Busboys and Poets, Baltimore

Just wanted to throw some fuel on the fire. Such a mediocre place with mediocre staff. Not worth the price or the time.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 3

Service: 2

Awful ownership, subpar management.A very condescending and ineffectual management team.No doubt this location will close, an extremely unpleasant experience.

The atmosphere was decent and so was the food. Nothing spectacular but more so a cool hang out spot to chill with friends. Overall a good experience.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 3

Service: 3

Recommended dishes: Fried Catfish

The food was tasteless and bland the sweet potato hash bowl tasted undone. The crab grits was very good. The waitress was very good. The atmosphere was very good.

This was my first time at this establishment. I've been told this fish is good so I ordered the fried catfish with greens and grits. I don't eat cheese so they gave me grits without cheese flavored with Crab meat (I think). Everything had a good taste and the good came out hot. Someone else in my party ordered the fried chicken and said it was very good. It looked good and I'd try it the next time. The staff were friendly and professional.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Blackened Salmon with Asparagus, Fried Catfish, Catfish and Grits, Fried Chicken

I've been going to Busboys in DC since 2011. I LOVE the brand, the food options and the vibes. The beauty of Busboys is you can go for any occasion including solo date meals. I moved to Baltimore earlier this year and was excited to see my favorite restaurant is less than 10 minutes from my house. The handful of times I have gone or ordered from the restaurant, I've been left disappointed. I've expressed my concerns directly to the restaurant (received no response). Some of my concers have been staff who seem inconvenienced by your presence, slow service, and incorrect orders. Given the multitude of eateries in Baltimore, I'm hesitant to continue patronizing this restaurant. It's like that person you keep going back to despite the fact they consistently show you that you don't matter. My rating is influenced by my overall experience with Busboys but I can't say I would recommend this location.The pic clearly shows the requested order (no flat bread, cucumber coulis on side) was not what i got (burger with Flatbread and cucumber coulis on the burger)

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 3

Service: 2

The bread pudding and ice cream was great! The vegan tuna sandwich was very filling and tasted delicious. Everyone was happy with their meals. The fried chicken was moist with great flavor and crunch. The greens were well spiced with great flavor. The food non vegetarian to vegetarian was spot on! We will be back.

Vegetarian options: The vegan tuna with chickpeas was very filling.

Kid-friendliness: Chicken tenders and fries were a hit.

Food: 5

Recommended dishes: Fried Chicken

Great for a quick lunch. Service was adequate. Waitress explained the menu. A little artsy. Location is within walking distance from the John Hopkins University. Seated quickly for lunch Meal can be ordered through a koisk on table and also can pay this way. Our waitress walked us through the process. We had a salad and a turkey burger. Both meals were average. Was told at nights, they have live performances. Nothing was happening during the day.

Very unique restaurant with a definite activism vibe. Felt very LA. Staff were respectful but you have to order on your phones, and pay large prices for tiny quantities. The $17 of cobb salad likely contained around $2 of chicken, avocado, and bacon, with tons of filler lettuce. Food tasted pretty good just expect small quantities of protein and high prices.

This was an unexpectedly amazing experience. Great atmosphere sitting outside. Amazing service and the food was straight fire! Highly recommend the fried catfish with grits and collard’s. Mimosas were great too. One of the better Busboy locations I’ve frequented.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Fried Catfish

I decided to take the star away from service and not food because it was for the preparation of the Bloody Mary I received. It tasted fine (my Bloody Mary experience being somewhat limited), but it has only a straw sticking out of it, and was without the most basic celery stick or lemon wedge.The Mediterranean Lamb burger was very nice and enjoyed by both parties who ordered. Or servers were pleasant and responsive.Oh yeah, although they were good, the sweet potatoe fries were not very warm.Overall, a very good experience

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

Very nice place. The food and drinks were really good. Lots of options for the dietary restricted. Went for my cousin's birthday. Great atmosphere for a beautiful Saturday afternoon.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The restaurant was clean and I enjoyed the ease of ordering and the mini bookstore. The Staff were very pleasant and quick.The pancakes were lukewarm, almost cold and the bacon was Meh. The person I was treating to breakfast had gotten the wrong dish and also had lukewarm food. She frequents the place and believe it was just a bad day. I on the other hand was a first and last timer.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 2

Service: 5

Perfect place for lunch. It can get bit loud, but it’s because everyone enjoys it here. We really liked ordering through the app. QR codes are on the tables. You get text updates when the food is coming and you can pay anytime through the app as well. Also you can purchase books through the app, quite a good selection, and displayed art is curated to perfection.Now about the food. Shrimp and grits were bit spicy, but not overly. They had a nice kick. French toast was fresh. Overall it’s a great place. I just wish the crab cakes were available the day we came in.

Recommended dishes: Busboys and Poets French Toast, Shrimp

Will not be returning to this location. Eating out should be an experience not just a plate of food shoved in front of you. While the food was good the experience was bottom tier. Hospitality zero. Ordering online, I may as well stay in my home and uber eat. Staff in general didn’t seem to want to be there. No warmth. Everyone seemed annoyed. Then they started loudly popping balloons from an event. It was awful for my elderly mother and even for me. The waiter said he told them to stop but they weren’t stopping. I don’t know who “they” was but not sure how that’s acceptable. I’ve been to the ones in DC, Hyattsville and Columbia and this is by far the worse. I don’t think the owner realizes or understands that eating out is an experience that is not just about the food. In fact good service could make food taste better than it actually is. Also be sure to check your bill. My daughter ordered a mojito and was told they had no mint. She subbed with another drink and both appeared on the bill and had to be removed. And the mint they supposedly did not have ended up as garnish on our desserts ?Will not be returning to this location. Overall mediocre and if I could give it 2.5 stars I would