Absolutely amazing chili! I loved the Texas and Cincinnati, ultimately went with the Texas with beans. Adding their chili vinegar was a delicious touch!Loved it so much I bought two of their spice packs to make at home.I'm leaving tomorrow but wish I had come in here sooner!Vegetarian options: Vegetarian chili, excellent!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cornbread, Cincinnati Chili Spice Box, Texas Chili
Nuha Anwar
This is a great location to go to. I The servers were very friendly and smiling. I got the fish plattor and a chili sampler. I was worried about allergies, and the servers were very attentive to let me know which chili had soy, and which did not. The Texas Chili was probably my favorite, and every though I did not have the vegetarian chili, I received some good feedback from my friend. Fish platter was also tasty and delicious. I hope to come back here again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Caitlin
Went here for the first time the other night, and it really hit the spot! Our waiter was excellent, and the chili was delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ryela Saleh
Excellent food, and our waitress was an absolute pleasure. She was genuinely one of the sweetest waitresses I've ever encountered. I can't remember her name, but she had long(ish) dark hair with a Monroe stud. Loved her!!I'm from Cincinnati, and I have to say that the Cincinnati style chili at Hard Times Cafe is BETTER than any Cincinnati style chili I've had in Cincinnati (Gold Star, Skyline, Dixie Chili, Camp Wahington Chili). Onion rings were seasoned to perfection. Iced tea was freshly brewed. The chili sampler was such a cool feature, so you can see which kind you wanted. I wasn't sure, so the sampler really helped me out with my choice. Oh, and don't get me started on the sweet corn bread! A must try!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Free Chili Sampler Platter, Cornbread, Onion Rings, Vegetarian Chili, Terlingua Red, Salad, Texas Chili, Tater Tots
Steve Dunn
Might be the best hotdog I've had. Their chili is pretty good. My daughter's burger was only fair.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Hard Times Chili Dog, Terlingua Red
Cindy Greenwood
Hard Times is a great neighborhood cafe. My go to guilty pleasure is the Cheddar Chili Cheeseburger with Texas Chili. The burger is always beautifully cooked to order and just a big old hot mess ( in a good way). The staff is great and always welcoming.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Free Chili Sampler Platter, Onion Rings All Day, Terlingua Red, Texas Chili
Cindy G.
We love Hard Times for a chill night out. The staff is always so welcoming and helpful. My go to guilty pleasure is the Cheddar Chili Burger with Texas Chili. First time customers are offered the complimentary chili sampler. The onion rings are spot on crunchy goodness. A great neighborhood spot!
The chili was fantastic I got mine served over cornbread with cheese and it was great also very fair price for the amount of foodParking: Parking wasn't to bad I went during a slower time and still has to park on the street at a meter
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Cornbread, Terlingua Red, Texas Chili
J Smith
I had a great experience at Hard Times Cafe. I really enjoyed the chili sampler and the corn bread was outstanding, and I hate corn bread. Our waitress was excellent, I wish I remembered her name. I highly recommend! Also the Blue Lagoon drink was great as well.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Free Chili Sampler Platter, Cornbread, Terlingua Red, Texas Chili
Chad Bogie
I brought a large group of 8th graders from Miami for our annual DC field trip and Hard Times Café hit it out of the park! I had made arrangements in advance and when we arrived the Manager Heather met me at the door. The tables with drinks were already set. They had a large staff available. Their entire staff had amazing costumer service and waited on my students with a smile. The food was hot and fresh off the grill! The burgers, nachos, chili dogs, and chicken bacon sandwiches were delicious!! They also have a great rate for groups. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone and any field trip group coming to DC. Additionally, Alexandria is a beautiful historic town to visit.Vegetarian options: They offer a tasty veggie buger.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cincinnati Chili Spice Box
Jim Logan
A consistently nice experience for 40+ years. My favorite is vegetarian five way with spicy vinegar, corn bread, and beer.
Nadia R.
It's truly disturbing how this place is even open. I walk by this place often and finally decided to try it and whoa. I literally would've been better off eating canned dog food that expired 40 years ago. I'm can't seem to understand how this place stayed open. There wasn't really anyone there, but the host was just too busy doing anything else. We ordered beers that sat on the counter for way too long. They gave you a sample of the chili they offer which were all just.... Not chili- in any form. I got a hot dog which was cooked well but nothing to write home about. The chili on the dog was literally something from another planet. Poor service. Awful food. Truly confused as to what goes in there..... hard times for sure-but for the customer!
My daughter and I loved this place! Cozy, friendly atmosphere with great food and decent prices! We will definitely be returning!
I love this restaurant. The food is always excellent.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cornbread
Great experience! Great food and service, friendly waitresses. My favorite place to eat!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cornbread, Terlingua Red, Texas Chili, Chicken Alamo, Chicken Sandwich
Absolutely amazing chili! I loved the Texas and Cincinnati, ultimately went with the Texas with beans. Adding their chili vinegar was a delicious touch!Loved it so much I bought two of their spice packs to make at home.I'm leaving tomorrow but wish I had come in here sooner!Vegetarian options: Vegetarian chili, excellent!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cornbread, Cincinnati Chili Spice Box, Texas Chili
This is a great location to go to. I The servers were very friendly and smiling. I got the fish plattor and a chili sampler. I was worried about allergies, and the servers were very attentive to let me know which chili had soy, and which did not. The Texas Chili was probably my favorite, and every though I did not have the vegetarian chili, I received some good feedback from my friend. Fish platter was also tasty and delicious. I hope to come back here again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Went here for the first time the other night, and it really hit the spot! Our waiter was excellent, and the chili was delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent food, and our waitress was an absolute pleasure. She was genuinely one of the sweetest waitresses I've ever encountered. I can't remember her name, but she had long(ish) dark hair with a Monroe stud. Loved her!!I'm from Cincinnati, and I have to say that the Cincinnati style chili at Hard Times Cafe is BETTER than any Cincinnati style chili I've had in Cincinnati (Gold Star, Skyline, Dixie Chili, Camp Wahington Chili). Onion rings were seasoned to perfection. Iced tea was freshly brewed. The chili sampler was such a cool feature, so you can see which kind you wanted. I wasn't sure, so the sampler really helped me out with my choice. Oh, and don't get me started on the sweet corn bread! A must try!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Free Chili Sampler Platter, Cornbread, Onion Rings, Vegetarian Chili, Terlingua Red, Salad, Texas Chili, Tater Tots
Might be the best hotdog I've had. Their chili is pretty good. My daughter's burger was only fair.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Hard Times Chili Dog, Terlingua Red
Hard Times is a great neighborhood cafe. My go to guilty pleasure is the Cheddar Chili Cheeseburger with Texas Chili. The burger is always beautifully cooked to order and just a big old hot mess ( in a good way). The staff is great and always welcoming.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Free Chili Sampler Platter, Onion Rings All Day, Terlingua Red, Texas Chili
We love Hard Times for a chill night out. The staff is always so welcoming and helpful. My go to guilty pleasure is the Cheddar Chili Burger with Texas Chili. First time customers are offered the complimentary chili sampler. The onion rings are spot on crunchy goodness. A great neighborhood spot!
Restaurantji Recommends
The chili was fantastic I got mine served over cornbread with cheese and it was great also very fair price for the amount of foodParking: Parking wasn't to bad I went during a slower time and still has to park on the street at a meter
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Cornbread, Terlingua Red, Texas Chili
I had a great experience at Hard Times Cafe. I really enjoyed the chili sampler and the corn bread was outstanding, and I hate corn bread. Our waitress was excellent, I wish I remembered her name. I highly recommend! Also the Blue Lagoon drink was great as well.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Free Chili Sampler Platter, Cornbread, Terlingua Red, Texas Chili
I brought a large group of 8th graders from Miami for our annual DC field trip and Hard Times Café hit it out of the park! I had made arrangements in advance and when we arrived the Manager Heather met me at the door. The tables with drinks were already set. They had a large staff available. Their entire staff had amazing costumer service and waited on my students with a smile. The food was hot and fresh off the grill! The burgers, nachos, chili dogs, and chicken bacon sandwiches were delicious!! They also have a great rate for groups. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone and any field trip group coming to DC. Additionally, Alexandria is a beautiful historic town to visit.Vegetarian options: They offer a tasty veggie buger.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cincinnati Chili Spice Box
A consistently nice experience for 40+ years. My favorite is vegetarian five way with spicy vinegar, corn bread, and beer.
It's truly disturbing how this place is even open. I walk by this place often and finally decided to try it and whoa. I literally would've been better off eating canned dog food that expired 40 years ago. I'm can't seem to understand how this place stayed open. There wasn't really anyone there, but the host was just too busy doing anything else. We ordered beers that sat on the counter for way too long. They gave you a sample of the chili they offer which were all just.... Not chili- in any form. I got a hot dog which was cooked well but nothing to write home about. The chili on the dog was literally something from another planet. Poor service. Awful food. Truly confused as to what goes in there..... hard times for sure-but for the customer!