I was extremely pleased with my Texas Style Wings (and I'm from Texas) and my burger was good too, I came on a day where they had specials on their burgers and overall, the value for the food here is tough to beat in Bethesda where many venues are overpriced in my opinion. Â The place was clean, waitstaff was great and it's a good place for kids. Â I do wish they had more TV's or better visibility for sports. Â I'll be back many times.
Review Source:Love the happy hours here!! Great deals and super cheap (especially if you are ordering food for a group of people and splitting the bill). Love the wings but I just wish they weren't as salty. The chili nachos are also very good, especially the Texas Chili. I come here all the time for happy hour.
Review Source:A couple of days ago, I was discussing cinnamon with my wife -- don't ask why! -- and she asked me if I liked it; I said I did, and even in Cincinnati chili, which must be the weirdest thing to put cinnamon in that there is. But that got me wanting to taste some, and this is the only place I know. (They have other locations, but the Bethesda one is the only one that is near where I travel). I came back yesterday, for the first time in many months, and of course, I ordered the Cincinnati chili, which, as always, was good. The chili is reasonably priced -- a bowl runs in the $8-9 range -- but the prices for drinks are sky-high (over $2.50 for an iced tea?!) Â so all and all, this is not the really cheap place to eat that HTC was when I first discovered them in Alexandria many years ago, but it's about the high end of what I'm willing to spend. The chili and iced tea came to a bit under $13, to which of course, I had to add a tip, but I note that that's not much above what I said it cost me in an August 2009 review, so at least their prices have been pretty stable.
Their only menu items are basically the chili, so don't come here unless that's what you're looking for. But it's good stuff, if chili is what you're in the mood for.
Maybe I was wrong to come here on a game day or maybe the service is just bad...not sure. Either way i'm not coming back
I took my boys here after going to see a play at Imagination Stage. We walked in and stood at the host desk, three people passed me, none making eye contact or even acknowledging that I was there at all. Finally someone asked how many and sat us. He came back 5 minutes later to take our drink orders and I ordered two appetizers. After maybe 7-8 more minutes he dropped the drinks off and almost ran away but I told him I was ready to order and he took our orders. We sat and waited...and waited, I saw people around me getting food who hadn't been there first...okay no problem, i've served, I know how the system works especially when it comes to a multiple person table vs a one person table, it happens. What I have always hated is appetizers and meals coming at the same time and this time it was even worse: the meal came and then maybe 3 minutes later i'm looking at my appetizers...umm what?! There was no reason at all for that, there was a gap in time between app and entree orders, unless he put it all in at the same time. There was no apology or even acknowledgement of how backwards that was, just a drop off and run away again. The server came over a few times to ask if everything was okay in a lackluster tone, he seemed rush and generally uninterested to be there. I overheard him talking to the table behind me about how he was having an annoying day...sorry?
I asked for boxes, he passed the table about 3 times with no boxes. We had three boxes, he never offered us a bag and I couldn't find him again to ask for one...Honestly the quickest thing this guy did was bring me the check, when it came to that he became Speedy Gonzales.
The food was fine, we got wings, bacon and cheese fries,cornbread and chili, a hot dog, and chili mac...everything tasted fine for that it was.
I would go to another location, but this one was just...meh no thanks!
I have been going to this place for years so I might be a little bias, but I love it. Totally laid back and chill place. Staff is always super nice and friendly. Â Menu is basic, but food is good. Get the wings ... I have yet to find wings anywhere else I like half as much. The chili dog with Cincinnati chili is great too. I don't go there for gourmet food, I go there for chili, wings, and cold beer and they don't disappoint.
Review Source:Great bar food and above average draft beer selection. Â They've had Arrogant Bastard, Sierra Nevada Hoptimum and other excellent beers on their constantly rotating taps.
I like all the chili options (except the veggie, which I never get, but my wife always gets and likes).  I usually do a half and half with Terelingua Red and alternate between Texas and Cincinnati  (unless I get the coneys, in which case I always get Terelingua Red and Cincinnati).
College Park location is also good. Â Slight different menu, which I find slightly odd.
Cold beer and hot chili = great combo. Just stick to the draft beer. Bottled beer may not be cold, which is a problem on so many levels. Texas style chili, Texas wings, even chicken sandwich with wing sauce are very tasty. Good burgers if not over cooked to go with the cold beer. Nice people, many tvs. Nice joint.
Review Source:You know that Seinfeld episode where Jerry is eating frozen yogurt and keeps raving about how good it is and finally says "this so f#%king good!!" in front of that child? Â This is how I feel every time I eat their original Texas wings. Â I don't know exactly what is in the seasoning but they are the best wings in Bethesda. Â I love them deeply and I don't ever want them to leave me. Â The only thing I don't get is how they are known for their chili. Â It is just your average standard chili. Not bad, but nothing special. Â The wings though, yes sir bob, are something special, and I love them.
Review Source:I was so ready to like Hard Times Cafe after reading all the great reviews here, but unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations at all. Â And even worse, my boyfriend and his sister agreed with me, so I know it's not just me. Â It wasn't all bad to be sure, but I was just generally underwhelmed. Â This place left a lot to be desired.
FIrst, some positives. Â The service is very friendly, and they didn't get anything wrong in our orders. Â Our starters were actually pretty tasty. Â We had the jalapeno poppers, which had just the right balance to them, and the fried pickles, which were solid and came with a nice side of ranch. Â They also had some pretty great specials even on a Saturday night, with $8 pitchers of four major beers. Â
Sadly, that's where the positives end. Â The decor seemed kind of depressing, and though I saw a lot of families there--which was nice--it just didn't seem to have much of an identity even for a family-oriented clientele. Â I had the vegetarian chili, which just tasted completely bland and uninteresting. Â My companions both had the Texas chili and felt the same way, so I knew it wasn't just a problem of not understanding how to make good vegetarian food. Â It tasted more just like seasoned meat than an actual chili. Â Also, the cornbread was just dry and bland, and I was left mostly with the taste of raw onions in my mouth at the end of the day. Â The frito bowl and tater tots were described similarly. Â Plus, these bowls of relatively boring chili with some form of carbs cost.....$10? Â I could get a way better meal at a way classier restaurant for that price.
I honestly left feeling heavy--not full in the good way, but just heavy. Â The meal just weighed me down in the least satisfying way possible, as I didn't even feel like it was worth that kind of nutritional splurge.
I've gotten the food here a couple times and it's been ok. Â Not great but good. Â They have a few different types of chili that you can get on pretty much anything they have there. Â The quality can vary depending on the day you go in. Â But I don't think the food is really the reason to go in general...
They are probably the best place for cheap beer in Bethesda. Â They have beer (and food) specials just about every day. Â My girlfriend and I enjoyed some $2 domestic bottles over the Memorial Day weekend. Â It might not seem like a steal but in Bethesda, that's pretty good. Â The bartenders are cool too. Â Very friendly and attentive.
Great place to come for cheap beer and a burger, am here at least 2-3 times a month. Â Staff is always very nice, even when they get busy. Â Food is good most of the time, but it can depend on whose cooking.
The inconsistently of the food sometimes (way it's cooked, or what you get) is the only thing for me that knocks HT down to 4 stars. Â If Greg (the owner) could get that fixed, this place couldn't be beat! Â
P.S. I don't have kids, but this is a great place to take them. Â Some nights kids eat free, and if you happen to have a really picky eater they'll even make them PB&J.
There aren't many places that can satisfy a good cheap meal in Bethesda anymore. Â There is literally a beer special or food special everyday of the week. Â Just finished a burger and beer while playing trivia for only $10. Â You can't beat that! Â The service has certainly improved over the years and the staff is a fun group to watch work behind the bar. Â It's nice having this hang out off the beaten path, because Hard Times always seems not too busy, but busy enough!
Review Source:I am pretty much a once a week regular at this place. Why, you might ask? There is always ample parking in the multilevel garage right across the street. It is typically not so crowded that being seated in a short time is a normal occurrence. Where else can you presently get Stone Brewing's Arrogant Bastard and Sierra Nevada's Hoptimum on draft tonight? They regularly have beer tastings with giveaways, the owners are always helping out local schools and the like, and the food is consistently pretty good. If you want Ray's Hellburger, you'll need to pay twice what this costs and wait considerably more time for worse service.
Review Source:What a super great bunch of upbeat employees! Having been active with the BC-C Rescue for a VERY long time, I was a frequent patron and kind-a forgot about the place. Recently, wife & I have been going there about once a month, for lunch. I am seldom a night person and NOT into sports or NOISE; sorry!
Normally the Chicken Alamo for me & mild chili over pasta for Karen. But oh: $5.99 is Monday Burger day. That got my attention and Burger it, I did. A bit dry but that was likely my fault in asking for it too well done. A huge order of fries with my burger and corn bread for Her.
The food IS good but the service and positive attitude of ALL the staff that I observed was exceptional. Personally, I find that trait lacking even in "classier" establishments.
Thanks Hard Times for your kindness & professionalism.
Serves every type of food you'd expect from a bar (wings burger chili), just in a sub par fashion. Â Nothing is flavorful and everything contains about a pint of oil. Â I'd suggest a couple drinks before trying the food here - maybe that will soften the blow...or at least cut through some of the grease....
Review Source:I'm a fan of hot dogs. And by fan, I mean if hot dogs were cheap at baseball games, I would eat one for every inning. The different kinds of chili at Hard Times are good, but there's something a little lacking. Definitely let this be a late night meal so you can go home. Last time I ate there, my entire party got sick from their food. It still tastes good, but the post-meal experience should definitely be taken into consideration.
Review Source:Not too bad. Â Went for happy hour this past Friday with some coworkers. Â They seemed really confused when I asked for a Tequila Sunrise, but I am used to that. Â Never seen so many bartenders try to pass off the duty of making a simple drink before.
Hanging out at the bar (as one does) I tried some wings which were decent but nothing terribly amazing. Â Don't get wrong, I would eat them again without hesitation, but they won't make my 'Wings you must have' list.
The nachos on the other hand are great. Â I could stand to have a little bit more melted cheese on them, but they really pile on the meat with those bad boys. Â A lot of places have some meat buried in there, and you are lucky to find it. Â At Hard Times its MEAT and some chips and other toppings involved too. Â Really great. Â I took on the task of consuming it WITHOUT UTENSILS, yes, despite drinking tequila sunrises, I proved myself as a man that day. Â But honestly, I think its something you should almost eat with a fork, or just be ok with getting your fingers a little messy because it is overpiled with meat, cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, etc.
I highly recommend it to be split between at least two people. Â And would come back for it again some time.
**WARNING: Â Only come to Hard Times if you plan on being a total fatass**
I love Hard Times but my experiences at this location have been mixed. Â
The boneless honey barbeque wings are my favorite thing here, but last time I came, they ran out. Â Wtfizzle.
The nachos are pretty good. Â I love the cinncinati chilli.
I got the applewood BBQ chicken sandwich for my main since they were out of chicken wings and it kinda sucked. Â Not enough BBQ sauce. Â Would not recommend it.
The Santa Fe Chicken Salad is good. Â I'd recommend getting it chopped.
The service here is very iffy. Â Very very iffy. Â It definitely depends who you get.
The beer selection is pretty good...when they have the beer you want.
The best chicken wings in the greater DC area. And that is a fact.
They're definitely known for their chili, which is very good. In fact all of their food is good. But I'm telling you, don't come here without trying the wings. They also have a pretty great selection of brews.
The service is never anything great, especially if they're busy. But it will suffice.
With good food at pretty great prices, this is a nice casual place to relax and enjoy a few beers.
First of all, this is basically a chili place... Â so don't bother ordering food here unless it involves chili in some capacity. Â I will say the wings are decent (not great), but I'm a bit of a wing snob anyway. Â All their chili is awesome, and there's something for every taste, which can be modified with toppings, depending on your desire to experiment with flavors. Over the years, I have tried various combinations of cheese, onion, peppers, tomatoes, even sliced hot dog, on a bowl of chili... Â without disappointment. Â The other reason to come here is for their beer selection, which might be the best in Bethesda. Â At any given time, they'll have several quality microbrews on tap, that change seasonally, and are specially selected for this location only. Â So... for chili and beer, can't give them less than 5 stars!
Review Source:As I sit here typing this, I can't help but still smell the amazing scent coming from my hands. It's from the Texas grilled wings, and it is AWESOME. I've even washed my hands three times, and it still continues to tantalize me.
The food's great - especially the wings. I also usually enjoy either the Chili Mac or the Frito Chile Pie, both with Cincinati style chile. The burgers are great.
"So why's this dude only giving it three stars?" you ask.
The service.
Now, it's not really fair for me to point fingers, because I'm not sure where the system breaks down. But typically, we're sitting there way, way, way too long for something like spaghetti noodles with chili dished out on top. On our two most recent visits, our order has been lost, but magically appears not long after we point out that we've been waiting on appetizers for 45 minutes.
They're pleasant folks who have made amends for the service issues. And it shouldn't be a reason for you to not go there. Seriously, the food is really, really good.
Just make sure you remind your server every few minutes, otherwise you might end up spending the afternoon there.
I LOVE Hard Times. I love it for what it is (and has been for almost fifteen years) - a neighborhood chili joint.
For me - that means a relaxed place to hang out on Sundays drinking seasonally appropriate craft beers, eating great wings and or chili, and watching football (or whatever) with friends.
Frequently you will find a dining room full of families, groups of friends, and quite a few regulars in the dining room and at the bar.
The staff is friendly in a very relaxed and welcoming way, and the menu has lots of different options for any appetite.
My favorite chili is the Terlingua (sp?) Red. It is a moderately spicy tomato based chili that (for me) beats out the Cincinnati and the Texas because it is the best of both worlds. The Cinci is tomato based as well, but a tad on the sweeter side (YES that is cinnamon you taste!). The Texas is spicy too, but not tomato based - this makes for a greasier chili, which some people love (you can even order it "All the way wet" which will get you an extra ladle of the greasy goodness). **There is also a vegetarian chili that I hear is great, but I have never tried it... Too much of a meat-eater perhaps**
You can get your favorite chili over pasta, beans, tater tots, cornbread (or a combination thereof), and choose your toppings (cheese, onions, chopped tomatoes, jalapenos, sour cream... you get the idea)... The chili comes just the way YOU like it!
The burgers and other grill items are great too. (The burger is key when you have had a few-too-many the night before!). There are other standout dishes on the menu besides the chili, but I will leave you to explore them.
Bring a relaxed attitude and a healthy appetite - you will not be disappointed.
We came back to Bethesda and after a long day of airports and shuttles and checking in, I knew just what sounded good: an ice cold beer and some greasy cheesy comfort food. We walk down to Hard Times, get seated right away, and try a pitcher of a beer I've never heard of. As we all know vacation calories are magical, they don't count. Â So, I ordered a big veggie burger with lots of BBQ and onions, with a side of fries, and ate the whole damn thing. I stumbled back to the hotel in a carb coma, not regretting a single bite.
Review Source:I usually hit up the Hard Times in Old Town but the one in Bethesda is close to some family so we decided to head over for a quick, late night dinner.
The wings were great as usual and our burgers were very good but the fries were something to be desired - soggy and bland.
Our waitress was a little out of it - I asked her for Ranch dressing for the wings and she never brought it. I was going to remind her but by that time there was one wing left so I just let it go.
Also, the menu indicates that there are supposed to be 12 wings to an order (originally 10 but that was crossed out on every menu and replaced with 12) and we only got 10.
Not that huge of a deal but it's those little missed details that get on my nerves. Â We always have great service as the HT in Old Town...think I'll stick to that one from now on.
I stopped by here last night for din-din. I've been here once before to witness a friend polish off their wings on a Wednesday night, but I was just a mere observer that time.
This time, I dove right in! I expected the food to be one step up from standard bar food and that is pretty much what I got.
The restaurant is casual and is reminiscent of what I would imagine an old time, cowboy parlor bar too look like but with a bit more of a modern take on it. We first started with a heaping serving of vegetarian chili nachos. This was a beast of a serving and kept all four of us very satisfied and occupied as we waited for our meals. The nachos were covered generously with melted, shredded cheese, vegetarian chili, sour cream and diced jalapenos and tomatoes. The toppings were tasty and fresh. A lovely binge for the group.
I sipped on a delicious Dogfish pumpkin beer until our food came out. I opted to split the Whiskey River BBQ Bacon Burger which came with bacon, cheese, BBQ and two onion rings. We ordered in medium-rare and received it medium-well. No biggie for me, but I don't really remember the onion rings in this burger. They may have gotten sogged out by the BBQ sauce? Nevertheless, it was satisfying. I'm glad we split it though, because it was pretty damn big! Oh and apparently on Mondays, there is a half-price burger special so it was a good deal!
The fries that accompanied the burger could have used a little salt, or flavor of any sort for that matter.
The Santa Fe Chicken Salad that we split was really good and a HUGE portion. Chicken, corn, shredded tortilla crisps, tomato and shredded cheddar atop a garden salad served with Mex-Ranch dressing. Delicious!
Service was un-memorable, but all that means is that our server was pleasant but not too extremely engaging. However, he got all of the specifics of our special order right the first time, so kudos there.
Overall, a filling and satisfying meal of comfort, junk food. The ingredients were fresh and nothing was too greasy or complicated. I'd come back again to watch a game and grab some of the chili which they seem to be known for.
I used to come here quite often for their Wednesday wing night. The waitstaff is hit or miss. Some of the waiters are on the ball and pretty snappy at getting your order. Some of the others either take awhile serving you or forget parts of your order. There was one cute waitress who we tried to get whenever we were there that did a really good job.
I've eaten here probably about 15 times and the food has been good and bad. Often times I am ordering the same thing, wings. On a good day the wings are great. On a bad day they serve you wings that have clearly either been sitting out for awhile or have been microwaved. I stopped coming here when I got two bad days in a row.
My experiences at the Hard Times in Bethesda are great! Â They fulfill their motto of "good cheap eats" and the Beer is always cold. Â Their wings are outasite, their special events are super crafted (You don't see bands come into restaurants much) Â beer tastings are the best!
One thing I have noticed is that they roll out the red carpet  to all sorts of PTAs, Alumni Associations, and Clubs more than the Touchdown Club can!  No better place to meet a group of friends than at the Bethesda Hard Times!  Greg Hourigan and Steve are all heart as owners, and are very dedicated with the community in their involvement(the upcoming Strathmore Moviefest is sponsored by Hard Times)
This place is really nothing special. The chili is pretty much whatever. I did rather enjoy the wings but that was pretty much the only redeeming quality.
I'm pretty sure that the waiter type person was a sexual offender, minus the pedophile beard and rapist glasses.
1 star for it actually being food and 1 star for the flame that undoubtedly shot out of my ass later on that night.
when the food was piping hot, it was good enough... but then it cooled down and it was very average. Â The nachos are ok but nothing to write home about, the original grilled wings were actually pretty good, and my chili half smoke was an insult to half smokes (nothing compared to ben's).
they have a bunch of 25in tube tvs that you can watch various sporting events on, but i wouldnt come here to watch the games (pretty sure they dont have directv) and the service, while friendly, was pretty inept; they messed up our order three times, though they did comp us on the bill.
would i go back? i guess.... but not anytime soon.
Hard Times isn't great but it often hits the spot. Â The wings are great and a Super Bowl staple of ours. Â They are big and grilled. Â Chili is what Hard Times claims to be best at, but it is hit or miss. Â Usually it resembles hamburger meat with a little spice. Â I prefer my chili wet and sloppy. Â The burgers and good and the atmosphere is fairly lively. Kids seem pretty happy here. Â This place almost guarentees heartburn.
Review Source:This is a very simple place. Â They have standard American fare, specializing in chili and putting chili on a variety of things. Â It's pretty good, but nothing amazing. Â Service is friendly, but short staffed, and decor is somewhat of a Texas diner, again, nothing special. Â It's a decent place to go grab a burger or a chili dog, but is a little on the pricey side for what you get. $9 for a burger, and $8.50 for chili dog (all be it a 1/4 dog) is a bit much, and really, you can find better in the area.
Review Source:I have a love/hate relationship with this place. Â Hate the prices - way too high. Â Love the cincinnati chili. Â Hate the slow service at this location. Â It's a great place for greasy bar food like hot dogs, spaghetti with chili, onion rings, etc. Â I started buying the packets of the cincinnati chili spices - they sell them for 1 box @ $4 and you get two spice packets and I make the stuff at home. Â One spice pack makes like 1.5-2 lbs of chili - enough to last for a good few days and at a fraction of the cost of enduring a meal at Hard Times.
Review Source:Their specialty is their chili -- and I hate to say it but it isn't very special. I frankly don't care much for it.
First of all, the vegetarian has fake meat in it and it has the texture of old oatmeal -- and none of their chili has beans in it. Their chili isn't very hot or spicy either....not all that flavorful -- really a bit of a disappointment.
The guy from Super Size me should come and eat every meal at Hard Times for a month -- I think the results would be even worse than McDonald's -- the portions are huge, the food is greasy and leaves you feeling rather ummmm...well, let's just say sick.
I do know people that like Hard Times-- and I gave it 3 chances -- and just need to say that I don't know what people like about this place.
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