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    University Library Cafe

    4.4 (99 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 11:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    UNIVERSITY LIBRARY CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Divey
    Casual
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - University Library Cafe

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    Breakfast burrito.
    Maggie F.

    We love coming here on the weekends for breakfast (wish they had it during the week too, but sadly just a Saturday-Sunday thing). Our go to is the breakfast burrito. Today was a cold and snowy day so it wasn't very busy but be prepared to wait since there is limited seating and they seem to have a good set of regulars as well as a rep for being a good morning place. Their have a solid line up of burgers and other typical bar food too, which is also worth coming in for. Be sure to check out the specials board!

    Library Vegetarian Melt & Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

    The waitress was awesome at recommending us a drink, did not disappoint. Very small inside, lucky we got a table. Best sandwich of my life!

    Great breakfast Saturday & Sunday, awesome service, not a big place , but cool local restaurant & bar

    Very small, so don't come with a group larger than 5!
    Gabrielle S.

    We had some friends in town, and someone in our party wanted a good breakfast burrito. The Library Cafe was nearby and had good reviews, so we headed out. Just a heads up, the location is VERY small. If you have a group of more than 4 people, you will have difficulty sitting together unless you are okay with limited personal space (which we are). Our experience also started a little awkward, because we weren't sure if they would seat us or if you seat yourself (this always causes me anxiety when trying someplace new). BTW: You seat yourself! Also, it's very dark, so if you have any vision issues, it might be good to look at the menu beforehand. Once we got seated (nice and close), we were able to put in our food orders and our food came out pretty quickly! Hummus Melt w/ French Toast: This is my favorite Texas toast. Crispy on the outside, but with a soft chew and give. Coupled with a fried egg, cheese, and a bite of hummus, this sandwich was almost like biting into a pillow. It was comforting in all the right ways. The french toast uses the same bread, and wasn't overly sweet. Delicious! Smothered Burrito: My husband and our friend devoured their burritos. They were stuffed with eggs, breakfast meat, and large chunks of potatoes, then slathered in a luscious cheese sauce and solid chili. I thought my husband was going to legitimately lick his plate clean! Biscuits and Gravy: Both people who ordered these said they were really good. I didn't personally try them, but they seemed to love them! Overall, we would definitely recommend The Library Cafe for breakfast for groups of 4 or less. I want more of that dang Texas toast, and their breakfast nachos looked good as well.

    Nacho

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    9 years ago

    Breakfast nachos only available on the weekend. Amazing. Ask for a side of salsa. Wait staff exceptionally friendly. Love Jarod!

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    9 years ago

    Great food with big portions. The staff was also friendly and seemed to love their job. Much better then Waveland.

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    10 years ago

    The only thing that would make this place better was if they were an actual library. The Patty melt was delicious.

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    Page 3 of 3

    Ask the Community - University Library Cafe

    The Station on Ingersoll - Avocado Chicken Sandwich

    The Station on Ingersoll

    4.5(128 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$

    Traveling from Phoenix, AZ to Madison, Wi and wanted to stop at a sports bar for lunch to watch the…read moreWI Men's BB team in Big 10 Tournament. Friendly place with great service. We both had their famous 1/3 pound burger and sweet potato fries. Excellent choice. Came to the table perfect. Place was packed with Badger fans so we felt at home. Both of us graduated from the clean plate club as the Badgers lost to Michigan by 2. Highly recommend without any reservations. Plenty of TVs and sports memorabilia.

    4.4* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 3* Value: 4*…read more Service: 5* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) Total check/person: $40 07/11/2026 This place has been on my Want to Go list for a while and since it was my turn to pick the restaurant tonight, we were on our way. The street-level negative when we got there and again when we were leaving was the significant construction on Ingersoll...leaving entry a little tricky and exit a bit dangerous due to low visibility caused by equipment. Once we got inside, Margot was quick to come to our table, took good care of us throughout the evening and made some great suggestions for our meals. I had read about the Crab Rangoon Nachos and since Margot also recommended them, we started with an order (see picture) along with a Backpocket Lemon Shandy (see picture). WOW - these were every bit as good as the positive reviews and while the other food was also good, the nachos were the highlight of our meal! For our meals, my wife ordered the 10 Wing Double Snack split between Honey Garlic & 10 Spice (dry) - both on Margot's recommendation (see picture). I opted for the Sourdough Smash on Margot's recommendation (see picture) with krinkle fries. As we usually do, we shared tastes of each others dishes and really enjoyed everything. While I'm not a huge garlic fan, I did really like the Honey Garlic wings and found myself dipping the smash burger in the extra sauce. Numerous Cityview awards were on display on their trophy shelf (see picture). I believe one of these awards is what caused me to add The Station on Ingersoll to my Want to Go list but regardless of the source, I was not disappointed. If you found this review helpful, please Share, Follow & Like.

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    The Station on Ingersoll - Lots and lots of TVs. Large bar.

    Lots and lots of TVs. Large bar.

    The Station on Ingersoll - Station Burger

    Station Burger

    The Station on Ingersoll

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    Harbinger - Delicata squash. One of my faves. It definitely has a bit of a kick to it, so beware if you are not a fan of spicy foods!

    Harbinger

    4.6(202 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    Amazing creativity, highest quality. And thoroughly knowledgeable service. Small plates with the…read morefreshest local ingredients, often done with an Asian twist. We've gone to happy hour, dinner, and restaurant week. All are amazing. Happy hour and restaurant week are excellent value. Last night we had sweet corn tartlets with a savory cream and white truffle. I wanted them for dessert as well as the amuse bouche. Corn ricotta pasta and an Asian glazed beef tenderloin were standouts. Always order yuzu anything for dessert. The dining room is fairly small but with tables arranged so you're not listening to your neighbor's conversation. Natural decor (moss, branches, grasses, etc.) soften the space. Cocktails are inventive and the wine selection really interesting (in a good way). A biodynamic Spanish selection was one of the most pleasantly versatile bottles I've experienced, and the wine pairings for restaurant week were well conceived. If you're not sure what to select, staff will knowledgeably do it for you. Portland, Oregon is the city where we dine most often, and is one of America's best food cities. We did not expect this quality in Des Moines--were blown away by it--and return every time we're in town.

    A must-visit Des Moines restaurant that pulls off a unique menu in a cozy interior with elite…read morecustomer service. Grace, our server, was amazing, adding so much to the entire visit. Thankful! They serve tapas style, and we grazed all night! We literally tried as much as we could, and loved the entire experience. Among my favorites were the Black Pepper Pork Noodles, Halibut Cheeks, Pea Pasta, and the Beef Fat Potstoes. But I also loved the Farm Carrots and HH Onigari. Seriously, amazing growth food, bolstered by an incredible level of customer service. Finished a great meal with terrific Dark Chocolate Gateau and Strawberry Shortcake. This is a superb place...GO!

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    Harbinger
    Harbinger - Delicata Squash

    Delicata Squash

    Harbinger - Cabbage

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    Cabbage

    University Library Cafe - cafes - Updated September 2026

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