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Tue / Jan 19
Party Earth Review Just north of the main party hub of U Street, progressive-minded locals can be found at Busboys and Poets, a celebrated restaurant, bar, bookstore, and art gallery where creative thought flows as freely as the house sangria... ... read full review
2021 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
Green, Yellow Lines: U Street/African-Amer Civil War Memorial/Cardozo
202-387-7638
Bar: M–Th 8am–midnight, F 8am–2am, Sa 9am–2am, Su 9am–midnight
Bookstore: M–Th, Su 10am–midnight, F¬–Sa 10am–2am
U Street Corridor, Washington, DC –
Just north of the main party hub of U Street, progressive-minded locals can be found at Busboys and Poets, a celebrated restaurant, bar, bookstore, and art gallery where creative thought flows as freely as the house sangria.
Midweek finds mellow regulars congregating in the lounge, where they while away the afternoon on comfy chairs and sofas perfect for discussing Nietzsche over chai lattes and pomegranate juice.
Young couples start filtering in around 7pm, but if there’s a long wait for a dinner table, they join the literati in the bookstore to peruse tomes on everything from Langston Hughes to human sexuality and eco design.
An expansive civil rights-themed mural covers one wall – just one of many featured art pieces – and overlooks diners as they choose from the vegan and vegetarian selections that pack the menu or the range of hearty options like gorgonzola burgers and meatloaf.
Woven into nearly every night are spoken word, poetry, and open-mic sessions held on the stage in the back, which guests enjoy as they sip fruity cocktails from the bar.
On the weekends, brunch brings budget-minded college kids in to cure their hangovers with eggs and bacon or some “healthy” gluten-free beer.
For a bite, a book, some booze, or some brainy fun, Busboys and Poets offers guests a lot of prose and very few cons.
Progressive-minded locals, hipsters, artsy students, sardonic poets, lyricists, activists, and professorial types, 20s to late 50s.
Packed schedule includes near-nightly poetry readings, spoken word, book discussions, minority group meetings, open-mic nights, and more. Check venue website for latest calendar of events. Free Wi-Fi.
Full menu of American favorites like omelets, burgers, and pizza, as well as hot panini, sandwiches, and tons of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free dishes. Happy Hour M–F 4–7pm.
Brunch menu $5–$13, appetizers $5–$10, soups $6–$7.50, salads $6–$15, entrées $9–$24. Beer $6, wine $7–$9/glass or $28–$36/bottle, cocktails $9–$12.
Casual to business casual: jeans, plaid, flannel, flats, hipster glasses, dress pants, heels, nice tops, blazers.
Any night when there’s live entertainment of interest, after 7pm on Fridays and Saturdays for a large, diverse crowd, or weekends to join a sizeable throng working through their hangovers, studying, or just spending the day relaxing over a good book.
Utopia Jazz Club (1418 U Street) is located a block and a half away, and features regular jazz quartets and lots of intriguing cocktails.
Busboys and Poets User Reviews