Hard Times Cafe
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
15 Reviews for Hard Times Cafe
This is one of the best places for lowbrow food in the D.C. metro area.
Go here and get the Frito Chili Pie with a pint of Dogfish Ale. Afterwards, you'll fart until you burn a hole in the Ozone layer and you'll waddle around for an hour wishing you'd left a little of that glorious, cheesy chili Frito goodness on your plate. But you didn't, and now you're a-hurtin'.
This place has a chili for every taste. I recommend the Texas-style, but the vegetarian is a close second. The wait staff will provide you with a free sample of each kind, but it might take a while to get to your table because the service here isn't the best when it's busy.
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This is not a fine dining establishment but when you're hungry for chili this is a place to go. Funky decor and lots of fun.
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Good Chili and great happy hour specials. We walked in with 15 minutes till happy hour ended (unknowingly) and took advantage of the $2 beers and half price appetizers. The chili nachos were great. I also had a bowl of the Cincinnati chili plain which was very good as well. The corn bread could have been a little better, but was enjoyable none the less. However, for some reason my water wasn't cold so that was annoying. Not to mention that the service was very slow, we were there for almost 90 minutes!
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I love Hard Times for its casual yet distinctive ambience, its friendly staff, and its wonderful chili. Everything is reasonably priced, and you can even place half-orders for most items on the menu.
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OK, cliche or not, when it's chilly, I want chili, so I'd like to thank Hard Times for only being a few blocks away from my office, I'm sure they did that on purpose.
Not only are they awesome for only being a few blocks away from me, but as soon as I walked in, Grateful Dead started playing, it's like, Hard Times, why must you understand me so well? You're no good for me.
I got the vegetarian chili mac, and yes, it does lack a lil heat, but that's what the hot sauce and extra jalapeos are for, while my coworker got the Frito Pie. I think that's probably the better choice, because the chili mac comes on a plate, and it's easy to slosh around trying to mix it up, and it should come with a warning "Kori, you will get this everywhere, mostly your shirt."
The service is also great here, they are really on top of refills on drinks, but not like "in your face," on top of it. Even if I was having a bad day, I feel like these people would cheer me up.
Great for a quick Old Town filler-up lunch. Now excuse me while I look for some "Shout."
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I love Hard Times because it's cheap, tasty, and relaxed! And such great happy hour deals! The chili can be very greasy, but getting it with beans helps. And ordering jalapeno peppers gives it some extra kick! The staff are super friendly, and the chili always comes out fast (it's the other stuff that take a while). And I think the corn bread is perfect!
I was so hungry after work yesterday that I walked straight from the Metro to Hard Times, not breaking stride as I called my SO to say, "I have a chili & spaghetti craving. You know where to find me!"
Within a 10-minute walk from the King Street metro station (yellow/blue lines), Hard Times is an unpretentious neighborhood beer & chili joint. It's on a corner on the western end of Old Town, and is a narrow, two-story and dimly-lit restaurant with hardwood benches and several televisions (which were set to ESPN and other sports channels).
My favorite dish is spaghetti-4-way: your choice of chili, spaghetti noodles, cheese, and chopped onions. For chili, I recommend a mix of Terlingua Red (which is kind of kicky) and Cincinnati-style (finer grind of beef, and a little sweeter spice mix, which includes cinnamon). It comes with a huge side of cornbread and butter.
They have good chili dogs, too! Not a place if you're watching your girlish figure. Athough they do have salads.
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Local people seem to really love this place. I just don't understand the appeal. I was hoping for good chili... what I got was low-end meat, Tabasco, and oil (and I tried all 3). Fine for chili dogs and burgers, but it's more of a topping then a spoon-worthy dish. On the positive side, It's inexpensive and they give good coupons if you sign up for their newsletter, but better chili comes in cans.
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None of the food here is extraordinary, but the wings are excellent, the burgers are good, and the chili is decent (Terlingua Red is my chili of choice). So why does that earn 4 stars from me? Consistency. We've been going there for 8 years and the food always satisfies, it's cheap, and the service is always prompt. Great spot when you're looking for simple, inexpensive, and filling food. And please don't visit on Wednesday when all of us locals come in for Wednesday Wing Night:)
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Simply put, I love this place! The service is always excellent, the prices are reasonable, the food always good. I've been eating at Hard Times since I moved to the DC area 6 years ago. Among my favorites are the Inferno Chicken Sandwich (SPICY!!!), chili mac with veggie chili, and the southwestern eggrolls.
I went to college outside of Cincinnati, home of Skyline chili on spaghetti (chili mac). When I found Hard Times, I knew I was in for a treat. I bring everyone I know to eat here. My parents are fans as are many friends who ask to eat here when they visit from out of town.
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King Street, my beloved former 'hood, is generally lacking in quality low-priced meals. Venture west of Rte 1 (horrors!) and grab a bite at this consistent and satisfying northern VA establishment.
I'm probably biased, having been raised by a dad who has long since burned off his tastebuds with salsa and a stepdad who grows his own peppers, but the chilis here are not actually that great and definitely not too spicy. Definitely ask for the sampler of all 4 to make your pick. I actually think the veggie, with satisfying chucks of peanuts and jalapenos, is the best, followed by the Terlingua red.
Definitely pop some tums and order up a Chili Bubba (chili served on top of their fabulous cornbread) with raw onions, cheese and sour cream heaped on top. Also try the buffalo wings and ask for them grilled.
As stated the best part of Hard Times is the price - huge portions washed down with giant lemonades or cheap beer make for a satisfying weeknight meal.
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Another great spot. I lived here for 3 years and this was our go to spot.
The name escapes me, but they had this great chicken, spaghetti, ranch concoction. So if Chili is not your thing, there are alternatives.
You can even buy the chili powder that you want to make your own at home. Good times at hard Times!
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You like chili? You like spaghetti? Ever thought about throwing the two together, slapping on some onions and beans and calling it dinner? If so, then Hard Times is right down your alley.
Sure, they've got the traditional bowl of chili. Add a dash of hot sauce, a dab of sour cream and you'll be transported to the good old days. But for the more "adventurous" gastronomes, the Cincinnati style is the way to go. Some folks might even get a kick out of ordering the "three way." OK, poor attempt at sophomoric humor... I digress.
Oh, and how does the food actually taste? Not bad. The Terilingua is a personal favorite... has a decent enough kick, and there is a small selection of hot sauces on the table if you want to spice it up even more.
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When speaking of (or in this case, writing about) Hard Times Cafe, you have to refer to the original, where it all began. Alexandria. HT evokes the feel of a southern depression era chili parlor. In the background an old Wurlitzer Juke Box plays country greats old and new - can't you just hear Patsy crooning?
Fred & Jim Parker, two self-proclaimed chili head brothers started this concept borne out of a love and appreciation for chili and sharing it with their friends. Why is their chili popular? Well the fat they use is suet (now that's authentic...and SMELLY) and the spices are perfected. Let's not forget that it's cheap too. Ever have chili in a Frito bag? I've had it here (though now they serve it in a bowl). They offer 4 types (Cincinnati, Texas, Terlingua Red and Vegetarian). And they serve it up authentically and creatively too. It's all good. This is comfort food at it's best. The reason for the 4 stars? One year at Thanksgiving time they served Turkey chili and I went almost every day. They don't serve it anymore. Hey Fred & Jim, bring it back!
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It's cheap, and it's good. A four-way Cincinnati chili (Terlingua for you anti-spaghetti types -- avoid the cumin-and-Alpo variety they call Texas), onion rings, a draft beer, and all is right with the world. Nice cowboy atmosphere, too, and the service is generally very good.
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