Library Ale House

Good burgers, a little slow on service. A good selection of beers. more

Good burgers, a little slow on service. A good selection of beers. more

The library ale house is always mentioned as a great place, and honestly I'm befuddled. more

Hate to be a flamer, but just went there for lunch today and should comment on the terrible service I received. Our order ticket somehow got lost, which happens every so often, but our waiter failed to notice our table for 45 minutes. I know, I should have spoken up, but thought I would just be a trooper and wait. Sometime after that I see him examine our table from afar and then ran to the computer system, I assume to find out what happened to our order. I figured our order had gotten lost and expected him to come by and explain the situation. Several trips back and forth past our table and not even a glance of acknowledging our table, I finally had to flag him down to ask what was happening. Seemingly exasperated with me inquiring, he said that the order got lost through no fault of his, but that we'll get a discount ($5 =P) and that he had just put the order back in. We waited another 10-15 minutes and finally the food arrived with no apologies and at the end of the meal I wrote him a note to tell him we would have really appreciated it if he had told us about our order delay instead of waiting for us to inquire with him. As we're walking out, the waiter ran up to me to tell me that it wasn't his fault that the order got lost and that I shouldn't be mad at him because he only knew that our order got lost right when I flagged him down. What a coincidence and I knew he was lying because I had seen him notice our table's lack of food. I was amazed at how aggressively he was taking the matter and just walked out. I've been here several times and I've always been fairly happy, but after this experience and how rude the waiter and greeter acted to me on my way out, I have to say I will never eat here again even though I'm sure my experience is more the exception than the rule, but if you haven't been served within half an hour, don't try to be a good customer and wait because you might find yourself in a similar position. Pros: beer, food selection Cons: kobe burger stinks and overpriced at $15, parking, variable service attention more

i love the library. good selection, reasonable prices, awesome beer list. my faves are the buffalo mozzerella sandwich, the grilled veggie salad with baked goat cheese & the short ribs but really there are so many things i'd like to try. its a sweet neighborhood place where they remember your name. sometimes the wait is super long (at night its pretty much certain there will be a wait, no matter what day) and you may be there for a while but its totally worth it. i prefer sitting out on the patio and don't worry about being cold because the heaters are on full blast at night or in the chillier LA weather! Pros: delicious food, atmosphere, organic greens are delish! Cons: crowded, can be a long wait, no reservations more

The fact that people rate this place so highly proves that Southern California is still years behind the Pacific Northwest when it comes to good beer selection in bars. Pros: Better than average Beer Selection Cons: Parking, Seating, Lack of Focus more

On old main street in santa monica, the library ale house is a good place to get drinks, watch a game on... more

On old main street in santa monica, the library ale house is a good place to get drinks, watch a game on the tube, grab some food, or do all three.... more

Locals know to go on Mondays for Hamburger Night, but any day of the week is great at the Alehouse for both food and beer. The menu offers far healthier options than you would expect at a pub: salads and healthy sandwiches sit along side the usual burgers and fish and chips. But the fries are not to be missed. The bar area can get really crowded, but usually it is a little quieter (and darker) out back on the patio. This is a very popular place, so you can usually expect about a 20 minute wait. I'd say it's worth it, though. Pros: food, patio Cons: parking, long lines more

I often visit the Alehouse. I have always found the staff helpful, and the service excellent. Their food is great, and the portions are for the hungry. Outstanding selections of beers that rotate with the seasons. Fairly priced. I don't agree with Kend305 who must have the Alehouse confused with another restaurant.. more

Nice crowd, pretty decent service and intresting menu. I got lucky and got a space right in front, so I gave it a try. I'll be back. Very nice energy. more

I don't know what is up with this place. I've been a bunch of times. The food is ok, but the service is always awful. On one evening, the host told me that the wait was 35 minutes. So we left and came back only to find out that we were skipped on the list and needed to wait another 35 minutes. What is that? Then when we asked to speak to the manager, the host was like I'm the manager. The staff is probably the worst of this place. If they could fix that it would be great. more

Let's see, an ahi burger w/ curly fries, or salad, or mashed potatoes? Oh no a Sothwestern salad, that will make you full, or my favorite buffalo wings, with lots of bleu cheese dressing. The staff is sweet, the cook's are obviously good at what they do, and the busboy's get things moving. Try everything on the menu, and don't be shy, ask your waiter to give you some beer recomendations, soo many flavors, not enough time in one day to try them all. I love all of their food, the vegeterian dishes are awesome, just make sure what vegetables they are out of that day. the wait could get tough, and if you want the patio, and don't intend to eat, just eat anyway. You'll get hungry after seeing the food on the table next to you (trust me!). Pros: unpretencious staff, Flavour!, no beer in a can Cons: Long wait (weekends), Pricy, limited patio seating more

We were on a weekend visit to Santa Monica and discovered a jewel. Can we scoop up the Alehouse and take it to N. California? It has now become a destination for us. Thanks Santa Monica and the Alehouse! more

Great Food and Great Beer! What more do you need! Cheers! more

I recently visited the Library Ale House and was surprised at the excellent selection of beer at a reasonable price. I had lunch and it was so good I came back for dinner. This will be my new favorite watering and eating place! Pros: Beer Selection, Menu with Variety, Ambiance Cons: Parking more

I love the ambiance of the Alehouse - its appearance, its clientelle, its staff, and especially the patio. more

The wood work is outstanding, great beer selection, food to die for more

Leo and the staff of Library Alehouse are terrific. Great beer choices, and some of the best pub grub in town. I highly recommend the burgers, tri-tip sandwich and Caesar salad. Pros: food, beer selection, staff Cons: crowded more

Three things to know about the library ale house: 1-always try to sit in the garden out back (they may not let you if you're not eating) 2- you can order a sampler of beers even though it's not on the menu, and don't miss the apricot wheat 3- just go. there's something on the menu for everyone, all of it is good, and all of it is affordable. just go. Pros: inexpensive, beer selection, outdoor dining more