The Library at The Public

Name: The Library at The Public
Address: 425 Lafayette Street, New York, NY, United States, 10003
Telephone: (212) 539-8777
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.2

4.2

1009 Reviews

$30 and under

American

Top Tags:

The Library at The Public is an Astor-era lounge tucked away in the mezzanine level of The Public Theater's new downtown home at Astor Place serving classic and inspired cocktails, wine, and Chef Andrew Carmellini's eclectic American menu sourcing local ingredients and New York influence.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Feb 7, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 4 times today

Experiences are available.

Private dining

Book your next event with us

View details

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
American
Hours of operation
5:30 PM to 12:00 AM Tuesday & Wednesday Kitchen closes at 11:00 PM. 5:30 PM to 1:00 AM Thursday-Friday 5:00 PM to 1:00 AM Saturday Late Night Menu Thursday - Saturday 11:00pm to 12:00 am 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM Sunday Kitchen closes at 11:00 PM.
Phone number
(212) 539-8777
Website
http://www.TheLibraryatThePublic.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Andrew Carmellini
Private party facilities
The Library at The Public Theater is located on the mezzanine level of the Public Theater and serves American cuisine. Our event program features custom, chef-designed menus and personalized service from a team of event planning professionals.
Private party contact
Marie Lyons: (212) 539-8790

Location
425 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10003
Neighborhood
NoHo
Cross street
East 4th and Astor Place
Parking details
Private Lot
Additional
Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

Valentine's Day
Feb 14, 2023 only
On Valentine's Day, we will feature our à la carte menu with celebratory dishes and a special performance by Ali Grieb. After a few wonderful years embracing the food and music of New Orleans, Ali Grieb is happy to be back in her home city, New York! Known for her charisma and ability to captivate a room, Ali’s vocals have the ability to transport you back to a time where cold martinis, crooners, and low lighting were king. In addition to music, Ali is known for her comedy, writing, and corporate consulting business: HospitaliTY Included.

What 1,009 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.2

4.2 based on recent ratings

4Food
3.9Service
4.2Ambience
3.9Value

Noise • Moderate

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Filters

n
nyproducer
New York Area
10 reviews
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on January 20, 2023
overall5food5service3ambience5
Love the setting. Food was (as always) well prepared. The server was sweet but not on top of our needs - and didn’t fully understand what was in all the dishes we ordered.
MC
MarieC
New York Area
5 reviews
vip
1.0
5 reviews
Dined on January 1, 2023
overall1food1service1ambience1
Not what it was in the past. I asked for a cosmo and got a vodka grapefruit. The $66 short rib special was a blob of fat on the bone with undercooked vegetables. It was New Year’s Eve and the place was empty.
BH
BarrettH
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 12, 2022
overall5food4service5ambience5
The folks at the Library made our experience wonderful.
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
35 reviews
vip
2.0
35 reviews
Dined on October 11, 2022
overall2food4service2ambience4
Kitchen was backed up and our dinner came one hour after we ordered.
N
Nancy
New York Area
25 reviews
vip
4.0
25 reviews
Dined on October 7, 2022
overall4food4service3ambience5
We were there for the theater (like everyone else) so servers were very busy all at once, but did their best to get us served and out. …. Nice atmosphere/decor, olive appetizer and salmon dish was very good, and my cocktail excellent. A bit expensive, but we did have 2 drinks and 2 wines , so I guess on par with similar venues…. NH
B
Bubbe
New York Area
161 reviews
vip
3.0
161 reviews
Dined on October 1, 2022
overall3food3service3ambience5
Thank goodness that Partners get 20% off. The Library thinks that it is a Danny Meyer restaurant. Not. The drinks are 19 dollars and not great. Food very good. Corkage is $55. Huh? Skip this and go to a Japanese restaurant on 9th Avenue.
m
melissah
New York Area
20 reviews
vip
5.0
20 reviews
Dined on July 5, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Nice venue and convenient for shows at The Public.
LM
LaurieM
New York Area
14 reviews
vip
5.0
14 reviews
Dined on May 24, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Saw FatHam. Great good great service cute room
OT
OpenTable Diner
Charlotte
12 reviews
vip
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on May 21, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
A hidden gem in the heart of the city. -amazing food -great service -fairly priced Highly recommend
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 23, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Nice atmosphere at The Library. I had the calamari with pickled peppers. It was delicious. I went after a performance at Public Theatre. It was so convenient not to have to leave the building and still get a wonderful restaurant. Our waiter was the perfect combination of attentive and quick. The recommendation on our drinks was spot on. We will be back
JM
JoyceM
New York Area
17 reviews
vip
4.0
17 reviews
Dined on April 22, 2022
overall4food3service4ambience5
Some thing were good and some were not. When we received our appetizers we had no share plates. The server who dropped off the appetizers should have given us plates when he saw there were none. (He was very busy but that’s no excuse). We tried to get someone’s anyone’s attention that were servers without being obnoxious and decided to just use our forks without plates. The fried calamari with hot peppers was more hot peppers than calamari. Not good when your paying for calamari. The fried olives with blue cheese lacked blue cheese. The entrees we ordered wall very good. Service - you expect delays - but it looked like there were enough servers so as to not be ignored.
DM
DoctorM
New York Area
168 reviews
vip
4.0
168 reviews
Dined on April 15, 2022
overall4food3service3ambience3
Very convenient if you're seeing a show at the Public and we were. I enjoyed the corn dogs appetizer. Fish & chips were OK. My companion enjoyed his cheeseburger, but I found it overcooked. Soft serve ice cream is always good.
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
73 reviews
vip
5.0
73 reviews
Dined on March 23, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food was great and the room was cozy and not too noisy (a rarity these days). Our server was very capable and charming.
J
Jared
New York Area
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on March 11, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
An East Village gem. Little more sophistication than one usually finds in the east village, but no pretensions. A place to be with friends or a date to have a conversation without screaming to be heard. A great meal and the kind of place where ideas, dreams, life is discussed.
K
Kutie
New York Area
42 reviews
vip
1.0
42 reviews
Dined on January 22, 2022
overall1food1service1ambience1
I booked the restaurant about two weeks ago for our anniversary, and when we arrived the restaurant yesterday, we were told the restaurant was closed, no confirmation phone call or message was received, and of course no one bothered to tell us the reservation was not going to be honored. I thought it was a nice and elegant restaurant to celebrate our anniversary, but it turned out so bad. We will never try or trust it.
CH
ChristopherH
New York Area
38 reviews
vip
1.0
38 reviews
Dined on January 14, 2022
overall1food1service1ambience1
The restaurant is closed so should not be accepting reservations.
KM
KateM
New York Area
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on November 16, 2021
overall4food3service5ambience5
Perfect for what we were looking for. I only had an issue with the fish in the fish taco. There wasn't a lot of meat in two of them. But the taste was very good. I thought the staff should be given a raise. I hope they are paid well.
B
Barbara
London
38 reviews
vip
5.0
38 reviews
Dined on October 26, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful food served by friendly, professional wait staff. Great ambiance. Loved it! We’ll be back!
F
Foodlover
New York Area
61 reviews
vip
4.0
61 reviews
Dined on March 6, 2020
overall4food4service4ambience5
The prices are on the high side, but with the member discount they are more reasonable. Service is friendly and accommodating. It is a perfect location for a bite before seeing a show at the Public, but would not consider it to be a destination restaurant.
J
Jasbo
New York Area
53 reviews
vip
3.0
53 reviews
Dined on March 4, 2020
overall3food2service5ambience5
The Library is a lovely, clubby kind of room with a very talented wait staff. The food, on the other hand is uneven, satisfactory but often lackluster. The convenience and comfort of the restaurant is a serious draw but I think serious thought should be given to improving the menu.
v
visitwithfriends
New York Area
15 reviews
vip
4.0
15 reviews
Dined on February 28, 2020
overall4food4service5ambience5
Perfect for dinner before the show. Literally like having dinner in an elegant but cozy library.
Z
Zan1
New York Area
14 reviews
vip
4.0
14 reviews
Dined on February 15, 2020
overall4food4service5ambience4
A great place to eat before a show downstairs. We ate early (5.30pm) so the ambience was quiet and very relaxed, probably a bit different after a show! Service and staff were great. Food was good - we shared quite a few appetizers to make a meal where we could sample lots of the dishes. Not cheap but its NYC and super-convenient before a show.
CB
CatherineB
New York Area
8 reviews
2.0
8 reviews
Dined on February 15, 2020
overall2food1service4ambience2
I was excited about going to this local place but in fact we ended up going somewhere else. I was never informed that it was a special $90 prix fixe that night, even though my reservation was checked on several times. Decor was a bit tired and worn. Music was sort of a loud frantic collection of unpleasant sound. We were surprised but decided to try to make the best of it. After looking at the menu, which offered a few not very appealing options and several things, brussel sprouts and walnuts, that I really dislike, we decided to chance it and try to find another place to eat. Staff was lovely but everything else was a unfortunately a big disappointment.
S
Struv64
New York Area
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 14, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
From the specialty drinks to the salads and main course all of the tastes were on point and service was excellent! We called because traffic was heavy and we got to our waiting table 15 minutes late and everyone was very nice! Great hidden gem!
PL
PaulL
New York Area
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on February 14, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
Some of the most delicious food I've had. The service and staff are fantastic. Great ambiance.
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
2 reviews
vip
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 1, 2020
overall3food5service1ambience4
Service was awful. Waited 20 minutes before a waiter filled our glasses, and then another 20 minutes for our first drinks. We asked for some aioli for our fries twice and we never received. There weren’t even many people at the restaurant. The food was great but the service was horrible.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Key West
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 30, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
Went for a late Tuesday night dinner during restaurant week. Burger was fantastic. Fish and chips were pretty good. Cocktails on point though a little pricey. Service was excellent.
M
Mosalty
New York Area
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on January 26, 2020
overall5food4service5ambience5
Great gathering spot pre/post theater..nice ambience, good vibe, excellent service
BL
BarbaraL
New York Area
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 13, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
Loved it. Great food. Great Ambience. the service was teriffic.
HF
HappyFoodie
New York Area
33 reviews
vip
1.0
33 reviews
Dined on December 15, 2019
overall1food1service3ambience1
If you are expecting to “dine,” don’t bother with this place. It’s really a basic bar, not posh at all despite its advertisements, and strange overpriced menu. Odd entree choices like $34 Spanish octopus, and $24 burgers. Wine list deplorable. This is a pass!!! No diners were here for good reason. We left and went across the street to Lafayette and had a lovely time.
H
Hobokenken
New York Area
98 reviews
vip
4.0
98 reviews
Dined on December 5, 2019
overall4food4service4ambience5
Can be quite good at times with the occasional quality lapse. Lobster rolls now off the menu were overrated and overpriced. The menu in general is a bit overpriced but if you're a member of Public, the discount helps considerably. Servers are pleasant and atmosphere is clubby and nice. French fries are worth the price of admission.
N
Nina
New York Area
1 review
vip
1.0
1 review
Dined on December 1, 2019
overall1food1service1ambience2
We sat for almost an hour waiting for food Ind dish cold had to be reheated...other was burger..grisly and tasteless Very pricey for mediocre food and terrible service They comped glass of wine..should have comped dinner
G
Glen
New York Area
44 reviews
4.0
44 reviews
Dined on November 29, 2019
overall4food5service5ambience4
The Library at The Public doesn't have to be as good as it is. It has a potentially captive audience - patrons of the excellent performance space - with a 20% discount for contributors. The drinks are delicious, the beers are interesting, and the food cannot be faulted. The service is friendly and competent.
D
David
Baltimore
63 reviews
vip
4.0
63 reviews
Dined on November 26, 2019
overall4food4service4ambience4
There's no reason to eat at The Library unless you have tickets to see a show at the Public Theater. But we did, and it was perfect. We had a lively and informative conversation with the couple at the next table.
DM
DoctorM
New York Area
168 reviews
vip
3.0
168 reviews
Dined on November 23, 2019
overall3food3service3ambience3
Ideal location for dining when we have a show at the Public. Terrific hamburgers but steak special for the day was just OK. And why so many french fries????
T
Theatregoer
New York Area
12 reviews
vip
3.0
12 reviews
Dined on November 20, 2019
overall3food2service4ambience4
Very comfortable room with great service. But the food is ridiculously overpriced and mediocre. The cheapest thing on the menu is a $23 burger which was over cooked and dry. The fries, however, were great.
A
Andyjo
New York Area
27 reviews
5.0
27 reviews
Dined on November 20, 2019
overall5food3service5ambience5
Love the atmosphere and service. One of our dishes -- the cauliflower cassoulet -- was a bit of a disappointment. Portion quite small and it wasn't interesting; moreover, too much cornstarch. On the other hand, we very much liked the caesar salad. Overall, I find the prices a little high (two tacos for $15?) but on the other hand, appreciate the convenience of eating at The Public right before the show. Again, the service is wonderful, as is the setting.
OT
OpenTable Diner
New England
298 reviews
vip
4.0
298 reviews
Dined on November 19, 2019
overall4food4service3ambience4
Not bad for Members of the Public, who get a 20% discount, otherwise, it is expensive. Roast Chicken dish was steaming hot and tasty. The Tagliatelle was lukewarm but flavorful. It took a long time to place the order and receive our meals. Pre-theater, the place is packed. Make a reservation!
A
Andyjo
New York Area
27 reviews
4.0
27 reviews
Dined on November 12, 2019
overall4food4service5ambience5
Lovely place....I do find the prices somewhat high (for not particularly large portions) but the membership discount helped somewhat. Our server was really excellent. It was on a Monday when the theaters weren't having performances, so it was quite quiet (a rare treat).
S
Shikara
New York Area
107 reviews
vip
5.0
107 reviews
Dined on November 10, 2019
overall5food5service5ambience4
My friend and I shared a large burger, cooked to perfection and made of wonderful beef. I only wish I had enough of an appetite to order my own and have the full pleasure. Wether before or after a show at The Public, The Library its an excellent choice.

FAQs

The Library at The Public is rated 4.2 stars by 1009 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Feb 7, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 4 times today

Experiences are available.

Google Map for The Library at The Public

425 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10003

Additional information

Cross street
East 4th and Astor Place
Neighborhood
NoHo
Hours of operation
5:30 PM to 12:00 AM Tuesday & Wednesday Kitchen closes at 11:00 PM. 5:30 PM to 1:00 AM Thursday-Friday 5:00 PM to 1:00 AM Saturday Late Night Menu Thursday - Saturday 11:00pm to 12:00 am 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM Sunday Kitchen closes at 11:00 PM.
Cuisines
American
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Private Lot
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Executive chef
Andrew Carmellini
Additional
Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.TheLibraryatThePublic.com/
Phone number
(212) 539-8777
Private party facilities
The Library at The Public Theater is located on the mezzanine level of the Public Theater and serves American cuisine. Our event program features custom, chef-designed menus and personalized service from a team of event planning professionals.
Private party contact
Marie Lyons: (212) 539-8790

The Library at The Public

Make a reservation

Private dining

Additional information

Experiences

Valentine's Day

Menu

What 1,009 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Sort by

Filters

FAQs

How is The Library at The Public restaurant rated?

Is The Library at The Public currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information