We were greeted and seated right away . Our server was very courteous. We ordered couple of appetizers and drinks from the Happy hour menus which was great. We also ordered an entree and a sandwich and they were delicious as well. The owner has kept the prices very reasonable compared to other restaurants in the area and we really appreciate that. The restaurant is very inviting and has a great vibe with the set up , the vibrant colors , the murals and pictures and of course the unique bookstore. read more

Was craving some gluten free pancakes and Busboys popped up on my search. I'm glad it did. Nestled in the walkable Shirlington development, which feels like a mini Reston Town Center, lies a gem in Busboys and Poets. I thought it would be a small coffee shop but it is much more. Ample seating inside with some outdoor seating, it is a fun atmosphere with a mini bookstore as you walk in and the main restaurant in the other half. There's a small stage for when they have different events. It is a positive and fun environment. I ordered the Turning Violet Latte. I am a big fan of lavender flavor and this latte hit the spot. For my food, I ordered the gluten free pancakes and bacon. You never know what you're going to get with gluten free pancakes and these were some of the good ones. They were fluffy with some fresh fruit sprinkled on top. The syrup was the perfect amount needed for these hot cakes. The bacon was crisp and a great add on. They have a robust menu so you can get a lot of great options here. The service was good and overall I had a great time. read more

Busboys and Poets - Turning Violet Latte - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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JR and Emilio are awesome!!! They went above and beyond and made sure that our dining experience was nothing short of amazing. They are so personable and you can see that they take pride in their work. Food was amazing and came out so fast even with the restaurant being busy. 100/10 read more

I met up with a college friend for Happy Hour on a Monday night. I was fortunate to find an empty parking space across the street. Once inside, I was taken aback by the bookstore and also the size of the restaurant. It was packed, and after initially only being offered bar seating, I pointed out a couple of empty tables I noticed. After a brief wait, we were seated at a booth I didn't even notice was open. Happy Hour is from 3-7, which is an ideal time in my opinion. Unlike a lot of other places I've been to, the prices truly reflect a discount from normal times. I ordered the sangria, and my friend ordered the DC Tapwater. The sangria was delicious and a little on the strong side, due to the cab, chardonnay, bourbon, and rum. She said the DC Tapwater was like a juice that may or may not sneak up on you later. I enjoyed the firecracker shrimp for the spice and crispness. The heat from the fried chicken sliders caught my friend off guard, but she liked them. The braised short ribs dinner was only 1 rib, but it was a thick piece and very tender and flavorful. The mashed potatoes were filling, and the carrots and broccoli were cooked very well. read more

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A friend suggested Busboys and Poets for brunch & I intentionally didn't eat beforehand in order to have plenty of room in my tummy to chow down. It was my first time dining here & all I've thought since taking both my first & last bites is "Wow, what in the lamb meatballs & falafel salad took me so long?!!!" The vibe was phenomenal; behind the host station, there was a small bookstore filled with socially-conscious literature, staff was friendly, there was ample seating & most importantly, the food was out of this world. I'm actually mad that I couldn't just get a fork & sample everything in the kitchen...especially because I came prepared wearing baggy pants with an elastic waistband. Get it together before my next visit, people ;) We ordered hummus to share & I thoroughly appreciated the hearty, perfectly seasoned portion with the incredible pita bread! Seriously, I'd like the recipe for both please...OR just an increase in my credit line so I can order an exorbitant amount & fill my freezer. My friend had the Chicken Chorizo Egg Wrap with sweet potato fries & I got the Chicken and Pancakes. As anyone with at least one functioning taste bud knows, pancakes can be a hit or miss...many are often bland rounds of rubbery, refined carbs that end up getting mercilessly drenched in syrup just to make them remotely palatable. These, however, were exceptional & I'm pretty certain they were made with a hint of vanilla. Coupled with just the right amount of sugar, they had the perfect ratio of density to fluffiness. Texture matters! And ZOMG (not to be confused with its predecessor "OMG"), I almost forgot about the chicken! Kudos to the person who seasoned & tenderized that bird...it was juicy & crispy beyond belief. And in classic Southern tradition, I drizzled the maple syrup over both the pancakes & the chicken. Heaven CAN be a place on earth, cluck cluck. My only complaint is that the mango mimosa wasn't served chilled. I didn't bother reordering because I was enjoying the atmosphere, conversation & meal but it's worth noting that a room temperature mimosa is strange. read more

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Absolutely amazing setting, super attentive staff (like SO fast and on top of everything), and the food was really, really good all around, and so were the cafe drinks. Honestly just wish I had one out in Loudoun County because I would go all the time! read more

Let me start off that METI provided exceptional service to our table. This will bring me back in again. Their hot chocolate was super tasty and the berry with strawberry salad freshly made. Such good vibes in this restaurant. I shall return and hopefully our table can get service from Meti. read more

Busboys and Poets - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Craving a late night burger, Busboys and Poets was still open and seemed to fit the bill. And they offered sweet potato fries with their burger? Sold. I placed the order through DoorDash, and even with a 15min drive the food was still very warm and the ice cream for the mini pecan pie hadn't melted. Unfortunately the drink I ordered wasn't included, even though it was on the receipt. Since it was towards the end of the night, I'll give them benefit of the doubt and hope it was a one time miss. The burger was perfectly grilled, and the bacon was the right balance of crispy but not burnt. The sauce that comes with the burger had a nice kick to it too. The sweet potato fries were plentiful and delicious. The side asparagus was cooked well, but the amount you get for the cost will have me side stepping it in the future. The mini pecan pie was adorable and tasty. Don't let the size fool you, it's got quite the sugary kick to it and the ice cream does help to balance it. I recommend heating it for a 30 seconds - 1 min, and then let that ice cream melt on top of it. Will definitely reorder the burger! read more

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Place of welcoming and good food....this is a spot to put on the radar. Busboys and Poets' mission is to be a community gathering place that fosters dialogue on social and political issues while celebrating art, culture, and cuisine. It aims to be a space where people can connect, be inspired, and create social change. The name itself pays homage to poet Langston Hughes, who worked as a busboy. I have been to this location several times and I have nothing but positive things to say. The service is attentive and pleasant. The food is excellent and exactly what I order. The drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) are on point. The book store is a nice addition as the normally have it. Make sure to look at the event nights as well so you can enjoy some of the events they host that are all inclusive. All in all this is a great location that offers amazing options and is in the center of plenty to do. read more

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I ordered the cat fish which was seasoned well and delicious! The collard greens were also very flavorful ! The waitress was very polite and offered great suggestions! I will be returning ! read more

My only problem with this establishment is that when you order out they charge you a three dollar green planet fee. I just vented to one of the employees there and they said they are not even sure what the three dollar fee goes to cover. In this economic environment of high inflation, high prices, high groceries, high rent, I feel it is incredibly tone deaf for the owners to assess this kind of fee. Especially when other restaurants are not doing Such a thing. It makes the restaurant appear untrustworthy and shady. Can you imagine my disappointment when I drove 15 minutes to get to the restaurant only to see that a $17 sandwich is now $22.50. I had no choice but to turn around and walk out. read more

Brought my family here for a late breakfast. It strikes me as a very eclectic place with solid food offings. My omelette was well made and the breakfast potatoes were on point. Our server was very personable and was great with my kids. Don't miss the fresh squeezed orange juice. read more

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I had a yummy grilled chicken panin with sweet potatoes fries. The food was nice and fresh; it was delivered to our table in record time. The food and delivery was outstanding. The waiter was very attentive and professional. My dining pattern said her cubano sandwich was delicious. I will dine at this Arlington location again definitely. read more

Busboys and Poets - Chicken Panini and Side Sweet Potato Fries - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Every time we're in Arlington,VA! Located in the Shirlington shopping strip off of Campbell Avenue. Service is always acceptable. Depends on what time of the day you go. Can be extremely busy during lunch and on weekends. Different take on a diner look, books, small stage in the back area, poetry is recited on special occasions. We usually go for breakfast, sweet potato pancakes a must, western omelet with a side of jalapeño cheesy grits 24/7/365 and twice on Sunday! Highly recommend if in the area. read more

Busboys and Poets - Sweet potato Pancakes and western omelette. Jalapeño cheesy grits. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Great service, sat right away. Once at table server greeted us with a smile and quickly got our drinks. Relaxed vibe with a book theme. Main dining area has a stage for live music/open mic poetry/author discussions. I will come back for one! Located along the main strip in Shirlington across from Harris Tetter (easy parking there) Food was tasty and came out hot and fast! Tons of vegan and vegetarian options. read more

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This is my second time visiting BBP, and my first time at this location. I knew it was going to be good (hence my return visit). We arrived for brunch at a perfect time....no wait! I did take a few moments to enjoy the bookstore selections and beautiful artwork throughout the restaurant. Once seated, I had a cup of hot Earl Gray tea (delicious brand selection)? For brunch, I had Chicken and Buttermilk Pancakes. It was so good! No room for dessert. Other table dishes: Chicken wand Sweet Potato Pancakes Smoked Salmon Benedict Chicken Chorizo Hash 5 STARS! There's no doubt this establishment will stay on my short list for brunch! read more

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The food is delicious! Try the sweet potato hash or build your own omelet. Don't sleep on the lattes...especially the violet one! The location in Shirlington is a neighborhood favorite! read more

Busboys and Poets - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Good variety of vegetarian and vegan options. Really enjoyed the omelette I had - usually I find omelettes dry and overcooked, but this wasn't- and the beans and avocado were very tasty. Would definitely get again! My wife had the lox and liked her food, too. read more

Busboys and Poets - Bagel and Lox* - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Busboys is a staple. Can't really go wrong here with anything you order. I like to come here for quick solo brunch dates or with friends. It's a great spot to take my parents based on their menu having enough for all of our different tastes. The service is usually good at this location. No complaints. read more

We have always had a great experience at the Shirlington location. My husband & I love their vegan options, including the cheesecake. We looked forward to exhaling after a challenging week of my 91 year old's father's hospitalization. After our visit with my father, we decided to have dinner at this location. Along with our order, my husband ordered a cheesecake to go. Unfortunately, neither our server nor we remembered the cheesecake. This morning hubby says, I did not get my cheesecake last night. He said after I leave the hospital, I will go pick it up. Once at the restaurant he explained what happened. Surprisingly, the manager said, no and the he needed to resolve issues the same day. Needless to say, he left without his cheesecake. Busboy's Shirlington, please share where this policy is written. Petty on your part, please do better. read more

Been here a handful of times, sometimes for brunch sometimes for a small bite and coffee. Overall service is pretty good and welcoming. Ambiance is very casual. On occasion they host poetry night or spoken word night which is fun. They have very good key-lime pie in my opinion. I've also gotten French toast which also stands out. For the most part the food is really good for this diner/book/coffee shop hybrid, and I was pleasantly surprised. They also have happy hour and serve alcohol. Hard to find a place that serves almost everything! Would return with others for a quick meal and swift service. read more

I always visit this location when I'm in the DMV. I love the ambiance they play good music and I love the bookstore. The food and service is really good. read more

Busboys and Poets - Menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I was here for dinner the other night and I had an outstanding time! The food was really great, but the service was fantastic. Sammy was our server and she was so attentive and helpful and patient and professional and friendly! She did a great job I will definitely come back read more

We decided to order through door dash and it was a simple dinner but oh so tasty! Tomato soup well seasoned and delicious! Quinoa salad hearty and good. Right amount to fill you without feeling full. Anyone of their locations is a must because of the service and decor. read more

Overall good place. The food is consistently decent. It also has the convenience of several free parking garages nearby. The atmosphere is casual but comfortable, while I think the service can get a little busy. But not so bad as to destroy your impression. Again, the food is relatively decent, and offers a fairly decent selection. This last trip I had a chicken chorizo and egg wrap (pretty good) while my wife built her own omelette. Both of us had sweet potato fries on the side. read more

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A nice restaurant in the Shirlington area. This was recommended to us by a family member as it was close to a hotel that we were staying at. It was founded by artist-activist Andy Shallal. The first site opened September 2005 and was named in honor of Langston Hughes (who once worked as a busboy). It has a very interesting atmosphere owing to the fact that it is a small bookstore as well as a fair sized restaurant. We were greeted as we entered and seated immediately. There are mixes of booths, tables and at least 2 separate rooms for seating inside and a small area right outside the front door for additional seating. The walls and art provide plenty to look at while you are there. The restaurant was clean and well-appointed. The breakfast menu (when we visited) has everything from omelettes to bagels, french toast to bacon. The restaurant was clean and the staff was very friendly. I ordered the scrambled eggs with toast. The prices were reasonable with my eggs coming in at $11. The food came out quickly and was different than I am used to but still good. Overall, this is definitely a place worth trying if you are in the area and want to try a neat place with good food. read more

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I came to bus boys and poets for a happy hour. I was with a large party and they were very pleasant and friendly. I ordered a few different dishes for the happy hour price. The fire cracker shrimp had a little bit of a kick to it but I didn't mind since they were perfectly crispy. The chicken slider sandwiches were just okay. read more

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This place is pretty solid for breakfast. I had the French toast which was tasty. We ordered a side of eggs, bacon, and ham in the side. This made the meal a little costly but you have to go with what you want to eat. read more

Busboys and Poets - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I've been here several times, not necessarily my choice.... All visits have just been okay. Today I went with a friend for breakfast. I had the sweet potato pancakes. ... I dunno... they tasted... like, pancake box mix? But with an added sweet potato?...the texture was nice... but there was a slightly off putting flavor, that led me to not finish my plate. Every dish I've had here just hasn't been all that satisfying. Service is always good though, and the ambiance is very cool. read more

This is a solid lunch and brunch spot. Their omelettes are pretty good and come with a side that you choose. The sweet potato fries are my favorite. They also have nonalcoholic drinks which is a plus but they're more like juice than mocktails. The bookstore attached is also very cute and good if you're waiting for a table to stroll through. read more

Outstanding! I hadn't been to this restaurant in a number of years but I was meeting some friends in the area and we decided to eat here. I brought my dogs with me and asked for a bowl of water and our server promptly brought the water to us. Our server answered questions for us when we had difficulties deciding what we were going to eat. For me I was looking at breakfast meals as they looked the most interesting to me. I ended up choosing Mekhleme, which is described as Iraqi corned beef hash. It came out in a skillet with ground beef, onions, home fries, tomato, cumin, paprika, cilantro, two sunny side up eggs with toast on the side. It was amazingly delicious and very filling and I highly recommend that dish. We didn't have any appetizers or dessert and just enjoyed a beautiful day outside with the dogs and enjoying our wonderful meal. Our server kept checking with us and seeing if we needed anything and if our food was okay. The food was more than okay, it was excellent. I highly recommend to visit here. They are very dog friendly and they have several outside tables for you to sit and enjoy. read more

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great customer service and attentiveness! Great show and good energy. Good food and good drinks.

I was in the area. I came for the open mic/poetry night. Great turn out. I went to the other location the day before. Same vibe. Different crowd. I liked this location better because of the atmosphere. More people and different poets. Oh and I ordered the mahi mahi plate. So delicious. Great ambiance, location and lighting. I enjoyed the whole thing. Thank you for an awesome night. read more

Busboys and Poets - Blackened Mahi Mahi 10/10 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Omg were do I start the food was amazing but the service wow the service was above and beyond. Emilio was a five star waiter. Please don't leave this place without experience his hospitality at all you will regret it . We had perfect temperature on our food, little wait, perfect flavor and perfect drinks that never ran empty . Hands down awesome ! His manager Jr runs the shift effortlessly and with grace as well. Both are amazing go for it . read more

This is one of my family's favorite spots and we've been coming for years. Today I had Valentine's Day lunch with my brother and everything was excellent - from the food, to the vibes, to our incredible server Meti who dealt with our numerous questions and requests with great grace and a smile. If you're looking for good food, good books, and great ambiance this is the perfect place!!! read more

Busboys and Poets - Dining area - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Delicious, homemade tasting, fresh and yummy food. I was staying at the hotel next door and ended up getting 2 meals here. Both were fantastic (a kale salad with chicken salad one day; lentil and chickpea soup the next). Great warm vibe. Just a great place all around. Service was good. read more

Food was great and service was excellent. Meti was truly one of the kindest, sharpest, and most helpful server's I've had. Definitely recommend! read more

I thought all the food was delicious here, especially the cauliflower bites! And you can't go wrong with caesar salad. My server was excellent! Quite a bit of seating inside so we didn't have to wait for a table. This of course is also a bookstore so after you've had a nice meal go buy some books! I'd suggest parking at this location via park mobile if possible because the decks appear to be expensive. Also located in a shopping complex so plenty of other shops to check out! read more

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I have been sick for some time with the flu and my appetite really didn't come back until I just had to have a nice plate of healthy hearty nachos! I knew that I could get it from Bus Boys and Poets, it's one of my favorite restaurants. These pictures cannot display or show how I bit into it. It was absolutely great. My server was Sami and she was absolutely wonderful. Please ask for her if you go there. The one thing I have to say about my server Sami as you know, nachos can be very messy, but Sami responded to the things that I needed and I was eating by myself. She made sure that I was treated very well and I gave her a very nice servant tip. read more

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We had such a great experience at Busboys and Poets in Shirlington thanks to our server, Meti. From the moment we sat down, she was warm, attentive, and genuinely kind. She checked on us often without being intrusive, made thoughtful recommendations, and made sure everything came out just the way we wanted. It felt like she truly cared that we had a good experience, and we definitely did. The food was great, but Meti's hospitality made it memorable. We'll absolutely be back and will definitely ask for her again. Highly recommend! read more