Website WCGA 2.0 Accessible Verified by Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind

CLB seal 2019

Proud to announce that after working with the Accessibility Assurance Department at Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind, the Busboys and Poets website scored a 92% accessibility compliance against WCAG 2.0 level AA. This means that individuals who require alternative access to printed digital content will have comparable access and use of the website as do individuals who do not require an accessible alternative.

This is a part of main mission to be accessible to people with a wide range of range of disabilities, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, language, learning, and neurological disabilities. We hope you enjoy navigating our site and learning about us!

A Seat at the Table: The Making of Busboys and Poets

Sep 2, 2025

We’re proud to announce A Seat at the Table: The Making of Busboys and Poets, the new memoir from our CEO and Founder, which reveals the vision, challenges, and triumphs behind opening Busboys and Poets. Packed with misadventures, unexpected triumphs, and insights on race, business and politics, Andy Shallal’s memoir takes us on a “How I Built … Continued

For Langston Hughes on His 123 Birthday

Feb 1, 2024

Speech given on February 1, 2024 in Havana, Cuba In 1927 Langston Hughes walked into a Cuba amid an emerging community of artists, intellectuals, and radicals. He saw a “sunrise in a new land [– a day – in his words]sic – full of brownskin surprises, and hitherto unknown contacts in a world of color.” … Continued

Palestine Week 2024

Jan 12, 2024

January 18, 2024 – January 25, 2024 In keeping with our ongoing mission of uplifting racial and cultural connections, Busboys and Poets is hosting Palestine Week (January 18 through January 25, 2024). This week-long series of events will offer a diverse range of programming featuring Palestinian food, music, dance, poetry, discussions, and other enriching events. … Continued

Open for Service

Jun 3, 2020

All seven Busboys and Poets locations are open for patio service as the DMV begins phase one of reopening. Busboys and Poets is following all government mandated guidelines and taking every precaution to ensure everyone’s safety as we welcome you back into our dining rooms. The Busboys Promise OVERVIEW & PURPOSE To ensure everyone’s safety … Continued

Covid-19 Protocol

Dec 22, 2021

Due to the upcoming vaccination/testing requirements, we are re-posting the Busboys and Poets Safety Protocol: “The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented moment in history and has impacted the hospitality industry unlike anything else we have experienced before. This manual is an introduction to how Busboys and Poets plans to get in front of the situation, … Continued

Books by Black Authors

Feb 17, 2021

Celebrate Black Lives and Black History with superb books written by Black authors. #blackbooksmatter Select one or many from recommended lists of multiple genres handpicked by Busboys booksellers, in store or online. l

Pop-Up Cafe at Artomatic

Jun 2, 2012

Serving vegan and non-vegan items on the first floor of Artomatic, DC’s “biggest creative event” in Crystal City