a certain restaurant in New Hampshire. Although that Shrimp and Crabmeat casserole does look very appetizing, as does the Scallops Casimiro... I also had my eye on the white chocolate bread pudding. Your chocolate dessert looked VERY good! Pretty busy for being 3:45 pm in the afternoon. Loved the gift shop!

[@GracejoyTV]

Not a bad drive from The Villages through the back country and the Ocala National Forest. Even nicer drive if you drive up the Scenic A1A route! More or less 2 hours. I considered Flagler College too since I heard they have a great College of Education. I ended up sticking with University of Central Florida in Orlando for 3 of my degrees! Still need to check out the St. Augustine location of Columbia restaurant. Been to the one in Tampa.

[@thealtemlife]

Wow thanks for sharing! The Columbia Restaurant in St Augustine was so good! We would recommend checking it out for sure!

[@jerrywilliams6016]

The bread is what makes a Cuban sandwich a Cuban sandwich. The bread is only made in two places in Florida: Tampa and Miami.

[@thealtemlife]

Oh wow! Thanks for the info!

[@joesmith7427]

Try Burn's restaurant in Tampa if u can afford it! Burns has the largest wine cellar in the world of any restaurant!!

[@thealtemlife]

Wow! Thanks for the suggestion! We will have to check it out sometime!

[@rbcarlson54]

Actually it is Bern's Steakhouse. Love that place. Do the kitchen and wine cellar tour and then take in the dessert room upstairs. Need reservations which you can make starting 60 days ahead of your planned visit. Reservations go really fast.

[@Batmandabomb]

Stop with the Tampa..who you working for??? perhaps a doorman

[@thealtemlife]

Thanks!

[@Swhbucsfan]

The service at Columbia is terrible at times and the food is not as good as other places in St Augustine.Worst experience I had there we decided to walk out after being sat at our table and not one of the staff greeted us or offered water. That was the longest 15 mins during a slow Monday at 6pm. If you read enough reviews this is a normal thing. You will either wait way too long to get your food or wait way too long to order. Take it from a local and skip this place..

[@thealtemlife]

We had a great experience so maybe just depends on the day!

[@Swhbucsfan]

@@thealtemlife no you just got lucky and maybe the fact you were filming them may have helped you out. Next time try: River and Fort Sainte George The Collage Michael’s Those all have better food and better service.River and Fort and Saint George have a better view. The Columbia has turned into a Chain Restaurant/ tourist trap peddling their over priced meals and bad service because they had a good thing in Tampa. I grew up in Tampa and have lived in Saint Augustine the last few years. The Ybor City Columbia Restaurant is way better and as far as I can tell the other locations Columbia opened are like a bad carbon copy with managers that don’t care to get the staff in a teamwork oriented mindset. Cheap eats but good food and service include Mojos Tacos on Anastasia Island Beach Comber off A Street Grilled Cheese Gallery (best to take it to go because it gates cramped in this little shop)

[@thealtemlife]

@Swhbucsfan thanks!

[@randysandford4033]

Agree with the service. Felt food was good.

[@joesmith7427]

He runs 7 different names of restaurants! Waiters, waitresses and staff work a lifetime in Tampa and have a very high income too!!

[@thealtemlife]

Good to know! Thanks!

[@Batmandabomb]

Food is no good

[@joesmith7427]

There are 7 locations!!

[@thealtemlife]

Cool!

[@Batmandabomb]

Poor food

[@johnriley535]

👍👍

[@thealtemlife]

Thanks!

[@brittanyrowland6534]

They really need to update the uniforms the staff are required to wear. It is not realistic nor fun to wear that during a shift in the heat of Florida (even inside). I got my first job here as a hostess when I was 16. I wa grateful and happy and at that age I was willing to wear whatever I was told without any thought about how ridiculous it was. I had to wear these long sleeve white shirts with a long skirt, tights and heeled shoes. Not high heels, just heeled. It was torture. It's hot as heck in Florida. At the very least, let the employee's arm breathe, damn! I understand they want to give off a "classy" vibe but even though this isn't a cheap place to eat, its also not some Michelin star restaurant or upper class place for millionares only. They could absolutely allow more reasonable clothing while still withholding high standards, and I doubt patrons would even notice or care enough to be bothered by it anyway. I guarantee employees would have a morale boost if they were able to be more comforably dressed.

[@thealtemlife]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing as the normal customer would have no idea. We appreciate all the servers out there!

[@joesmith7427]

At burns. They have 9 dining rooms and are booked solid every night, so dont just show up and think you are going to dine there, you arent!!

[@thealtemlife]

Good to know! Thank you!

[@daliaquiros1063]

Whenever you are in Tampa visit the original Columbia. Your experience will be unforgettable. St Augustine is nothing compared to St Augustine. After I saw your video I decided not to go to Columbia St Augustine. I’d rather have the memory of the original, such a different experience. Please go to Tampa.

[@joesmith7427]

Does the young lady talk??

[@thealtemlife]

Guessing you are new to the channel? Yes she talks but sometimes she doesn’t want to and that is perfectly okay!

[@joesmith7427]

Take off your hat and stay awhile!

[@thealtemlife]

Lots of people with hats on, especially vacationers traveling there to stay a few days. Also, we were coming back from a trip to Savanah so we were on the road all day. Hat was definitely staying on! Haha

[@Batmandabomb]

Definitely The Doorman

[@Batmandabomb]

From Tampa all my life of 60 years... The Colombia has ALWAYS had terrible food.. we would neve suggest the place..never..they cant even make a good Cuban sandwich...trust me,

[@markbradl8651]

Great, keep enjoying your seafood at Shells

[@Batmandabomb]

@@markbradl8651 never tried the dump..I see you are The Red Lobster type

[@Batmandabomb]

@@markbradl8651 We all know the old La Tropicana across the street was far superior Gold Ring, Arco Iris... West Tampa Sandwich Shop, Brocatos, La Septima... all far far better than Colombian.. the food has always tasted stale to me since the early 70s.. the rice was always old from the day before... tourist trap for sure

[@thealtemlife]

We enjoyed it and thought it was a cool experience!