Hard Times Cafe (sometimes Hard Times Cafe & Cue) is a
restaurant chain serving
chili
Chili or chilli may refer to:
Food
* Chili pepper, the spicy fruit of plants in the genus ''Capsicum''; sometimes spelled "chilli" in the UK and "chile" in the southwestern US
* Chili powder, the dried, pulverized fruit of one or more varieties ...
and other foods, primarily in the
Maryland,
Virginia, and
Washington, D.C. area. Hard Times has been recognized in several publications, including
USA Today,
AOL
AOL (stylized as Aol., formerly a company known as AOL Inc. and originally known as America Online) is an American web portal and online service provider based in New York City. It is a brand marketed by the current incarnation of Yahoo (2017â ...
's City's Best, Zagat's "Top 20 Area Restaurants" from 2003 to 2008, and several others.
History
The first Hard Times Cafe was opened in
Old Town Alexandria
Old Town Alexandria is one of the original settlements of the city of Alexandria, Virginia and is located just minutes from Washington, D.C. Old Town is situated in the eastern and southeastern area of Alexandria along the Potomac River. Old T ...
in 1980 by Jim and Fred Parker.
On September 21, 2011, Hard Times Cafe opened at Washington DC's
Verizon Center Verizon Center may refer to:
* Verizon Center (Mankato, Minnesota), now Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, a multi-purpose arena in Mankato, Minnesota
* Verizon Center (Washington, D.C.), now Capital One Arena
See also
*Verizon Arena, now Sim ...
sports (now Capital One) arena, home of the Washington Capitals, Wizards, Mystics, Georgetown Hoyas, concerts and events. Hard Times Cafe operated two locations on the Verizon Center's lower level concourse—a permanent stand at section 112 and a portable stand at section 119—offering fans a chance to enjoy chili macs,
nachos, veggie nachos, chili tots, wings, and chili dogs. Until closing after the 2015 season, Hard Times also had a location at
Nationals Park.
Menu
Hard Times serves appetizers, burgers, and salads, but they are generally known for their
chili
Chili or chilli may refer to:
Food
* Chili pepper, the spicy fruit of plants in the genus ''Capsicum''; sometimes spelled "chilli" in the UK and "chile" in the southwestern US
* Chili powder, the dried, pulverized fruit of one or more varieties ...
. There are four types of chili available:
*
Texas Chili
*
Cincinnati Chili
* Terlingua Red
* Vegetarian Chili
Locations
The original location is still in business today, in
Alexandria, Virginia. There are a total of 5 locations:
Additionally, Hard Times has had former locations that have subsequently been closed at the following sites:
References
{{Reflist, 30em
1980 establishments in Virginia
Chili con carne restaurants
Regional restaurant chains in the United States
Restaurants in Maryland
Restaurants in Virginia
Restaurants established in 1980
Alexandria, Virginia