Columbia Inn Restaurant - Kalama (WA)

4 /5 TCD: I’ve always passed the Columbia Inn on the highway and figured it would be a cool old-school diner experience. Finally stopped in and ordered a classic burger — it was just okay, but the fries and tots were definitely the highlight (super good and crispy). What really stood out was the service though — everyone was very friendly and attentive, which made the visit enjoyable. Bonus points for going all out on the holiday decorations, the place was totally decked out and festive. Glad I finally stopped in!

5 /5 Ali Isky: Had a great breakfast. Service was very good. Personable and fun! Food was great! Took leftovers home but everyone else finished their meals. I had one of the scrambles. Very good. My bf had steak and eggs. The table split a German pancake. Just know that it takes awhile to come out so maybe order one earlier before you order your meal. They have a full bar on the other side of the restaurant. They also have a 55 and older menu that everyone enjoyed.

4 /5 Em V: Stopped by on the way to Portland. There were plenty of parking spaces, and the place had a nice, classic diner atmosphere…in a good way. The food itself was average, the burger I ordered was satisfying and hit the spot. The tots were crispy which was nice! The staff were very friendly and attentive, which made for a good experience. If you’re passing through the area, I’d recommend giving this place a try.

5 /5 Anna Darsell: Unexpected restaurant of I5. Food was delicious. Salmon and mashed potatoes with healthy sallad. Fish and chips perfectly made.

4 /5 Blake Shellabarger: An update follows this original review: Based on reviews most people had a good experience here and liked the food. A few had a negative experience. I was a bit reserved based on the reviews. But knowing its been around for more than 70 years it has to be good. I had the dinner portion of chicken fried steak. I asked for A baked potato instead of mashed potatoes. It came with a salad. I chose ranch dressing. I ordered the house made lemonade. I was pleased with everything I had. She had the prime rib dip with Tots. She also had a regular margarita. She thought it couldve been sweeter but liked it anyway. She was pleased with her meal. Im glad we did try this place out. I drive by every day on my work commute. Like a lot of the other reviewers. You should give it a try if you havent yet. Well be back. The 1st time here was good. BTW, she didnt mention desserts. However I did ask our server about it. They make several pies here. They just didnt have the pie tonight which is why they didnt mention the desert. They do a chocolate lava cake here but its not made in house. They make cheesecake here. They were pulling the cheesecake out of the oven as we were having dinner. Which is probably another reason why they didnt mention desserts tonight. And of course they have ice cream. She did mention that they like to make more seasonal pies appropriate for the time of year. She mentioned that it would be good to call ahead of time if youre curious about what the desserts are. But it sounds to me like it could be a good place to go if you were in the mood for some good dessert. 4/23/25 @1pm We came in for lunch this time. I ordered the prime rib dip this time with tater tots and I asked for a side salad as well, which is an extra charge. The salad was very fresh tasting. I thought the ranch dressing needed more flavor though. I like a lot of au jus so I used my wifes cup of au jus as she doesnt use it. She ordered the cheese steak sandwich. She got the salad instead of fries or tots. The bread can be dry if you dont dip it in au jus. Which she doesnt do. She had water and I ordered a regular lemonade. She asked if I wanted it strawberry or raspberry and I said no. The lemonade was not very sweet. If Id have known that lemonade wasnt going to be very sweet I would have had it with strawberry or raspberry. Overall the quality is still good. Our server was good as well. Portions were plentiful. The salads came out at the same time as the entrees instead of before the entrees.