Shh, don't let this secret speakeasy get out in the open. It was pretty cool to try the backdoor to get into this place (locked!) and then having to ask hotel staff to let us in.
I went with a Grendel, which was very enjoyable. It wasn't too crowded for a Wednesday afternoon, although I am sure this is the place to be on a Friday night. Definitely a fun environment.
Needs better door staff.
My husband and I were celebrating our third anniversary on Saturday and decided to go out on the town. Â New to the Knoxville area, we hunted out what we thought were unique, high-er class establishments to have a night out. Â When we arrived at the speakeasy, we noted a slight disappointment at the lack of a speakeasy-style entrance (doors were wide open, bouncer inside), but that did not sway our excitement.
Walking in, there were two meatheads speaking to the bouncer, who he promptly let in and spoke buddy-buddy with. Â Then, Mr. Bouncer-man looked at us and said, "uhhh, we just filled up." Â Serious??? Â I felt like someone just stole my ice cream!
Granted, maybe the place did genuinely fill up. Â Maybe there wasn't a seat left in the house. Â Maybe it was full before he let in 600 pounds of man and he was just too chicken to say anything to THEM. Â But, he should have had the knowledge, and/or skill to have a little sense about him and put it a little more nicely and not like such a total db. Â He could have said, "there aren't any seats left right now, but if you wait a few minutes someone may leave," or "just a few minutes folks, we just reached capacity." Â
There are dozens of more appropriate variations that wouldn't have made my husband and I feel like a-holes for trying to go there. Â I seriously walked away saying..."Did we just get rejected from a Knoxville bar?" Â Whaaaa?????? Â I mean, we're good looking people, we were dressed nice, and although we're in our early thirties now, we don't look old or uncool. Â In fact, we've been called out of long lines at some of the hottest clubs in the country to go in ahead of other velvet-rope lackeys; NYC, Vegas, you name it. Â I mean, it being a speakeasy and all did not give THIS guy the right to treat us badly. Â Come on. Â They need to get him off his high horse and back down to Knoxville.
Anyway, so the hubs and I attempted to salvage the rest of our evening but ended up sitting around like a couple of lumps. Â I was busy thinking, geez, do we look old, have I let myself go, am I some loser that he felt he could or should talk to like that? Â And my husband, while he won't admit it, seemed equally and uncharacteristically quiet. Â We perfunctorily swilled two cocktails at Latitude 35 and then called the night a bust.
So, I would like to thank this "speakeasy" and their db doorman for ruining our anniversary. Â So thanks...for nothing.
I am a cocktail expert. Author and lecturer and historian. I know a good drink when I taste it. This place I give a bad review for 2 reasons:
A) Rude service. I asked for an Old Fashioned. I asked for no oranges in it. That is not part of the recipe, but too many places muddle oranges in there these  days. The bartender bit my head off for asking for something other than what she assured me would be the best Old Fashioned I ever had. Really? If I do not like oranges, that's not going to be possible when you put them in my drink. The attitude is over blown.
B) The drinks. Nearly every drink is too sweet. Look at all the recipes. Blueberries and all sorts of sweet. Or it is a one-trick pony with hot sauce in it. And they are nearly all cocktails so you are paying $9 for a show as there is likely no more than a jigger of alcohol in them. Everything I tasted was way too extreme in flavor. Nothing was balanced. Nothing was tart. Sweet and astringent.
I should have walked when the bartender got surly for me asking for no oranges in my Old Fashioned, but I stayed to try a lot of drinks that failed.
This place is the coolest.
I was in town visiting a friend and she recommended that we check out this speakeasy. Â Upon arrival at the Oliver Hotel, we slid open the wall and entered (I felt so sneaky).
The inside of this place is so freaking cool. Â Set up like an old library, there is tons to look at. Â I also really liked that the menus are made out of old Encyclopedias.
We were only able to stay for one drink and I slurped down the Holden Caulfield. Â I like anything with cinnamon so this drink was perfect!
We were here in the day time. Â I would definitely like to see what this place has to offer in the evening time.
Peter Kern Library is my favorite bar in the entire world. The bar is tucked away behind a sliding door in the Oliver Hotel. The bar resembles a library, with awesome lounge sofas, and a dark, cozy ambience. It is the perfect place to go on a date, or for a drink to start off the night.
The place gets pretty crowded on the weekend, so if you want to relax try to go during the week to get a sofa all to yourself.
Each cocktail is designed based on a classic novel, and the menu come in an encyclopedia!!! My favorite drink the the siren and the windmill. Please try it if you haven't already.
It was a wonderful experience all the way around...from the journey of actually finding it which can be a bit difficult. It is hidden well inside of the Oliver hotel - on the weekends you enter from a back alley that is not marked. We can on a Monday night with a group of five and there were few other people in the place. Seating is relaxed, no smoking and just the nicest level of music. The drink menus are old world books. The cocktails took a while but we were in no hurry....it was just so nice to relax and enjoy our friends (no TVs yeah). The best part for me was watching the bartender take such care and time with our drinks. It was artistry at its best. Nothing premixed. The best drinks I ever had. The bottles behind the counters are not common names and that adds to the adventure...you have to try it out!
Review Source:This was my second trip to the Peter Kern Library. It's not a library at all, but a great bar hidden inside a hotel in Downtown Knoxville called "The Oliver."
My first trip was fantastic, quiet, small and intimate, the Peter Kern Library was instantly one of my favorite bars anywhere. But this was late on a Sunday night.
This trip was around 9:30 on a Saturday night and the place was packed. We waited nearly 30 minutes just to get in, then had to barter for seats, and after fifteen minutes never had a server/bartender ask for drinks.
Nonetheless, the Peter Kern Library ranks amongst my top bars anywhere. I highly recommend you visit on a not-so-busy night when it's quiet, the staff can be attentive, and you can relax and chat together. There's nothing quite like Peter Kern Library on a nice quiet evening.
Enjoy.
Wow.
I was staying in the Hilton with my girlfriend on a weekend trip to Knoxville. Friday night we had just seen a show and were looking for a good place for drinks. After a rather off-putting experience at the Downtown Grill & Brewery (see other review), we looked up other bars in the area and both were intrigued by the idea of this place. Literary themed mixed drinks in converted encyclopedia menus? Sign me up!
Finding this place was an adventure in itself. Just going off the address provided online, we had quite a difficult time. There was no 407 Union Avenue to be found we circled around a few times before deciding it may in fact be located in this inconspicuous looking side-alley. We saw a couple of people hanging out around there and asked them and they directed us to the bar, through a little enclave in the alley to the first door on the right, a plain black door with no signs or markings. I do love the hidden-away feel to it all though. It made it all seem exclusive almost.
When we got in the bartender said that they were a little crowded and we had managed to sneak past him but 3 people had just left so he would let us in. Well, we went ahead and ordered drinks. I started off with a scotch on the rocks and my girlfriend tried one of their signature cocktails. We pretty easily found a seating on a couch after some others got up and left.  There was no talk of people being allowed to sit in certain places, and others not or people even being given tables as other reviews have suggested. In fact the seating situation seemed very relax,. It was first come, first serve but never got crowded enough that  people were left waiting for seating, though it did get pretty crowded at times. They seemed to maintain the perfect balance of people at all times.
While the cocktails were pretty pricey at $9 a pop, they seemed well worth the price. I was in awe as I watched the bartenders meticulously constructing them, often using fresh fruits and an assortment of custom-created tinctures. And they were all unique, interesting, and above all, tasty. The Holden Caulfield seemed to be one of their most popular and was both a favorite of my girlfriend and mine's. I also really enjoyed their take on the old-fashioned. So tasty. The bartenders and everyone working there where super-friendly and though with only two bartenders, it could take some waiting before we got out cocktails (especially when there were a lot of orders ahead of ours). But again, it was well worth the wait. Quality over quantity definitely applies here, and they did carefully craft each individual drink.
Oh, and I didn't even mention that they were playing old-school rap over the speakers the entire time! A weird choice maybe for a library themed bar, but it seemed to fit so well. I can always get down to some Biggie while drinking a perfectly constructed cocktail.
We were so impressed with this place that we came back the next night, and this place was just as good the second night as the first.
I'd definitely recommend it. Hands down one of the best bars I've ever been to. While I wish this bar was where I lived, I'm kind of glad, because I would probably go broke from visiting so frequently.
Finally visited Peter Kern Library after reading a lot of amazing reviews on Yelp. I headed there on NYE, after a pretty good dinner at Tupelo Honey Cafe. I got lucky and was able to get in without paying a cover but they started charging $10 shortly after I got in.
It was actually surprisingly not too busy on New Year's eve. I was able to sit down immediately and two friends met up with me shortly afterwards. It was much louder than has been previously described and we had to yell at each other some but it certainly could have been worse. The decor was really nice and cute. The couches just invite you to sit and it felt like I could have stayed there a while.
Lots of fun drink options to choose from. I actually ended up going with something that was not on the regular menu that was fantastic. Â I definitely plan to go back to try other drinks I had my eyes on. I had expected that it would take a while to get the drinks based on previous reviews but the wait was actually not that long at all- it probably took about 15 minutes to get all three drinks.
We had a good time and would have stayed much later but we had to go watch the ball drop. It was a nice place to ring in the new year and I can't wait to go back!
I went to The Library on a Thursday night around 9 and it was kind of packed. The room is very small and has a bar top that seats 5-6 people. Two bartenders served really well crafted drinks all night. I was memorized by the care they took to get it just right and perfectly twirl orange peels. I sipped on "The Grendel" most of the night and loved it. It's a drink for rum lovers. Peter Kern I'll be back. There's lots of learning I could do in that library...
Review Source:This bar. THIS BAR.
I'd heard about it from friends and made a point to go while home over the holidays, and when I got there, it was very worth the anticipation. This place could have been made to my specifications. The music was soft, the lights were low, the fireplace was lit, and the cocktails were literary. The menus, which are divided into American Lit, English Lit, Fantasy and Sci-Fi, and European Lit - with a section for beers, wines, and traditional cocktails - are tucked into old encyclopedias.
I had an Atticus Finch, and my cohorts got an Old-Fashioned, a Tituba, and a Holden Caulfield respectively. Â The Atticus Finch could have been made perfectly for my tastes. It was gin, St. Germain, lemon juice, and muddled ginger, mint, and cucumber, with a long cucumber peel garnish. It was green and just perfectly sweet and had real bits of mint and ginger drifting about. I could not stop raving about it. I must admit that it delights me that a drink I so loved was the namesake of a character I so loved, but I'm that kind of nerd.
The Old-Fashioned was an Old-Fashioned, though the Luxardo cherry was a nice touch. The Tituba was a pretty standard dark and stormy clone, although made with fresh lime juice. The Holden Caulfield was the other unexpected standout - I had passed on it because I don't like Fireball vodka, but it had been mixed with a delicate touch that left just a tingle of cinnamon on the lips.
The only complaint I might have is that the service was slow. I expected some delay for complicated cocktails, but that's why we only had one round - it took over a half-hour just to get the first one.
It's charming. Â It's softly lit. Â It's quiet. Â There are no obnoxious college kids. Â Their menus are pasted into old hardcover books. Â The names of the cocktails have a literary flair to them. Â It wants to be a speakeasy, but it is a subtle attempt. Â
The service is...suh-LOW. Â We've been a number of times on Thursdays or Fridays & even when the place is empty, the drinks take FOREVER. Â
Now, I appreciate a craft cocktail, but for God's sake, even if the beverage contains 4-5 ingredients, it should not take 7-10 minutes to assemble. Â This is not counting waiter/waitress delivery time, as this is strictly an order at the bar establishment. Watching the poor barmaid make drinks for our party of 5-6 was almost painful--I actually considered going behind the bar to help her out. Â Yeesh.
And the drinks themselves, not bad. Â Everything I've had there tends toward the sweet side of the drink spectrum, which sadly, is what the masses seem to crave. Â
There are a few stools right at the bar & some sofas & chairs around the room. Â I kinda hate their couches & chairs. Â I'm the sort of gal who likes to put on a dress & heels when I go out for drinks, and none of the seating, save for the bar stools, provide a lady with a lady-like manner of sitting.
All of my whining aside, this is a solid place. Â It is geared toward adults seeking a quiet environment and a classy way of getting a good drunk on.
PS--no food. Â A smart food-truck operator would do well to try to set up on Union from say 10:00-1:00am.
Not made for theatrical types. Â By this I mean, comedians and other people used to having loud conversations don't bother going here. Â They will shhhh you repeatedly until you feel like leaving. Â If you, however, would like to go to a bar alone and not talk, this would probably be awesome.
Review Source:So, I got into Knoxville around midnight, and was staying at the Hilton. Â After a long day of travel (Reno to Knoxville, including a bus ride at the end to get to the Hilton), I was ready for a drink. Unfortunately, as I wandered down to the hotel lobby bar, it was closing up. Â
I hopped on Yelp, looking for walkable bars and saw the Peter Kern Library - speakeasy? Â In Knoxville? Intriguing . . .
I walked on over, and it took a bit of effort to find - walked in the front of the Oliver Hotel lobby (which I didn't see any signage for), and then wandered for a moment, before finding the sliding door. Â No buzzer, passphrase, or anything like that, but just a sliding door you open yourself to go in. Â I ended up chatting with the bartender (Spencer) for a bit, who mentioned that on the weekends, the entrance is in the alley and there's a buzzer and you need to get buzzed in.
Behind the door was a small-ish space - maybe 25'x75', done tastefully with dark woods, bookshelves, and soft lighting. Menus are scattered around, and are pasted in old World Book encyclopedias. Â Cocktails are a high-school English clash flashback, with names like Atticus Finch, Holden Caulfield, and Mr. Darcy (shudder).
I had an Old Fashioned with Angel's Envy, an Atticus Finch, and a Talisker. Â The two cocktails were competent, but not amazing. Â
I was impressed at first when the bartender started off with a sugar cube (instead of simple syrup) and some house bitters, but things went downhill when he started muddling in an orange and cherry. Â He did ask if I wanted soda in it, which I was confused by and said no to - I didn't realize that people had started putting soda in. Â I realize that the muddled fruit is not unusual for an Old Fashioned these days, but definitely a bit disappointed that a "speakeasy" would not follow a more traditional recipe and use the fruit only as a garnish. Â So, a decent cocktail, albeit a bit chunkier than I hoped for. Â Nice touch in the ice cubes, which are solid blocks and frozen clear through - no frosting in the middle due to air bubbles, apparently due to the special ice machine they have. Â Not quite a pick and ice block, but definitely a nice touch.
The Atticus was a gin based drink, with St. Germain, and the menu says "fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, ginger, cucumber, mint" - I've been spoiled with bars that do true fresh juices, slicing and juicing the fruit on order, and was a bit surprised to see everything come out of a bar mix pourer. Â Spencer had asked what I thought of the Old Fashioned, and upon hearing I thought it was a bit strange to have the fruit muddled instead of as garnish, warned me that the Atticus was a bit chunky. Â Fair warning, which I appreciated. Â The drink itself was a bit sweet for my taste, and while there was a long cucumber peel as garnish, Â I felt it could have used a bit more cucumber flavor to offset the sweet.
Talisker was Talisker, so I won't write about that . . .
The vibe when I walked in was a bit strange, with some older businessmen chatting with a young server from another bar or restaurant, two locals, and the bartender. Â The 3 older men (who mentioned they were on expense accounts) and the server were a bit loud and rambunctious, definitely not fitting the vibe of the space. Â The two locals were friends of the bartender, and things wound down nicely after the businessmen left, leaving the quite vibe I had hoped to find.
Had a nice conversation with the bartender, who was probably a bit offended by all the questions I was asking, but handled it well.
Definitely looking at getting another drink or two here while I'm in town. Â I only make it to Knoxville once a year, but the vibe in here is fantastic, and the cocktails are solid - I'll definitely make it a point to stop in here whenever I'm in town.
The Peter Kern Library is a bar in the fabulous St. Oliver Hotel in Down Town Knoxville. Â The hotel has been recently renovated and is THE place to stay in downtown Knoxville. Â The Peter Kern Library is a small "speakeasy-esque" bar with hand made cocktails in a comfortable lounge setting. Â No TV.'s...and just enough room for great conversation and really good cocktails. Â It's so nice to have a place to go that offers "Big City" atmosphere and lovely libations. Â I would recommend this to anyone seeking out something original and off the beaten sports bar path...check it out and try my favorite...The Windmill. Â Cheers to something different!! Â Enjoy! Â Oh and they are OPEN EVERY NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!
Review Source:Dear Mr. Peter Kern, from the general balls-to-the-wall awesomeness of your library I assumed you'd have a rockin' beard. Â I want to be you when I grow up...only with a beard.
I cannot express how rare it is to find a bar of this quality. Â The ambiance, cocktail quality, and character is what dozens (if not hundreds) of "speakeasies" have unsuccessfully tried to capture. Â This idea has nearly been done to death in NYC; Boston; hell, pretty much any city looking to cash in on the romanticism of the prohibition era; but they all lack a certain sincerity and honesty and give into the gimmick. Here, each drink is carefully crafted. Â Sure, you might end up waiting 10 minutes for your drink, but what you get is perfection, never a splash too much of an ingredient or too much ice, just honest-to-goodness perfection.
All the cocktails are named after great literary characters. Â Personally, I like the Windmill (of Don Quixote fame), a spicy tequila and berry concoction with a cayenne peppered rim, and the Atticus Finch, a gin and ginger delight. Â All drinks are $9, which is on the expensive side for Knoxville, but the near-flawless execution of this place makes it worth it.
The ambiance of this place is simply amazing. Â Set as a library, the menus can be found on the inside covers of old books and an odd assortment of kick-knacks fill the mantle. Â Rich dark wood and low lighting along with large L shaped couches make this place great for a group where six can fill out a couch comfortably, but the lack of intimate two tables and small bar area might make it difficult for a date. Â You may have to wait as space is limited, but if you catch it at the right time, this place is a solid winner.
Recently opened amid 1920's prohibition secrecy is the Peter Kern Library - a new speakeasy located inside the Oliver Hotel. The Oliver, a landmark gone unnoticed by me for years, is located just outside of Market Square on Union Avenue.
Pass the lobby entrance you will find a large sliding door, formerly the hotel's actual library (hence the name) hiding the bar from prying eyes. Upon entering, however, you are surrounded by dim lighting, the soft crooning of 20's jazz, and a gas fireplace at the far wall beneath a mantel containing a plethora of old books and portraits. Behind the bar, several bartenders - decked in the finest - worked tirelessly creating amazing hand-crafted cocktails.
The cocktail menu, cleverly hidden amid old encyclopedias, contains three pages of hand crafted drinks all named after literary characters. The Jabberwocky, Mr. Darcy, & Holden Caulfield just to name a few. I had a hard enough time deciding what to get, and finally settled on the Windmill. unfortunately, I cannot remember what said cocktail contained except for two things - the jalapeno slice floating in it, and the sugar/cayenne pepper rim. This drink was delightfully sweet, and hot, and refreshing all at the same time. I couldn't get enough.
Alas, avoiding the Elliot Ness types comes at a price. All cocktails are $9. I, for one, do not find this unreasonable as many of the cocktails contain more than 4 ingredients (some even contain real egg whites - nice), and are all prepared with care by knowledgeable bartenders.
I would highly recommend The Peter Kern Library for a before or after dinner/movie/show cocktail - a great place to unwind, or get your night started, with a very original and relaxing atmosphere
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