Reviews for Hard Times Cafe in Alexandria, VA
Local gem in Old Town Alexandria serving the best chili in the DC metro area! Traditional Cincinnati style chili-mac and Texas... chili (no beans) with some new twists. If there's a line, it's definitely worth the wait! Read more
8 years between visits. Food still good with moderate pricing. Service was very poor though. Perhaps they are understaffed.... Either way, Wed night and not crowded, from sitting down to paying it took 1 hr and 20 min. Read more
- food was really good, lots of flavor and everything was fresh. - their different Chili's were all good, but would have to say... the vegetarian & Cincinnati chili were the best. The Texas chili would be my 3rd favorite then theirTerlingua red which is spicybut honestly not really spicy at all. - first time here and they gave us cornbread and samples of all 4 chilli's. We liked allthe different chilli's and the cornbread was extremely good as well. - place was clean and organized. - service was quick andservers did a good job checking the right amount of times where it was not annoying or wondering where they went off too. -plenty of seating and they were not really busy when we had went there for lunch around 2pm - all their staff were extremelyfriendly and helpful. - prices not bad for the area and you get a decent amount of food for what you pay for. - parking in oldtown is always hit or miss depending on what's going on in the area but there is parking closed to the location. - niceatmosphere inside and had a welcoming feeling. - over a really nice first experience, I would recommend this location. Read more
Was a warm afternoon walking around Alexandria. Just had a beer at the tables outside. Really wanted to try the chili and... cornbread, but was just to warm. Beer was cold and bartender was friendly. Left my mark. Will stop be again next timethrough. Read more
Was fine for what it was... a bar with greasy hangover food. I will say some of the best cornbread I've ever eaten. They also... have four different chilis they make and the server gave us a small sampler when we told him we had never been there before. They serve chili over spaghetti, which is an odd combo but apparently their specialty. Waiter was attentive, place wasn'tcrowded. Kids didn't care for the food, wings or fries, which is odd- but the chili is pretty good. It's a bar... so like Isaid, it's fine for what it is. Read more
It is hard not to like simmering chili and corn bread. Hard Times cafe makes it easy with something simple but good. I had a... choice between the Texas and Cincinnati style. Plus you choose your topping and I went for the cheese. So good. Nice way tospend a Sunday. Read more
Great Chili! Chicken sandwich was huge. They give you a little sampler plate of chili when you get in, so that you can try the... different recipes. The service was great! It has been a while since we have had such attentive and fast wait staff. I wouldhighly recommend stopping in for a bite. We definitely will return next time we are in town. Read more
Been here visiting here since early 1990s. Food consistently tasty, esp the chili any way you like it! Glad to see they... survived Covid. I do miss hearing Patsy Cline occasionally on the jukebox! Read more