The Library: Not Just for Reading

I've walked past The Library on the infamous South Side many times without noticing it or thinking about what it had to offer. I tend to make a bad habit out of doing that, but in cases such as this it seems to work out. Now, I have yet another wonderful place to go and enjoy an amazing craft brew.


The Library is a cozy place. It comes off more as a restaurant as opposed to a bar on the South Side. It's make-up? A library of course. What drew me to this place was the constant rumors the evening specials. From 9 to 11 p.m. every night, this place has $3 draft and half-price small plate specials. By small plates, I mean the next step up from your everyday appetizers.

On the menu, the small plates are The Library's appetizers, but when your appetizer gets to you your first inclination is that this is closer to a meal rather than an appetizer. I got an order of buffalo-ranch wings. These suckers were huge. The wings were thickly breaded, then fried and tossed into a pool of sauce which is then served.

As for the beer special, The Library seems to always have an assortment of 10 to 12 different types of micro brews on draft. On this particular night, I was able to choose from Ithaca Flower power IPA, Smuttynose Pumpkin, East End Monkey Boy (reviews to come), etc.

My menu was in "The Book of World Beers." How fitting.

For the remainder of the menu, which is pasted onto pages of actual books, just about every item is named after a literary work or character. As an example, the wings I ordered are named "Wings of Icarus". For those of you that don't understand the reference, do you remember the story of the guy that had wings of feathers and wax then flew too close to the sun? That's the one. Other references include Lord of the Rings (onion rings), The Godfather (Italian sandwich) and Julius Ceasar (the salad).

I haven't confirmed it yet, but a friend tells me this place has an AYCE wing night on Tuesdays. I can't even begin to imagine that and combine it with the draft special. My mind is blown just thinking about it.

This is the perfect place to take your date, especially if she's a book worm, prior to strolling further down Carson Street to sample the nighttime fare.