the Library: a Coffeehouse Review

Its a cool relax type of chill coffee shop where you can read, study, or have a quick bite with friends. I love how laid back this place is.

Quaint coffee shop, with a variety of drinks and teas. Very cozy with unique seating and a community element. There is WiFi and a good environment to get some work done, or just some casual reading. Parking is a gamble on the street, and sometimes there are events that may or may not allow you to sit for long if you're studying.

They don't answer their phones though, or if they do, they hang up on you.

Cozy comfortable great prices and courteous employees!

Coffee and tea aren't good. Wi-Fi runs bad. But the place is nice and comfortable.

Wonderful sidewalk on Redondo and 7 th street. Happy people's wear safe Masks, some restaurants, Great Library A Coffee, delicious desserts, smoothies or iced teas,

The best study place. It is inspiring, artistic, with jazz music for a perfect quiet and relaxing evening. Great selection in food, ice cream, coffee, tea, just everything you need to get work done.

Nice place to sit and chat, but coffee was mediocre. Also, the barista got my order wrong. As far as i could tell, its street parking only.

Best coffee. Atmosphere. Wish I lived closer. I would never go anywhere else for coffee.

Great space, a variety of snacks to choose from. Beautiful people. And intelligent people all over the room, great place for writers.

Always loved their coffee excellent place to study.

Very slow service, however the staff was very nice. Coffee was average and I felt a little overpriced for the quality.

Great place to study...I love all the art. Wish it was a bigger place.

Beautiful place only espresso should be better amd it's too hot, filter coffee is also too hot, you can spend half a day waiting to cool off

Agreed, best coffee spot and baristas. Coffee is perfect.

This used to be a vibrant place to hang out meet friends and have a cup of coffee. As a matter of fact I found it in Zagats. Since the new owners took over years ago I ve watched this place become stagnant. It just a tatty shell of what it was. The coffee isn t even any good. I ll occasionally go here if meeting friends or need a desert. The deserts merit a separate review. They re excellent. But it not as cool as it was. Those who like it. Like and that s what s important. Try it out to see if it s vibe works for you.

I love the hospitality. The iced coffee and pastries are great as well.

I loved The Library! This is a great place to go study, catch up on homework, get some work work done and enjoy coffee and a treat. I enjoyed a sausage, egg, cheese croissant. It was delicious! I could have that for breakfast everyday and be happy. I also enjoyed a perfectly brewed regular coffee. The environment was great for getting work done. It was funny, while I was there the power went out for about a half hour. Still even with no electricity the employees were friendly and the environment was cozy.

Nice cozy place and it is always open late until 12 am midnight from 6 am. You can always find something to eat like Panninis sandwiches pasta, and you can order breakfast anytime of the day

A cozy place to meet with friends. Good coffee of different flavors at prices much cheaper than Starbucks.

Such a great and cute place. Free WiFi but it sucks.

This is a great coffee shop, cozzy, warm rally, you feel like you are home once you step inside. Lots of book, great coffee selection and friendly service

Best desert and that chi-tea what can I say better than the expensive one and the cake dont look at them cause you'll be eating with your eye's all day very nice atmosphere being from TX great staff and people

I've been here a couple of times just to grab a coffee and it's nice because they stay open later than a lot of other coffee shops. The do have bakery-type food items available for purchase, as well. There is no parking on-site, so you'll have to try your luck in the streets, looking for parking. The coffee is on-point, though! This place attracts a lot of hipsters and both times I have been, there were poetry readings or something like that going on, like an open mic night. The atmosphere and decor are kind of like a den/home library would look like, which is cool. Not terribly expensive, either. Check it out!

This place has a really nice, cozy atmosphere as well as an open mic on Wednesday nights at 8!

Great atmosphere. Nice place to relax after spending a day in Long Beach.

Love the staff and environment. Americanos are good. 4 stars bc the WiFi is not always the best, but overall the place is great for getting work done. Here every week :-)

You can tell they don't sweep on the daily and I just (luckly) dodged a Roach crawling across my foot for the second time. It was killed by a customer who shared she witnessed the same yesterday. The place is pretty dim lit with a bunch of shelves and furniture around, the door is left open so a critter is kinda understandable but simple cleaning especially when you serve food is imperative. Also barista is kinda rude and they're really cheap. Coffee shop living off throw away Styrofoam cups? Minimum $2 to use the wifi and a table? Paid over $2 for a can of soda. Smh.

I the library is a great coffee house only a few blocks from where I live. I love to take my laptop and go get some coffee and something to eat and work on my writing. It's a popular Place full of other people doing the same thing. And you get free Wi-Fi.

Wonderful coffee shop. I always am able to detox a busy day, or put together my work when I'm here. Parking is not ideal, but they are open late and the coffee and tea tastes delicious.

Wonderful place! The staff was super nice, they even customized the order that was not included on the menu, and the coffee and pastries were delicious.

the manager was rude and looked at me like I had dirt on my face

Very nice, plenty of space yet intimate, great sandwiches too!

Cutest little coffee shop around. Great self serve drip coffee, specialty drinks, and baked goods. The only bummer is how crowded it gets with people studying. It really does feel like a library you should whisper in. But on the flip side, it s perfect for studying and other quiet activities and the tables outside are fine for catching up with a friend or two over a hot drink. They are open late too which is nice.

Very college student vibe kind of coffee shop. Great drinks pastries are a must go in the early am before it's completely taken up.

I love a quiet place where you can study or see your mail or just enjoy with friends while you. Take a good coffee latte and taste the delicious cakes

Open mic on Wednesday nights are fun and the coffee's great. I wasn't the biggest fan of the espresso drinks I've had there, but normal coffee is good.

Fast friendly service. Cool art on display for sale.

Snobs! The employees should be trained in customer recognition and greeting.

Whoever the older guy with glasses, a beard and balding is needs an attitude check. He's rude, acts as if ordering and asking for the status on wifi (that was down for HOURS) is an inconvenience. I wish portfolios was open late, but this is the only place open late. Also their comedy show was BS. Comics were cool, but show was dragged on way too long. Really wish I could like this place but been here twice and the main guy at the register makes the place so incredibly uncomfortable

Just got an Americano not great way too watered down and there s no seating.

Been here several times and have always had great service. Plenty of seating for laptop work or chatting with friends. Plenty of great desserts to choose from. Recently got a section of pound cake, it was perfect. The coffee is amazing and they have different kinds of milk to choose from (2%, whole, almond, etc). Very helpful. Best thing is the hours. They close at 12a.m.!

Small coffee & cin-roll. Small mocca, sucks and not hot snuff, and the roll was small. $7+

My favorite coffee shop. Entertainment (music and comedy) on some nights

If you're interested in good espresso this is not the coffee shop to go to. My cappuccino was bitter, acrid, had no tasting notes I could identify other than a heavy smokiness. About a hundred feet down the street was a coffee shop that offer two types of beans a light roast in a medium roast. I suggest if you want a decent cup of coffee that would be the place to go, not the library.

We adore "The Library..." A Coffee House, Inc. it's been a favorite spot for years ever since Gary & Steven opened circa 1993. While they don't own or operate it anymore, I still get chills when we visit as it reminds me of a simpler time gone by along with all the fond memories that went with it. There are special things only I'll notice that are missing, mainly obsessive details that Steven would fret about if he were alive today. However, it's a great place to chat with friends, enjoy some dessert & coffee and reminisce... and perhaps even possibly make new friends, study or do whatever else makes you happy. FIVE STARS ***** We miss you, Gary P. & Steven K. *****

If you are ever in this gem of Long Beach, here's some advice, try a slice of the lemon cake, it is the best lemon cake I have ever had. Off of there specialty menu, I loved the Heath bar l, as well as the vanilla goddess.
The ambiance is cool and calm, service is too notch.
Try the lemon cake!

Always great! Service is good, drinks are great and the food and desserts are the best.

Love the atmosphere and the people. Great staff, very welcoming and friendly. Great coffee too!

This place has been here awhile, I remember growing up in the area in the 90s and seeing this place. Comfortable seating abounds with plenty of tables to sit and work. A bit of a struggle to charge your laptop of phone as there is not many spots with access to an outlet. The coffee here is subpar but its offset by a delicious selection of sweets. The cakes all look wonderful and the pastries they have there are delightful. If anything the Coffee needs to be updated and the lounge chairs need to be cleaned or replaced all together.

Pretty cool place with a vintage feel to it. Friendly staff, and a great variety of drinks.

Great place to study, quick notes, great coffee/drinks, easy on the wallet.

I love the pricing of the coffee drinks and love the food there 10 out of 10

I go here in the mornings and it is a greay environment to gey some studying or work done.

Open til midnight, And great decor. However, the coffee is always horrible, and do not ever order the croissant. It is a terrible, filthy lardy lump of stale dough. If the coffee was even ok I'd come here all the time.

Trendy coffee teas some pastry lots of look at me I'm doing something important on my laptop types. Cool place

Find your way to this place which is not only comfortable but a place to exhale. Weather you sit in an overstuffed chair inside or outside to take in the streets Vista. I know your first visit will not be your last one. The hot or cold beverages as well as the tasty pastries and sandwiches always remarkable. You will find yourself going back again and again.

The Library is cozy, friendly, and comfortable, with top notch coffee offerings and a small menu of delectables. Huge north-facing windows let lots of light in. A patio, and two large rooms, offer lots of seating options.

By far the best coffee shop atmosphere around. Internet is patchy at best

One of my new favorite coffee shops! The service has been great and friendly every time I've gone in. The atmosphere and set up is awesome, lots of space and places to hang/study. But of course the biggest seller is the coffee. The coffee is just so good. Check this place out! They also have more than just coffee!

Lattes are good. Thai iced tea, not so much. Not sweet, as it should be, At All. Asked for more mix even and just tastes like oil residue. Great atmosphere.

This is one of my go-to coffee shops in the area. The staff is always very friendly, their pastries are made very well, and their coffee is tasty. They have a lot of seating but very few outlets, so charge all your devices before coming in. I've never had a problem finding parking-it's all street parking. My only complaint is that I wish they'd invest in cleaning their fabric chairs every once in a while..some of them have a not-so-great oder to them.

Cute little coffee shop that is set up like a library. I loved that they provided several sugar free options. Currently have outside dining. Coffee was fresh and great.

Nice spot. Good service, good coffee, but a bit pricey on the pastries and stuff.

Feels like an European coffee house. Restroom was clean and prices were reasonable. Will surely revisit

Terrific atmosphere, most unique and comfortable in the LA area.

Just wish indoor dining was an option because it looks like a great place.

Okay now we're talkin possibly the best coffee in Long Beach which is a bold statement in an absolute best staff . There's nothing like a nice warm Sunday morning at the library

Great place to lounge, read, and study. Coffee service is a little bit outdated. Girlfriend says it is a great place to take pictures.

Had an excellent iced latte while I worked on my laptop. The owner and baristas were both super kind!

The food is expensive compared to similar coffee places in the area. I was shocked to learn that they will not take a credit or debit card for less than 5 dollars or they charge 70 cents to use the card. Also, the food is not really very good.