I had good experience. However, i bit pricey..

The Library is very busy and very noisy before showtimes at the Public Theater. And servers make sure that diners get out in time for their curtains. But I can’t imagine dining there without going to the theater too. It’s not worth a trip for any other reason.

Food was bland. Mussels not fresh and flavorless. pasta over cooked and bland . Corn not fresh tasting

Great place for a pre-theater or post-theater dinner at The Public Theater. Nice choice of starters and main dishes, each distinctive and delicious.

The staff is professional and responsive. The ambiance does have a warm library feel. The tables are nicely spaced, and specially for a pretty small venue. The food is excellent and arrives promptly. You can’t get more convenient place to eat for a performance at the Public Theater

We had theater tickets at the Public. Very convenient and relaxing. Service is very accommodating.

this place is a GEM! And if you support the "Public" you get 20% discount.

I think it's over priced.
the food selection is very minimal.

The amazing shrimp tacos, delicate pasta with various mushrooms and asparagus, and superb crisp Brussels sprouts were all fresh, vegetable laden, and tasty. The entree is easily shared. The draft beer and wines were well chosen and complimentary to the food. Others were enjoying salads and hamburgers, as well. A great find for The Public or New York Theater Workshop.

Good but expensive. Cocktails are 17-18. Fish and chips-$32?

Great option before show at Public Theater. Great menu with vegetarian options. Recommend even if not pre-theater.

Good for pre-theater, more so if you're a Public subscriber (20% discount). I don't think the burger was worth $21 (nothing special, lots of skinny fries), but plenty of other choices that may be better value. Service was friendly (but not too), attentive, professional. They are used to people going to shows so are well attuned to timing.

Liked the setting and it is very convenient. Menu was limited. Would like more veggie options. The cauliflower dish is expensive and cloying
Staff was kind and helpful, the ambience very nice. Just the menu needs some work. Greater variety and perhaps some grilled fish.

Great location to dine pre/post theatre. Food is delicious. Service was lovely. Will be returning!

Food was fair and very expensive. Very disappointing.

Delightful, tasty. Very friendly and courteous servers. Perfect for pre-theater.

If you have tickets for any show at any venue within the Public Theater you should def. plan a dinner before/after here! So convenient and lovely!

The tables are much too close together and that inhibited our ability to have a conversation.

Great location for pre theatre. Ambiance with wood paneled walls is a bit clubby and welcoming.

was quiet post-show on a Sunday. All staff very nice. Tiny note for the otherwise wonderful server - let us know next time when the kitchen is closing so we can order dessert if we want it. Otherwise perfection. Beautiful space

I love the Library and have been there several times. It's never a bargain, but this time price seemed high for value. They were out of a few entrees and the burrata appetizer was made from cheese that wasn't burrata (no milky center) and it was so cold it was unpleasant to eat. Also, the "roasted" carrots in the salad were practically raw. Despite that, I do really like this place. Can't beat if for atmosphere and nice service. I wish they'd freshen up the menu with some new items and pay a bit more attention to the food/menu.

Average and over priced food

We arrived about 10 minutes early, at 6:50, for an 8PM curtain and were quickly seated. Service came pretty quickly and very pleasant person waited on us. We ordered drinks and when the waiter brought the beer, we gave our order. The salad arrived at about 7:20 and the dinner not until 7:45; we asked a couple of times and were assured the food would be right out, which it wasn't. We each ordered burgers,both mine and my husband's, medium rare. The burgers finally arrived as I said at 7:45, mine was cooked medium and my husband's was blood red, almost raw, as if it had been thrown on the grill for a minute or two. He couldn't have sent it back as we would never have made the show at 8. Needless to say, it was a very poor first experience at The Library and probably our last. I know you were busy but the kitchen really blew it by being so slow and then serving a nearly raw burger with little time to eat it. In fact, the couple next to us who arrived several minutes after we did were not served until about 10 minutes before the curtain and had to inhale their food. The food was pretty good tasting but your kitchen was not well run and the waiter should have been much more attentive to the orders. She did take off the price of the beer and apologized for the slowness and poorly prepared food. We are members of the Public and love the performances we attend but will not be returning for dinner prior to future shows if out experience is any indication of what happens at the Library.

This is a charming place with solid food and strong service ethic. Great before seeing a production at The Public as well asa drink after.

Good place to go before or after the theater. Staff is very conscious of that. Interesting appetizers.

Woman who seated us snarky

The Library at the Public is my favorite restaurant in the city. It helps of course that I'm a member at the Public Theater, but I also find the warm and intimate setting to be both comforting and special. The menu is limited but well chosen and varied and the cocktails and wines are always intriguing. It is the perfect pre and post theater experience and one that Mr. Papp himself would have enjoyed.

Great location, food taste was very good but very small portions. Service was top notch but we were the only table dining so I can understand why. I'd go again for a drink or two, keep the dining to elsewhere.

The venue was lovely. The service very friendly and helpful. The food was mediocre at best.

Absolute perfection in every respect, from ambiance, to server, to the entrees and the prompt pre-theater service.

The Library is a glorious hidden gem. I want to tell everyone about it, but I also want to keep it to myself. Service, ambience, food, all first class. And they know how to get you in and out in time for your show!

Because of traffic we were 15 minutes past our reservation time of 6:30. We had an 8:00 performance of Miss You Like Hell. Our table was uncomfortable because of the pole and nothing else was available. Service was very slow and our meal arrived at 7:40. It was not pleasant having to wait so long and decidedly unpleasant having to rush with our meal. All in all not a good meal time.

Portions are small and overpriced. Asked for some bread and they brought three small pieces. Salad was all cut lettuce and had almost no dressing. Had to ask for more.
Would not go back. Would not Let me submit review unless I recommended what it was good for. So I checked one of the boxes. Reality not good for anything

Everything about The Library was great. From the moment we arrived till when we left, there was nothing bad I can say about the dinner. The restaurant staff was very attentive and the food was stellar. It’s definitely one of our favorite restaurants.

Food was cold. Overall too expensive for value. The ambiance is nice. And service is good.

Great food and drink, especially before Theater.
Smart idea for The PUBLIC to have this restaurant

This was a pretheater dinner. The food and service were very good but the portions are rather small. If not for the member discount, it would be something of a rip-off.

Dinner before theater. Very convenient. Perfect for the evening’s date.

We always try to have dinner at the Library before we go to theater at the Public Theater. A real jewel!

We really enjoyed the library. We had Public Theater tkts so going to The Library beforehand was a treat! Everything was just right. The food was good, nothing fancy. I had the shrimp tacos which were good & the kale salad which was large and good! The service was attentive & the ambience was delightful. All good. We will go back when it’s time to go to the Public Theater again.