I tried out The Old Library Restaurant today and I found it really lovely. The building is so lovely and it was fun to experience that old architecture. We were seated promptly and welcomed. They had a specific lunch menu, but also said we could order from the dinner menu as well. I chose to order chicken Marsala. It was served with a creamy risotto and roasted seasonal vegetables. It was a wonderful dish and I really enjoyed it. One of the people I dined with needed some dietary substitutions and the staff was absolutely great about, everything came as ordered. After we were served our meal, we were still given a lot of attention from the staff and they were happy to separate our checks. If you are ever in Olean, NY you should definitely check this place out. read more

The Old Library Restaurant - Chicken Marsala over Risotto with seasonal vegetables. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Olean, New York

Nick was an awesome waiter. It is a nice place set in an old library like the name says. The artichoke dip was very good. The chips were not over salted like some places are. There is a nice cheese and seasoning sprinkled on them. Very tasty. I had the NY Strip Steak. It was cooked to perfection and the potatoes were delicious My wife had the haddock stuffed with crab. She is not a fan of crab but said it tasted good. It was on a layer of rice. Definitely recommend this place for a nice dinne read more

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Years and years ago, I had stopped here several times while passing through the area. I had very fond memories of those visits, so I decided to stop again recently for an early dinner on another road trip. Since the last time I was here, they've done a major renovation. The inside of the restaurant is much more fresh and clean. As charming as the old design was, it had started to look a little worn. Very nice. It was a nice day outside, so I sat on the front patio. The service was very prompt and attentive. Really enjoyed the leisurely pace and fresh air... Started off strong with a beer flight: 42 North Illumination Pilsner, Rohrback Scotch Ale, 4 Mile Unfurl Porter, Guinness Nitro Stout. These were great picks, if I do say so myself. Everything tasty and fresh. Next up was the "Poutine", as it was called, though it was more accurately gravy fries with cheese, rather than cheese curds. Portion was huge and it was quite good. Asked the waiter to leave it on the table so I could pick at it throughout the meal. I chose the Chicken Marsala as the entree and was disappointed. The marsala sauce had a strange flavor, kind of sugary sweet with no wine depth. It was served with risotto that also had a strange flavor and texture. It was sort of milky and sweet, and the risotto itself was overly firm. Overall, I really enjoyed the visit. Next time, I would choose a different entree or simply stick with beer and appetizers. I wish they still had the turkey dinner from the old menu. That would have been perfect. But as it is, I'll definitely stop again next time I'm in the area. read more

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This restaurant was absolutely divine in the decoration and the ambiance. The waiter gave us the choice of which dining area to sit in, and the books and lighting made the decision difficult. The French onion soup was delicious, as was the shrimp pasta. The waiter gave great recommendations for food, and offered a few flexible swaps for diet restrictions within the group. The food came out quickly and had great portions for the price. The drink menu was adorable and sounded delicious! For a small town restaurant, The Old Library Restaurant was memorable and classy. read more

The Old Library Restaurant - Dining room - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Olean, New York

Once again another amazing meal. I brought my parents from Arizona tonight. My dad is a prime rib and steak expert. He was absolutely blown away with this meal. The food was amazing as always and the drinks were wonderful. We had carrot cake and peanut butter pie for dessert. That was fantastic. This place only serves the best. My parents loved the decor and the library feel. They are making this a must every year they are out. Our waitress Corrie was amazing and fun which made our evening even better. Thank you for a wonderful evening. read more

The Old Library Restaurant - Brie appetizer - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Olean, New York

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Great dinner in a historic old library which just adds to the experience. Baked Brie, filet mignon, and more were delicious. The service was good. Nice to find a surprising high scale restaurant when not expected. read more

The food and service were amazing! The lobster I had with my dinner was hot! Usually seafood isn't. Filet was tender like butter. Bravo read more

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Beautiful place but TERRIBLE food and service was lacking, as well. Caesar salad was brown and yellow with all bitter ends. Steak dry, color was off Chicken parm had ZERO breading Waitress had zero knowledge of wine. Tried to corkscrew a twist off Waitress over poured my water, spilled everywhere and never cleaned it up. We were a table of 7 and none of us ate our meals. I could go on and on... Never again. read more

Incredible food and atmosphere. What a little gem. I will definitely go back when I'm in town again next year

Received this as a dinner for two from a friend . Nice place ,old style steak house. We both had the special which was I think steak Oscar . read more

Delicious salmon, amazing bruschetta wonderful ambience. A very unique dining experience inside of a library and they graciously allowed us to go up the stairs and look around at a ballroom of sorts. That would make an amazing wedding venue or reception venue. read more

Delicious food and incredible ambiance that blew me away! Amazing cocktails, fast and friendly service, LIVE music, delicious calamari, yummy sea bass, delectable seafood linguine, luscious tiramisu and crème brûlée (coffee flavor and crispy top, respectively!). Would 100% go back! read more

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My husband and I went here for an unexpected romantic dinner tonight (Friday). However, it did not start out as a tete a tete, as some friends were supposed to join us, but I had the night wrong (I must be getting senile), so we turned it into our "date night." Apparently, the dinner with friends is tomorrow night. It was the perfect place for a romantic night out. We arrived at six thirty pm but found that we did not have a reservation (likely because we arrived on the wrong night!). The woman greeting guests was gracious and friendly. Unlike many restaurant greeters who treat you like you have demanded their first born for a human sacrifice when you show up at prime time on a Friday and desire dining accomodation without a reservation, she nicely said, "hey, no problem. Let me see what we can do." She located a table for four on the mezzanine tucked away in the corner. We were seated and promptly given water by a table busser, and asked if we had other guests joining us, due to the presence of additional menus and place settings on the table. It did take about 10 minutes to have a server arrive, Nick, but he was also extremely pleasant and accomodating. The restaurant was busy, but not noisy. The restaurant facility is a beautiful space with lots of seating in very nicely appointed rooms. Nick quickly brought back my husband's drink choice of an Italian Mule (delicious and refreshing with limoncello added to a Moscow Mule) and a bottle of the Firesteed Pinot Noir for me (after all I did plan to share it with the table...lol!). When by 7:20 pm our guests had not arrived, I checked with them only to find out we were going to be alone for the evening as our dinner reservations were for Saturday, not Friday! As noted earler, we decided to stay, and enjoy dinner together. The menu was expansive with many attractive choices. We started with the Poutine Fries. They were quite good, but be sure to read the menu description, as the cheese is not the traditional cheese curd, but shredded cheddar. It is a healthy portion, so we only ate half to save our appetites and boxed the remainder. I also ordered a ceasar salad and my husband ordered the baked potato soup. The ceasar was fabulous. It had thin slices of sundried tomatoes and also artichokes in it. The tomatoes added visual appeal to the dish which was beautifully served on a tilted deep salad bowl perched on a plate. The ceasar dressing was perfect in flavor and application--not drowing in it yet not sparing--just right. My husband's soup was thick, warm and creamy. Yum. For our entrees, I was torn between a number of possibilities, including Chicken Marsala, a Smoked Mac and Cheese with Blackened Chicken, a Fish Fry, Wild Salmon on a cedar plank or the Seafood Pappardelle. Surprisingly, after hearing the choices I was considering, Nick instead recommended one of the nightly specials, a Seafood Alfredo, which he described as a three cheese alfredo sauce, topped with bay scallops, shrimp and lobster, all served over homemade pasta. In a way, it was like a combination of some of the dishes I had been contemplating. I readily agreed--it sounded great! My husband ordered the Chicken Wellington. The entrees arrived and were beautifully plated. I was thrilled with Nick's suggestion. The alfrefo sauce was simply scrumptious. The bay scallops were tiny but super sweet and tender. The lobster was shredded, which was a bit disappointing, as I expected to see recognizable chunks of lobster meat. There were four good sized shrimp that had excellent flavor and were not chewy. In all, it was just great. My only criticism is that as a fine dining restaurant, they really need to invest in one or more grinders for fresh black pepper. I love fresh ground black pepper, but was told there was no fresh ground black pepper option. I was brought fresh crushed red pepper flakes when I asked for fresh ground pepper. My husband liked the Chicken Wellington. He said it was not what he exactly expected, as when the description read "chicken cutlet," he thought "breaded chicken." Upon reflection, he said that was totally on him, as who would wrap a breaded cutlet in a puff pastry, doubling the carbs? Pretty silly thought in hindsight, he said. He also did not understand that the asparagus was inside the puff pastry, as he expected it to be served on a bed of asparagus. He also did not know that duxelles are mushrooms. Umm ..... again totally on him. After all, Google exists for a reason. Or, god forbid he ask the human food google sitting right next to him? But ultimately, he said it was good. We ordered one Tiramisu for dessert to share. Also delicious and a perfect portion for two. We demolished it. In all, I really enjoyed our experience and I am thrilled we will be going there again tomorrow night (Saturday--the correct night) with our friends..... I will be bringing my own small fresh black pepper grinder, however! read more

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We were just passing through on our way back from St Louis and stayed in Olean overnight. Our hotel clerk mentioned the Old Library, so we took a chance. The food, service, and venue were outstanding. My steak was wonderful and was large enough for lunch the next day. Great meal. read more

Superior food and service We came with a large group and everyone enjoyed their food and cocktails. Food and service exceeded our expectations. Would highly recommend! read more

We had a fantastic experience at The Old Library for my son's 21st birthday. I called ahead to order appetizers for the table,and they were put out promptly at our reservation time. Upon arrival, the hostess took the cake we brought in to the kitchen and after a marvelous dinner our server brought it out then took it back to the kitchen where they cut and plated it for us. I cannot say enough good things about The Old Library; from the service, to the food and all the extra attention our celebration was made extra special. If you are in the Olean area, make sure to stop by to at the very least to take in the ambiance as it really is in an old library, and the space is beautiful! read more

In the days of high prices and staff issues, The Old Library stands out as outstanding eating Established unequalled by any other in 100 mile radius. Great food and cocktail offerings, awesome timely service out of the kitchen from ordering and the food was spot on in taste, quality and just right portion size! I travel NY OH and PA for work and by far is proves again the shining start without equal. Topped off by attentive wait staff and excellent pricing; The place to eat in Olean!!!(And over last 40 years having eaten here for various events , it has still topped my choice as being the go-to for great dining!!! And since its history of dining, the setting is the best of the Carnegie legacy buildings in the region. I look forward to being back in the area soon to eat here!!!! read more

We decided to try this spot out for our 20th Anniversary, this past Wednesday. The food, service and ambiance were wonderful. My wife and I split an order of Clams Casino and the Brie appetizer. Both were incredibly delicious. I also had a Caesar salad that was fresh and tasty. My bride was originally going to have the Filet with Lobster served Louis style but once she saw the Seafood Pappardelle, she was hooked. I opted for the NY Strip that was cooked exactly to my liking. The potatoes served with the steak were roasted to perfection and had a crispy topping of Parmesan cheese. The steak was tender and delicious! My wife's Seafood Pappardelle was also delicious with Shrimp, Lobster and Crab meat in a delightful brandy cream sauce. I was lucky enough to sample it and it was delicious! The Blood Orange Negroni I had was excellent as was our two glasses of champagne. We did order a dessert which the manager was kind enough to comp along with the champagne because it was our 20th Anniversary. The service was impeccable and we certainly will be returning! read more

The Old Library Restaurant - My wife and I. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Olean, New York

Great place - gorgeous setting/building, friendly staff, interesting/large menu, abundant portions, tasty food, good drinks.

Wow. Found this place by accident. Roadwork and detours are not usually highlights of a trip but we were diverted past the Old Library and my wife looked out and said 'we have to go here'. Ok I don't usually gush about somewhere, but, wow. The interior space is simply amazing. Food and drinks were well prepared and very reasonably priced. Go here. read more

The Old Library Restaurant - Night time curb appeal - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Olean, New York

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Was visiting from out of town and this place was recommended to me. Food was very good. I ordered the tenderloin with the shrimp scampi. Steak was cooked perfectly. Service was great and I loved the atmosphere. Will definitely be going back. read more

PERFECT! Decor is amazing! Great place for quality food and drinks!

What a wonderful experience! We happened upon this gem, a library turned into restaurant. Nostalgia fills the place with stacks of books on shelves in sections of each room. There are I believe 3 levels to the restaurant. We happened to sit outside while a duo played soft melodic songs. The food was very good, steaks and my son had the pesto pasta with tender rib meat on top. Between the atmosphere, waitress, music and food it was a very delightful experience! read more

Amazing food, atmosphere and owner pays attention to detail; he has gone out of his way to create a wonderful experience.

First time back to the Old Library since it has been under new management. My wife and I went out for a Friday 'date night' and really enjoyed our experience. Our waiter/host was attentive and provided us with everything we needed. Pork loin and prime rib were both cooked well and our drinks (from the bar) and appetizers were also fantastic. Prime rib was placed on top of mashed potatoes which allowed the juices to run into the potatoes which was my only minor complaint. Next time, I'd just ask that they put it on the side and not on top (no worries). All in all it was a very nice night and experience. I would recommend the Old Library for a perfect 'date night' or a nice family dinner. Will be back for sure! read more

Raw oysters were warm and not cleaned. After being completely grossed out by those I noticed all the glasses on our table were all dirty. Multiple different lipsticks on the rim. Not mine. Will not be going back. Ever read more

The Old Library Restaurant - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Olean, New York

Ambiance 5 star, service 5 star, food 5 star. I travel quite a bit and to find a gem like this is rare. So many great choices that I decided on3 appetizers instead of a main. Clams casino were superb and I'm a new Englander clams casino snob! Sliders were also recommended. So glad I found this place. Lindsay the bartender was a pleasure to speak with as well. Highly recommended. read more

The Old Library Restaurant - Firecracker shrimp - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Olean, New York

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Ate at the old library last night, they had a singer in the main lobby playing which set the mood and he was FANTASTIC! they had tons of vegetarian options which is great to see in a small town. It was a decent size portion and I thought my pasta and dessert tasted great!(just a little pricey) The drink menu also had a lot of seasonal drinks which is my favorite to see! My boyfriend had the duck and he personally thought it needed more flavor. Overall, I would definitely stop in and check it out! read more

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Great atmosphere, unique setting, delicious food! Would definitely make my way back here!

I was here on a work trip and the ambience was spectacular. My manager and I were in awe the whole time. We were rushed due to our schedule but I ordered the chicken marsala and finished it within minutes. The food was amazing just wish it was prepared a bit faster so we could have enjoyed it, our server was more than happy to help us during our rush. read more

Glad to have made a reservation beforehand as this place was pretty packed for dinner on a Friday night. I got a salad to share with my family, and the hostess was so kind to have brought out an extra side of ranch dressing despite ordering honey mustard so that we could have a bit of variety. I got the shrimp scampi, which I think I would get the seafood linguini next time. The scampi was not really that flavorful and had too much "sauce" that tasted more like alcohol/ water. I'm more into creamy pasta sauces which the is why the linguini would have been a better choice. My family got steaks, and I will say that one of them came out overly cooked beyond what we preferred and that made it dry, but overall the seasoning and the sides that it came with were great. Tiramisu was good but preferred the lighter crème brûlée. And don't think I'd opt for the mule next time. Was hoping it would be more refreshing but it had too much of an alcohol flavor. Overall, great service and I'd be happy to eat here again now that I know what to order. read more

We stopped here when taking a weekend trip to kinzua. We found this restuarant on here and had to give it a try. Everything was amazing! Above and beyond our expectations! We set up reservations online, so there was no wait. We sat on the patio, which was very pretty and great ambiance. There was also a man singing and playing a guitar, who did wonderful. The wait staff was great! Our waitress was very attentive, polite, and funny. I got 2 drinks, which were perfectly strong and tasted delicious. Our food was fantastic! He got prime rib and i got the seafood pappardelle. We totally recommend this place! read more

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Had dinner last night with the family, great atmosphere and terrific service. Had cocktails and draft beers before dinner, nice selection. Appetizers (spinach and artichoke dip and calamari) were awesome. Seabass as great, so was gnocchi. Two specials were chicken piccatta and surf and turf were just that, excellent. read more

I used to LOVE this place years ago. My husband and I went tonight, and we were so disappointed. He loved his food (Chicken Marsala), but there wasn't a ton of it. I had the Pesto Pasta, which was by no means bad, but it wasn't great either. Rather bland, and I couldn't taste basil (in pesto!). Neither dinner came with bread, or salad. So I had a bowl of noodles and water for $20. The total bill for dinner was $71. For noodles and chicken. No appetizers. No salad or bread. No dessert. And I drank water. My husband had a coke. A 6oz coke with a ton of ice. We won't be back. read more

Excellent food and service enjoyed in a beautiful and unique setting. The renovated library has very high beautifully coffered ceilings. Books on bookshelves adorn the walls. Would highly recommend! read more

The soup to sandwiches The food was great! The people who work here are so amazing & friendly . Definitely will come back again Also the building is so beautiful read more

This was a nice place to visit, we enjoyed dinner and the atmosphere. The mix drinks were a little weak but besides that dinner and desserts were good. read more

What an amazing place,unique! Beautiful building and decor, great service and beautifully presented dishes with delicious food. Clean and shiny everywhere! I can't wait to try the lunch some day. We had dinner and was delicious. read more

The Old Library Restaurant - Filet mignon - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Olean, New York

What a relaunch!!!! New owners!! New menu!!! Food is out of this world!!! Design on the inside is beautiful!! You should. Wake it a point to try again!!! read more

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Excellent dinner experience at the the Old Library once again! Great drinks, Calamari, spinach salad and main entrees-- steak and peach pork loin read more

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