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Busboys and Poets
American Restaurant, Bookstore, and Bar$$$$
U-Street, Washington
The experts at Eater and Washington Post recommend this place
"Do try out DC Tap Water cocktail."(13 Tips)
"Vegan nachos and avocado hot panini 👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽"(6 Tips)
"Shrimp & basil grits w/ pomegranate whiskey sour = must have combo!"(24 Tips)"The bacon cheeseburger with the sweet potato fries are a must."(18 Tips)
351 Tips and reviewsFilter:
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Yasaman MahdianAugust 28, 2018So far the best restaurant I’ve tried in D.C ; Amazing healthy and tasty food with friendly staff. The menu covers every taste and the vibe suits most of situations. Give it a try. Cobb salad 👌🏻
MiguelJune 3, 2017Book selection is amazing. It's small, but so well curated that it's the better for it.
Dareen GaryOctober 23, 2017An independent restaurant and bookstore. Lovely staff & good selection of books. They stop serving breakfast after 11:00 & their weekdays menu is different than weekend. Crab cake sandwich was great!
Steve LeeOctober 2, 2021Everything…the entire experience was great. Our server Korn was great. It is eclectic and cool and the food awesome. If you are vegetarian or vegan they have you covered with great choices.
I generally order Shrimp & Grits but I was trying to think out the box. So I ordered the Blackened Salmon and Crab Cake! When I tell you I ENJOYED every bite. SEASONED TO PERFECTION
Natalya RadostevaJune 3, 2017Perfect place to have a breakfast, brunch and lunch. Food is delicious, vegan and gluten free options are various and very tasty.
Claudia OrlandoFebruary 19, 2017Amazing brunch, big dishes, great place. But if you are impatient, they are a little slower. Except that, fully recommended!
My favorite place in DC! If you're looking for a drink, their Mojitos are amazing. Also check out their English Sour! The service is always great abs don't get me started on the vegan food!
Cheeky McBumfaceNovember 21, 2014Fantastic inclusive place for people of colour and queer people. Lovely bar staff. Good beers. The bookshop is inspirational. The first place in DC that I've felt truly welcome.
Washington PostFebruary 28, 2013Insider tip: Get the tempeh sandwich. It's crunchy, sweet and peppery, the tempeh sandwich, layered with roasted red pepper, arugula and smoky tempeh (a fermented, firm protein derived from soy). Read more
Veronica LaneJanuary 19, 2013Winning brunch spot! Service was wonderful. Local, organic, and seasonal. Lots of vegan options. Great art on the walls and a bookstore section to keep you busy while waiting for a table.
Courtney LewisAugust 16, 2015Great for brunch. Must get the grits, they are out of this world! Ordered the oaxaca omelette and loved it. Beans, eggs, cheese and guacamole? Yes please!
Mark J.February 16, 2015Amazing vegan options alongside a great standard American menu in a quirky and very lively setting.
Mariana BernasconiMay 18, 2013Great hip vibe, nice open space, and awesome food! Plenty of options for GF, vegetarians, and vegans. Food was delicious (GF & Vegetarian) and the prices decent. Great place!
Audrey ANovember 14, 2012If you come to photo slam, get here at least 30 mins early or better yet enter the contest as photographers get first dibs on seats and the Langston Hughes room is small. LOVE the wall in the room!
Paige HunterJanuary 4, 2019Friendly service and good turkey burger. Just be aware that they don't serve breakfast after 11am on weekdays.
- L. T.November 13, 2018Great food. The waiter kept trying to talk me out of the vegan options, making faces every time... very strange for a place with an extensive vegan menu...
Allyson HarttenSeptember 8, 2014Reasonably priced and absolutely delicious. Some of the best Eggs Benny I've had in the city. Beat the wait and snag a spot at the bar.
JohnJune 20, 2012Forget the hippy ambiance and ultra overdose of liberal paraphernalia, you'll keep going back for one of the best brunches DC has to offer. Can we say Eggs Benedict with Maryland crab? Yes.
Best thing on the menu? Fuji Apple/Gorgonzola on Raisin-Walnut. Not what I'd normally get, but SO GLAD I was adventurous. You can choose a side--try the sweet potato fries (my fave SP fries in D.C.!)
Nate TSeptember 16, 2016This location will always be a winner: rich atmosphere; more than ample food selection; professional staff! What more can you ask for?
Melinda SigalAugust 22, 2011Great place for 1:1's. They are my favorite Busboys location. You can sit anywhere. Great WiFi service and staff. Food is awesome too. Read more
Supports local artists, great atmosphere, plenty of vegan deliciousness. Try the coconut tofu bites & a vegan tuna sandwich with some sweet potato fries...mmm.
Aiden KirchnerSeptember 13, 2011Restaurant & bookstore. Inspired by poet Langston Hughes, this spot draws a funky and diverse crowd and serves up American-style comfort foods like homemade pizzas, meatloaf, hot paninis & a lot more
Awesome place!! Great ambience...family friendly...exceptional customer service...menu is vegan/vegetarian friendly...had the tempeh panini+glass of Syrah and of course they're super Green!!!!
Chris EvansApril 2, 2016Don't worry, their non vegan/vegetarian options are really good as well! But make sure you grab the halloumi app, so freaking good.
BeckyMarch 18, 2013they serve direct trade coffee there, and have soy milk. also, the bread pudding comes with coconut ice cream, and the combination of the two is fantastic.
TabathaSeptember 13, 2012Vegan-friendly, Lacto, Ovo, American. Has vegan options, marked on the menu. Includes vegan eggs & egg wrap for brunch
Matt BernsteinJuly 7, 2015Great menu with something for everyone. The flatiron steak salad was delicious. Also try the green tea gin Moscow mule.
Adam SigelFebruary 28, 2017Great spot for a casual meal. Lots of good vegetarian options if that's your thing. The cauliflower bahn mi was very good.
Nicole GoetzMarch 5, 2011Got the burger with mushrooms and gorgonzola. It was as big as my face. Loved that you had a choice of sides (fries, chips, fruit, or a salad). Great if you are on a diet. Something for everyone.
Spyros KatsoulasJanuary 28, 2019Loved the idea, the people, the menu, the bookstore and that they hold stand-up events! What a beautiful world!
Carmen YépizOctober 25, 2016I haven't found yet another places like this one. Delicious burgers, beers and great service. I always enjoy my time here.
Lauren HinsonMay 21, 2016The sweet potato pancakes are to die for!!! The chicken omelette is so delicious, and the home fries are bomb!
Come here early on Tuesday (after 10am), get tickets for the open mic (cash only), come back at 9, order a DC Tap Water, maybe the shrimp and grits, and get inspired by voices that want to be heard.
The FeastJune 10, 2011Order the shrimp and grits when you finally snag a table here. The shrimp are sauteed with asparagus, roasted corn, and tomatoes in a Cajun cream sauce alongside a basil grits cake.- Aniruddha MandkeSeptember 15, 2014Fabulous place. Great environment. Top notch food. Do try out DC Tap Water cocktail. Always busy but worth the wait.
I always go in with the intention of trying something new, but I usually end up ordering the Mediterranean Burger - it's just simply too delicious to pass up.- Kunal PatelMay 9, 2013Oaxaca omelette is my jam. Try it with the hot sauce and their organic ketchup! Friendly staff makes it an easy choice to come back to.
Frank ValletuttiJuly 8, 2012The Oaxaca Omelet is one of the best I have ever had, can't go wrong. Get the grits on the side. Orange juice is also a can't miss.
Ben HundleyMarch 8, 2014Came to purchase the Solomon Northrup memoir, "12 years a slave." Pretty crowded here on the weekends, but yes, the place to see and be seen in D.C.
Angel Singleton-WestFebruary 2, 2013Definitely worth the wait. I had the chicken omelette (chicken, feta, spinach and tomatoes). It was amazing! The coffee was good too! 
Tamo SeinMay 26, 2014Awesome atmosphere, shitty service. I just asked if the green drink is all natural, and our server said "all natural doesn't mean anything. Cyanide is all natural."
The vegan quesadilla is great, but precise whether or not you want sour cream drizzled all over your dish. The ambiance is totes chill and great!
marcy stoneApril 7, 2018Great menu..lots of healthy and delicious choices. Great vibe and a big place. Very cool.
Northern Virginia MagazineFebruary 17, 2012Pesto Lasagna: It allows the kitchen to buck tradition, but cedes nothing in terms of dairy-derived deliciousness, sealing together strata after strata of spinach-flavored noodles. —Warren Rojas
Habiba HamidJuly 21, 2013Hands down one of my favourite places in the world. Iraqi owned, Jordanian managed, socially with-it, every city should emulate B and P
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We are a community where racial and cultural connections are consciously uplifted, and a space for art, culture and politics to intentionally collide. A place to take a deliberate pause and feed your mind, body and soul. We believe that by creating such a space we can inspire social change.
Closed until 8:00 AM (Show more)
- Mon–Thu, Sun
- 8:00 AM–Midnight
- Fri–Sat
- 8:00 AM–2:00 AM
(202) 387-7638
Features
Reservations
No
Credit Cards
Yes (incl. Discover & Visa)
Wi-Fi
Yes
Outdoor Seating
No
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Music
Live Music
Dining Options
Delivery
Restroom
Yes
Food & Drink
Menus
Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Dessert, Happy Hour
Drinks
Beer, Wine, Full Bar
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