University Library Cafe

great place for breakfast! French toast is very good. we had buscuits and gravy and then the chicken fried steak. the gravy for the both was very peppery the way I like it. a little too much for my wife. overall excellent 👌

It's a great pot stop off of I-235. Nice bar with great food, staff, and clean bathrooms. On our way to Chicago from KC area. I couldn't face a fast-food stop. This was definitely a good decision. Excellent! 👍

This is a small neighborhood place and parking might be an issue. I prefer small :)

A total dive bar. It's absolutely wonderful. Not a lot of room, just a few tables, few seats at the bar, but I truly old school tavern. They are well known for their nachos. And justifiably so. I highly recommend the cheeseburger nachos. The beer selection is everything from PBR and Old Milwaukee to high-end craft brews. And of course, the staff makes the experience enjoyable.

The outdoor tables are painted so cool! Staff were sweeties and attentive.
The peanut butter bacon burger is so good! Fries are also amazing and best ranch ever

Love hole in the walls. Best nachos. Cheese shop burger is great. Extensive beer list for all tastes. Gotta get lucky on a table and parking. Epitome of the 'neighborhood spot'.

Cute little hole in the wall, comfy dig with impressively great food. Burger on Texas toast was perfectly cooked with nice and toasty bun, loaded with ample fresh toppings. Fries were possibly the best in Des Moines, steak style cut but perfectly crispy! Their famous nachos had really unique chip texture, but I wasn't wowed by the topping distribution or how it all came together. All in all the service was outstanding and they rushed out to bring us our keys. One of the best quiet secrets in DSM, but a genuinely great restaurant worth coming to for the food, on top of cozy vibes.

Finally made it to this classic! It does not disappoint. Started with the Library Latte, a coffee hinted white russian, sort of. Delicious. I had the standard breakfast with the Library Sausage which is an Italian sausge split and grilled. The other great item which most plates have are the country potatoes which are more like cut up steak fries crispy on the outside soft like mashed potato on the inside. Best home fries I've ever had basically. The owner is hands on and waited on us. Super friendly and cool spot. We only waited 10 minutes, but I'm sure there may be lines certain hours. Worth the wait!

The BEST 'DIVE BAR' in town. Tiny place but the Bloody Mary's are delicious. All the food is. Also gotta have a 'Library Latte'

Such a great local place. We stopped by for brunch and had an awesome meal. Order the breakfast nachos- they are famous for all of their nachos and these are great. It's a pretty small place, so get here early or be prepared to wait a few minutes, but it's worth it.

We had the wings, burger and fries. Everything was fresh, hot and delicious! The atmosphere is comfortable and inviting.

Neighborhood fave!! Try any burger you won’t be disappointed, chili cheese fries are always a great choice, and last but certainly not least the library latte…. Mmmmmm mmmm good!

Best burgers in Des Moines, hands down. Amazing Bloody Marys, the staff is always friendly, just the best little dive bar (and I say that with immense affection!) in the neighborhood. A+.

Small diner putting out big food. It was great to sit with my buddy. Place was busy but not too loud. Server did a great job. Had the breakfast burrito with cheese sauce and chili and a side of pancakes. Good stuff. Looking forward to going again when I can try the craft beer selection

Great food, quick service. Must try if you are in the area.
Burgers were legit.. and cheese curds were perfect.

Despite being a Drake grad, I had never been here before. The server/bartender was great (small space) offering several samples of beer to try after asking what I liked. I went with his recommendation of the cheeseburger nachos. Holy amount of toppings Batman! The nacho chips were very thick and sturdy! I also munched on my husband's burger and fries--one of the best burgers I've had and nicely crunchy but flavored fries. Their burgers are superior to Zombie Burger by far for flavor. My husband and I both agreed that these burgers or some of the best in town.The server/bartender was attentive but not annoying. We will be back for sure!!

The Library is a hidden gem near Drake University. Great food, including the best burger on the Westside, and a friendly staff.

I fricken love this place! The bar staff is an amazing, fun group of people and so knowledgeable about their spirits and did selection. Food is always so tasty and affordable, I highly recommend their daily specials! And the atmosphere is laid back and hip, always a great time. It's sometimes hard to find a seat, but worth the wait.

Amazing spot for breakfast / brunch. Must try their breakfast nachos and their spiked coffee. I liked their chicken skillet as well.

Me an my husband have both lived here for 25 years+ an finally went to the Library tonight. The food was so fresh an delicious and our server Drew was awesome! My husband has been wanting to try a peanut butter burger for awhile but couldn't bring himself to order it, Drew explained the taste an his opinion of it an even went as far as telling my husband if he didn't like the burger it was on him! He also gave us a free beer since it was an accidental pour! We will DEFINITELY be going back to try more of the menu soon! Big shout out to Drew he is a great server!

The Bloody Mary are the best here! Plus the delicious breakfast. My favorite breakfast place 😍😍