Serves meat, vegan options available. Operates multiple indy bookstore cafes with a progressive mindset that promotes local businesses. This one est. since the 2000s is in the Mount Vernon Triangle and houses a fair trade shop in the base level. Menu marks the vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free food options. Vegan choices include breakfast wrap and scramble, vegan sausage and bacon, burger and sandwich, mac n cheese, salad, soup, and pizza. Open Mon-Thu 8:00am-10:00pm, Fri 8:00am-11:00pm, Sat 9:00am-11:00pm, Sun 9:00am-10:00pm.
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450 K St NW, Washington, District Of Columbia, USA, 20001
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- Accepts credit cards
- Free Wi-Fi
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Last update on 02 Dec 2023 by juanmendg
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60 Reviews
First Review by Navigator
samboae
Points +209
Pretty Good Options! - Edit
I got the vegan chicken sandwich with french fries and it was great! The sandwich could have used more coleslaw and/or sauce. I loved the outdoor seating. Although our server was extremely nice, we had to go inside twice to try to find someone to close us out, as no one came to check on us for over an hour.
Read moreGuest
adventureaardvark
Points +788
Great options in a bookshop! - Edit
Good range of vegan options, enormous portions. In a fantastic bookshop as well!
Read morePros: Bookshop!
Guest
GraisonDangor
Points +72
Good vegan hash, a bit expensive - Edit
The oat cappuccino was decent and the vegan hash (scrambled tofu, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, spinach, cauliflower, potatoes, vegan sausage) was filling, balanced, and not greasy, although it was bland enough that it benefitted from a couple rounds of Cholula. A little expensive — $29 after tax and tip for the hash ($16 before tax) and cappuccino.
Read morePros: Filling, not too heavy, Love a restaurant-cafe-bookstore combination, Menu very clear about vegan options
Cons: A little expensive
Guest
shlomki
Points +247
One of the best sandwiches I've had in town - Edit
Went there for breakfast and had the tempeh sandwich with a side of lentil soup, both were absolutely amazing!
Read moreGreat vibes, nice people. Definitely coming back there.
Guest
hotmilk993
Points +452
Would give 5 stars - a LOT of vegan options, and good! - Edit
Several vegan options in all categories! Only got to try the “egg” wrap which was very good
Read moreGuest
irise102
Points +926
Fun food and eclectic location - Edit
Several vegan options to choose from. We went for breakfast and enjoyed the vegan “egg” wrap and the vegan “egg” scramble.
Read morePros: Eclectic location in a book store, Lots of indoor and outdoor seating , Several vegan options on the menu
Cons: Service was very fair, Restaurant was on the warm side
Guest
rcstrother
Points +137
Great nachos - Edit
Huge plate of nachos with vegan cheese, really fresh. Service a bit slow. Lots of vegan options.
Read moreCons: Not vegan
Guest
Zombiecynthia
Points +5435
Not Fully Vegan but a Total Vibe - Edit
Stopped here twice on the same day! Breakfast (fruit bowl and side of potatoes) then for an event with a vegan friendly buffet offering of fried cauliflower and hummus/pita. Yum!
Read moreBeyond the food and service, this place is a cool spot to hang out and has books/gifts for sale! Plus rad art!
Would totally come back!
Pros: Friendly Service and Attentive Guest Services, Rad Art and Plethora of Books/Gifts for Sale, Near Capitol Hill and in Mount Vernon Triangle
Cons: Not Fully Vegan
Guest
berrygood
Points +58
Delicious! - Edit
Relaxed atmosphere with great food. I loved the Sweet Potato Hash, skipping the egg to make it vegan, along with a fruit cup. My non-vegan husband enjoyed his omelet with potatoes and toast.
Read morePros: Plenty of vegan options , Tasty , Relaxed Vibe
Guest
Michael.kalmanovitch
Points +389
Creamy Mushroom Risotto - Edit
I had intended to eat supper at Shouk just a few blocks west of this eatery but they do not serve their food on non-disposables so I used my trusty Happy Cow app to locate something that was close.
Read moreThis is a fantastic place. It had so many things going on - bar, bookstore, eatery, and LIVE music in the basement with some dancing. Great vibe. You know they are doing something cool when there is a great cross-section of ages, ethnicity, and clothing styles.
I ordered the Risotto and it was tasty (could have had a bit more mushroom flavour/umami flavour for my likely). The texture was spot on.
It was served in a large rustic-looking bowl/plate and the metal cutlery came with a CLOTH napkin. Very cool.
Service was okay/adequate.
Pros: Nice presntation, Resuable cloth napkins
Guest
Plantbased_Ghoul
Points +38
For Vegans and Non vegans alike - Edit
A great restaurant with several locations through DC. The best thing about BusBoys is they serve vegan breakfast, lunch, and dinner; the food is amazing. They have a bar as well. A cool aspect of this place is that it also operates as a bookstore! Get it a try ~ I LOVE the vegan breakfast burrito 🌯 YUM!
Read morePros: Relatively affordable , Bookstore
Guest
notthesun
Points +186
Lots of Variety, Okay Food, Service Sucks - Edit
Lots of vegan options. Service is slow and apathetic. Fun concept (bookstore restaurant). HUGE portions. The choice of a curry sauce for the Vegan Lover’s Pasta was a little weird, but the asparagus and mushrooms were cooked just right, and ‘sausage’ had good flavor.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-10-04
Pros: Large portions
Guest
CinnamonSpider
Points +62
Novel Concept (pun intended) - Edit
Mission statement and reading selection is remarkable, but the food is not. Flavors and variety were average. I plan to try more interesting fare when visiting again.
Read moreGuest
SoyKal-El
Points +4628
Nice but forgettable - Edit
Got breakfast here because it’s open earlier than other options but felt like there weren’t a lot of great vegan “breakfast” options so got the nachos and chicken bites.
Read moreBoth were tasty and even my breakfast companion who didn’t know what vegans eat liked them, but I’d still check out other options if I had the choice.
Pros: Good array of vegan options
Cons: Not a ton of vegan breakfast foods, Slow service
Guest
JacquelineViolet
Points +230
Good vibes & great food - Edit
They had a plethora of vegan options ranging from tofu breakfast, to sandwiches, to sides.
Read morePros: Lots of options , Excellent flavor , Great vibes
Guest
JuanTejada
Points +55
LOVE this place!! - Edit
This place has the great combination of a comfortable aesthetic, good food and great service. I’ve been here multiple times and have tried the vegan “egg” scramble and the vegan “chicken” sandwhich. Both of which were really tasty and filling. I definitely recommend coming here and getting to know the amazing staff, who do a great job at making sure you have a good experience
Read moreGuest
mars
Points +481
Good comfort food AND great salads - Edit
Server was very nice, not the fastest. We had vegan nachos. Way filling for 2 people. Mojitos was really tasty.
Read moreThe choices were plentiful and interesting. The beer was good and we liked that they had local options for so many items. We should have ordered fries with one sandwich and the fruit salad with the other.
Tell them in advance if you have a deadline. We were not in a hurry and did appreciate not being pushed to order.
Would be great for a gang or a date. They have breakfast, lunch & dinner.
We would have liked to hung out for the entertainment and would definitely come back.
Updated from previous review on 2013-05-13
Pros: Plenty of choices, big!, Cool atmosphere, Uses local items
Cons: Service was 80%, Kind of cold, appreciated the fresh air.
Guest
gabbyd310
Points +104
good options for all - Edit
came here with a big group of people (not all vegan) so I appreciated the fact that there was something for everyone. I thought there was a pretty good amount of vegan options! I got the cauliflower bites and one of the tempeh sandwiches. I loved the tempeh but wish there was some more veggies. other than that it was good!
Read moreCons: small portions
Guest
Vegan_ACL
Points +2542
Good, but not memorable - Edit
Idk if this place lives up to the hype. My avocado panini with a side of tomato soup was quite good (the pesto in the sandwich was the bomb diggity part) but it just wasn’t the “out of the park” hot spot that people make it out to be. We went at 2pm on a Saturday and the service was quite slow. We were not in a rush so it was fine, and I’m not sure if they’re under staffed, but I would have liked to see a better experience.
Read morePros: Well marked vegan and vegetarian options, Quite a lot of options
Guest
AudreyEmmaPlyler
Points +974
Risott-oh, wow - Edit
I have to say, I have a bit of resentment towards risotto as a vegan. It seems to be the go-to for restaurant chefs who scratch their head at the idea of a meatless entree. I know what I'm eating for every work Christmas party...every. single. one. So when I ordered the curry risotto at Busboys and Poets, I even surprised myself. It did sound like a novel twist on the dish, but I still wasn't expecting much...It was f***ing fantastic. I would have licked the plate clean if I hadn't been in the presence of civilized company. I probably should have anyway (it wasn't the cheapest risotto I've ever had so I should have gotten my money's worth!). Other than the food and drinks, the locale has a pretty cool, pub-like vibe, and I appreciate their commitment to promoting social causes. There's even a book shop in the restaurant, which I wish I had had time to browse. I really recommend for a good and filling meal in DC!
Read morePros: Delicious food, Very cool atmosphere
Cons: Could've had more vegan options, Pretty pricey, but that's DC hey
Guest
MichelleP36
Points +1750
Fun cafe with vegan options - Edit
Dog friendly patio, labeled vegan and vegetarian options. Loved the tempeh sandwich
Read moreGuest
Kimya369
Points +311
Amazing selection of vegan options - Edit
I know this place isn't 100% plant-based, but the vegan options they had were both extensive and delicious. The coconut tofu balls and the new grilled cheese were incredible. The vegan cheesecake was also pretty darn tasty. Definitely worth a visit!
Read morePros: Variety of vegan options, Friendly staff
Guest
ChloeChristine
Points +1449
Really enjoyed this place! - Edit
We really really enjoyed this place. We went on a Sunday afternoon and it was packed. But even still, we waited only around 10 minutes for a table. There are so many delicious vegan options. This time we opted for the hummus and pita bread and two chicken style burgers. Everything we really delicious and they also have a really great range of drinks at the bar. We’re hoping we’ll have time to go back again before we leave DC.
Read moreEdit: we managed to go back one more time before leaving DC! We went on a Wednesday early evening and it was much much quieter than when we went on a Sunday. The food was delicious once again - I’m in love with the Moroccan soup now!
Updated from previous review on 2021-09-27
Guest
amy18wong
Points +114
Fun drinks & delish food. Must try! - Edit
Wonderful experience the both times that we went. Waitstaff was super nice & fun and the vegan choices are delicious. Plenty of options for omnivores as well. Sunday brunch can be very busy but worth the wait.
Read morePros: Lots Vegan & GF options that are clearly marked, Super fun atmosphere , Fun waitstaff
Cons: May have to wait for a table
Guest
beepeachiee
Points +57
My favorite restaurant! - Edit
On a previous trip to DC I went to this restaurant twice. I was so blown away by their vegan menu, and the dishes were delicious!! Completely blown away, can’t wait to visit again.
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options, Decently priced
Guest
kmau_
Points +1143
The vegan options are 5 star! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Edit
Excellent options!! All the vegan small dishes, entrees, and desserts I’ve had taste delicious and are wonderfully creative. The service is great, and the prices are commensurate with location, quality, and portion sizes.
Read moreThe best part (other than the food) is the bookstore at the front of the restaurant. It’s incredibly well curated and has a great diversity of genres, authors, and themes.
Love this restaurant!
Updated from previous review on 2021-04-26
Updated from previous review on 2021-04-26
Updated from previous review on 2021-04-26
Guest
KellyKramer
Points +281
Great Cafe for vegan meals! - Edit
Great restaurant! The staff were all soo friendly, social distancing rules were followed really well! We had vegan nachos, black bean burgers and sweet potato fries, and ended with a piece of chocolate cake! Such a great place and the artwork and books really made it feel vibey
Read moreGuest
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