California Dreaming, Restaurant-Bar

Always good! more

We went on a Saturday evening early (around 5PM). we were seated immediately and had excellent service. We were inside right by the window with the spectacular view of the water. We both ordered the prime rib which was amazing. We had a wonderful meal-- a real treat. By the time we left the entire foyer area was packed and people standing outside to get in. I would recommend going early and with a good appetite! more

We were in Charleston for a reunion. The restaurant was recommended by a friend of my daughters. We went early to beat the crowds, but it was pretty busy by the time we got there at 415. We had no reservations but still got seated right a way and had a great few of the water, etc. The server was new but he was great! He joked with us and we had a great time with him. The food was great......the Baked Potato Soup was to ""die for"".......there were 5 of us and we left very satisfied. I would recommend California Dreamin to anyone!! more

My wife and I went to the resturant for drinks and dinner. We were seated outside. The resturant is in a great location but that's all its really got going for it. We were attacked by thousands of mosquitos. My wife and I both thought the food was not good. The drinks were watered down and the servers never really came and checked on us. They were too busy sitting in a corner talking to each other. more

California Dreamin of Charleston SC was one of my favorite retaurant until last night.First of all I had a party of 20 so I called for reservations.She gave me an available time and I excepted.We got ther 15 min early had to wait the an hour to be seated. While we waited though several times about 5 to be exact we ask the host what was the problem. Did you know there reservation policy does'nt hold your table it just mean when the others are done with there meal and socializing then you would be seated. Once seated I asked to speak to a manager he came right over we will just call Him Mr Protect My But and my Employees But.The point is they all lied to cover there skin we sat there and enjoyed one anothers company and forgot about the rest our servers were great. Moral of this story California Dreaming I wake up from that nightmare and I hope others will too. more

California Dreaming Restaurant in Charleston, SC is a beautiful location. Too bad the food is terrible. My dinner was burnt and when the waiter finally came back to clear our dishes (the first time he was at our table since the meal was served by someone else) I finally had a chance to tell him my dinner was not acceptable but burnt. He made light of it and still charged us for our meal. I will NEVER go there again, nor will my family or friends. You lost alot of customers that night. more

I ordered the blackened chix wrap with chipotle mayo on the side. I tried it without the mayo 1st & OMG it was so disgustingly salty. I could not taste any chix. It could have been tofu or beef. Two others at my table ordered it & said the same. The salads are generic. It says mixed greens but it's pretty much all iceberg lettuce. Someone else had one of the specials- tilapia. It was nasty. They drowned it in chipotle mayo, you couldn't taste any fish. The garlic mashed potatoes were bad too. Way too much garlic. It was blazing hot in there. While we were waiting for our table, a woman was being transported out on a stretcher into an ambulance because of heat stroke. Our server was nice. The croissants & sangria were the only thing I enjoyed besides my company. Cheap looking/tasting generic food is what I experienced. I am amazed that earlier posts claim it's the best restaurant to eat at- HOLY SH*T! REALLY?! Clearly these people don't get out from under their rocks! wow. more

Our group ws having a reunion in Charleston, our local representative had made arrangements for us to eat at the resturant the night of 27 June. Upon arrival, we were all seated and our orders were taken, in a very short time our salads were delivered and shortly after our main course arrived, everyones order was correct and the food the wonderful. There were 39 persons in our group, and every one had only praise for the food and for the young lady that was our server. Pros: Greatest Salad Cons: No Cons more

I have been dining at California Dreaming for many years now. For the longest time, it was my favorite restaurant anywhere. Now, I would not recommend it to anyone. The last three times I went, the service was awful. On my first trip, a girl dropped an entire mixed drink on my new blouse. Of course I knew it was an accident, but she did not even say she was sorry, but instead walked away and seemed to avoid me the rest of the time I was there. I expected that at some point a manager would come and check to make sure I was alright, but that never happened. The second trip I speak of, my food came out wrong not once, but twice. By the time my food was brought to me correctly, everyone else was already finished eating! I also noticed on my way out the door that the restaurant had earned a B rating. Had I known that before, I never would have stepped foot inside. My third trip was just yesterday, Monday, Feb. 2, 2009. I thought I would give it one more chance before I gave up. There were many things that happened that hammered that last nail in the coffin for me. First, I had to wait over 30 minutes for my food to come out. Of course, when it finally did come out, it was incorrect. I waited another fifteen minutes for the new food, a seemingly simple Shrimp Wrap, it tasted horrible! My server was also very short with me. As well, they have an open kitchen, where you can see everything that goes on. I was sitting right next to the window, and I saw a young man yelling very rudely at someone working on the food. Not only did he use profanity that anyone listening could hear, but it was evident he was not in control of the situation. I later asked my server who he was, and she told me his name was Brent Register, the soon-to-be manager of the whole store! Perhaps this explains why my visit was such a miserable one. Clearly, this man has no idea what he is doing, and has let all aspects of his restaurant go downhill, fast. Pros: Great view of the Ashley River Cons: Everything else more

This used to be the only restaurant in town. Obviously, I'm exagerating but 9 out of 10 people used to claim California Dreaming as their favorite place to eat in the area. Now, however, there are plenty of great places to eat and the novelty of going to CD has waned. The restaurant is still as awesome as it ever was. Go back again and get that big ole' chicken salad...it will fill you up till you're stuffed like a tick on a hound-dog. I just drooled on my keyboard. The staff here knows how to handle lots of people without making you feel rushed. Every seat has a view of the water. more

Be sure to order the CD house salad, it's to die for! The one thing that stands this restaurant apart from the rest of the CDs is the view. If you want to experience the beauty of Charleston by water, do it here. It can get pretty busy, so if you are a tourist, come early. Pros: views, ambience Cons: crowded, parking, lines more

This is THE BEST place to eat in Charleston. Every table has a view of the water. The food is great and you get lots of it. The wait can be long, especially on weekends, so call ahead. Pros: Large portions, waterfront, kids menu Cons: wait more

this was my post church restaurant growing up and it is my favorite. the food is amazing and the location is on the river in a castle looking building. the service is great and it has a atmosphere like no other. i go here for a nice dressy evening or a casual lunch, it is very versatile restaurant. parking is close and plenty of it. it is a very popular place and often you dont have a chance of getting in unless you have a reservation, but if not it is worth the wait more

To say it very simply, California Dreaming is one of the best restaurants I have ever had the pleasure of dining at. The food and service were outstanding and the Filet Mignon is enough to send any steak lover to heaven! In addition, they have a very good wine selection. Highly recommended. Pros: Convenient Parking, Good Ambience, Great Cooking Cons: Popular and Crowded, Long waits more

Nine years ago I visited Charleston and ate at California Dreaming for the first time. Since then it is still my favorite restaurant in America. It has great food, great beverages, great atmosphere, there has never been anything to complain about. When I visit Charleston for 1 week every year, I eat at California Dreaming 3-4 times. California Dreaming is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Charleston. It would be nice if they build a franchise in my hometown, but then I wouldn't have a reason to go to Charleston. Pros: Great Food, Great View, Nothing Bad To Say more