The Library Restaurant - CharlestonOne of absolute best in chasHave lived and dined in chas for 30 years. This place is on the short list of best of the best6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMYou must dine here!One of the finest dining experiences we have ever had. We always book fine dinng restaurants as part of our vacations or weekend getaways and the food, servers and atmosphere marked this one in our book of restaurants we will return to everytime we visit Chareston. Make sure you add this to list!6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMWe really liked the restaurant,We really liked the restaurant, service, etc. We were a bit disappointed in the quality of the entrees - dried out (as if it had been cooked some time before and reheated for serving), overly tough.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful!Service was outstanding and the food was absolutely wonderful! I really enjoyed The Library and will go back again. I was meeting an old friend and the atmosphere was perfect to be able to talk and catch up. Not noisy at all, in fact quiet and cozy.5/28/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food, attentive serviceMy husband is a "crab cake snob," having been raised in Maryland, and he found these outstanding. I had pheasant and was also very pleased with the preparation, flavors etc. We both appreciated the unusual accompaniments: basil-flavored rice and asparagus for him, spaghetti squash, rutabagas, mushrooms, and roasted potatoes in a broth-based sauce for me. Service was attentive and courteous in a relaxed way that made us feel welcome and at ease. The only drawback is that the room is so small that voices carry easily even at a normal conversational levels, so we could hear not only the couple next to us, but also two couples across the room. Perhaps some tasteful background music would help muffle the sound?5/28/2013 12:00:00 AMPleasant surpriseWe had ever dined here before & were pleasantly surprised to find it so friendly. We pulled up to the front of the Vendue Inn to allow the ladies to hop out and hold our 8 pm reservation. We were running 15 minutes late due to Charleston traffic (plan accordingly). The doorman offered to valet the car. Many thanks to him.
The food & service were top notch. Our entrees included the lobster risotto, filet mignon, & crab cakes. The chef sent us a complimentary mushroom bisque that was very tasty.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMNot to be missedWhat a great place. Waited a long time before trying it and now can't wait to go back.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMSmall GemGreat small intimate restaurant. Service was very attentive and friendly but not overbearing. Excellent wine list, reasonably priced, and most can be by the glass or bottle. Good menu that has a variety of food. my sea scallops were wonderful and my husband's duck two ways was cooked perfectly. Portions are appropriate. Definitely will return.5/23/2013 12:00:00 AMA real gem without all theA real gem without all the hype. Kind of hope it stays a little quiet so it doesn't get too busy.,5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMYou are treated well at TheYou are treated well at The Library, a tiny restaurant on Vendue Range. Service is spot on. Food is a solid A-. Ambiance is simply lovely. A great place for a romantic evening.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat a great experienceWe thoroughly enjoyed our visit to "The Library". We're from around New Orleans and were a bit hesitant to order seafood here. I did however, order a crab cake which was my best ever and it was a complete meal. The escargot was also good. The restaurant is small, quiet and beautiful with excellent art on the walls. Truly a treat! Rhonda
The service too was excellent. We left our credit card by mistake and the waiter chased us down the street to return it. Very friendly staff.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful!Our meal was divine, the atmosphere was quiet and relaxed but most of all the service was impeccable! I would highly recommend!5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMTast bud treatsWe loved the beautiful dining room setting, and our attentive two wait staff professionals were cordial and knew their menu well. But the stars of the show were the made in house duck sausage appetizer, the lobster scampi and the most unusual presentation of shrimp and grits we've seen....a tempura style that was outstanding! Hard to beat, but then we decided to try the gelato tree....literally a sculpture we understand the chef brought with him from Florida....on which were placed the four portions of gelato flavors we chose to share. All were great, but you must try the habenero cinammon gelato. Be prepared for a kick in the taste buds!4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMA small intimate restaurantA small intimate restaurant with wonderful food. The lack of books made it a questionable library, but the Richard Johnson art on the walls added immensely to the romance of it all.4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMA lovely little restaurant.A lovely little restaurant. The food was excellent and the wait staff friendly and attentive. The dishes were unique enough for the less adventurous to try. My husband had the Beef Cheek Bourguignon and it was very good. We also enjoyed the cinnamon habanero gelato.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfect!One of our most elegant, intimate, and delicious dining experiences in Charleston. The Library lived up to it's excellent reputation. Looking forward to returning!4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstandingThe Library recently had seating available during a particularly busy weekend in Charleston. Although we had never eaten there, the reviews were encouraging and we planned the evening around our dinner reservation. We were seated immediately upon our arrival in a comfortable, corner booth. The table had two chairs and an upholstered, corner bench, complete with pillows. The seating was very comfortable and the wait staff indicated that multiple servers would be helping us, introducing all of them by name. A wide variety of items were presented on the menu. The staff were very friendly and professional. Our food was delivered in a timely fashion with just the right amount of time between courses. The food was delicious! Great evening!!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMIt's like eating in a one'sIt's like eating in a one's own dining room! Very intimate.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMAmuse-bouche was wonderful!The service was second to none! We loved the amuse-bouche and our education from our waiter on its origin. The meal was delicious! Thank you for making us feel special and important - like we were the only ones in the restaurant! We will come back!!3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMOverall, the experience wasOverall, the experience was outstanding, from the convenience and ease of booking the reservation to the welcoming arrival at The Library Restaurant to the comfortable romantic setting once seated. We did have a slight wait but it was because the restaurant was trying to accommodate my special request for intimate seating with a great vantage point view of the restaurant & streetscape. They arranged for us to have wine while we waited and to get what I think is one of the best tables in the restaurant. Additionally, the service and food was excellent..or perhaps I should say superb. So well I felt compelled to tip the entire wait staff, not just our primary server, because they all worked hard to make us feel special and comfortable.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst time here but not theFirst time here but not the last for sure. Why we waited so long to dine here I don't know but it won't be as long until the next time.3/13/2013 12:00:00 AM