Busboys And Poets
| Address: | 4251 Campbell Ave, Arlington, VA 22206, USA |
| Phone: | +1 703-379-9757 |
| Site: | busboysandpoets.com |
| Rating: | 4.3 |
| Working: | 8AM–11PM 8AM–11PM 8AM–11PM 8AM–11PM 8AM–12AM 8AM–12AM 8AM–11PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 15
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Elizabeth Thottam
Id heard a lot about Busboys and Poets, so I was excited to check it out, especially since their menu is friendly to gluten-free freaks. I have gluten and dairy sensitivities, so I ordered the vegan avocado panini on GF bread. The bread was a potato bread (not healthy and terrible-tasting, IMHO). I got one slice (maybe two) of vegan cheese, and that was the only "protein." I ordered Dijon vinaigrette on my salad and got lemon vinaigrette, instead. The chocolate hazelnut GF cake was dry, and the icing was a basic milk chocolate buttercream; it reminded me of the Betty Crocker icing my mom put on class cupcakes as a kid. My tea was great. My husbands falafel sandwich tasted fine. Other peoples entrees looked good. Maybe the lesson is not to order vegan or GF here, but those menu options are one reason we came, so not liking them was pretty disappointing.
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A Private User
This place has great food. Id never want it to go away. If youre looking for an entree salad in Shirlington, this is the place. Burgers are good too. Great Coffee. HOWEVER, their service needs a lot of work. I would not recommend this place for lunch because the service is too slow and they sometimes have refused to split the bill on more than 2 credit cards (which can be tough if you are getting lunch with coworkers during the day). Also, they have recently added a very odd policy where they want your full credit card number over the phone for call-in orders. No one I know has successfully managed to communicate their full credit card number to whoever is on the phone without massive confusion. Its flat out weird. Hopefully they will get their service sorted out at some point, but I havent seen much improvement in the last 3 years.
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A Private User
I have tried Busboys And Poets a few times and have come away disappointed each time with both the food and the service. I have never been greeted when entering the restaurant and staff members purposefully avoided making eye contact so that they will not need to bother with seating yet another customer. During the meal the service, while never rude, is simply incompetent. Long waits before serving drinks, sitting for two-thirds of a meal with an empty drink before being asked for a refill, and wait staff that disappears for long stretches of time. The food has never been more than passable, although the repeated poor service I have received may have colored my judgement. Of all of the restaurants in the Shirlington area, this is by far my least favorite.
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David Andersen
The place to study. The library theme of the restaurant makes it naturally inviting to those of us who are looking for a place to study. The addition of a hightop table with outlets makes it doubly nice. I personally love to come here, pull up to the hightop with my laptop and order a seasonal pint (usually the porter). For me this is a great way to get my MBA homework done. Dont forget the noise cancelling headphones in the evening, as it does get a little loud. Food is really good, Bacon Grilled Cheese panini is great study food and the fries are great too. The only reason I wont give it four stars is I have never actually been here for a meal with the family.
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Sharon Hamilton
Their food is great but the service is a joke. You cant place an order over the phone without paying first. Why? Because busboy has lost money over this. Is this a joke or something? Every business probably has the same issues but busboy forces people to pay beforehand. Thats insulting and absurd. Id think twice about going here. Plenty of places will let u place an order without forcing you to pay for it up front. Really bad business practices on their part treating every customer like a criminal. They fear losing money well I took my business somewhere else. Now they really lost money.
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Sachin Revadal
I am Impressed. picture here is a Coconut tofu Appetizer. I aint a tofu guy usually. I was challenged by my waiter Alex that if i dont like this tofu, she would take care of it. I am still glad she suggested that. I wouldnt have tried otherwise. It was amazing. just the right amount of taste everywhere. just the right amount of crisp and just the right amount of quantity. They have very nice setup and ambiance. they have a small beautiful library inside. Their tribal statement explains what they are all about. I had a very good time there. Highly recommended.
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Tony Defibaugh
This place is a D.C. area staple, several locations this one is not the original but so worth visiting. Imagine an awesome coffee shop and restaurant in a bookstore. Now add to this a really excellent staff and thats what you have here. Fabulous coffee and friendly people. It is extremely busy on Sundays and probably other times as well so finding a seat can be a challenge know that you will likely have a fairly long wait.
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Brionne Griffin
Ive heard good things about this place, but it really didnt wow me. The coffee was mediocre and their alleged "house-made" granola was clearly store bought. It still tasted good, but I dont understand why you would lie about that. The hostesses were not the friendliest, but our waiter was, so it evens out. My boyfriend got an omelette that he didnt care much for either. Overall, Im glad I went, but have no desire to return.
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Vanessa Bailey
Great food, great environment, and very friendly staff. This is one of my favorite places to eat in Alexandria. There are a wide variety of different foods, including vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options that are delicious! They also have a huge selection of drinks, both of the coffee and alcoholic varieties. Plus, you cant go wrong with a restaurant that also has its own bookstore!
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Jason King
The combination of cafe and bookstore works well. Funny cards and unusual books. The food is high quality and very tasteful. Supporting local producers and offer wide range of glutenfree, vegan and other special diets. The breakfast options on weekend are more than during week. No problem to get a table at least until 10 am.
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Lauren Gleason
Great meals from brunch to dinner! One of the few places to get stewed greens in the area. Quite inexpensive considering the quality and freshness of the food. Family friendly. Theres often a long wait (30 minutes) during busy meal times. Its best to park in one of the garages on the south side of Campbell Street.
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Emily Shouppe
Visited one late Monday morning. The cafe was not busy. The hostess noticed my bag and asked if I wanted to sit at a working table. B&P has high top tables with ample outlets available, which makes for a great working space. The very good coffee comes from PTs roaster. The restaurant is colorful.
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Sabrina Dent
I absolutely LOVE Busboys and Poets!!! I have so many favorites on the menu; especially, the coconut tofu bites, crab grits, and collard greens!!! Its a great environment to catch up with friends and meet new acquaintances. Most importantly, I appreciate the thoughtful bookstore selection. Im a fan!
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Marcus Wigfall
Great customer service. Our server, Angel, was honest and gave great advice with choosing item off the menu. She made sure everything was perfect for us. The atmosphere was awesome. The chicken quesadilla came out in perfect for the app and the entree came out within 5 minutes after we were done.
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Laura Gast
Almost always packed but worth the wait. Its ecclectic atmosphere and quirky food and drink options are top notch. (dont worry - they have some typical stuff too). Great for breakfast lunch or dinner, but my favorite is their brunch options.
