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Hard Times Cafe

4069 Chain Bridge Rd, Fairfax, VA 22030
703-267-9590
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Ranked #61 of 189 restaurants in Fairfax
Price range: $5 - $12
Cuisines: American
Good for: Families with children, Bar scene, Outdoor seating, Dining on a budget
Dining options: Lunch
Restaurant details
Good for: Families with children, Bar scene, Outdoor seating, Dining on a budget
Dining options: Lunch
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18 reviews from our community

61% Recommend
    6
    5
    6
    1
    0
Rating summary
    Food
    Service
    Value
    Atmosphere
Date Rating
Fairfax, Virginia
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
3 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed January 11, 2013

Even though we complained about how horribly salty & inedible the chili was we still got charged for it even though we couldn't eat it. Very lame service.

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See 2 more reviews by Willowdawildpony for Fairfax
Washington DC, District of Columbia
Top Contributor
384 reviews 384 reviews
217 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 110 cities Reviews in 110 cities
164 helpful votes 164 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed January 8, 2013

The chilli at Hard Times is always good, very good, but the service at this one can be spotty, making the whole experience average. Sometimes you get your appetizer and entree at the same time, sometimes the order can be wrong, or you may be waiting a really long time for a server in a very small place. The last... More

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See 20 more reviews by GoodFood88 for Fairfax
Virginia
Senior Contributor
48 reviews 48 reviews
27 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 13 cities Reviews in 13 cities
13 helpful votes 13 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed January 7, 2013

I have eaten here many times and it is always very good. The service is great and the chili is consistently good. They typically have some good draft beers and you can watch sports on TV. Prices are very reasonable for what you get.

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See 2 more reviews by Freebeer12 for Fairfax
Fairfax, VA
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed January 5, 2013

That says it all. I mean the Texac Chili in particular. Try it, and you will know. Also fine place to watch sports. Upstairs bar, downstairs tables only.

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See 2 more reviews by tigercrest for Fairfax
Fairfax, Virginia
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
6 restaurant reviews
5 of 5 stars Reviewed January 3, 2013

The food is basic but greatj tasting and generous portion sizes. The staff is wonderfully attentive. Their draft beer selection could stand an upgrade as they carry mostly traditional ones on tap.

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See 5 more reviews by Runnergirl2013 for Fairfax
Lynchburg, Virginia, United States
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed November 1, 2012

What a neat place! The upstairs portion withe the bar was really cool. The downstairs which was more of a family setting was fun. The food was wonderful! Make sure to ask for the chili sampler - a well portioned flite of each of the four flavors that they make. Surprisingly, my favorite was the vegetarian chili, but they were... More

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washington dc
Top Contributor
53 reviews 53 reviews
29 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 22 cities Reviews in 22 cities
19 helpful votes 19 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed October 19, 2012 via mobile

This location is not as nice as the others in the area.. the wait staff is slow. The wings were ok i like the chili over pasta mix it 3 ways .. a combo of different styles of chili is very good. Try it sometime.

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See 5 more reviews by drjonesphd for Fairfax
Washington DC, District of Columbia
Senior Contributor
27 reviews 27 reviews
25 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed October 15, 2012 via mobile

You know that feeling you get after thanksgiving dinner. Like there are hard rocks in your stomach. Well. Thanks giving comes once a year unless you eat here. No matter how little you eat you walk out STUFFED. I know you won't listen. Once you pick this place your fare is sealed... Bigger pants or sweat pants. Oh well. Burpppppppp

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Fairfax, Virginia
Top Contributor
166 reviews 166 reviews
105 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 52 cities Reviews in 52 cities
53 helpful votes 53 helpful votes
2 of 5 stars Reviewed May 26, 2012

We visit this location about once a month and have been doing so for years. The chili is good and the restaurant is a good value. The service has fallen so dramatically that we'll be trying one of their other locations for a while. We dined there this week and were disappointed at every turn. We tried to order the... More

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See 10 more reviews by ace4444 for Fairfax
Annandale, Virginia
Senior Contributor
24 reviews 24 reviews
22 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed May 8, 2012

The chili caused diarrhea one time, but another time it was OK. It's a little cheap looking.

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See 19 more reviews by Amanda M for Fairfax

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