The Library

My favorite bar in Wellington. The cocktails are insanely good and unique and the ambiance is lovely. You can either enjoy concerts (often) or have a quiet time, depending on where you sit. And the waiters are very kind and of good advice !

You MUST visit this bar when in Wellington! The vibes inside were immaculate, cozy, comforting and took you back in time to a 30s Jazz Bar. We arrived early on a Friday night and got seated without a booking although I would recommend booking if arriving after 6. The cocktails were creatively crafted with plenty to choose from. The service was friendly and professional. Can’t wait to return!

Came here on a Sunday night not knowing they were doing Wellington on a Plate. Such a good dessert burger! Red velvet bun with biscoff, white chocolate, and cream cheese flavours. The live band was also lovable!

Overall we had an enjoyable experience at the library. The cocktails are original and well made, the atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable. However we found the service to be unfriendly/unwelcoming and not what you would expect at a place like this. They also did last calls for drinks at 2200 when they closed at 2300 with a still relatively full establishment which seems odd. It feels like this place was once a truly top class establishment but has had a fall from grace so to speak.

Atmosphere is great, and the cocktails are good (we had the Old Testament and Smaug and Mirror-mars, both very tasty) Service was a little indifferent Food disappointing - both the savoury small plates we ordered (triple cooked fries and chicken karaage) were both soft and not crispy. Didn’t try the desserts but hopefully they were better than the savoury Definitely come here for cocktails. Skip the food

The Library is my go to spot for dates with my husband or nights out with my friends. The ambiance is absolutely beautiful, and the staff is always so friendly. The cocktails are a bit on the pricey side, but they’re absolutely worth it. My favourite is the Smaug & Mirror-mars. I also love that they keep the best cocktails from their various themes on the menu, it’s such a nice touch. Last Friday, I went with my friends, and we had the pleasure of enjoying a live performance by the band Spice Rack, which made the night even better. I highly recommend The Library, and I make it a point to visit every time I’m in Wellington for a date night or a fun outing with friends!

Live music venue very interesting bar with rooms and eating areas with bar as well as seats up close and personal to band. Innovative cocktails especially for Easter. Served in real milk chocolate egg.. Amazing ! Waitresses very attentive keeping water topped up throughout evening.

What a cool little bar. Locate the sign on the street and walk up the stairs. The entrance has no real sign, there is just a closed door and when opened reveals a funky bar. Cool atmosphere, would be great in winter on a cosy winter night but we enjoyed it on a hot summers night. Just stopped for one drink but wish we could have stayed longer.

Took a bit of finding as it's upstairs in a nondescript office building via a staircase that feels like the emergency exit and a blank door leading to an amazing, down at heel speakeasy joint. Booths and tables scattered around the room so we planted ourselves strategically to watch the world and listen to the fabulous jazzy music which, apparently was a playlist compiled by one of the team but not to be shared with mere plebes like us. It was only 6 in the evening and still bright and this is most definitely a place that needs to be experienced after dark. A pity our time in Welly didn't allow a repeat visit. Oh yes, the cocktails were amazing so just as well we had a dinner date elsewhere or I would have been poured into the street at an ungodly hour. Would love to be back. After dark. Recommended

Nice ambience and great drinks. Very relaxed and cosy space for a quiet intimate get together.

This is one of the neatest themed bars I've been to, and from how packed it was, it's apparent that everyone else is in agreement. We were here on a weekend night and waiting to get into the adjacent restaurant. Hooowww convenient that right next to the tiny cramped waiting room there happens to be this awesome lounge. Well played. We were joined by mobs of other hungry waitlisters as well as many others just there and craving a little study juice. The bar is adorably designed to look like a library with the cutest nerds demonstrating their well studied mixology and putting together some elegantly designed cocktails. The theme is brought to life with walls of books cutting into the space and creating perfect little study nooks. Tables and chairs line the sides and are tucked away here and there in the rooms. The long bar was pretty packed but also had seating. Drink menus were worth a study session for sure and prices comparable to the Wellington area. With clever beverage names like Whiskey Business, The Sipster, and Netflix & Chill you're bound to find something as tantalizing as the geek with glasses mixing your drink. Whether your jam is alcohol pyrotechnics, drinking your beverage from a chemistry flask, or enjoying a saucy little shake and toss, these bartenders both brew up fantastic concoctions while putting on a show. As much of the rest of NZ is, I found their knowledge, attention to, and tolerance of gluten allergy to be far beyond anywhere in The States. I prompted the very busy geek with taped glasses about a few of the unfamiliar syrups and like any good student, what he didn't know he looked up for me before recommending a drink. If saffron and vanilla meringue, popcorn infused rum, and marshmallow and malt biscuit crumble don't sound like deliciously epicurious combinations to you, then good, stay home, and let me have the lounge to myself for a much needed libation study session.

Went in just briefly to check out this place. There's live music playing which was adorable and books lining the wall. It reminds me of the prohibition restaurants they have back in Seattle. The waitress was super sweet letting us take a peak around even though we were just wrapping up our night. Might stop by to eat tmrw tho!

Hey, 2 for 1 desserts on Tuesdays and 2 for 1 cocktails on Wednesdays, why wouldn't you? Its done out library style. You can't look in a single direction without seeing a shelf of books. The Library has a very hip classy vibe. The cocktail menu had a huge range. Some start at only $13 (ridiculous right?) but then you turn the page and see that they can go up to $33. What a difference, and I couldn't really tell why. Maybe the higher the cost, the more experimental advanced the cocktail became? Looking at the menu, each cocktail was fun to read about, the names alone were so fun. There's plenty of options and choices to pick from, they definitely have something for everyone. Nonetheless, I had the Randy Savage and the Coco Butter Kisses. Both were good. If I wasn't planning on exploring the Wellington bar scene, I would've stayed sampling their different drinks. We ordered something to nibble on and share, the calamari came out pretty basic, nothing to tease the senses with. Staff was friendly. Service was fast. It is on the second floor, right next to a crepe/waffle maker stand. If you had a window seat, that'd be worth wild as you'd get the library feel along with the city view. Keep this in mind as they do take reservations. Side note: maybe this is a NZ thing, but there is a 15% plus surcharge because I came on a public holiday.

While visiting Wellington from the US, my friends and I stumbled upon library bar while doing some day drinking. What an awesome find! As the name suggests the decor is fashioned after a library with tons of books and lots of rooms. We stopped in around 6pm and it was easy to get a table even though it was fairly busy. They have a variety of craft cocktails, wines, and beers. My favorite was the gold digger #3 which has a hint of watermelon. Service was great too!

This is a really fantastic speakeasy cocktail bar. The entrance is nondescript, but at the top of a bare staircase you enter into a plush warren of bookcases with multiple seating areas. We went on a poetry night, so it was fairly crowded, but the hostess was able to quickly seat us at a larger shared table. The menu had a small selection of light bites and desserts, and then cocktails in several different price ranges. That's a nice break from the usual cocktail bar norm of having only expensive and very expensive options. I ended up getting a Fresh Prince, a refreshing sparkling gin cocktail, and then a dram of whisky, because the prices were surprisingly reasonable. Service was about as slow as you'd expect for a busy place like this, but we didn't have to wait too long to get our drinks.

I have never seen this many selections of cocktails. From classic to unique to dessert fantasies plus they can also customize your own cocktail as well. I tried William Shake-Spear and Netflix and Chill (drink) and both satisfied my taste bud as me being a dessert person. This is rather large bar with different rooms. True to the real "Library" look except being quiet. Check this place out when you are in Wellington. It is just a few blocks away from famous Cuba mall.

Sometimes you just need a fancy cocktail. After drinking beers for days, I wanted something different, so fellow Yelper Shea S. entertained my notion to go get an Old Fashioned at the Library while we were in Wellington. Cool speakeasy-esque entrance up a couple flights of stairs. The host said we could go to the bar while we waited for a table. A table wasn't needed, but we ended up taking it anyway just to enjoy the atmosphere a bit. Old fashioned was great, though there was a bit of confusion at the bar when we ordered and paid but never got our drinks. We sorted it out though, and Shea had some drink envy in the process as our neighbor got some sort of toasted marshmallow drink. They definitely have their cocktail game on point here, though you're definitely paying for it.

Always great music playing when I'm in this place. The cocktails are fantastic as well!! the bar staff are super friendly. Great vibes!! Highly recommend

Came here on a Sunday night. Jazz was playing and the vibe was warm, cozy and inviting. Service was quick and friendly. Asked for the peach mule cocktail and apple pie daiquiri. Both cocktails were made with fresh ingredients and divine. Ordered the aracini balls and wasn't disappointed. Crispy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside with pieces of tomato and basil. Onto dessert. Our first and second choice were sold out!! First choice was the A Rather Boozy Tiramisu. Second choice was the Earl Grey Creme Brulee. However the dessert menu had a good range of options so went with the Eton Mess. The berries gave it freshness and the meringue crunch. It wasn't too sweet and enough to give you a satisfying feeling of a dessert that was worthy. The staff were friendly and attentive. Regularly making sure we were okay and topped up our water without asking. All I can say is what a great place to chill with friends to some smooth tunes with awesome cocktails and food. Will definitely come back and try the other desserts on the menu.

Really cool Speak Easy kind of vibe. No menu. They ask what kind of beverages you like and concoct something to your tastes. If you don't like it they go back to the drawing board. Really unique style. Would recommend for a fun way to start the night.

The library is lit. Wednesday night is the time 2 for 1. The bartenders are super nice and the drinks are fire fam.

WOW what a cool place to chill and hang out. Highly recommend.

The Library is the kind of cocktail bar that you go to with someone you want to impress. It's not that it's overpriced, but it's.. sophisticated. Yeah the staff do dress eclectically and the cocktails are well made but the formal vibe keeps the atmosphere at a certain level. I've had a couple of great experiences here - with the food and the drinks, but the staff are a bit stand-offish, not sure why! Worth checking out for the dessert tasting plate. Try the earl grey creme brûlée if you get the chance. Great wine list, well made cocktails, and a good selection of savoury and sweet dishes on offer.

The best cocktails, friendly staff and lots of books. Nice relaxed atmosphere even when it's busy. A selection of tasty snacks of the bruschetta and platters kind. Good funky downtempo music that doesn't drown conversation. They also do a decent coffee and hot chocolate. I don't really feel a need for cocktail napkins myself, and I've yet to inspect the toilets.

Visualise two flights of stairs leading up into a cosy enclave filled with leather bound books, impressive cocktail list, snacks and view over the cute city of Wellington. Yes, this is The Library for you. I want to open up a similar place in Melbourne. We popped in for a quick drink one windy Wellington night and marvelled at the chilled vibe and attentive staff. Looks like it would be an ace place to start or finish the night. And any place with books is fabulous in my world.

One of my favorite places in Wellington. It's very different than any other cocktail lounge I have been to, it actually resembles a real library, overflowing with books accompanied by a dim ambiance. Very sophisticated place, but I went a few times during my stay because of how neat the interior was. The drinks were super well put together too.

Very nice bar adjacent to Chow. Nice atmosphere with all the books and dark Library environment. Well prepared drinks.

Everything I wish from a real library: Cloudy Bay Reisling (very exclusive), shrimp cocktail, and printed travel guides from the late seventies. I almost walked past the obscure street entrance but was so delighted to find the sprawling space up a staircase (and thru the very-fake-but-cute hidden bookshelf door.)

Great drinks, priced equal to their quality. Food is also great. Nice place to start or end the night if you want to wind down. Really nice on a week night where they sometimes have small bands playing, and usually have a special on.

Nice cocktails, nice staff, nice atmosphere, quirky style...dirty toilets and no cocktail napkins. Head here for interesting drinks and a chilled vibe.