Library IV - Restaurant in Williamstown - 1030 N Black Horse Pike, USA

I want to start off by saying that this is a review on MY personal experience and MY taste buds. Please go and experience it yourself. With that being said, let's start the review. We just moved into Mantua, New Jersey from North East Philly and heard about "Library" from Friends and family. About how good the food was. So me, my wife and 2 boy decided to celebrate my wife's birthday there this Sunday. Just the 4 of us. But the only good part of the experience was the hospitality. Everyone was very friendly and my waiter was AMAZING! She explained the menu to us and did not seem annoyed by my questions. She also always had our cups filled and was asking us periodically how everything was going. They also set us next to a electric fireplace and that was nice. But that's as far has my good experience goes. When it came to the place, it had a smell to it. It wasn't bad but it wasn't good either. But if I had to explain, it smelled like a retirement home when you first walk in. When it comes to the food. IT WAS NOT Werth THE PRICE! It tastes like normal dinner food. But the price of a high quality establishment. Don't get me wrong. The interior looks nice and the food looks delicious......but it wasn't, it wasn't AT ALL! This is a perfect example of "LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING". My wife steak was a 16oz and it cost $39. Not including the mushroom topping. The steak tastes bland. As a matter of fact, It tasted like the water that it was sitting on. No flavor, just color. My wife needed the A1 sauce to help give some flavor and honestly, I should never have to put A1 sauce on a $39 steak. The on positive I'll give the steak is how tender the meat was. But I believe that due to the type of cut we got. Not the cook. I got ribs and chicken combo, smothered in barbecue sauce. When I got my rip, they tasted like reheated pork meat. Super dry. So dry that not even the barbecue sauce they had on it could give it moisture. Luckily or unluckily my wife convinced me to return the ribs. The waiter was super nice and they bring it back and sent me a new one. But tell me why the new rack of rips look dryer than the one I sent back. At that point my family was just about done with there meals and I just ask them to put my rips into a to-go plate and left. But the chicken and fries was good. My kids didn't like there food either so.............ya. Overall. When it comes to good food, I'll pay whatever there asking. As long as it's worth it. But this place is just not worth the money. This was a huge disappointment. Everyone was telling us how good this place was, and maybe it was at one point. But not anymore. All you have to do is read other people's reviews here and it says it all.

Came here Sunday for an early dinner with friends—overall this place was okay. The restaurant has an old and rustic vibe, with lots of old-looking books throughout as decor. Food was average, nothing exceptional. For appetizers, the Stuffed Mushrooms was a bit bland, but loaded with a lot of crab meat! Wasn’t a fan of the Clams Casino. The Salad Bar is included with any entree order—variety of mixed greens, toppings and sauces with bread too. For entrees, the Rib Eye Steak was good—meat was tender and decently flavored. The New York Strip was mediocre. Our Vodka Soda cocktails were watered down and barely had any alcohol until I made a comment to the server and our second round was much better. Prices here are reasonable and I’d have to say the portions are good for the price.

Went to Library IV for the first time. The menu selection was very good. Opted for Salmon with Crab Lump Meat, broccoli and baked potato. The entrees also come with a salad bar. I thought the salad bar options were a bit limited however if you just want a nice salad prior to your meal it definitely hits the spot. Server was very helpful and attentive.

We had a party of 6 adults, 2 children and 1 infant. We made reservations for a Friday night. It's a non descript location with a ramp that will easily accommodate wheelchairs. They were ready for us on time. Our server was very friendly, attentive and accommodating. It had a robust and friendly atmosphere with others diners interacting with us in kind and welcoming ways. I liked the salad bar, it had various lettuce offerings which is nice. Several different toppings that you could choose from including rolls, cheeses, crackers and dressings. Macaroni salad was delicious. The rest of the entrees were mixed bag. My sister loved her Philly steak cheese wrap. My brother loved his stuffed salmon. However my nephew wasn't crazy about his rack of lamb, and my niece ended up returning her prime rib which was disappointing unfortunately. I did try it and I agree that it wasn't good. One of the kids didn't eat her cheeseburger I'm not entirely sure why. The fajitas were huge and delicious according to my SIL The jumbo sweet potatos were a hit with everyone who had it, plus the fried mozzarella sticks went fast. Didn't like the mashed potatoes. We were split on the asparagus. Interestingly I wasn't that crazy about my ribs when I got them but I will say they were huge and as a result I only had a half of half, and then the next morning I did heat it up and I thought it was delicious, so who knows

It's been many years since I've been to this location, and I left tonight's dinner pleasantly surprised. I was surprised because I enjoyed the food. I was surprised because, in my opinion, the food was high quality and reasonably priced. The parking lot was packed when we arrived at 6:15 p.m. for our 6:30 p.m. reservation for six. We we're happily greeted by the hostess and sat immediately, zero wait time. The interior is cozy, not very big, but they do not have the tables close together, so you do not feel like you're being packed in on top of the other customers. All entrées come with their salad bar. For me, it's been many years since I've been to a restaurant that had what I consider a "classic 80's/90's" salad bar. True to the description on their menu, every on the salad bar was fresh. The lettuce was crunchy and firm, and there were many of the classic toppings such as whole hard-boiled eggs, beets, chopped olives, pasta salad, potatoe salad, and more. Five out or party of 6 ordered drinks from the bar prior to selecting our entrées. We had a total of 4 steaks, 1 order of pork chops, and 1 order of Bar-B-Q ribs. I ordered a 16oz Ribeye medium temperature, Oscar Style. I enjoyed every bite, my steak was cooked perfectly, the Crab meat was plentiful and fresh, and the hollandaise sauce was tasty. Everyone else told me they were very satisfied with their meals, no complaints just complements about their dinners. I ordered cheesecake and one of their specialty coffees for dessert. Others at my table ordered peanut butter pie and creme brule. My cheesecake was not homemade. I could tell it was from a box by they way it was cut, the taste, and the texture. It wasn't bad, but I wouldn't order it again. I got favorable reviews about the other dessert orders and those of us that ordered coffee we were satisfied. Our waiter was professional and knowledgeable about the items on the menu. He wasn't overly friendly or talkative, but for me, that's not a necessity. As I said earlier, we were sat at 6:15 p.m. and our meal was concluded at 8:30 p.m. I was happy about the total length of our dining experience because it was a night out with old friends, and he had ample time to talk. I do recommend you make reservation if you are planning to go on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.

Went back on a cold snowy day but the excellent meals really warmed us up! Got the prime rib this time, ask for the horseradish. It melts in your mouth! Also ordered the sautéed sea scallops, they too were prepared just right. An appetizer of clams casino started us off! The servers were wonderful, we actually had a couple take care of us through out the evening. Cant wait to go back! A tradition in South Jersey for decades and still deserving of the awards it receives! We both had seafood, baked crab cakes & twin lobster tails with a bowl of mussels in red marinara sauce for an appetizer. The salad buffet that starts you off is fresh, crispy and stocked with many choices. While we both had seafood they're known for their steak. I love the prime rib! We don't go often enough but every time we do its memorable!

I don't get out much but when I do rest assured I prefer to visit a place worth my time and money, and this restaurant is top-of-the-line when it comes to "a nice place for excellent food, excellent service, fine dining, reasonable pricing!" I've been here several times, only now being asked to provide a review, which I'm honored to do. Our server/waiter this evening was "Mike" and he demonstrated to me that not all hope is lost on the younger generations. All his mannerisms and skills proved to me that there are still people out there that "understand" what it means to provide top-quality service. My wife had the Tips & Tails entre, while I indulged in a large rib-eye steak. The salad bar was well-stocked, incredibly fresh, and the bread selection was top-notch. It's best to plan ahead and make reservations as we did, I can see that this little gem tucked a little just off the Black Horse Pike is a gem well-visited, and rightly so.

Amazing experience. We were there with friends who frequent this library . The place has a wonderful ambience. Owner Brian stopped by and made us feel very welcome. Great food, great service will be back. Thank you!