restaurant manager

locator

front of house manager

assistant general manager

kitchen manager

Busboys and Poets

The culture is the keeper. Few if any places besides Busboys and Poets blend politics and social/cultural awareness with their business model. I love that dialogue concerning issues that need to be talked about is not shunned as in most "politically correct" workplaces, and that guests have come to expect such realness from the environment and the staff.
Unfortunately the management does not embody the same principles and work ethics that are expected of those lower on the totem pole, and whoever is above management is not as critical of their performance. Somewhere there is a lapse in communication, and it has yet to be addressed or fixed. Management is generally hired from within, so it is upsetting to work under managers who were once servers/bartenders/hosts, etc. yet manage as if they don't understand what it means to be a server/bartender/host etc.
The music is awesome, the atmosphere is awesome, the menu is awesome, the neighborhood is awesome and historic, the back of the house is the heart of the success, the events are awesome, the guests they attract are awesome, the social/political awareness generated by their artwork and bookstore is awesome. The management is there obviously due to the policy of hiring from within and apparently they are the best that could be hired at the time, but I wonder how good of a server/bartender/host etc. they could have been to manage as poorly as they do. Still waiting on a W-2 (it's February 6). It doesn't seem as though they care about or respect workers who go above and beyond, and will readily group the best with the mediocre in terms of "punishment", instead of addressing the bad apples. I would still work there because of the business model and the freedom I feel - being able to speak freely on matters that truly affect our world/society/community while providing excellent and exceptional customer service and hospitality to people from all over the world who patronize Busboys and Poets because of their "conscious cuisine" and "tribal" statement (and their vegan dishes), but I am exceptional, and wouldn't recommend them to an average worker - not even a liberal, until they address the lackluster management (and HR).

Busboys tries its best to appear as "woke" as it could possibly be. The initial impression is its the closest you can get to working in an accepting, inclusive and free spirited working environment. Employee's wear shirts with the words "Tribe" written on them and everyone (from the outside) seems to be happy to come to work and be a part of something "bigger" than just a restaurant. But unfortunately, Busboys really is just like any other restaurant. Bullying, Abuse of Power, Favoritism, Racism (and from what i've seen in other reviews even harrasment) still exists in this little company- they just do a very good job at making it seem like it doesn't. Every panel discussion, open mic or book signing about race/culture/ethics/politics etc-is held in the restaurants open to the public all the time.... and its alarming the very people holding these discussions are covering their own indiscretions in their company. The irony is insane. 

I say this company is run just like any other restaurant because its true- this industry is deeply rooted in all kinds of crazy forms of abuse to its employees and this company is excellent at covering up all of it. This explains the sudden disillusionment every single employee goes through once they realize they were sold a dream thats really a sham. Its really heartbreaking to watch.  
A lot of the review's here blame management- and in some cases I truly believe management can be an issue. But it really goes beyond that-this is a company that honestly doesn't seem to know what its doing (google Busboys Race Card) and it trickles down to management and ultimately the employees that work under them.  Their weak spot is training (because its pretty nonexistent) and it shows every.single.day. 
The question of how they have been able to run this place really goes to the consumer. If anything appears to be black owned (its not btw) or politically revolutionary no one will question it and everyone will support it blindly. Its actually a really great business model when you think about it. 

The Pros are you will meet a lot of interesting and fascinating people. You will build relationships with co workers that may last a long time and this could make it a fun place to work. But this could also be achieved at literally any other job- especially here in the city. 

Please take the time to read other reviews on this site about this place. its really eye opening to see that we all share the same experiences.

Its Tuesday evening, my co manager and I have conducted the pre-shift for the PM staff informing them and the events of the evening. These events would typically include a Book Talk and a Open Mic poetry event. Book talks typically start around the beginning of dinner rush at 6:30. These events usually have about 50 or so guest ordering wine and small dishes to listen in on the authors take on the book. We would then have an hour to transition the room from the Book Talk to the next event, Open Mic. To allow guest to come in the room we would have to check then in via printed tickets that we could scan through our phone or check off manually on a paper list. once we get the 115 guest seated and in we have to ensure that three servers can serve every interested guest drinks and food and close out all checks in properly. All of this gets done while managing a full dinning room of guest on a busy U street corridor corner. What I learned from these typical nights with this company is that everyone plays an integral role in the success of the restaurant. My co workers came from a wide age range from myself being the youngest of the management team to others members of management who were 30 years my senor.The hardest part of the job was the extremely long hours and not being compensated fairly managing extraordinary restaurants/bars/lounges. Nonetheless, the most enjoyable part of the job was I could bring my complete self to work. I am able to think freely and be creative with ideas.

Busboys and Poets is a small company that is rapidly growing. As a result, they are willing to invest in talent and provide a lot of advancement opportunities. The company has a tribal statement that serves as a guiding principal and the company does strive to live up to those ideals. There is a lot of access to the owner and leadership team. The company is open to new ideas and strives to be a progressive employer. They offer great benefits for a restaurant group that even extend to floor staff. It is a fun place to work and as long as you get your work done correctly, accurately, and on time then you will be have a lot of autonomy. If they begin micro-managing you, it is a sign that they are not happy with your performance. 

That being said, as a team member you will feel some of the growing pains that come with a company that is rapidly growing - including frequent policy changes and fragmented/inconsistent communication. A number of people have been with the company for years, this means there is a lot of institutional knowledge and a real camaraderie amongst the staff that have been there for years. But there are not always the systems to share the institutional knowledge. This can also make it hard for newer staff members and at times can feel like there are cliques. 

Getting a raise is hard, be sure that when you accept a position you are not expecting a raise after a year. Typically it takes about 18-24 months to get a raise.

Been with the company through multiple changes for over 4 years now. There has been at least a 62-78% overturn rate.  From the main office employees to current store location and the management/staff. I must say the current team we have now overall is solid. But the communication and lack of mutual respect from upper management outside of our location is lacking. There is no acknowledgement of us being there when they enter our space, and if they do, it's short and curt. Nothing like the companies mission statement. The managers in store are the ONLY ones that fight for their staff to be heard, seen and respected. They consistently focus ONLY on the minor flaws instead of major issues that need to be repaired within the stores and staff (ie. broken appliances, staff hours/wages, training issues). Unfortunately, this is the constant TRUE "culture" that is dealt with daily. Room for promotion is based upon how much of a "yes" person you are, not your experience/capabilities to get the job done. Job security is average,  as long as you do your job and dont ruffle any feathers. You can be with the company for as long as you'd like/can stand it.

 Might end up doing some other ppls jobs for them (bookstore + restaurant). Zero worthwhile benefits, job security, or covid 19 protection (they only JUST put up a plastic barrier (summer 2021)). They have favorites and it's rarely due to work ethic. Can legally fire you abruptly without reason in D.C. Will always side with managers: I once asked a manager to have a boundary with me (concerning my payments) and I was never allowed to work at their location again. That location was a 10 min walk from my home. Restaurant does not seem to understand that the draw for bbp is the bookstore and the environment/culture. They often act like we're not working and should be hosting instead, even if they have a hostess present. The only positives are that you can sit down and work which is nice for disable ppl who can't always stand but who need to work and you tend to work independently. 

I typical day at work is usually very busy. You're greeted with lovely faces everyday which is great! What I learned working at Busboys and Poets is how many alternatives there are for eating healthy and organic meals. I learned about Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, how our meat is prepared and where its prepared, etc. Management is okay but I feel like most times the team doesn't allow the staff to maximize their full potential, keeping someone tied to one level knowing their capabilities, which is not good. My co-workers are very cool to work with. We all help each other and play great as a team. The hardest part of the job is when we have to tip out according to our sales. The most enjoyable part of my job is connecting with people from all over the world and that by my service and sincerity I could make someone feel better about their day.

The main issue there for me was the management. The clientele that was catered to are more than phenomenal, as that's what the company attracts. The management however, seem to not really know what they're doing. You have to ask 4-5 times to get anything done (especially when it's money related) and when you call HR they get upset and ask why. Some are lenient to an extent as any food industry manager would be, but the ones that aren't do the exact thing they ask you not to do (i.e. talk on their phone, talk idly when there's work to be done, etc..). The most enjoyable part of the job was probably the bookstore and the open microphone events.

The job is good at first but lack of structure within management soon shows. Managers are inexperienced and undertrained. They work inefficiently and made poor decisions that would affect the flow of the restaurant. When concerns would be brought to their attention by staff, they would often not listen. Sometimes managers would be in the office for HOURS only to come out and have no idea what is happening on the floor. Upper management was even worse. They would come in with large egos and intimidate whoever was working that day. As a server it was hard to make money due to managers. Either the restaurant would be too over staffed to make money or the managers would not to cut the floor when it was clearly slow.

The mission statement here is BEAUTIFUL. The pay is great (For some. no real Equal pay structure). And the initial hiring process is AMAZING. The food is good. And they have a nice benefits package.Your first few days will probably be the best orientation process you ever receive. And that's where it ends. Work life balance is nonexistent. If you speak up about the misogyny or lack of training you will be singled out and terminated. You are expected "to figure it out". You earn PTO hours for doing extra days which is awesome. But if you ask to use the time off you're viewed as weak, incompetent, or lazy. You must be willing to fully live, breath, die Busboys and Poets or it won't work for you. If you're willing to give up your sense of self worth for good pay this is the job for you.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Restaurant manager 7 salaries reported	$67,214 per year
Locator 2 salaries reported	$19.30 per hour
Front of house manager 1 salary reported	$67,500 per year
Assistant general manager 2 salaries reported	$70,000 per year
Kitchen manager 2 salaries reported	$61,250 per year

Working at Busboys and Poets: Company Overview and Reviews

Busboys and Poets

Busboys and Poets Ratings

Popular jobs at Busboys and Poets

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected