Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe

We happened upon this quaint little bookstore while walking around the town and was surprised to find this little café in the back of the store. The food here was excellent! My hubby loved the smoked pork Cubano sandwich and I had the prime rib sandwich. It was the best prime rib sandwich I ever had. Nothing has come close since. The bread pudding was yummy as well as the death by chocolate. Definitely on my list of favorite places to eat.

Bookstore with a nice café nestled inside like a little secret or something. We came here in a Friday night hoping to avoid any kind of wait, and luck was on our side. If you had to wait, there’s a whole store just swarming with books… So you can browse around for a bit.
We ordered some wine to start the night. Highlight of my meal: Crab cake pasta. I’d recommend that to anyone.
Our waitress was so nice too. We may have all had girl crushes on her.

Stopped by for the books. Didn’t find what I was looking for, but discovered a whole lot of cool reads instead. Despite how narrow the walking spaces are, it seems completely acceptable for people to pick up a good read and skim through cross-​legged on the floor. Though space is always an issue, a couple of scattered stools or seats would have made this review 5 stars. They also have a bar and a café which I’ll have to try some time. Bonus points for the staff who picked an Angela Davis as a featured read.

Grabbed dinner here with friends on a Tues. night. It wasn’t busy and it was a warm day, so we got to sit outside in the back. Ordered the vegetarian risotto, which I enjoyed since the vegetables tasted fresh, though I would have loved the dish more if there was a seafood option. Decent beer menu and liked the local options. Give it more 3.5 stars.

Nice small bookstore. Friendly staff and good books. There’s a cute café on one side and a small bar on the other. Super relaxing and cute.

Found this place on Unilocal when in DC. Cool place with more seating than you would think. The crab cakes appetizer was excellent. Risotto with scallops was very good all the way to Little Rich.

Wow, has this place gone downhill. We stopped in on Saturday to grab a quick dinner with the kids. I should have reconsidered after my feet stuck to the floor in my walk to the table and the restaurant reeked of stale beer. The server took our order and then came back three times to clarify the order, he seemed to have no idea what was on the menu.
He did mention to save room for dessert — that they had this delicious ice cream sandwich by Milk Cult that was *amazing.* Dinner finally came — the scallops and brussel sprouts were good. The kids Mac N Cheese had to be sent back b/​c we requested no bread crumbs and it came with bread crumbs. The fish tacos were soggy.
So, back to dessert and how great that ice cream sandwich is — OK, we’ll take one to share. Then, after waiting 15 minutes with two kids, the waiter comes back to say «Sorry, we are all out of the ice cream sandwiches — I should have come back earlier to let you know.» How do you not know that at the beginning of the evening!!! It was 6pm. Ridiculous.

The food and mimosas were good. Unfortunately, the rest of our experience was so poor, it ruined our experience. It took over an hour from the time we ordered until our food finally came out — and we were only a group of 3! Our waiter never came by unless we waved him down.
Our waiter assured us we could have the Berry Berry pancakes as a side, but they came out as plain pancakes. When asked about it after we finally flagged him down, he brought out a tiny cup of fruit — and then charged us for it! The Veggie Huevos Rancheros were good if small. The omelettes were tasty, but the fillings were all raw.
Disappointing. Won’t recommend it or go back.

3 of us came for an early weeknight dinner and got seated immediately. I like the book store, but I wasn’t that impressed by the café. It’s only got a handful of tables and is dimly lit and not well decorated inside. Luckily, we just walked through out back and got to sit outside in the nice weather.
We split the pork belly/​mac and cheese appetizer, which a small serving and probably more suitable for splitting between 2 instead of 3. For my entrée, I ordered the goat curry, which was a great serving size and tasted amazing served over a bed of rice. However, it oddly came with tons of bits of bones embedded in the curry! After a few scary moments where I almost choked on bones the size of tiny wood splinters, I was soon picking through each spoonful of rice/​/​curry before every bite, which was not very fun. I can’t imagine why the kitchen would serve this drenched over rice but still chock full of crushed bones.

I was a little worried when I walked into a book store. We made our way to the patio. I had the crab cake pasta. It was fantastic! It is a heavy meal, so plan a nap afterword.
We had the salted caramel vanilla cake and added a scoop of ice cream of course. I added a cup of coffee to mine. The dessert and coffee we excellent!
The service, food and atmosphere were great! I will go back when I’m in DC.

Very friendly staff. Easy to meet diverse people who in most cases love to socialize. Late night food is available great selection of beer and liquor. Love Daryl, Molly and Calvin! My next cheers bar

If I could give this place 10 stars it would deserve them. Between our server Brandi and chef Jimmy the food was amazing. We had a group of 8 and we all ordered something different from the way it comes standard on the menu. Brandi has the best customer service skills and handled everything perfectly. Jimmy came to confirm with one of our people how she wanted her meal to make sure it was done correctly. The presentation when the plates came to the table looked like they belonged in a 5 Star Resteraunt. Everyone’s meals were exactly as ordered and tasted fabulous!
Our group is in DC every year at this time and we will defiantly be back next year. Hopefully Brandi and Jimmy will still be here!

Enjoyed a great brunch at Kramerbooks last Sunday. They offer an extensive brunch menu with many amazing-​sounding options.
I went with the Chesapeake Bay crab omelet. It was a massive omelet and quite good. I also enjoyed a bloody mary, offered on special with brunch at $ 3 (if you like it spicy, ask for more spice).
A warning, the brunch menu is quite pricy. Expect to spend $ 16 – 20 for an omelet. And $ 3-​plus for a coffee. (I am a little confused as to why my coffee was served with piping hot milk). While I enjoyed the meal, I probably will not be making an immediate return here due to the high cost of the meal. Food was good, but $ 70+ for two people to enjoy brunch is a bit extreme.

We all needed coffee but decided to share dessert. It’s full restaurant, and a bar is on the other side, which links up to the bookstore.
Coffee = $ 3.25
«Iced coffee» = which was a spectacular fail because their nitrogen cartridge was busted, yet they charged us for it. Even though we were served hot coffee instead. $ 3.50 x2
Death by chocolate cake (flourless) = $ 7.25, à la mode $ 2.95 upcharge.
Prices = reasonable/​moderate. Coffee and dessert to share for 3 came out to $ 22.50.
Service = friendly but hectic. *shrugs
Bookstore = fun for all ages. Although it’s a bit cramped, but WTH am I complaining about… I’m from SF. lol I finally saw The Food Lab in person, but only in the display window. D’oh!

Came here on the last day of our DC excursion, and the main attraction about Kramer that stood out to me was that they are a ²⁴⁄₇ bookstore on the weekends. (I can’t even find one in NYC!) Kramer become one of the bucket list to explore in DC.
There was about a 30 – 45 minutes wait for a table of 5, however in between checking out the selection of reads they have (which is quite extensive and allows an array of readers to find their preferences), I received a text from our hostess that our table is ready. (Another good thing about Kramer, the hostess actually takes down my number and text me when the table is ready. A little hipster, but fits in with the ambience of the place perfectly. Who doesn’t deserves a hipster boozy brunch?)
The menu offers the usual brunch dishes like crab benedict, and omelettes. They also provide burgers, and steak and eggs as well. I ordered the crab benedict ($ 20), and my friends ordered two of their omelettes, and burger along with a waffle. Our waitress was very attentive, and came in to check on us frequently throughout our visit. We ordered a round of bloody mary’s, and a round of their strawberry mimosas (which was about $ 3 with a meal). The crab egg benefit was basically egg on a biscuit with a crab cake on the side. The crab cake was full of chunky crab meat, however the flavor was a little bland, and so was my friend’s crab omelet.
Overall, the food was mediocre. The coffee selection was great, with coffee from Ethiopia that comes with free refill.

Looooooove this place.
In the spring and summer the outdoor seating is the best and in fall and winter you can sit in under the glass dome area and still get a little bit of sunshine but stay warm.
The food is great. The drinks are awesome. The staff is always very helpful and accommodating.
Also, since it’s attached to a pretty fabulous bookstore you can always kill time there before or after dinner.
Doesn’t really get much better than this for a bookstore/​café.

For today’s review, I can only talk about the dessert because that’s all I ate here. But what I did eat was delicious and the service and the ambience were great. The place was a little hipster but what do you expect from a bookstore café.
Speaking of desserts, you have got to try the apple tart with the cinnamon ice cream. The ice cream had just the perfect amount of cinnamon in it. And that apple tart, oh my God. Perfection. My friend got the death by chocolate and he loved it, but he always comes here so he already knew it was good. Cheater.
In any matter, I’ll definitely be back because I totally need to take my girlfriend to eat this apple tart!

I’ve been to Kramerbooks many times over the years whether for a quick bite to eat for brunch or sitting at the bar, and I always find myself returning. Really, this place is good for any of them.
When you walk into the bookstore, you don’t really realize how big the restaurant is in the back — there’s plenty of seating and you don’t really need a restaurant reservation unless it’s one of the busy brunch times.
This is also good place to meet people for a drink or coffee, because the bar is not huge but it is pretty cozy. It goes without saying that you can buy a book and then sit down at the café part. I really enjoy the café part, the sitdown food is pretty good but nothing special. Harder to compete with all the restaurants in this area on uniqueness and taste, so it’s harder to judge.
Overall, Kramerbooks is a good place to meet friends and have, at the very least, a good dessert.

This place was close to our hotel, so I made a reservation here on a Friday night to ensure we didn’t have to wait. We were seated promptly after checking in.
We studied the menu and reviewed all the food photos on Unilocal so the minute our waiter, Abu (sorry if I spelt it incorrectly), came by with our waters, we placed our order. The husband decided on the crab cake pasta (even though we made a pit stop to Bethesda Crab House before we got to DC… he’s just a huge fan of crabs and old bay). I settled on the shrimp & grits. Abu laughed when he took our order and told us he liked our style. We enjoyed having him as our server, very attentive, and personable.
The crab cake pasta was very good, but eventually it got a bit salty. The shrimp & grits was very scrumptious, not your typical Southern style shrimp & grits. I would say it had a NOLA twist to it, with the bits of andouille sausage and pork belly in the sauce. I salivating just typing this review.
Our biggest regret was not having enough room for dessert. We had a whole weekend of eating ahead of us and had to take it slow. Next time!

Went for dessert. I had the triple chocolate cake a la mode. It was very rich, super moist. More ganache and frosting than cake though, so it did not pair well with the ice cream. My company had the apple pie: I was jealous.
Expect a fifteen minute wait for your dessert order. The wait staff could be more attentive.

Visiting town and went here for brunch with 6 adults, 2 infants. Awesome, beyond the call of duty service and great brunch — I had the crab omelette. The coffee never ran too low, which is the mark of a good brunch place. Would go again

Great for brunch! Ordered Ranchos Huevos. Great book collection to buy and read during wait

Went for restaurant week. The deal was an appetizer, entrée, and dessert for $ 35. The appetizer I got was the pork belly with Kim cheez (Kim chi Mac and cheese). I thought the pork belly was cooked well but tasted plain. Also the Kim cheez could have been more flavorful as well. For the entrée I got the crab cake pasta. The pasta was good, I would definitely order it again. For dessert I got the goober pie which was amazing. The peanut butter pie was exactly what I wanted.

I was in town for business and had a bit of a delay getting out the door for dinner. Three of the places we stopped in had closed their kitchens and finally someone referred us here. What a find!
The café has a fresh creative menu with strong cocktails and a great wine and beer menu. I had the Crab Cake Pasta and my friend had the Cuban Sandwich. Both were fresh, hot, seasoned and cooked perfectly. Not huge portions, but I was certainly full and satisfied.
The book store also features a fantastic selection of everything you can ever want including childrens books. My friend purchased a few short story collections and I am going back for an adult coloring book as they had really lovely ones that I haven’t seen anywhere else.
Win!

This place used to be good and I am very surprised at how bad it is now. The food is mediocre for a hefty fee. We ordered the shrimp tacos $ 18 and the chicken tacos $ 15 which came out to be tiny (two palm-​sized tacos with maybe a total of 4 small shrimp) and about 5 arugula leaves on the side.
I am always glad to pay a high price for taste or quantity, but this was neither; the taste was mediocre at best. The service is just ok.
Also, noticed this place is now mostly tourists rather than locals, which explains the decline in taste and crazy increase in prices.

Kramerbooks is the best late-​night café in DC! They have the latest and greatest reads, a cute restaurant in the back and a happening bar within the bookstore. I’ve enjoyed several of their espresso drinks as well as their desserts– they are most famous for their pies! Hands-​down, my favorite pie is the Goober pie, a creamy, decadent peanut butter and chocolate slice of heaven that melts in your mouth and leaves you wanting more.
Moreover, Kramerbooks is a fun place to meet people, since it attracts a diverse group and is well-​known in the DC area. I’ve found myself chatting and joking with fellow customers at adjacent tables several times.
Over all, one of my favorite cafes in DC and a must-​visit location if you’re looking for a late-​night bite to eat or book in Dupont Circle.

I met a friend here while visiting D.C. just a couple of weeks ago. I love the concept here! A bookstore (I love books), a café (I love food), and a bar! (I love cocktails!!!).
We had not seen each other in a couple of years so when the server came to check if we were ready we were like «oops, no sorry we need more time» and they were cool and left us to explore the menu for a few more minutes.
We saw they had a pumpkin ravioli and a butternut squash ravioli so we order one plate of each and we shared. I had the butternut squash and it was so good! I also ordered an old fashioned because I was feeling a little in the mood for bourbon. My friend order a beer.
Instead of dessert I got a port and she got a cocktail that was hot (like an irish coffee or something of that sort).
Overall the experience was good. With the exception of our table. It was in a little corner that had some sort of hump coming out of the floor and my chair did not fit propertly so I had to eat on the corner of my table instead of across my friend. :(

Bookstore plus café — common theme nowadays. A nice brunch destination in DuPont Circle. Recommend the Shakskuka with lamb sausage and eggs. Make a reservation if you can, tends to get packed quick.

Love the setup and the waitstaff is very nice.
I am pretty boring with breakfast, so the 2 times I have come I did the yogurt/​quinoa parfait and I have had eggs. Both were decent, but the friends I was with said their breakfasts were nothing special.
Checked out the menu during regular (non-​brunch hours) and I actually thought the place was a bit high for the quality.
I’d go back to show my friends the bookstore, but there are so many wonderful places to eat nearby.

Came here for brunch on a Saturday. It wasn’t too busy when we went. Made reservations ahead of time as well. We’ve been here before on our first trip to DC. The set up is pretty unique with a book store in the front and a restaurant in the back.
We ordered the shakshuka, merguez lamb sausage and eggs which had two links with feta and cilantro. It was delicious — nice curry/​cumin taste, tomato based feel and the lamb sausage was a nice touch.
I got the steak and eggs, which used hanger steak and had caramelized onions. The cut of meat is good and was recommended by the staff. I usually do sweets for brunch, but this was a nice change. They also said the stuffed French toast is ok so that’s why I went savory.

I really liked this bookstore and the Café!
The food at the Café was really really good. I ordered the Lamb chops with purple mashed potato’s and that was really really good! They put some greens with that dish though that were way over cooked and did not taste good.
I did like the dessert that they have, and the coffee. The Cheesecake was really good and lovely! The customer service was also great and they did a great job!

Kramerbooks has it all. Whether you find yourself dining here, browsing for a book or just grabbing a cup of coffee at the coffee bar, this place has a unique vibe, unlike any other café/​bookshop in Washington, D.C.
First off, the book selection at Kramerbooks is exquisite. They have everything from classics, to best sellers, to kids books, to sections separated by genre. In addition, their staff is knowledgable and can easily recommend a book or two or three.
As for the food, Kramerbooks is definitely more of a a café than a restaurant. The café is covered in glass with very little ambiance, but you don’t go for the ambiance, you go for the food! They have an extensive breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert menu filled with some of the most delicious dishes in D.C. I am particularly fond of the Jumbo Lump Crab, Tomato & Avocado Salad, Sushi Tuna & Avocado Salad and the Café Whole Grain & Veggie Platter.
Aside from the book shop and food, my one complaint about Kramerbooks would definitely be the bathroom. The bathroom is located upstairs and is pretty grimey. When you consider how much you pay for a meal, it seems odd that the bathroom is not up-​to-​date with the quality of the restaurant.
Overall Kramerbooks is a great place to meet up with friends or family and enjoy a delicious meal in a casual setting!

I’m surprised to only see 3.5 stars on this place. I came here with my girlfriend and her DC friends for brunch and had a really good experience.
The atmosphere in here is really eclectic. It is literally a bookstore. I guess that could turn some people off, but I thought it added some serious character. You literally put your name in at the bookstore, and then walk through the kitchen area to be seated. We sat in the covered outdoor area, which was really nice.
As for the food, I had a really spicy Bloody Mary (excellent) and a soft-​shell crab benedict (more excellent). The service wasn’t spectacular, but I found it to be acceptable for how jam-​packed it was in the place. It certainly could have been worse. Everyone else was pleased with their mimosas and food and we all LOVED those little muffins. And good coffee is a must for both brunch places and bookshops, and the coffee here didn’t disappoint.

Well who knew this breakfast spot was tucked in a book store?
I’ve always loved KramerBooks and knew they had a café, though I didn’t know that it was more like an 80s DC restaurant attached. Great place for breakfast meetings during the week to avoid downtown and get away for some productive conversation. Excited to add this to my «spots» for getting stuff done in the District.

I am in love with this restaurant concept. Book store in the front, party in the back!!! So fun. Their patio is really nice and they have a good beer selection. Their menu is similar to a mini-​cheesecake factory being that they seem to have a little bit of everything — mexican, japanese, bbq, italian etc… It was hard to decide!
Our server brought the most delicious french bread and butter to start with. We also ordered the Thai Wings and Mac and Cheese — both were delicious! The wings had a kick to them and the mac and cheese was one of the best I have ever had.
For my entrée I was torn between the Ramen and the Cajun Pasta. Per our server’s advice I went with the pasta and was not disappointed. The portions were huge and the pasta was cooked perfectly with tones of shrimp, sausage and chicken. It was delicious! I also got to try a bite of their Ribs, Crab Cake Pasta and a Corn Pasta (forget the name). Everything was really good. I didn’t know what to expect from ‘bookstore food’ but I was definitely pleasantly surprised.
Their dessert menu is huge and we ended up sharing the Apple Crumb pie with a side of cinnamon ice cream. It was AMAZING! I would go back just for that pie.
The service was definitely slow — for 4 people we were there for 3 hours. We did request a few extra minutes to look at the menu but then I think she forgot about us, and we had to eat our apps without any small plates. Our server was apologetic but we didn’t mind too much since we were busy catching up with each other… though I could see how slow service could be annoying if you are in a rush.

Really neat concept of bookstore /​restaurant /​bar. I’ve only really seen bookstore and coffee shop hybrids so it was really interesting to see the bar atmosphere added. Unfortunately I was only popping in while strolling through DuPont circle. Most of my attention was focused on the array of «trade books» such as appealing business or art books. I was sure to jot down a few titles!
Kramerbooks is a place I would love to spend some time at, have a few drinks, and maybe discuss books with the locals. 3 only because I didn’t get to see enough!

I love books… The little things you hold and read. Very fee places sell them anymore they have been replaced with their digital counterparts. Kramerbooks & Afterwords Café has the most interesting collection of books I have ever seen It’s like a candy store if you are a avid reader.
So on the other side is my favorite after hours restaurant. The place is kinda small but it serves it’s purpose before going to your final destination after a long late night out on the town. The food is excellent I had the crab cake sandwich which was delicious. Someone at my table had the New Orleans Shrimp and Rice and he said it was the best rice he ever had. Also, someone else at my table had the ribs who was equally as impressed with their meal. From my experiences you can’t go wrong whatever it is you may order off of the menu.

Food and books, what a winning combination!
Kramerbooks & Afterwords is a great little bookstore with a wide and eclectic selection that you might not find elsewhere — I’ve found a few goodies here that have made great gifts. The café is also a popular spot for dining, although I’ve only ever come here for dessert!
Be sure to make a reservation if you want to eat here because it can get pretty busy. For dessert, everything is really reasonably priced ($ 7 – 9) and I haven’t tried anything I haven’t liked! The Goober Pie is a peanut butter lover’s dream; the Death by Chocolate flourless chocolate cake is sooo decadent, with tangy raspberry drizzles on the side; and the Dysfunctional Family Sundae, served atop an amaretto-​soaked brownie, is a real winner. If you come on the later end, though, some items are bound to be sold out.
Often times there is live music on the upstairs level, too! Great atmosphere.

I love having a non-​chain bookstore that is open 24 hrs on Friday and Saturday and open really late the other days. I’ve often found myself in here after a long evening of work just browsing in order to unwind. The bookstore has a lot of topics (as most bookstores should) with a large section on DC information and authors. They have lots of fun books at the register too (Your cat is trying to kill you, President and Michelle Obama paper doll books, etc), worth a look for the laughs or a gag gift. There are many staff recommendations scattered around the store attached to the shelves. I’ve found the staff is eager to please and helpful without being intrusive. They will recommend something to read if you ask. Always value their opinions.
They have a café and a bar area associated with the bookstore. The bar and café are separate from each other but both are attached to the bookstore. The bar tends to be a bit noisier than the café and is much smaller. You can order food there along with drinks (as you can in the café). Sorry to those who like to read books and put them back on the shelf, you have to purchase your book/​magazine before taking it into the eating area. Food isn’t supposed to be bought into the bookstore section either, probably to keep the mess down and to keep people from reading without paying. I’ve only had drinks so I can’t comment on the food, however my friend ate a piece of apple pie and she said it was amazing.
Support a local business. I love Barnes & Noble don’t get me wrong, but share some business here at a brick and mortar store that’s been a part of the neighborhood for years to help ensure it is around for many more years.

Came here for lunch after some sightseeing –awesome.
It’s a café/​bookstore/​bar set up, very laid back and right off du point circle.
I ordered the crab cake pasta — ridiculous. By recommendation I also got a local IPA — perfect. Bartender was very laid back — was going to try to get his name but realized I had already been talking to him so it’d be awkward at this point.
Highly recommend for drinks and a meal — and to enjoy a good book!
Super boom!

Very nice place to have brunch and they have events every day of the week. Open 24h on Friday and Saturday. Gotta try it!