I love, love, loved this place. A full-fledged bookstore with tons of books, sections, accessories and gifts PLUS a legit breakfast/lunch/dinner restaurant with great food, gorgeous patio/dining area? I am SO in. We stopped in bc my husband's last name is Kramer and it's spelled the exact same and I saw the brunch/breakfast options and wanted to eat here. We loved it. Tried the avocado toast, brioche French toast and a smash burger and everything was delicious. Service was good, food was out quickly, portions were huge, all A+++. Enjoyed shopping after and will 100% come back. They are very active on Instagram and usually have seasonal specials and neat events. read more

A DC institution, I will always be a fan of Kramers. It's not the best restaurant, but it's a classic that I hope remains open for decades and decades to come. Service is great, prompt and professional, and some of the items are hit or miss, but there is a lot of light lunch fare to choose from and my salad was fresh. Make sure to stop in at the bookstore at the end of your meal. read more

Kramers - Delicious and fresh, tasted better than it looks. - Bookstores Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Bookstore is always amazing with really interesting items and fantastic service. Cute cafe was good but left a lot to be desired. Sure, it's casual dining but maybe too casual. We went here for cherry blossom afternoon tea and honestly things looked a little dingy. We were next to a loud AC unit that felt it would drip on me. The food was fine but it seemed very pre-prepared and just plated. Sure, it's not Fortum and Mason afternoon tea but the waiter forgot about giving us plates. Or napkins. Etc. these are the basics. But they had good clotted cream so that's a win. I would recommend a quick renovation and updating staff with basic service checklists. Everyone was nice but it wasn't clear how to even get a table. There was no flow or order to the restaurant portion. read more

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Went here for lunch. I ordered the steak frites medium well. The steak was delicious. We also shared some deviled eggs and wings as a table of six overall the food was solid and at first I thought I would come back, however after we paid our $280 bill and we sat at the table for about 10-15 as we were waiting for our friend to use the bathroom , the server came overand said, "hey not to kick you out but we do need a the table, sorry ." I think the wording of the request and being rushed out quickly after paying felt a bit unprofessional and really took away from what could have been an enjoyable visit. We originally wanted to look at the bookstore after eating dinner, but we decided to leave. read more

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Crowded shoulder to shoulder and spine to spine is a fantastically curated selection of great books. While not original, the staff picks and their book's descriptions definitely helped me find the perfect title. Wish I had Kramer's to call my local bookstore. read more

We walked past this cute bookstore after dinner and I was quickly intrigued. I loved how bright it was and it allowed us to extend our night out. I went in and was able to browse freely. It was too late for cafe and we had already had food, so we didn't try it. I had been wanting to buy a book from a YouTube creator that wasn't easily accessible in my hometown and when I asked the attendees, they had it! It was the perfect souvenir and I was happy I shopped local. read more

Kramers - Bookstores Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Love this gem of a bookstore and restaurant. Came here for afternoon tea with book club friends. The sandwiches weren't particularly great, I liked the egg sandwich, but the cream cheese is a bit much on the smoked salmon and cucumber sandwiches. The deviled egg is also curried. The scones and accompanying lemon curd and clotted cream were surprisingly delightful (I usually hate scones). The macarons were okay -- I wasn't a big fan of the raspberry and coffee flavors that I got, I liked the peanut butter mousse cup, didn't like the key lime pie (the crust was a bit chewy and stale), but the sea salt caramel chocolate was good, too. They sat our group of 6 inside in this big table and it was extremely hot there. Wouldn't sit there again. The server kept getting our tea wrong, also wasn't particularly excited about the teas we had. Afternoon tea is only available on weekdays, but I think it's worth it to take off early one day to come, especially at the price point. read more

Kramers - Afternoon tea for 2 - Bookstores Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We had the afternoon tea tower for two and it was lovely! Kramer's itself is such a cute bookstore/cafe/restaurant, and they offer afternoon tea from 2pm-5pm Monday through Friday. We went the day after Thanksgiving so it was really busy and our waiter only came to take our order and give us the check. We didn't realize until the end that you can get more hot water for your tea pot (the tea you select is infusing within), so definitely take advantage of that. Overall, a super fun afternoon tea experience at a reasonable cost! read more

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I have always had a joyful time visiting Kramers for brunch, so I am excited to write a review for lunch :) The food is delicious, cooked well, and fresh. Service was smooth and easy, the service person answered all our questions well. I enjoyed sitting outdoors as I completed some work alongside my delicious meal. My partner and I enjoyed exploring the spacious, well-stocked bookstore inside the cafe. We will be back again soon! read more

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It is Always fun to walk through Kramer's while in DC. They offer so much: Dining Books Fun gifts Kids room Cards Enjoy! read more

Went on a random weekday to grab breakfast and the food was delicious. It was the usual American breakfast, sausage, scrambled eggs and potatoes. It hit the spot and my tummy was happy. Topped it off with a cappuccino. Service was solid. read more

Kramers - Cappuccino - Bookstores Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We had the best afternoon tea experience here! All the sandwiches and scones were delicious. The lemon curd and clotted cream was very yummy! All of the tea we tried was delicious also. The bookstore had a great variety of books and lots of bookish swag. Definitely will be back whenever I'm in DC! read more

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I stopped by Kramers yesterday for a book followed by a meeting at the cafe. I wandered around for a while trying to find it as the books don't seem to be setup in a discernible pattern except for a relatively few areas with clear signage. There was an employee putting up or cataloging books who I walked around as I looked for the book but he barely moved out of my way and didn't say anything to me like most bookstore employees would. You know, something like "can I help you find something?" Oh well, service must not be his thing. I went back around to the cashier who didn't acknowledge me when I came in but who turned out to be very friendly when I asked her where I could find the book. She saw in the computer they had one left and quickly went and found it for me. I truly appreciated her for finding it instead of sending me on a hunt! I next went to the cafe to meet a friend. I wanted to order a latte but their machine was broken so I had to settle for a plain coffee. I also got an everything bagel with cream cheese and it was very good. The service was ok but nothing special. It's overall a solid place with loads of potential. A little stepping up on the service front would do wonders! read more

We just encountered a very rude encounter with the hostess by the patio. She said her name was Ava/Eva. My friend and I were questioning a 45 minute wait when there were multiple tables open on the patio and the Kramer's inside staff from the front directed us to open tables in the back. There were loads of available inside and we would have gladly be redirected back inside. Ava/Eva got involved in a conversation we were having with the waitress and asked us to be polite to her. We were in no way rude and she did not have to interject herself into the conversation. She was brusque and unreasonably off putting. Shame on her. read more

I love visiting DC and exploring as much of the city as I can. Each visit is unique, filled with different activities, events, museums, shops, restaurants, and more. I enjoy discovering local spots, like Kramers in Dupont Circle, which combines a bookstore and a restaurant--a true two-for-one deal. The menu is as varied as the book collection, offering something for everyone. They serve breakfast all day, along with lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. You can enjoy your meal in the solarium, on the outdoor patio, or in the bar and lounge area. They also have a great selection of beers, wines, cocktails, coffee drinks, and ice cream. read more

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After a day of walking around DC, this was a nice place to sit down and eat a really good meal. My friends wanted to stop here because they are obsessed with bookstores and I was like all right. Well, let's grab lunch then at the same time. The service was very friendly and our waters were never empty. I thought that the food was very good. I enjoyed my burger and the fries. I wasn't crazy about the drink, but I wanted to try it just to see. The service was great, and the waiter was very efficient. The atmosphere of the place was open and fun. There were a lot of people there. If you're ever in DC and you need a break from the sun, stop in here. read more

Kramers - Bookstores Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The food/coffee this morning was relatively good. Nothing bad to say about it, but the hostess was absolutely the rudest hostess I have ever encountered at a restaurant, horrible attitude to not only my party, but everyone who walked in the door. read more

When we arrived, we were promptly greeted by a staff member. It was a bit of a wait so we just checked out the bookstore until we were called (convenient)! This was my first time eating at Kramers, but not my first time at the book store. I LOVE the bookstore. We were a small group! We were quickly waited on. Since it was so cold, I ordered the tea pot with early grey tea, almond milk, and vanilla syrup. Wonderful! However, they forgot to bring out the tea pot for another person in our party. I ordered the salad that comes with the green goddess dressing. I also ordered all the fixings on the side and no quinoa. (Unfortunately, the menu on the website is different from the one on here and online so I don't have the full name.) As the food came out, we noticed a trend that they don't get the orders correct most of the time. However, they quickly remade my salad for me and fixed the other orders. Towards the end of the meal, I got another tea pot but with lavender syrup. I liked the vanilla syrup best! I appreciate the servers keeping a positive attitude and fixing the mistakes. Here's my concern- Kramers has been around for so long and is a fixture in the community - how is it that money isn't available to remodel it? The bathrooms weren't the cleanest (or up to date), a part of the restaurant sloped, and the layout of the dinning area doesn't flow well. read more

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Kramerbooks & Afterwords is a Washington, D.C. institution that has been the heart of literary and social life since the Bicentennial. As the city's pioneering bookstore-café, it masterfully blends a curated book selection with a welcoming, full-service restaurant and bar--a rare and cherished combination. The lively, intellectual atmosphere makes it perfect for everything from a quiet read to a memorable night out. A timeless and essential destination in the nation's capital. read more

Kramers - Bookstores Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Brunch here is dream! Love their steak with eggs and their french toast is heaven. Came here with friend on my recent trip to DC and will defo come back! You get your table pretty fast. Service is good! read more

Kramers - Bookstores Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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What a delightful concept! Its really a place where you bring careful thoughtfulness, I see people browse the bookstore, study at the front like a coffee shop, or use this as a brunch spot. And when we do all these things, we're partaking in the magic of reading! Even when you open up the menu, my favorite detail are the book inspired drinks and cocktails, I mean how cheeky, so unafraid to reference what its all about. As a student, finding a study spot with substantial food, decent seating and an outlet could be so hard to find but if you find a good spot, Kramers just meet all those top things I'm looking for when you thrive on atmospheric studying. The food has always been fabulously amazing without being too pretentious. When you decide to the menu identity to be New American Classic, we're really looking not really looking for a high end meal, but we are looking for the most elevated version of what a dinner kitchen can achieve. And by the looks of walking by their small central open kitchen, they are cooking good eats! Although on the price side when it comes to dinner establishments, they deliver in great quality (for being in the thick of the city) and gigantic portions. Crab Cake Pasta had a generous portion of light aldente noodles and simple (could have used a slice of lemon). I felt so nostalgic ordering a pot pie and to my anticipation it was amazing and had so much filling! I was told their whole breakfast-lunch menu is stellar. Do go here at least once! read more

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Decided to stop here before my appointment and had a positive experience. Started with a coffee and apple pastry. Both were good. And a nice start to the morning. Also ordered the breakfast platter that came with eggs, bacon, potatoes and toast. Can't go wrong! Everything was delicious and cooked well. The service was nice and quick. Very friendly and attentive staff. Not very busy which was nice. read more

Kramers - Bookstores Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I loved the bookstore side. Great eclectic mix of book and there is absolutely something for everybody. We had late afternoon drinks which were tasty. The Marguerita pizza was tasty but definitely not Nee Haven crust as advertised. The wait staff was a bit lackluster and the food dude definitely did not have the quirky cool ambiance of the bookstore! read more

Decided to walk over to have brunch with my two friends. The ambiance was nice and food was cool. However, after I drunk from my glass of water SEVERAL times I notice a pink lipstick stain on the glass! YUCK! I told my the server Erika F about it and she was sooo nonchalant about it! No real apologies or anything. Then my friend notice the same on her glass! Just truly unacceptable! I'm sure there were several times where the glasses should've been checked to ensure that they were clean! Please do better! read more

Super yummy! Came here on a Sunday morning to browse books and eat breakfast with a friend. We both enjoyed our experience. The service was friendly and our food came out fast and fresh. I enjoyed the omelette and she had crab cakes Benedict's. The seating area in the back was nice and bright. Overall I would definitely come back! read more

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Rating is purely on the food. Yes, the attached bookstore is cute, but I was meeting up with a friend for dinner. I had their duck confit and cherry pizza, and I really enjoyed it. I've never had duck on my pizza, so I thought, it would be something a bit different, and it was worth the order, absolutely delicious. waitress was kind and the surroundings were of course cute. Worth a visit to try out some of their menu. read more

This review is exclusively afternoon tea as I haven't seen any reviews on it yet! Kramers has almost two parts - a bar/seating area up front and then the back area which also has outdoor tables. We originally sat at the front but after being ignored for a few minutes we moved to the back. The afternoon tea is offered on weekdays from 2-5pm. The most shocking and egregious part of this tea is that tea isn't included with the price. I thought when the menu said "teapot only" that meant if you didn't want the sandwiches. Tea for two ends up being $49 instead of the $29 you are imagining looking at their website. Nobody is going to this without buying tea so this just seems ridiculous. The tower itself was nice. The scones are not traditional scones whatsoever and completely fall apart if you try and cut them. The deviled egg on the sandwich tier was my favorite. Pastries were good but nothing special. The tea tasted great and comes with a timer. They have a variety of caffeine and no caffeine. Based on the pricing and flavor I wouldn't be back. While this is nice to dip your toes in, if you've ever done an afternoon tea before you know that you can find much much better in the area. read more

Kramers - Bookstores Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Yes! This is the bookstore that is missing from your life. You'll thank me later. Oh, and they have food, coffee, tea, wine and book clubs. Color me happy!!! I love this place! If I could get a studio apartment and just live above it, I would. The staff is phenomenal. The selection is great and service for the foods.. yah, you'll be happy. Wether your looking for a. Ew tarot deck, post cards, the sweet best sellers or some classics you will find them there. Celebrate and honor your local bookstore and the culture and community they always bring. Stop here today and often :) read more

Had a reservation this evening for Kramers and all I can say is WOW!! It is a cute bookstore with an amazing g restaurant and a pretty lively bar! This review is only on the restaurant! Seated promptly and greeted promptly with water, myself, and my dining partner went straight into the drink menu, we were delighted to see that they had some drafts that we enjoyed that are hard to find where we live in Virginia. My friend opted for for the Crooked Crab Red Ale, and I did Farm Fuzz from Manor Hill brewing. Both were delightful. We moved onto appetizers and we got the spicy shrimp and let me tell you for $15. You can not go wrong with the size of the Shrimp and it was perfectly cooked warning. It is on the spicy side, but not overwhelmingly so. For main entrées I enjoyed the Feddy Cheesesteak with herbed fries and being from outside of Philly, my cheesesteak and antennas were up and let me tell you Kramer's cheesesteak game is strong! Perfectly shaved beef, amazing cheese sauce, and topped with the cherry pepper relish on it on a toasted steak roll chefs kiss! The herb fries were so good. I ordered a second order my friend ordered the chicken and waffles. The waffle is an herb waffle. The chicken was perfectly fried and he ate every last bite with hardly any conversation so you know it had to be good. For dessert, we had a cherry blossom cheesecake, which was huge. Service was great. The only drawback was it was a little chilly where we were sat and in Kramers defense, it was a chilly and rainy evening so unless they can control the weather, there was nothing they could do about it. We enjoyed ourselves nonetheless. I'm looking forward to my next visit perhaps taking the BAR vibe while grabbing some books for my soon to be summer reading library! Take a chance! You won't be sorry! read more

Kramers always hits, and it's a comfy local spot. I sometimes bunker down with a friend in Dupont for days in work mode, and we would take joyful breaks to bop down to Kramers for brunch. She always gets the avo toast and French soda and it's cute to have a lil routine. We came here on Inauguration Day 2025, a spooky day, and it felt very DC. Thankful for this friendship and fond memories here together. read more

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Happy to wonder into this place! Great little independent book store, everyone was friendly and I purchased a couple of books to read on the way home. read more

What a cool concept and fun place to visit! We came for breakfast but managed to spend an hour just looking at the books to buy! The prices are good and the fresh toast was fantastic! Our server was super nice and on the ball for everything we needed. This was such a treat! read more

I think I found my favorite bookshop in the city. In the heart of DuPont circle kramers is the cutest local bookshop. With a bar and restaurant attached to the bookshop you can have your whole day planned for you and never want to leave. I stopped in and picked up a few books and truly had to stop myself from adding too many books to my ongoing reading pile. read more

Kramers - Book - Bookstores Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Used to love visiting Kramers whenever visiting DC but now it is just a noisy dump. The staff are not at all friendly and there is no way you can focus on the books with the obtrusive music and noise. It just doesn't work with the attached bar read more

We are outside so this is a review on food , drinks and service only. Service was friendly and attentive- she was great! We ordered Espresso Martini's and they were strong and delicious! We ordered the deviled eggs- perfection. You only get 4 halves which is my only complaint since I had to share. I think at that price point... 6 halves (3 eggs) would be right on target. We tried something unique to this place- a potato and rosemary pizza and it was really tasty. I would highly recommend this place. read more

Kramers - Potato Rosemary and Bacon Pizza - Bookstores Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Savoring the Soho Omelet and Mimosa at Kramers during weekend brunch--the fluffy eggs with fresh fillings paired perfectly with the vibrant Dupont scene, surrounded by bookshelves. Reservations smart for peak times, but patio walk-ins worked; staff nailed every detail. Literary foodie heaven--repeat visit guaranteed! read more

It was very busy in the weekend so make sure you reserve a table but otherwise I really enjoyed my food and after you're done eating go browse the books of course! read more

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Fresh. Generous portions. Extraordinary selection especially breakfast. Have yet to experience disappointment which is rare these days. Top wait staff and kitchen too. read more

This place is a bit nostalgic for me after discovering it 15 years ago while working in DC for a summer. Fast forward to now and I'm now back living in this part of the country. Was happy to see it's still around. It's become a bit of a tradition for my family to visit whenever we find ourselves in the DMV. I love the bookstore, always a great selection and well organized. But the food is good too! We had breakfast this morning and the blueberry lemon waffles and eggs in purgatory were both 10/10...I'd just suggest an extra bit of toast for the eggs. Special shout out to our wonderful server - Alli (spelling?!) A kindred spirit and we weren't joking when we said we hoped to see him again on our next visit! read more

Friends that live in the area recommended this place due to it being a restaurant counter and book store all in one. It's conveniently located off Dupont Circle and across the street from a metro entrance. It was busy, filled with people checking out books. The restaurant part is at the back on the left; they have tables in the back or bar stools along the side. The menu is extensive with traditional breakfast and brunch items, plus lunch and drinks. I had the classic breakfast with eggs, potatoes, and bacon, plus a nitro cold brew coffee. Staff was mostly attentive, and service with the food was fast so it's a great place if you're in a hurry to start your day. I thought prices were reasonable for the quality and portion sizes of the food; everything was flavorful and it was filling. They also have a clean restroom, you need to ask for the code. If you love books and are also hungry, this is the perfect place to check out. read more

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