A Dupont Circle institution since the early seventies, Kramerbooks @Afterwords Cafe is one of those places you visit simply because it is convenient. I just had dinner there last night, but their kitchen is open fairly late (12:00 PM on weeknights, and until at least 1:00 AM on weekend nights). If you are looking for haute cuisine, go elsewhere. This place is honestly more of a pick-up scene than a restaurant, but those late hours can be convenient. I live about seven blocks north on Connecticut Avenue, so it is there when I need it.

The Building

On a busy section of Connecticut Avenue just above Dupont Circle, the bookstore/cafe is housed in two connecting late nineteenth century storefronts. The bookstore faces Connecticut Avenue and the Cafe faces 19th Street, but you can easily pass through from either entrance.

The Bookstore

Admittedly, I will go here first before I hike over to Borders simply because of the convenience. I also like the bookstore's independence. It is not a Borders or Barnes and Noble's. The other Dupont Circle bookstores are chain bookstores like Books-A-Million or independent used bookstores like Second Story or Kultura's. The selection at Kramerbooks is decent, though politically slanted at times. The staff have been helpful with ordering things for me in the past, so I do use the bookstore frequently. On to the restaurant. You were expecting a restaurant review, no?

Atmosphere

Usually very busy on weekends and most evenings, the Afterwords Cafe is filled with people of all ages, though the majority are increasingly younger. The bar is closer to the travel book section inside, and the rest of the seating is in a greenhouse addition facing 19th Street. This is a late-night kind of place, though it is popular for brunch on the weekends. As stated above, it has had the reputation as being something of a singles bar, but others will not be uncomfortable here.

The Menu

The same menu applies for both lunch and dinner. The breakfast menu is generally under $15.00 and has smoked salmon with bagels, omelets, other basic egg dishes and the like. The brunch is a la carte.

First Course

Rather obnoxiously called "Sharezies", their appetizers feature such items as nachos (yuck), pizza (merely acceptable), veggie chili (no comment) and soup. The soups are usually the best of the lot, although there have been some real losers here too. As you can see, I'm bot a big fan of their first courses. $4.50-$10.75

Salads and Sandwiches

The portobello mushroom and sesame noodle salad is not bad, although the sauce is a bit grainy for my taste. Even with the sauce, it manages somehow to be dry. The chicken Caesar is quite an acceptable, if unexciting choice. The Caribbean jerk chicken salad is better, if the so-called island marinade could use more fire.

The sandwiches are on the large side. The grilled chicken sandwich is quite large, and has grilled sweet peppers and onions. Tha cafe steak sandwich is decent, even if the beef used is not a choice cut. For $10.75, what do you expect? Only the brown sauce here sometimes ruins the dish with too much salt. Other options include quesadillas and vegetarian flautas (the latter are heavy, and have too much cheese). $9.75-$11.75

Main Courses

The peanut shrimp with oriental noodles is good, but shares the same dryness problem with its cousin, the portobello mushroom and sesame salad. The tortellini with prosciutto and peas is similarly dry, but the cream sauce takes care of this to some degree. My favorite of their dishes is the fettuccine New Orleans, a rich mixture of chicken, sausage and large shrimp over fettuccine with a light cream sauce. There is enough fire in the dish to make it interesting, but not so much to scare most diners away. One item I enjoy also is the catfish with mashed potatoes and Caesar salad. Its crunchy coating is slightly heavy, but the fish is surprisingly fresh and comes with a small ramekin of remoulade sauce. The Caesar salad on the side is usually wilted down to nothingness, but tastes good anyway. Another item to avoid would be the twin lamb chops. While I love lamb in most forms, these chops are not as generous as most of the other offerings, and they have an unfortunate tendency to over-cook the lamb, despite my protestations.

A list of weekly specials is usually offered. Of these, most are fairly good, but be sure to avoid the lasagna, which is nothing more than a leaden, half-cold slop oozing off the plate. $9.75-$15.25

Desserts

It has been a while since I have had dessert here, but they do have some really good ones. The cheesecake is a natural choice here, a large and thick slice of new York style cheesecake. The carrot cake is too heavy, so I have learned to avoid it. The chocolate Chambord cake is dense and rich, as are most of their desserts. This place is justly popular for its dessert selection, and many people come here to have nothing more. $4.75-6.25

Coffee, Drinks, Etc.

The coffee drinks are good, but run to the sweet, with toppings of whipped cream that will quickly join your waistline. Their selection of beers is quite extensive, though most of them tend to be lagers and a few bitter ales. On the whole, not a bad selection. Most of the beers are $4.25-$4.75 for a pint. Their bar is usually well stocked, though slightly expensive. Anything decent will likely be $7.00 or above. The bar is popular, so be prepared to wait in line.

As for the wine selection, most of their offerings are California or Oregon wines of no particular distinction. Glasses are $4.75-$7.00 and bottles are $16.00-$24.00.

Credit Cards, Reservations Etc.

Kramerbooks & Afterwords accepts all major credit cards. Your only problem may be getting the waiter to remember who you are, so check your card when you get your bill. I have, often as not, been given someone else's card when my check was returned.

The cafe does not take reservations.

Sunday-Thursday 7:00 AM-1:00 AM
Friday and Saturday 24 hours



Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe

1517 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036

Tel. 202-387-3825





Recommended: Yes

Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations COme early on weekends, because you will have to wait. Forget parking--you are on your own here
Best Suited For: Friends