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It's a restaurant, bar, bookstore and performance space, brought to you by Andy Shallal, owner of Luna Grill and Diner and Mimi's American Bistro. It would seem that such an ambitious project would have to fall flat on its face, but in the month since its opening, Busboys and Poets is not only packed, it's likable.
The space is at once comfortable and chic, with many non-generic touches like hand-appliquéd mirrors in the bathrooms and the mural of peace movement heavyweights in the performance space. Busboys and Poets also has a thoughtful side. The bookstore, which contains selections of politics, poetry, literature and bias-free books for teaching professionals, is operated by Teaching for Change, a social justice nonprofit. And the place was the darling of Operation Ceasefire, with Cindy Sheehan reportedly holding court one morning.
On that social conscious note, Busboys and Poets has no plans to advertise. That way the costs will remain low, according to its website. And they are pretty low, with pizzas between $7 and $8, burgers at $7 and sandwiches between $5 and $10, and half the entrees less than $10.
The food is nothing amazingly out of the ordinary, but it's solid. The Mediterranean pizza with olives, feta, spinach and chopped tomatoes had a chewy, thin crust. The grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich on challah was pure hedonism, warranting finger licking of the copious honey that adorns it. The chocolate layer cake could have used some time at room temperature to revive its flavor, but the decaf was good enough for us to ask whether a bait and switch went on behind the scenes.
Let's talk about the service for a minute. In a town where patrons regularly complain about servers, the Busboys and Poets staff has proved to be friendly, helpful and maybe even overly accommodating. On a recent Saturday night visit at 10 p.m., we ordered dessert and coffee. When the drinks did not arrive 10 minutes later, a manager came over and apologized profusely, offering to comp the drinks. We hadn't even noticed the wait, but the harried staff said they were not expecting such popularity.
Even though we know this will likely spark a heated debate, we'll come out and say it: Busboys and Poets is smoke-free. All the time. Let the comments begin.
Busboys and Poets
2021 14th Street NW (14th and V)
202-387-7638
Metro: Green Line U Street.
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Wait, you mean the owners VOLUNTARILY went smoke-free, rather than doing so with a gun pointed at their head by the nanny-state? Holy libertarianism.
There was a great story two weeks ago in the Washington Post by David Montgomery partially about Busboys & Poets:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/21/AR2005092102122.html
BTW, its a great place, albeit a bit too yuppified at times...
Free Wi-Fi, too, chumps! In a world of pay-by-the-minute Starbucks bullsnit, it's a nice touch.
the socially-conscious, low-priced bookstore/restaurant is "too yuppified"?
what're the criteria for "yuppie" these days?
this place is amazing. and it was their CHOICE right to go non-smoking. ah what a beautiful city dc is. a place where choice still matters.
"the socially-conscious, low-priced bookstore/restaurant is "too yuppified"?
what're the criteria for "yuppie" these days?"
The word yuppie comes from the combination of the words Young Professional, and if you hadn't noticed, yuppies are a dime a dozen in DC (myself included). The clientele present at my last visit to Busboys & Poets was 95% white, between 21-35, and seemed like their presence deemed them to be "hip"- yup yup, that spells yuppie to me.
Hopefully those yupsters will buy some of the books, read them thoroughly, and donate their sweatshop-made clothes to the needy, go vegetarian, trade in their cars for bikes, and recycle. Get rid of the stripped shirt- NO WAY! Is there such thing as a socially conscious yuppie? Or is it all about Polos & profits? Busboys & Poets is definitely an attempt at modifying the yuppie paradigm, and I look forward to seeing the results.
BTW, if you want to try a café that is just as cheap and not yuppified, try going to Café Mowanaj at 624 T St. NW- the Sacco & Vanzetti dish is supreme and the fresh fruit smoothies rock.
You can pop your collar back down now.
"Yuppie" or "Guppie" has such a loaded, negative sound to it, given its cultural connotations. ive always subscribed to bourgeois bohemian or "BoBo" myself: neither totally mass-consumptive nor devoid of the ideals of non-mainstream culture.
I didn't realize that simply by looking at someone from across a restaurant or bookstore that you can tell whether they donate to the needy, recycle their used goods, ride a bicycle or walk, or eat dead animals. Oh and I forgot they also don't read, despite being in...a bookstore. If that's what you think when you see a young-ish white person, it seems you have an overreliance on tired stereotypes. Not exactly the open-minded attitude you'd expect from such an anti-establishment fellow.
the salmon wrap thing was really good too.
BTW, the food at Busboys is pretty good for what you pay. the service, and i understand that theyre newly opened, is GLACIAL. im sure that theyll iron out these kinks in time. thankfully, its great to have a decent diner in the neighborhood!
I am excited by this place! I lived over near here for a while and wished it had been open then. Thanks.
I will say that I cringe when people go about yuppie bashing. I usually go my merry way because anyone prone to yuppie bashing is usually resistant to apologizing or modifying anything they say about it. It isn't generally worth an argument if you ask me.
Still, I think this so-called "plastic" culture seems to have it's place too. If you don't like "yuppies" or "hipsters" (are they interchangable or is hipster a specific subset of yuppie or what exactly is going on with that term) well, too bad for you since they are a decent sized part of the ranks most willing to spend their dollars on nightlife in DC and across the country. (Someone might mention that being because they often have some disposable income, but that could turn into an ugly and unecessary conversation. There are plenty of non-yuppies who have disposable incomes they spend in other ways.)
I don't have a problem with people who fight to "keep it real" so to speak (I am sure there is a much newer way to say that). However, sometimes there is a level of conformity that such detractors have to others who prescribe to theories of non-conformity. Sadly Ironic. Quietly, gracefully embrace your yuppiedome and stop whipping up our own little culture war. Aren't there better things to do?
Seriously, what's up with the "alter than thou" set.
And have to disagree with the "95% white" take on B&P. The two times I've been, the crowd was more mixed racially than almost any other place I've been in DC.
"If you don't like "yuppies" or "hipsters" (are they interchangable or is hipster a specific subset of yuppie or what exactly is going on with that term)"
Please use the term "Yupster" from now on :) We can safely be lexically stylish, trite, and snarky with this new DCist vernacular.
I didn't realize that simply by looking at someone from across a restaurant or bookstore that you can tell whether they donate to the needy, recycle their used goods, ride a bicycle or walk, or eat dead animals. Oh and I forgot they also don't read, despite being in...a bookstore. If that's what you think when you see a young-ish white person, it seems you have an overreliance on tired stereotypes. Not exactly the open-minded attitude you'd expect from such an anti-establishment fellow.
I didn't exactly spot only one white dude in the corner of my eye to make my statements above. Rather it was walking into a gentrified establishment and being surprised at all the young-hip-professionals, yupsters, who are unknowingly mainstreaming dissent.
You are correct about not being able to tell about donating & recycling, but you can easily spot a dead carcass on a plate and usually people who ride bikes carry their helmet with them.
I never mentioned that they don't read- I actually stated that I hope they buy the books there and act on the information contained therein- rather than blogging about it.
Lastly, I consider myself a very open-minded person, and when I see a young, white, male dressed up in designer clothes going into a bookstore/restaurant in a brand new building, my stereotype thermometer elevates to yupster. And I am by no means an anti-establishment fellow, but I can introduce you to a few if you'd like ;-) They are also a dime a dozen in DC, but I doubt they'll be at Busboys & Poets.
ok, can someone tell me what term i can use for myself in this line of conversation:
i live a block from busboys and poets in a group house that's lacking for upkeep, am 27, work at a huge non-profit downtown, walk to work, and could give a rat's ass about fashion. i wear a lot of the same t-shirts and pants that i wore in high school. they still fit, so i figure, "what the hell".
i'm a vegetarian for economic and environmental reasons, think liberally, and watch a lot of sportscenter.
so, what'll it be there, oh social experts of dcist-land?
And have to disagree with the "95% white" take on B&P. The two times I've been, the crowd was more mixed racially than almost any other place I've been in DC.
chris...
the two times I've been there i was dissappointed by the whitewash, thats all, really. the food was great, the bookstore has some great books, the service wasn't the best in the theater room, but honestly, i was hoping for a bit more diversity (clothing, race, religion, etc.).
my guess is that next time I go there, it will be better :)
so, what'll it be there, oh social experts of dcist-land?
I assume you are looking to me to answer that question...
You are an eco-yupster :-)
Way to go!
I fall under that title too!
I think we can make a whole DCist classification system based on fashion, diet, transportation, recreational activities, and civic involvement.
Anyone up for it?
I say we meet at B&P for drinks :)
Tiny, tiny little nitpicky comment. I walk. I don't bike. I don't have a car. Even if I did bike, if I lived within 10 blocks I probably wouldn't ever bike somewhere. The lack of helmet says little about a transit method or preference.
"i live...in a group house that's lacking for upkeep."
"i wear a lot of the same t shirts and pants that i wore in high school. they still fit, so i figure, 'what the hell.'
"i am a vegetarian for econimic...reasons."
You are a freegan.
ok, i like eco-yupster better than freegan.
No way dude! A freegan is an offshoot of Vegan, not vegetarian, A freegan only eats animal products, including gelatin and milk, if someone else purchases them. It's the most awesomly nonsensical lifestyle ever!
I live one block away on a shoddy block where garbage piles about in accord with various beleaguered construction attempts. I've never visited this place, but I walk the sidewalk adjacent several times a day and, though I would love to agree with the assertions of its diversity, it certainly seems that this establishment represents a virtually exact opposite class of patronage than the neighborhood in which it rests. Yes, dears, that is yuppie. There are no connotations in that statement that haven't always been attached to a yuppie paradigm (in a quite specific redress to commenter ES).
Like the free internet, the comfy couches, the nice staff, and the pizzas. Don't like the bruschetta--stay away from that one.
Also some of the only credible chicken wings in DC. Pretty much them & Stetson's...
I love this: "I can comment about your yuppiehood because I have trash on my block" mentality. Let's be real. Anybody who reads and comments on DCist has:
1. An internet connection
2. A lifestyle/job where time is afforded for things like blog-reading.
Draw your own conclusions.
Must every comment thread devolve into some sort of class commentary? Just talk about the damn bookstore/coffeeshop/restaurant/theater for crissakes. You just sound like self-righteous, judgmental assholes. Get over yourselves.
I had to yell and wave to get the waiters attention to order and then to pay, should have walked out the door, he never would have noticed. Not ONE visit during dinner!!!!! WTF. This place is fucked, but will probably succeed due to the fact that it is new and catering to the new money in the neighborhood. The staff is amateur night horrible, just too bad to be believed!!! They also flaked on a scheduled use of the performance space!!!!!!! I will not be back.
I live about a block from B&P and go there about 2 times a week. The food is great and very reasonably priced. I have also noticed that this place is more racially and ethnically mixed than most - of course, it's in U St, so I would hope that would be the case. The staff is polite and courteous and the owner is very friendly. This place is hip, and quickly becoming a hot-spot in DC. I've also bought about $200 worth of books from the social-justic oriented bookstore. All in all, you gotta check this place out.
I had to yell and wave to get the waiters attention to order and then to pay, should have walked out the door, he never would have noticed. Not ONE visit during dinner!!!!!
This sounds exactly like my second visit there. I went on a Saturday afternoon, ended up seating myself. Waited for someone to come by and clean up my table but it never happened. I ended up just grabbing someone that worked there and they had my table cleaned and took my order. When I decided to leave I waited and waited and finally during the shift change, the NEW server came over and asked me what I needed. He got me my check and I left the bare minimum tip.
I later found out from the owner that the guy that was supposed to be my server was fired later that day (just for being a poor server.)