Hard Times Cafe

It has been 24 years since I was a regular at Hard Times. It was a nostalgic trip back in time as we had lunch here on vacation to Alexandria/DC. Interestingly, my favorite chili was the Cincinnati chili years ago, but the Terlingua chili hit the spot all these years later. How did I know? Because they let you taste a sample of their 4 chilis before making your decision. I had Terlingua chili over Cilantro rice, and my wife had Cincinnati chili over Cilantro rice. Service was amazing, food was delicious…this was a blast from the past. The restaurant was Established in 1980 and has a country, southern feel to it. This is a great place for a smaller group of 1-4 people!

Excellent service, good food! We ordered the vegetarian chili bubba and the 4-way chili Mac with Cincinnati chili. The onions tasted stale but other than that the food was pretty good! My friend who's from Cincinnati said it came pretty close to the original thing. They give a little sampler of chili if you're a new/returning customer. What really stood out to me was the service, the lady who served us was very nice to talk to and made us feel at home 😊 Would return again!

Stopped in real quick for a birthday beer and a appetizer. Ended up getting the small order of nachos. Food and beer was great. Came with a side of cornbread. That was great too. Reminds me of the old days. I use to frequent Hard Times back in the day. Just another location not this one. I forgot to get a picture of the nachos. The chili sampler was great. I like the Cincinnati chili the best.

Food was good , but nothing special. Atmosphere is entertaining and fun. Our waiter was the best and handled someone else’s mistake very professionally. Would come back. Ask for Dominique.

Lorna was a fantastic waitress. She kept our cups full, and she introduced us to what makes the hard times Cafe unique, the chili. This place is definitely a one of a kind dining experience. A dive bar atmosphere in a good way. Unique atmosphere and unique foods. A chili based menu. I wasn't planning on chili until Lorna brought us the chili sampler, and I tried the Cincinnati chili. The corn bread was fantastic as well, it was not gritty. The half rack of ribs was huge, thick, and juicy. The root beer was legit from the keg. The margaritas were delicious. Everyone at the table was full and had leftovers. Absolutely would eat there again, and I give them a strong recommendation, especially if you like chili or ribs.

If you like chili you got to come here. Although there are no beans you must bring your own LOL. I love how they add a chili sampler so you know how to order appropriately whether you're getting burgers, fries or a hot dog.

Ok... This was not planned, but because the weather was cold and rainy, we thought chili might be good. This place did not disappoint! They have a 4 different types of chili: Teralingua (our choice since from Texas, but IMO the best flavor), Texas (little more spicy), Cincinnati (it was good, but not for me), and vegetarian (sorry I like the beef). We had the Frito pie, but it does come with tomatoes on it... I'm not used to it like that. They give you samples and cornbread so you can try all 4. Very good menu choices though it's not all chili. Happy hour prices for beer is good too. Deborah was out server and she was amazing.

Came here for lunch while exploring Alexandria. Nice little place. Service was excellent. We were given a free chili sampler with 4 different types. Enjoyed all 4. Wife got the sliders and I got the cheddar chili burger. Food was very flavorful. Definitely enjoyed our visit. Highly suggest if you love chili.

Service - the staff here are so nice and welcoming. It's very homey, like visiting your grandma's house in Kentucky. Just sweet. Food-wise, it's worth your buck to get something basic and tasty. Hard Times doesn't pretend to be anything it's not. It's comfort food for ..hard times. I always get a chili spaghetti for my soul.

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!

Came in on a rainy day for the chili! Fast and friendly service. Cute and cozy vibe, like a small town diver and Cracker Barrel had a baby. The chili is good, prefer the spicy vegetarian version, which surprised me. Portions are generous as well.

One of my favorite places to go when I visit Cincinnati, Ohio is Skyline Chili. In Old Town Alexandria it's Hard Times Cafe. The Texas Chili has spicyness accompanied by awesome cornbread that is not dry and crumbly. This place is legendary and the perfect blend of divey bar and OK food. In other words a great place to spend a couple hours drinking good beer and eating good food in a very laid-back atmosphere. Like going back in time. Love it.

This place has not changed in decades - it's a delightful throw back where drinks are still under $10 and the food inexpensive and plentiful. Service was great and friendly, too. It's got a small footprint so if it's busy, expect to wait a bit.

Three-way Texas chili - delivered! And it was so good, and so huge. And the chili had a great spice. And there was an incredible cornbread with butter! I was staying in Arlington for a business trip, and I did not feel like going out or having hotel fare. And I was cold, so chili seemed like the smartest choice, and I was not disappointed. The restaurant even including serving ware!!!! That was a very kind gesture, as finding eating utensils when at a hotel can become a little hard. Be prepared, though - huge portions of very tasty food. It was a great dinner!

You get what you get at hard times. Famous around nova and a bit of a dive, the Alexandria location is homey but service is a bit slow and disjointed. Our server was very sweet but she would disappear at times when we needed something. Our beers were a bit warm which was a bummer. Chili Mac is still great but I'd say the frito pie at the same price as the chili Mac is a robbery- you get way less chili and I know Fritos aren't the reason the dish is $14.88 (Fritos are a cheap chip). Cornbread was great, our brand new hot sauces had broken caps which meant a ton of spicy hot sauce got on the chili. Wings flavor was good but they could have been more grilled. Super hot in here in winter and upstairs area was closed when we came on a Saturday night.

This small chain hits to my sentimental memories of Cincinnati Skyline Chili. They are centrally located in Old Town Alexandria. Street parking and nearby garages are available. Cool bar atmosphere. Great service from Dominique. I always come for the Cincinnati style Chili. However, there are three other options: Texas, Vegetarian, and Terlingua (another TX chili). It starts with the Cincinnati style...a layer of spaghetti, then chili, then shredded cheddar cheese on top. That is a 3-way. You can add onions and/or beans for a 4-way or 5-way. If I can't get it at Skyline in Cincinnati, this is a great 2nd best. Very good flavors. Maybe a little light on the cheese for Cincinnati enthusiasts. Probably good for others. I also wanted to try the chili cheese coney. Oh, I also liked the fries. Yeah, all three were pretty good. Give them a try.

This place has been a staple of old town Alexandria since I can remember. Chili over spaghetti? What's not to love? Place hasn't changed in years, a bit dated but still comfortable.

My daughter and I loved this place! Cozy, friendly atmosphere with great food and decent prices! We will definitely be returning!

Great food, quick service, chilli is awesome. Close to hotel where I am staying on duke street

What a great find! Casual, low key, with a friendly staff and awesome food. They specialize in chili and offer a free sampler of their 4 types: all of which were delicious. The rest of their menu was also great: incredible burgers and excellent salads. Highly recommended for a casual lunch

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!

Hard times cafe known for its chili has become an institution in Alexandria. Little has changed over the years and you can have the Cincinnati or the Texas style chili. I continue to go because it offers consistency and the chili is very good. Server staff are pleasant and the prices are reasonable.

Hard Times Cafe Pros: cool country vibe and the staff were very friendly! This place is known for their chili so of course we had to try it! They provide a complimentary sampling of their 4 chili options and we really liked the heat from the Texas Chili but the unique cinnamon flavor of the Cincinnati Chili was too good to pass up!! We went online after getting home and ordered a couple boxes of each mix. Cons: although I loved the flavor of the Cincinnati Chili, I wasn't a huge fan of the texture. It was a bit too thin for my liking so I'd like to try it again with the meat being thicker.

Usually love this place for a variety of items including their chili, chicken tenders, fries tots etc. been coming here since 2015 when I moved to ALX. However tonight we may have just gotten some cooks on an off night. Chili tater tots with no Chili. The tots we had were very undercooked. Love Hard Times but tonight was not great.

For me, I think of this cafe as old school type of diner. Affordable price, good portion and service. This is all about the experience and back to the past. I am surprise that even weekday and this pack easier get 80% full during dinner time. You can sit on the table to get to the front of the bar table to see how they cook food.

The food was terrible. Texas chili served in a pool of grease. Onion rings were without flavor. Chile poppers were uncooked. Not one ordered item was fully eaten. Music was badly played in that we only heard bass rumbling.

We had a Hard Times Cafe in Raleigh, NC in the late 1990s to early 2000s. My husband and I loved that place and were frequent customers. We were so disappointed when it closed. We were so excited when we visited the Alexandria area and saw they had a Hard Times! I thought we might be disappointed after all our fond memories but we were not. We arrived around eight on a Friday night and were seated immediately. I love that they still bring out the chili sampler so you can taste all the chilis and decide what you want. We were very hungry and everything on the menu looked good. We decided to split the nachos with vegetarian chili and a bowl of the terlingua chili with beans. Our food came out super fast and it was delicious. We ate every bite. Service was efficient and friendly. Hard Times, come back to Raleigh!

The hostess and waiter were very friendly. Since this was my first visit, I was given a sample of the 4 types of chili they serve. All were delicious, including a vegetarian one. I ended up going with a bowl of terlingua chili with cheese. It wasn't overly hot /"(temperature wise) but was tasty and filling. Came with a generous slice of homemade corn bread which was good, not too dry. Reasonably priced. I would highly recommend and will hopefully be able to visit again on my next trip to Alexandria.

Cute local place great for a drink and bite to eat. Try a little of everything to find your favorite but start with chili 4 kinds

Been coming here for years and always appreciate the cozy atmosphere and excellent food. Let's face it. The place could use some sprucing up but that would detract from the ambiance. Over the years we've tried most things on the menu - Chile bowl, chili Mac, burgers, salads, tacos, chicken wings, hotdogs. Never had a bad meal nor walked away hungry. Portions are mostly extra large. And like most places service may vary based on how busy they are but always friendly. Hey, my kids worked there back in the day. There used to be several locations but they contracted over the years. If your near Old Town Alexandria and hungry you can't go wrong.

When I worked a few blocks away, this was my go to place for a good, inexpensive lunch. So when I was in the neighborhood, we decided to lunch here. It had been years. The place was packed but we got a table right away. Appetizers came quickly, too, and I love the onion rings. But the chili Mac was disappointing. Very watery. Light on the chili, heavy on the noodles.

Delicious chili. I'm partial to Cincinnati 4 way, but the frito pie is amazing Always consistent and very nice servers.

I arrived in DC just in time for a weather cool down and so I could experience fall for a weekend with my peeps. With Fall like weather I knew I had "to get me some chili" Hard Times has Texas and Cincinnati chili served with corn bean. You can throw in some toppings such as beans and cheese. It was simple, it tasted good and allowed me to enjoy the Fall weekend as it should be.

I haven't tried this Alexandria branch before, but I've eaten at the Arlington branch. so today, July 4th, I decided to do takeout for the burgers and hot dogs for the family. so glad I did! My chili cheese burger was delicious. they kindly added chili and cheese to the fries as well, and it was heavenly. ( Texas chili and Red). You are added to my burger/hot dog go-to list Hard Times Cafe!

All to be said is "best chili ever". They put a new twist on chili. TEXAS CHILI, Veggie chili, hot chili, sweet chili. If you want chili, they got chili. Good chili too. They put chili on anything, spaghetti, Fritos, tater tots, sweet tater fries, hot dogs, hamburgers. Whatever! I got the mix, Texas chili and veggie chili, and I got it over Fritos with cornbread! Omg! Best chili I ever had. My wife got the coney dogs with chili. Had 1 for lunch and 1 for dinner. My daughter had the steak tacos 3 huge tacos! She had 1 for lunch and 2 for dinner. Me? I am a member of the clean plate club.. I ate all my lunch. The waiter was awesome. He knew his chili. Very helpful. My wife even bought a shirt. I mean you kinda have too, " hard times cafe". Super cool place. Been there since the 80's. If you in the area, have a craving for any kind of chili you want and a cold beer, hit them up. Can't go wrong. Pics coming later.

Historic wonderful Chili and wings. Location in Old Town Alexandria is perfect. Springfield is great as well, but wish it was non-smoking.

Upon arriving to this restaurant we were greeted by a nice gentleman who sat us down immediately. Our waitress was very lovely and introduced us to their complimentary chili taste cups. Definitely recommend the vegetarian chili, which blew our minds. After the free chili, came the free cornbread! Which tasted so fresh, sweet and soft. We ordered the 1lb wing platter which was too salty and a bit dry. But we also got the vegetarian chili tacos, which were amazing. Overrall great service, with slight underperforming wings.

It had been over 10 years since we visited a Hard Times Cafe. We used to visit the one in Herndon but that is long gone. After its demise, we learned that there was one in Alexandria. Yet we never got around to giving it a try---until now, that is. We were here on a weeknight around 6 p.m. Upon entering, we were greeted and seated. Our server was very prompt in getting to us. She was friendly with a great sense of humor. Once seated, we noticed a musty smell in the place. This sometimes happens when restaurants have been in a location for years. Generally, it means it's long overdue for, if not a remodel, a thorough cleaning. That smell can be off putting. We both ordered our go-to dishes --- Cincinnati chili in the "chili mac" form. I got it 3 ways (pasta, chili and shredded cheddar) while my husband got it 5 ways (beans and onions added). We both had soft drinks. We were given a side of cornbread which was surprisingly very good---moist and flavorful. Within minutes of receiving the cornbread the chili arrived. That told us it was sitting in a pot waiting to be served, which, in theory, is a good idea. As for the chili---we are torn. Over time memories can be fuzzy. We remember something as being excellent and when trying it in the present, we expect that to still be true. Sadly, it wasn't. This time around, the chili had less flavoring than we remembered. The spaghetti wasn't well drained which meant that the whole meal sat in water. That's rather off putting. Still, the food was edible if forgettable. The price was right---$25 + change before the tip. So no complaints there. All that said, next time we're in Old Town Alexandria, we will try other places. Still, no regrets for going there. If we hadn't gone, we would still be wondering how it compared to past experiences.

Been going to Hard Times in Old Town for more than 30 years. Always good food and good service. My stand by when I'm in town.

Yeah...that's mold on the sliders I got last night. Used to enjoy Hard Times. No reason to go back there now.

The chili and tacos were yummy! The indoors is homely. I think that it would also be a good sports bar location.

There are definitely better restaurants in Old Town, but this is still an A-OK choice for a casual and kid-friendly meal. I ate here as a party of 4 plus a baby. We sat upstairs and had friendly and efficient service all night. First, I appreciate the crackers on the table. I know they are for chili but they were great to give a pack to my son while we waited for the food. If it's your first time, you are supposed to get a chili sampler. This was never offered by our server though and it was half of the parties first time dining at Hard Times. Hot cornbread was complimentary and brought out in lieu of bread. I'm not a fan but everyone else said it was fine. I ordered the chili salad with the Terelingua chili (spiciest). I still added hot sauce because it was not that spicy. The salad was basic iceberg, cheese, sour cream, onions, and the chili. It was ok but super salty. My husband had the same chili over cornbread, his mom also had a chili salad with vegetarian chili, and her boyfriend had a veggie burger. Both of them liked their meals a lot. The prices are probably the cheapest in Old Town so that's something to consider. I'd stop back but wouldn't go out of my way to do so.

Excellent food and service. Excited to return. Wednesday is wing day. Parking was easy . I don't like how yelp makes you write a minimum amount of words that's stupid on their part.

This place was way to good bro gave me and da fam a whole chili sampler the ribs were falling off da bone the rice went crazy too my bro got the steak and was in shock say no more

Stopped in for lunch last week and let me tell You! The CORNBREAD IS AMAZING! We also ordered the fried Mac and cheese bites, which were also delicious. The chili Mac was on point and my friend could not stop raving about how great his ribs were! The fries are hand cut and seasoned well. Our server was wonderful, it's a tried and true standard in Old Town that never disappoints!

Great spot for a casual dinner! A friend recommended this restaurant to me a while ago and I just got around to trying it. I wish I did so sooner! Since it was our first time, our server gave us a complimentary tasting of their four chili's which I think is super cool. Our favorite, and coincidently their most popular, was the Texas chili. The chicken tender app came with 4 fat and juicy chicken tenders and your choice of dipping sauce. The jalapeño poppers were okay - seemed like something was missing. We will probably skip these and try the onion rings next time. Half rack of ribs were great! (Almost) fall off the bone meat and your choice of two sides. The chili dog was huge and looked delicious topped with an ample amount of chili. Overall great food and great service. Our server was a really cool guy!

Service super slow. Got our food, but drinks never came. Had to physically get up to go to the bar and ask for drinks that had been ordered at our table when we arrived. Ordered a dish with grilled chicken. Chicken was burned. In addition to the poor service and awful food, the picture next to the table had dead flies under the glass. Hard Times is having hard times. Will never return.

Hard Times Cafe has excellent menu options. Upon sitting down, the server brought out warm cornbread and butter, that was moist and delicious. I ordered the 3 Way chili Mac. It was spaghetti topped with Texas chili and cheddar cheese. The chili had a nice subtle kick to it. My brother had the 5 way chili Mac with Cincinnati chili which in addition onions and beans. The Cincinnati chili was delicious. More sweet chili. The employees were very courteous and quick. Thank you!

This is a comfortable, homey place with tasty chili, chili salad, onion rings and burgers. The fish dinner included hot, flaky and moist fish although the battered crust was not very crunchy or flavorful. Good selection of beers on tap. Great place for a relaxing home style meal. Friendly staff.

When you are a frequent diner, expect nothing less than kindness and attention to your order. I have strolled King Street exploring new culinary heights. However, haute is not high cuisine. It involves difficult servers and late intemperate delivery of expensive dishes. Come home to good food and friends. No secret recipe, friends and family. Simple answer. By the way, excellent food.

Hard Times Cafe is Famous for their chili, tacos, cornbread and amazing wings! I have been several times! Would defiantly return!!!

Black and blue burger med. and lots of fried onions Thank you deliver with grub hub order place order my go to place for food I love there French fried onions made with beer batter egg rolls

I've been eating at Hard Times for many years. This location where I first had their Chili Mac. I enjoy their wings and the yummy cornbread. Plus I like their root beer too. Always one of my go to places in Old Town.

Several items stood out when we walked into this restaurant. We weren't greeted until I said something to the hostess. We were placed in a pretty small booth even though my husband is a bigger guy. Our server Edwin may have spoken English but not well and not so that he was understandable. I ordered the ribs and fries. Ribs were very tender but slightly over sauced. My husband ordered the coney dogs with onion rings. Our server tried twice to get my husband to put their hottest chili on his coney's. And his onion rings were cold and basically one big blob on the plate. The best things I can say about this restaurant are that it was convenient and relatively inexpensive.

1st time visitor. Very friendly staff. Got the 5-Way Chili with Texas & Vegetarian Chili over Spaghetti. All I can say is "Get in my Belly!" & of course "The Best Jerry!, The Best!

Really good stuff. Arthur was super friendly and helpful, and his recommendations were on point. Very filling. The cornbread really was addictive!

4 stars for our waitress 1 star for food, atmosphere and quality. I was to say at the least; DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED and a little disgusted! I don't know why for the life of me my sister and I decided to eat here, especially after the odd aroma... To start, the waitress whose name I've forgotten was very hospitable with a lovely attitude. She brought us a 4 chili sampler to try. 2 out of 4 were cold. One of which seemed as if it had just been removed from the refrigerator. Seriously?!!! Not once. Not twice but an ASTOUNDING 3 TIMES!!!! The waitress attempted to resolve the issue by speaking to the BOH staff yet was clearly ignored. Ridiculous as it sounds we ordered. What were we thinking....I'm still thinking about that. One bowl of lukewarm Vegetable Chili and a 50/50(half fresh/ half semi-spoiled; see video) Taco Salad and we'd had enough. I'd NEVER return. EVER!!!!

To start, we eat here all the time, being that it is a few blocks from our house. I didn't plan to write a review for this place because it is just too familiar for us, and frankly, like family, there are good times, and there are bad times (hard times? haha). Obviously, when we are feeling like some chili-dog or chili-mac -- the chili is solid (no beans is the default - YAY - but I believe you can ask for beans) -- this is the place to be. The grilled wings are also good (lest you think this is a healthy wing, I believe they fry it, and then grill it?) and a go-to as well. Sometimes service is great (there are servers that seem to read your mind about what you need before even thinking it), sometimes not (we saw an inattentive server many years ago just walk out of the place in the middle of his shift never to return). However, a moment at lunch yesterday prompted me to review and rate it a four-star what would otherwise be a 3.67 star on average. Our server yesterday was fantastic. Yes, he gave us great service (whilst training another server), but most impressively, he was very courteous and kind to a lady who sat in one of the outside benches next to us to rest. She asked for ice cream and, although they are not an ice cream place, gave her a bowl of vanilla ice cream *and* would not let her pay. Stuff like this is great to see, and makes me thankful that they are part of this community.