Library Bar - Los Angeles, California

Cody P.

I love a bar with a concept and was obsessed over the library theme. Though not exactly hidden, the walls of books and intimate, cozy seating felt akin to a speakeasy. The contrast of the classic study aesthetic against the neon, almost cyberpunk-esque bar was surprisingly harmonious. Best of all, on a Thursday night at 7pm, this place was barely populated - which was wonderful because I got prime choice of seat next to the bookcase on the sofa and could take as many pictures as I wanted.

The bartender was so nice and helpful in navigating my “reading list” for the night. My first “novel” was the “Adventure of Blackberry Finn,” a blackberry infused vodka with lemon and blackberry smush. On said adventure with Finn, I fell off the raft and was doggy paddling in the vodka. Some cocktails coyly hide their spirits as they lure you into a sense of false security. Library Bar cocktails are not like that. They don’t hide their spirits - they’re leading the pep rally. They are upfront and honest about what they contain. Take a sip and it’s undeniably VODKA. Despite that, I still thought it tasted good. Sweet, fresh, and bang for your buck with how strong it was.

The burger was quite yummy for something served at a bar. Maybe (definitely) I was already quite tipsy at this point, but I liked the burger. My friend thought it was kinda dry, but I didn’t. The fries were also nice and fluffy. I do wish they didn’t run out of the poutine… that sounded good. It probably would’ve helped soak up the alcohol too.

To be honest, I thought the literary drink names were so cute I couldn’t resist ordering a second drink. Of Ice and Mezcal was, as the bartender described it, almost a straight up spirit. Sipping on it was actually quite pleasant - the smoky taste of the Mezcal paired well with the brightness from the grapefruit bitters. But it was definitely too much for my second drink of the night (I really should have listened oops).

I would definitely come back! I see myself stopping by after work to bask in the ambiance and enjoy a nice drink - especially on weeknights on their off hours. What should I “read” next hehe…

Will L.

Cool moment and feel in the place. I am a bit of a drink snob so I was a tad let down with some things but I stress that's just me. No reflection on overall time at this place.

Lachlan T.

Not from LA and I prefer a quieter, more intimate bar if I’m going out. For a Saturday night in the city this still felt intimate — the atmosphere was wonderful, the lighting was the dark side of dim, and the drinks were well made. Hits all my beats.

Mandi B.

Just amazing. Stellar. The fries were the best bar fries I have ever had. Service is amazing. Cocktails in general are very well mixed. Great selection of drafts, too. I asked about non-alcoholic cocktails and they were happy to oblige despite it being off menu (I think? Def made me something a bit unique that I loved). I also love the atmosphere. The music selection is nice (was a mix of rock, pop, indie when I wrote this) definitely great if you don't want latin/r&b heavy music. The ligthing is perfect, good enough to read if need, low enough for a nice mood. I had wanted to go here for quite a while, regret I didn't try it out sooner.

Ted T.

Really cool idea for a bar. Library aesthetic, took some awesome photos by the walls.

Drinks tasted good, service was quick. The only thing lacking was the crowd. It was a little too lowkey but it was to expected because we we went during a slow time.

Dana S.

Yesterday, my pal and I came here for happy hour drinks/food. The drinks were tasty and the bartenders who made them were nice. The food was typical bar food... I ordered the fried cauliflower, which was great, but the loaded fries weren't as exciting. I was OK with it, though. It's bar food, I guess.

As soon as we ordered our drinks, we were asked if we wanted to open a tab. Yes. But, since it was two of us, we wanted to open a tab for each. They explained it was easier to put us on one tab, then separate when we checked out. Weird, but OK.

We go to close our tab/settle our bill, and they drop off one bill. I flagged the bartender lady down to tell her we were supposed to have two separate bills, and all she said was, "Sorry." Like, Oopsie, sorry, but no, we're not going to bother separating your bill.

And then it got really weird. My friend looked at the bill and she was charged regular price for two drinks and one of the appetizers. She was also charged 20% for gratuity because the bill was over $100.

First of all, we specifically requested we separate our tabs when we arrived and were told we could when we closed our bill. They didn't honor that. All we got was a "sorry." We both think the reason they don't split bills is so they can charge 20% gratuity. And, seriously, it's not like we ordered a ton of food. 3 appetizers and 4 drinks, and the bill was $128 dollars! I tip well, so it's not like they wouldn't have gotten a decent tip from me, anyway.

And then, it got REALLY weird. It took three people in a huddle to review the overcharge. The lady bartender brought it over and said it had been fixed. My friend looked at it, and it STILL wasn't. They didn't fix the overcharge on her appetizer. She brought it to the attention of the lady bartender and she was like, "the chicken was $5." My friend was like, "I'm going to go ahead and pay it, but your website/menu says the chicken is $2 extra, NOT $5." That's when the lady got really curt and said, "we're aware and we're working on fixing it."

Here's my second of all: if you have a listed price for Happy Hour, but it's wrong, you should still honor it. YOU made the mistake, not the customer. That's super bad business to be like, "It's wrong, so you have to pay the price we don't have listed on the website." Not only that, but when they huddled together to review the bill, then brought it back, the lady bartender said it had been fixed. No, no, it hadn't been, and she knew it.

Sad. 2 stars for the cool decor and for the nice bartenders we had at the beginning.

Rayne M.

What a cool spot! Perfect vibes with low lighting and a library theme and low-key staff. Felt like stepping into a secret society of a spy movie or something, quite cool! Great happy hour menu!

Sage L.

happy hour starts at 3, perfect for office workers nearby 🌝
dark and cozy inside with a quirky library (duh) interior. everything on the menu is great. seating can get a little tight because it seems everyone's happy hours start here; the seating is comfy but not always conducive to sitting in a circle to face everyone in your group (a lot of L-shaped seating).