Riley was very attentive, spunky and just a very fun person! She recommended drinks and they were great!! I would recommend The Library!!! The SOUP is to DIE for! read more

I've loved The Library for years and would eat here every time I came to town. Because of their disappointing customer service, they've lost a loyal customer. I ordered take out and one of the items was a salad. The salad came dressed and was sitting on a hot meal on my drive back to where I was staying. 20 mins later when I went to eat, the salad was completely soggy and inedible. I called The Library to ask for a refund because I wasn't able to make a 40min round trip back for a new salad. I was told they could only give me a refund if I came back in person to show my credit card and that they can't deal with it tonight so I should come back the next day. I asked to speak to a manager and he said he was the manager. I went in the next day with my card and was told they couldn't give me a refund because it was the next day and the couldn't reopen the order on their computer, but they could have provided a refunded the night before over the phone. I asked to speak to a manager again, but was told there's no manager working and nothing they can do. I was told that the person I spoke to the night before lied about being a manager and being unable to refund. read more

Been here before and always enjoyed it. Something has changed. I give it two stars for the atmosphere and beer. One star for food. I had the RB2 sandwich. Pretty much deli meat on a bun with american cheese. Disappointing is being kind. The table next to us complained about their meal. They were right. Be a while before we return.... read more

Arrived about 8pm on Saturday. After a short wait we were seated in the bar area. Wanted a craft beer but all they had were domestic bottles or cans. So ordered a chocolate martini described as "to die for". Was served just a bit cooler than room temperature! Was really looking forward to the creamy Swiss augratin soup. The photos looked so delicious but they were out. We ordered the bacon wrapped shrimp, was ok. I ordered steak dujuor with a baked potato and veggie. After about 10 minutes the server came back to tell us they were out of baked potatoes. The steak was just an average steak. My dining companion ordered the shrimp Italian Palermo . There were no scallions in the big plate of pasta and one small piece of Italian sausage along with a couple pieces of shrimp. It was not overly crowded when we got there and there were no apologies by the server about the lack of items read more

Food was average at best and service poor. Had the artichoke dip... no flavor and served with sliced fresh bread again plain bread no flavor. The caprese salad again 4 very small slices of tomato with cheese and same bread for $12. Also tried the calamari.... Came out cold and overly breaded read more

Wonderful staff, delicious food, and such a neat atmosphere! Would definitely go again read more

Meh. It wasn't great, it wasn't terrible. Just kind of middle of the road. Nice looking place though.

Loved this place. Service was great, food was delicious, and atmosphere was casual but not too casual. I had the tri-tip steak with a baked potato and green beans. The steak was cooked perfectly and seasoned to perfection. The potato was perfectly baked, sounds weird but you can f-up a baked potato and the beans were amazing as well. I had a couple of glasses of wine, decent selection to choose from. My dad had the chicken Caesar salad and my husband had the pizza. They both stated they enjoyed their meals. All that plus two beers, they had a smaller but solid draft selection, came out to about $88. A little pricer but overall not too bad and way worth it. I will definitely hit this place up when we visit Houghton again next summer! read more

Despite Houghton lacking many food choices, the Library is usually a really good choice. My favorite things to order are their burgers (I've tried most and it never disappoints), their Parmesan truffle fries, their artichoke dip appetizer, and their chicken tenders. Despite chicken tenders usually being a mediocre/ safe choice at a restaurant, they brought them to a whole new level and it comes with a really good dipping sauce. The only reason it's not five stars is their blackened tuna tacos, I'm not sure if it's just not for me, but it tasted kind of like chemicals and the tortilla seemed cold and stale so I would avoid that if you're only getting one thing. Other than that, the food is delicious and service is friendly and fast. read more

If you don't mind waiting, don't order anything other than the beer. The service was incredibly slow and it was not busy. Food was edible but sub par. Ordered the Au Gratin soup, which is like a thin cream of onion with a handful of onion pieces. The burger ... it's a third pounder. That should say it all. The ahi tuna tacos were heavy on the wasabi, but certainly better than the burger and soup. The best and only item worth the money was the beer flight. read more

Hippy Bartender / Manager was absolutely rotten. Completely and utterly worthless. Never got served. Was looking for places for a larger group and this so-called "manager in charge" made the decision easy. This isn't the place. What a joke. read more

Do not come here if you don't have A LOT of time. We walked in with one other table around 3pm. There was one table here. It had been an hour and we are still waiting for 3 burgers and a brisket sandwich. We received our food after an hour and 15 minutes and it was mediocre at best. Also very expensive. Will not eat here again. read more

The Library - New American Near Me - Houghton, Michigan

I stopped in on a chilly January evening for dinner with some coworkers. We sat on the pub side, and I was impressed with the soaring ceilings and brick walls lined with bookcases. This place has been a restaurant or bar for about 100 years, although they had a fire back in the 90s and so the inside is updated, although I wouldn't call it up to date. Our large party was quickly seated and service was prompt, though not exactly friendly. They have a nice selection of beer, and I'd recommend the Scotch Ale. I ordered the whitefish, which came with a side salad, potatoes, green beans, and bread. It was a lot of food and a good value at about $18 as of this writing (JAN-2015). The whitefish was a bit plain, it could have used heavier seasoning, a little more butter, or a glaze perhaps. The salad and vegetables were good. The Library is definitely one of the best restaurants I've eaten at in Houghton, but I think I'll try something other than whitefish next time. read more

Stopped for lunch with 3 colleagues. I had a spicy burger, which was very tasty and just what I wanted. My friends enjoyed their fare too: a steak salad, a veggie burger and a brisket sandwich. The view of the Hancock side of the river/lake was amazing - in early October, the leaves are changing madly. This sunny day offered a spectacular sight. The Library offers a nice choice for food & drink while in Houghton! read more

The Library - The Library bar - New American Near Me - Houghton, Michigan

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We are in town for a snowmobiling vacation and went out to several restaurants in Houghton ! " The Library" was among our favorites and we can highly recommend the food, service and ambiance! Our waitress, Cheney, was fun, polite and on top of things! The food was freshly prepared ( something I gladly wait for) and allowed us to enjoy soup and salad , a wonderful bacon wrapped shrimp appetizer and two main courses within the perfect time frame! We will be back this summer for a motorcycle trip and enjoy another meal!! read more

I honestly have no idea how this place has only 3 stars! Yelp never lets me down but I'm finding that restaurant reviews in Houghton are very wrong. This is the best food we've had in Houghton on our trip. We came for lunch and had a beer and some sandwiches. I ordered the Reuben and my husband ordered the French dip special. They were both excellent. The beers also hit the spot. The kids menu was good as well, and the service was tops. read more

We waited for just over 2 hours for our food and then when it finally came it was super dry and room temperature. The server was super quiet and I had to ask her to repeat herself multiple times. The amount of food for the price was surprisingly small even if the food was good, which it wasn't. Overall there are much better restaurants near by, or you can go to subway and have a better experience. read more

Went here hoping to find the latest NY Times best seller. Instead my family and I ended up with a dime store trash novel. Poor food with horrible service made "The Library" a must miss dining experience read more

Nice place, however the staff is unresponsive and 85 minutes to grill a burger. You're better off finding an alternative place that eat in Houghton We arrived at 5:45pm and ordered before 6:00. Food was delivered at 7:20 and in the mean time the server never bothered to stop and say anything or ask if we wanted anything else. After the food was delivered the server immediately dropped the check off and commented this way we won't have to wait. Upcoming n returning the check we we later asked to leave for returning the check. Apparently this is not allowed at the Library in Houghton Michigan. So after 2 1/2 hours we don't even get to eat this is service at it poorest you can do better anywhere even if it's 90 minutes away. When in Houghton go anywhere but here read more

My wife & I took a tour of the UP after attending the fall beerfest in Marquette. We stopped into the Library in downtown Houghton on our way to Copper Harbor. The tall female bartender (whose name I didn't catch) treated us great, and we enjoyed our soups & beer flights. We spent a few days touring the Keweenaw peninsula and stopped into the Library again on our way south. That's when we ran into Kyle. Kyle was sitting at the bar with one of the waitresses, both off duty, sitting a couple seats away from us. I got the impression that Kyle is an employee of the Library, or perhaps at a nearby bar or restaurant. Kyle was discussing his numerous tattoos, which was tolerable, though extremely boring. When another male employee joined them at the bar, the conversation turned into a homophobic schoolboy penis fest, much to the delight of the waitress and the bartender. Unfortunately, it completely spoiled our meal. If Kyle, the tattooed boy from the circus, is an employee of the Library, then management needs to yank his chain & stop him from scaring away the customers. I'm giving the Library 4 stars anyway, because the food and the beer were good. Management needs to tell the employees that they represent the establishment whether they are on the clock or off. read more

We went in after dinner one evening to have a beer and relax. We sat at the bar and waited and waited and waited a little more. No one even acknowledged we were there and we saw two employees talking to each other. If we could see them, they could see us! There were some tables filled but looked taken care of, so not a rush of things to do for the staff. So after looking around and estimating we were not going to be welcomed, we walked out. No one said anything to us then either! read more

So, first impression way too dark and a weird green lighting. My husband and daughter like their shrimp pasta. Unfortunately, my mom's swiss au gratin soup was fairly cold, and the worst was my mother in law got sick after our meal - not sure if it was the shrimp appetizer combined with the martini or what. With that experience alone, we won't be back. read more

The night we were there, there was a live performer which was awesome! Service was good, ambiance was good, but to be completely honest the food the was OK. Perhaps it was the meal that I got.... I would go back to try again for another meal. The location is also great and you can look out the window to the water and skiers. read more

Super cute place! Kind of fun to say "im at the library" when in fact you are just drinking. Ha! The parmesan truffle fries are CRACK. Get them!!!! Sooo good!! I got the rb2, it was really good just needed a sauce or something I felt....like maybe an au jus for dipping! Or some kind of crack aioli like the fries have! I will definitely be back! read more

The Library - Parm truffle fries.....OMG. - New American Near Me - Houghton, Michigan

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You have the perfect name and location, but why is this place always consistently inconsistent? I understand being short staffed but the food was mediocre at best. The salads are pitiful with lettuce thrown on a plate with 3 cherry tomatoes. Then my husbands fish was dry and tasted burned (supposed to be blackened). The ravioli was actually pretty good but so heavy with all the cheese. I will never be back. This place has underwhelmed me since I went to school at MTU in 1996. You have such potential but the execution is awful. read more

The Library - The salad... - New American Near Me - Houghton, Michigan

Great restaurant with very nice and attentive service and nice views. What puts this even higher is the cute Library theme that isn't over done. The food is top notch. read more

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This place is as bipolar as it gets for dining experiences. I'v had a few decent experiences(mostly when I go just for the beer), but I've finally hit a wall on negative anecdotes that I no longer give them my business and encourage everybody I know to stay clear and go someplace more worthy of their money like Michigan House(best beer and burger in the UP). I'll try to summarize some of the mentioned anecdotes here: I once asked for a medium rare burger, came overdone after nearly an hour of waiting and after pointing it out, I was asked to please just take it or I would have to wait long again. Prepare yourself for long waits unless you're there for the soup and sandwich lunch deal. I've never gotten a hot entree that took less than 40 minutes to an hour and a half to come out. I was with a group of friends(about 6 people) and we all got burgers, either their $7.50 tier or their $7.99 tier and either normal fries or sweet potato fries(they charge extra for each kind).The waitress(after neglecting us on refills, etc all evening) took 5 attempts and about 40 min before she got everyone's checks correct except for mine, after profusely refusing to write it down at my insistence at attempt number 3. I got a $7.50 burger and she was trying to charge me for the $7.99 one. I asked her if she could fix it and just get right and she asked me to just take it out of her tip. I relented, and gave her the 49 cent tip that she didn't earn. I went in for lunch one day for happy hour drinks during a snow day. My friends and I all got the sampler and a couple pints. There was hardly anybody there and we waited nearly fifteen minutes for even our waters to get there as we watched our waitress stand around talking with coworkers and then leaving for a smoke break. We grabbed another waitress and asked if we could at least get waters or our beers or something to wet our whistles, but rather than helping out simply told us that she would be certain to inform our waitress(who was on smoke break). Is there no camaraderie or sense of serving the customers between the staff here? tl;dr- This place uses being the only modern restaurant in the area as a way to lure people and what they say goes. Customer is second, they get business no matter what. Given my experiences, I'm convinced they just take on anybody as a server as there is no standard for customer service. read more

In town recently while on vacation and stopped by for a beer based on a recommendation of the hotel and the recent reviews. I have to say my experience, unfortunately, was not positive. Place was busy. Nice atmosphere. So, maybe my experience is not the norm. Bartender Service poor - ignored me for 15 minutes while serving/ talking to others. Seemed preoccupied with one group (maybe friends??) at the end of the bar. When served, I ordered the Keweenaw Golden Ale (4.4% - 4.8%). In one word - awful. Tasted skunky. Or if it was supposed to be brewed that, it's not my taste. I couldn't finish it. So, I decided to go down the block to the Keweenaw Brewery Taproom. (OK - I probably was going there anyway) Rating 2. Disappointing. This was supposed to be one of the best places in town. read more

The worst meal on our recent U.P. excursion. The food was barely acceptable. Of the five beers we sampled, only two were worthy of being served in a Brew Pub. To top it off, our service was horrible. We were the only table in the restaurant area, but took 25 minutes to get our drinks. One cucumber martini, one five beer sampler, one IPA and one iced tea. There was a group of people watching a race in the Bar, but 25 minutes? Not acceptable. The food was just blah. We had two steak sandwiches, a burger and some sort of Dagwoody type sandwich. Our food came with another unreasonably long wait. Our waitress disappeared and several attempts to flag someone else down were unsuccessful. Remember, we were the only table in the restaurant. When our waitress brought our check she did offer a long, detailed apology explaining how busy she was and how slammed the bar was. When we got home all of us commented about how insincere and untrue the apology seemed. We could easily see that they weren't busy and the bar wasn't slammed. The Library is on a very steep hill (I think everything in Houghton is), but it is wheelchair accessible. Based on this experience, that won't matter, because we more than likely won't be back. read more

We've eaten here twice in the last couple of days. I ordered a salad, it was delicious. We also ordered the Po Boy, again delicious. Stay away from the bacon wrapped shrimp, they overcook it every time and you cannot even get a fork in them. Service has been great both times. read more

I was bummed that I did not get to try their IPA (they were able to provide me with Bells Hopslam in lieu of this which was a major plus as I have NEVER seen it on tap before) but I did try a flight of their beers and I have to say that they were all pretty solid. They had eight total of their own on tap at the time along with several other craft beers from around the state. The food was good and the price seemed right for slightly upscale establishment as this place was trying to portray. I had the Shrimp Poor Boy with onion rings. It came with a cajun aioli on it on a fresh loaf of bread. Our waiter was excellent and very knowledgeable about the beers and food on the menu. I essentially let him guide me through my order as I like to do in new places because who should know what is best on the menu other than the staff and he did just that. I will probably stop in here one last time before heading home, and should I be back this far up in the UP again, it will be on the list of places to venture to again. read more

Recently reopened, Stopped in for dinner and were greeted by Liz and Shelie. Both were professionals , and with a great sense of humor. They did an awesome just in recommending the perfect wine and good food recommendations. The service from the kitchen was timely , the food presentation was looked good on plate, the food was awesome tasting. The place is very comfortable, with a relaxed feeling. read more

We had a very nice experience here one night. Food was nothing to write home about, but enjoyable. During our next visit, we were met with the rudest waitress I have ever come across, and ended up leaving before we even ordered. I had heard the service could be really horrible, so I guess we weren't that surprised. Will definitely not go back. read more

It's new but it has a great staff. Quick seating comfortable environment and great food! Love the setting. Next time we are up here I will most likely be stopping back in! read more

Went with my hubby I had ahi appetizer and he had brisket. Unbelievably good! Brisket came with Yukon potatoes and fresh green beans. Sampler beers 1$ for 4 ounces. Joan , waitress took real good. Are of us! read more

The Library - New American Near Me - Houghton, Michigan

This is a very hit or miss restaurant sometimes the food is really really good and sometimes its eh. The first time we went the steaks were amazing. The soup was so good and the potatoes and veggies rocked. The waitor was sooper sweet, and he sold us into the most amazing cheesecake even though we were so stuffed that night was the best. The second time we went it was a whole nother story all together. We got there and was seated by the window, then we sat, and sat and sat. My mother said to just hold out it looked a little busy but not much. 15 min we finally got our drinks in then 10 after that we got our food in. Steaks were not as good as the first time, veggies were cold, rolls were hard as rocks and were not good. So wished it had been like before. And the waitress was slow, rude and spent most of her time with the people in suits, so what, we could tip just as good, I HATE wait staff like that. Friends have had moldy burger buns, raw steaks. I miss the first time and never will be back, so sad for suposidle the best steak in town read more

Ask for the secret menus. The secret drink menu is great. The secret food menu is OK, but has some of the same items as the regular menu. The Ahi tuna is some of the best you will find in Michigan. read more

this is the worst place I have eaten in years. 3 out of 4 dinners were absolute trash. $38 ribeye that tastes like a sponge absolutely devoid of flavor. I'm so sorry! here's the bill for the full amount. do not eat here. one of the dinners was kids mac' cheese. my son tried for awhile before I asked what was wrong and tried it. it tasted like it had been made with ingredients that had gone bad. how do you screw up this bad. this was the evening of June 18th. I don't know if there was a manager working but I didn't see any signs of them. read more

This place used to be one of my favorite dining destinations in Houghton. It burned down in '95, and re-opened a year later. It's got its own brewery, full bar, and full dining services. It has a variety of brews. Most are pretty good, tho' the quality and consistency can be hit-or-miss. It sometimes has import specials. Once they had this Norwegian "Aass" (pronounced Ohhs) beer. Been looking all over Chicago for it. Does anyone know of a pub or liquor store that has it?? The food menu has the standard stuff: appetizers, salad, soup, sandwiches, pasta. For entree, you can find plenty of freshwater fish. The entrees are not bad, but not spectacular either. Speaking of soup, it sometimes has the Manhattan clam chowder. Yummy. One of my favorite dishes there is the apple dumpling dessert. It's ice-cream and caramel on top of a small crusty apple pie. read more

My favorite restaurant destination in the U.P. The food I have had has always been very good and at a fair price, just wish they would have more local stuff. But you know as a visitor I want to see more whitefish because I can get tuna all the time but I am sure that if I lived in Houghton I would get sick of whitefish all the time and tuna would be a nice change. The big plus is this is also a brewpub and they have some very good beer and usually a good variety. The growlers are also very reasonably priced. I like the decour of all the books. A good place to relax check out the scenery and have a few brews. read more