The Library Restaurant & Pub

Lunch buffet is reasonably-​priced, options for pasta change daily.
Food was fresh
Staff was attentive

While the food was good, (11oz NY strip), it was underwhelming for the price. My wife and I visited from out of town and we got the impression that this place used to be a popular fine dining restaurant, but hasn’t kept up with the numerous dining options around town. It seems they want to be fine dining, but it was obvious the staff wasn’t trained as such, although the server had a good attitude.

I had crunchy walleye dinner, really well cooked and tasty. This was my first visit and it was an enjoyable meal, the waitress service was fantastic. Give Star a great big atta girl for her service. Glad I came early as I was leaving a que was forming, that is how good this place is to eat

This was my first visit was I was in town for an event.
Pros:
* Lovely place with a fabulous vintage atmosphere
* Lots of tables both inside and outside
* The table bread was really tasty. Garlic brushed and soft.
Gray area:
* Ordered my steak medium well and it was completely well. Thankfully I am okay with that. Kinda curious what «well done» would have looked like.
* I was supposed to have crab meat on top and drizzled with Bearnaise sauce. Well, it was only a sprinkling of crab meat and they took «drizzle» seriously. I had to look close to confirm there was sauce on top. But okay. I can live with it. (A recent stop in Texas for a true crab/​Bearnaise topped steak has ruined me I think)
Cons:
* My friend ordered a 16oz Prime Rib rare. When it came, it was medium-​well done. Not even medium rare. While it was perfect for me, she really was not happy. We called the server over and he talked to the kitchen. He then came back and said that is how they do «rare». It was completely cooked only pink in the middle of one section.
* My friend agreed to order a New York strip rare. She had to much on her potato as we waited. That steak came and wile it was more like medium rare, it was still not rare. Once again the manager now came to assure her this was «rare» for them.
* We left without touching her steak. We put it in a doggy bag since we were paying for it.
So if you want a steak done well or medium well, this is your place. But if you like it rare, please see what your other options are. I found the staff to be pleasant and for my personal steak tastes, I would consider returning and maybe trying another dish.

They have great food! I had a soup (it was split pea soup that day) and a prime rib and my husband had a shrimp cocktail and a NY strip steak. Everything was fresh and tasty!
The service was prompt and friendly, too!

I got the chicken alfredo fettuccine for dinner (around $ 18?), and it was just ok. Nothing wrong with it — I was just hoping to get something more exciting at that price point.
Service & atmosphere were good.

Had dinner with the bar tenders Eric and Amy… what a great experience! You want to have a great dinner and be entertained this is the place. Give Amy a hug for me…
Dave

First visit to the library and I must say that the ribeye steak was very good! Everyone in my party said that the food was very good. I would recommend it to my friends… will be back. I must say we took my mother and she has lost much of her mental capacity because of age and our waitress was very kind by helping my mother by giving my mom what she wanted even if it wasn’t on the menu together.
I appreciate that…

When I went at 6pm, it was not busy at all and maybe ¼ of the restaurant had patrons. The prime rib was very good, cooked perfectly to my liking. I also had the rice pilaf which was good and baked potato which was the smallest I’ve ever seen for a place like this. I’ve read other reviews talking about the great service, but I did not have that experience. My water and iced tea were empty half way through dinner and was never offered a refill on either. You would have to see your waitress for that to happen. Even when the manager cleared my plates he didn’t offer. Food I give 4 stars, service 2 stars, average of 3 stars, and that is my rating.

The food was edible (had to use salt/​pepper to top it off), the wine was great, customer service was awesome. Our food came quickly, it was piping hot (which I love) and the carrot cake was cold but very good! The atmosphere was nice.

During my most recent visit to the Library for dinner I found a quite lively/​loud bar, and bartender by the name of Eric. This lively bunch at the bar included a gentleman by the name of Vince. Vince is so much of a regular, they’ve named a drink after him… «The Invincible. » :) Nonetheless, the entrée I chose was the salmon which was ridiculously salty so I only ate the veggies on the plate. Eric noticed this and asked if he could bring me something else, to this I denied and told him everything was fine. Eric insisted on knowing why I hadn’t finished my meal… he wanted to make things right. I don’t like to complain, however I broke and told him the issue. Eric provided me with another piece if salmon perfectly seasoned. He didn’t have to do this, however his insistence on correcting things was greatly appreciated. I will definitely give them another try, as I’m in the area every 4 weeks for work. I would recommend you make a visit as well!
Hello Ajna,
Thank you for the follow up, that was very kind. I will probably go for a steak the next time around. I saw quite a few come from the kitchen, and they looked and smelled divine!
H. Webb

Visted Saturday at 5pm. It opens at 4:30 on Saturdays. It reminds me of Mary Macs Tea Room in Atlanta, GA. Very nostalgic feel. After we ordered it was 30 minutes before the food arrived. I found myself checking my watch. I ordered the beef tenderloin gorgonzola alfredo. I wasn’t asked how I wanted the beef cooked and forgot to mention. It was Medium and I always ask medium well. So I was very displeased at that. Very hearty meal but wish it had been medium well. I didn’t make mention because I didn’t want to wait another half hour for food. I tasted the smothered chop and mashed potatoes. Both were delicious. Ordered addtl mashed potatoes to go for my toddler. Put them in the microwave at home and they put ALUM FOIL in the togo box! Furious, I was. Just didn’t make sense to me. Practically exploded in my microwave.

Uh-​maz-​ing. The Library has quickly become my husband and I’s favorite restaurant. Groupon brought us to his hidden gem and we now come monthly. The Beef Manhattan is the BEST and you can’t go wrong with the Ribeye either.
Being out by the airport, it’s perfect for out-​of-​towners who are looking for a good bite.

I needed delivery staying at one of the airport hotels, this place had decent reviews.
I travel a lot and no one beats these guys on hot, tasty food delivered fast.
I don’t know how they did it or if I just got lucky. The salmon and green beans were wicked good! And I love seafood– this was impressive by any standards (especially Midwest and delivery).
It literally took 25 minutes. That’s never happened in all of my travels! Magic!
And I got a bag of hot bread and soft butter. It was a great surprise! So good. Wish this was available at every city I go to. Thanks for the fast delivery. But the food was amazing.
If you’re at a hotel and need delivery– go with these guys. (I was at the Candlewood).

We had some dinner from here the other night and it was simply fantastic so I thought the right thing to do was update the review and give it a fair assessment.

I was concerned based on some previous reviews but I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Good beer selection and quick friendly staff. This was Friday night of a convention weekend! I had one of their speciality pizzas and would certainly order it again.
One of the better hotel restaurants in my travels.

It’s been ages since we’ve dined at The Library but a Groupon brought us back for my husbands’ birthday. He loves prime rib and couldn’t wait to try again.
Many are surprised when entering with the comfortable but minimal décor and lack of pretentiousness. The main dining area reflects a casual atmosphere with white tablecloths, candle light but surprised by the paper napkins. The service is phenomenal and we were well taken care of from beginning to end. Water glasses remained filled, beers and beverages refilled before end of the glass. Everyone we encounter greets you; all are friendly and appear to genuinely enjoy their jobs.
It was a full house and I’m certainly glad we made a reservation as suggested. The main dining area was full but our table turned out to be in the bar area. Certainly not a problem for us since it was informal and comfortable. The bar itself had not a seat open with people lingering to grab an available seat. The bar dining area isn’t enormous with less than 10 4-​tops. The bar area is cozy but a little brighter lite than we prefer but not offensive. It appeared as if most of the bar area was filled with business travelers and a few locals.
The prime rib was served as my husband requested but in general felt it was average. It is extremely popular and they run out early so dine early. The rosemary outer crust was not his favorite but the meat was still tasty and totally acceptable. His expectations were set high from former guests as the best ever but even though it wasn’t for him he’d return again if we purchase another Groupon.
My chicken masala was exceptional and I highly recommend. The chicken was extremely tender, flavorful and prepare as well as I’ve ever had before. I will definitely order again on our next trip.
Overall, our experience was nice and look forward to trying the daily lunch buffet soon.

This place is very interesting! Quite a hidden gem. It felt like i walked into a history time capsule. It really did feel like I walked into a library. We were seated right away and came for an early dinner. If it weren’t for the groupon i don’t think we would give this place a try just because its on the pricey side for us. We ordered the sampler platter for appetizers, and our entrees were the grilled chicken Alfredo and stuffed fête salmon with mash potato and rice. The sampler came with shrimp cocktail, stuff mushrooms, and potatoes wedges. The platter was nothing fancy, but the stuff mushroom were very good. Everything was good and came in a good portion size. We were so full that we managed to have leftovers to take home. I would love to come back but it is a bit pricey so not sure if we will ever get a chance to come back.

This review focuses on mainly the ambiance and customer service of the place. I haven’t tried the food.
We have been looking at wedding venues. My mother found this restaurant online so we went to check it out. Beautiful décor, despite the location of the place.
We ended up not choosing this place because of the 3 flights of stairs (there are several elderly people on our list) and also because the main room probably only seats 50 to 60 at most. We were told it seated 100, which would’ve been nearly impossible based on the count and tables already placed.
This place would be great for an anniversary party, and hors d’oeurves.

Came here with my colleagues and had a great experience. I had the salmon and smashed potatoes. My friends enjoyed the Blue Cheese Strip with Green Beans and Smashed Potatoes… They said it had been cooked perfectly and I would agree just by looking at them both. Desert is good as well. I had the brownie, and one of my coworkers had the cheesecake which is prepared in house by the pastry chef. Awesome! I also liked the beer selection, had a good amount of brews that were seasonal from Indiana and W. Michigan.
Definitely a place to check out when you’re hungry and nearby the airport! I’ll definitely be back if I’m in town.