Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
American
Pizza
Beer/Wine
Take-out
Breakfast
Non-veg

Serves meat, vegan options available. Operates multiple indy bookstore cafes with a progressive mindset that promotes local businesses. This one est. 2007. 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 9:00am-10:00pm, Fri-Sat 9:00am-11:00pm, Sun 9:00am-10:00pm.


Venue map for Busboys and Poets - Shirlington
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47 Reviews

First Review by childchr

DianaJVegan

Points +65

Vegan
02 Dec 2023

Great vegan options

I come to visit my sister who lives nearby a few times a year. Going to Busboys and Poets is always on our agenda. They have a wide range of vegan and gluten-free options including a huge and delicious plate of vegan nachos. The ingredients are fresh and servings are large.

Pros: Lots of vegan options , Good value, Good service

Cons: Can get very crowded and noisy

VeganAndrew

Points +20

Vegan
26 Nov 2023

Great Stuff!

Unfortunately, it wasn’t fully vegan by any means, but they had around 30 vegan options including the sides!! Incredible food, good outdoor seating, friendly workers, and cool library!

Pros: Great food, Nice people, Good atmosphere

Cons: Not fully vegan

graceemily

Points +136

Vegan
21 Oct 2023

I really wanted to like this place

Well, first off our waitress was very nice but not good at her job. We waited a very long time for water, much after the food came.
We had to ask multiple people. My vegan wrap was good, way too spicy, but not bad.
My boyfriend who isn't vegan got the chicken panini, which was pink and undercooked. The matcha latte, was half filled. When we brought it to the attention of the waitress, they just added more milk as a solution. Making it a cup of hot milk, with a little matcha. The manager stated that they would take the sandwich off the check, they didn't. Also, the cups were dirty.

Pros: Friendly staff, Vegan options , Halal options

Cons: Dirty cups, Poor food quality , Undercooked food

Herbal_Empress_Nee

Points +79

Vegan
08 Jul 2023

Vegan Nachos OMG

So one of my fav comfort foods before transitioning to veganism was nachos. The vegan nachos are my favorite item on the menu and I order them every-time I'm in Arlington. I've also tried the vegan tuna sandwich and it's so awesome. Plus the store has books and tarot cards to browse before or after your meal. A must stop.

Pros: Many vegan options and other healthy choices , Quick to go service

Cons: Small location so dining in may be challenging

f.ascioti

Points +46

Vegan
31 Mar 2023

Great spot in a really cool downtown area!

Would visit here again in a heartbeat. Books, (clearly) marked vegan food, fast service. It was the perfect stop before flying out of DC. I only wish a place like this existed near me!

Had the Korean "chicken" bites which were great but very obviously Gardein chicken (non issue just observation!). Also had the falafel salad and it was delicious. Wicked heavy on the dressing. If I were to have it again I'd ask for it on the side, but that's just my preference.

Would come here again for sure!

Pros: Clearly marked vegan options , Cool store!!! , Forward leaning staff (welcoming)

KiVegan

Points +199

Vegan
20 Feb 2023

Vegan pasta converts non-vegan

My partner isn’t vegan and a finicky eater but he swore the vegan pasta dish was the best pasta he’d ever had. I’d have to agree.

Pros: Right spice combination, Great for groups

emilys020

Points +30

Vegan
18 Feb 2023

Lots of options!

Tons of clearly labeled vegan options. We had the vegan bbq beef sandwich and vegan chicken sandwich and they were both delicious.

Pros: Lots of options, Clear menu labeling , Cool atmosphere

ViennaVegan

Points +1036

Vegan
21 Nov 2022

The tempeh panino is my go-to here -- highly recommend

Tempeh Panino -- Tempeh, sauteed onion, arugula, vegan harissa, roasted red pepper, French loaf.

This is perhaps my favorite sandwich at ANY restaurant.

Lots of vegan options well marked on the menu, including desserts like vegan cheesecake from Vegan Treats.

LJVegan

Points +1907

Vegan
20 Nov 2022

It’s aight.

Atmosphere is the best part. Many clearly labeled vegan options.

lilypadhai

Points +142

Vegan
13 Sep 2022

Yummy breakfast. Vegan “egg” wrap was delicious!

My hotel in Arlington, Virginia has zero vegan options for food. I found this place which had a vegan breakfast option, and I am so glad that I did. The vegan “egg“ wrap, absolutely divine. Sadly, the driver did not bring my oat, milk, dirty, chai, but I’m sure it would’ve been delicious too. There is an upcharge on alternative milk, but I think in this part of metro, DC, that’s going to be common. if you were stuck in Arlington, Virginia, needing a breakfast, I highly recommend this one.

Pros: One great vegan option, Vegan breakfast

Cons: Upcharge for alt milk, Not a ton of vegan options

MaraK

Points +350

Vegan
06 Aug 2022

Consistently really good

I love Busboys and Poets and have eaten at all or most of their locations. Today, I had a really excellent appetizer — crispy cauliflower. And a vegan chicken sandwich.

MattSedlak

Points +20

Vegan
21 Feb 2022

Bad Experience

PSA: Vegan nachos come with yellow corn chips. If they send out vegan nachos with blue corn chips, ask them to double check.

I went here with my parents. Between the three of us, we each ordered something on the menu that they were out of. When we were ordering drinks, one of us asked for a drink that wasn't sweet and what came out tasted like fruit juice concentrate. The mezcal drink had so much other stuff in it, you'd never know it had mezcal.

We ordered vegan nachos, but halfway through realized that the cheese looked really authentic and then saw that the chips for the vegan nachos were supposed to be yellow. After checking with the kitchen they confirmed they were not vegan. They were very apologetic, and mistakes happen, but it was disappointing given that vegan food appears to be a priority for them. The nachos also didn't come as described on the menu (no black bean salsa) and the non vegans said they were subpar.

The 2 vegan dishes we ordered were the bbq "beef" sandwich and the vegan tuna salad. They were both good, but neither was great. The vegan tuna didn't have a lot of texture, or enough nori, and the beef was tasty, but oddly soft. On the bright side, after the nachos, there was no doubt the entrees were fake meat.

There were a lot of options here, and I'd give them another try, but this was not a good first impression.

kelseyfayep

Points +437

Vegan
24 Dec 2021

Such a favorite

This is where we always bring guests. So many options for vegans and non vegans alike

pheasance

Points +295

Vegan
20 Nov 2021

Great food and vibes

Love this place. Tons of vegan options, full bar, desserts, coffee, and an amazing progressive bookstore, too! Plan some time to browse before or after you eat. I stumbled into brunch this time and so tried it for the first time. Yummy "egg" wrap and hash browns. I've enjoyed the chickpea salad sandwich and sliders in the past. Also a nice place to try a local brew. Staff are terrific.

Pros: Clearly labeled vegan options, Full bar, Progressive bookstore

Cons: Parking, Can be noisy

BestL

Points +247

Vegan
10 May 2021

So many vegan choices!

Amazing! We had the cauliflower bites, asparagus, cauliflower tacos, vegan chorizo pasta, and the chickpea tuna sandwich. I loved everything! I want to go back again and order the rest of the vegan items on the menu.

laurentravels

Points +432

Vegan
12 Feb 2021

Sunday Brunch

I cannot rave about this place enough!

They have so many vegan options its crazy! Plus they arent crappy vegan options, they have tempeh bacon... that says it all.


RESERVATIONS:
My family and I came in for Sunday brunch and left happy and full! We made a reservation via yelp after I had called the day before and they recommended us to come early. We arrived at 10 am and there were people there but it wasn't overly busy we got sat right away. If we would have showed around 11-1 we would have had a slight wait time since it did start to pick up.
They only accept reservations via yelp or its first come first serve.

I really hope a manager sees this post because our server was probably one of the best servers I have ever had. Her name was Bina. Thank you! She was busy and still made time to chat with us, make sure our drinks were never empty, and attended to whatever we needed. Plus! she made the bloody Mary's herself. She was great and made our whole experience so much better.

If you are vegetarian I highly recommend their sweet potato pancakes, my mom is veg so I tried some of hers and they were so good!
You really can't go wrong with any of their food.

Pros: Lots of Vegan Options

honeybee_0021

Points +179

Vegan
07 Feb 2021

Great!

The app would only let me give 4 stars because it’s not a fully vegan place. The vegan food we ate was 5 star quality. We got the vegan scramble omelet wrap with home fries and avocado toast. Everything was delicious!

KelseyCoulter

Points +144

Vegan
08 Aug 2020

Delicious!

I love the atmosphere and food at this restaurant. The staff is always very friendly and there are plenty of vegan options.

KatherineCole

Points +212

Vegan
29 Jul 2020

Favorite brunch spot

Great brunch with lots of options. Easy, free parking across the street in the garage. Lunch/dinner is good too!

Pros: Has brunch!

Cons: $5 per mimosa

Brusswole_Sprouts

Points +531

Vegan
12 Mar 2020

Great place at all locations.

Love busboys and poets. Their food is good at all their locations. I would note that their lunch/dinner menu is much more vegan friendly than their brunch option. They serve their brunch menu until 5pm on weekends.

Pros: Lots of vegan options , Cool vibes, BOOKS

Cons: Brunch menu not great for vegans

Alenka

Points +69

Vegan
19 Jan 2020

Wonderful Atmosphere

To start with, they are open until 11pm Sunday through Thursday, until midnight Friday and Saturday and also have happy hours (sorry, don’t know when exactly). If you haven’t been there yet and have a location near you, please go and enjoy! They have separate vegan menu as well as lots of vegetarian options, and their dishes are huge, especially vegan nachos!

Pros: Delicious Vegan Menu, Big Portions (you’ll need a box if ordered 2))

plantmeplease

Points +366

Vegan
25 Nov 2019

Good vegan food and vibes

One of my favorite restaurants. The food is great and a good variety of vegan options.

MeganCrooker

Points +72

Vegan
24 Nov 2019

So great!

I loved my experience at Busboys and Poets. The waitstaff was knowledgeable and friendly and there are tons of options for vegans. Will DEFINITELY go back for more!

Adrie_H

Points +869

Vegetarian
26 Sep 2019

Great Selection

Great selection of food and beverages! The Avocado Panini with Sweet Potato Fries were delicious. Artful decor. Fast and friendly service.

CindyK

Points +35

Vegan
23 Aug 2019

So many delicious vegan options

Nice to have a choice! And there’s plenty here. I love the vegan tuna with delicious fries. Nice to be able to have a vegan latte with breakfast or a mimosa with fresh squeezed OJ. Fun atmosphere with a little bookshop & events (poetry, music, book readings, etc). Sign up for frequent dining card and get discounts on meals.

Pros: High quality ingredients , Generous portions , Friendly service

Cons: There’s a wait on weekends (but worth it), Some tables a bit too close for comfort

BiteSizedBeet

Points +850

Vegan
29 Jul 2019

Love this place!

I’m a huge fan of BB&P. Service is friendly and they have well marked vegan options, plus many that are also gluten free. The nachos are AMAZING, and the BBQ Beef Sandwich was nice and spicy. I got fruit as a side which was fresh blueberries and strawberries.

Since they are so social justice oriented, I wish they could translate that into being an all vegan restaurant but I’ll have to keep wishing for now. They have vegan cookbooks and farm sanctuary books for sale which made me happy.

Pros: Well marked options , Vegan books!, Friendly service

Cons: Not all vegan... yet

Juliajulia2u

Points +36

Vegan
04 Jul 2019

Best restaurant in DMV

My daughters and I love B&P. Now that I live in Alexandria, I go to the Shirlington location. My favorite items are the vegan tuna salad sandwich, vegan nachos, Brussels sprouts, and the coconut tofu bites. Their French fries are awesome too. Plenty of non-dairy milk options for your coffee. It’s always my first choice!

Pros: Huge vegan menu, Everything is so good, Great atmosphere




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