Bookstore Holiday Sale

Busboys and Poets Books is having a holiday sale! For one week, all books will be 10% off. Need last minute holiday gifts? A good read for the upcoming winter solstice? Come in and get a few books for the children in your life, something to help you brush up on some social justice, or wine down with some poetry. We have something for all the book lovers in your life. Don’t forget to get something for yourself!

Some of our staff picks include:

Li’l Rabbit’s Kwanzaa by Donna L. Washington

The 100 Best African American Poems edited by Nikki Giovanni

The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis

The Making of Busboys and Poets

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

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

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For Langston Hughes on His 123 Birthday

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

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Palestine Week 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

Cuba Week Deck

Busboys and Poets Cuba Week 2022

October 15, 2022 – October 22, 2022 Join us at Busboys and Poets for Cuba Week 2022 as we celebrate the food, art, and culture of Cuba! Come and experience the authentic taste of Cuba at Busboys and Poets! We’ve partnered with the Embassy of Cuba’s head chef to bring you four very special dishes … Continued

Busboys in En Route Traveler

Busboys in En Route Traveler

“Part of the reason why I founded this place was that I wanted a space that feels like home away from home, a space that represents the multi-cultural, multi ethnic, multi-racial, and multi-age aspects of the city, a space that represents the city that I live in – Washington, DC.” – Andy Shallal

Open for Service

Open for Service

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

HanvanaLunch byJamesAlbright

4. Cuba – The Hotel Nacional

Follow along for the Busboys and Poets Travel Tribe’s Cultural Exchange trip to Cuba (July 6-13, 2022) Wednesday, July 6, 2022 By Andy Shallal (@andyshallal CEO/Founder, Busboys and Poets) On the way to the hotel we make a pit stop for lunch. A sprawling thatch covered restaurant. Completely open to the elements on all sides. Linen … Continued