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Hard Times Cafe: Restaurant Reviews

4069 Chain Bridge Rd, Fairfax, VA 22030
703-267-9590
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Ranked #61 of 188 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
There are newer reviews for Hard Times Cafe
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Virginia
Senior Contributor
48 reviews 48 reviews
27 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 13 cities Reviews in 13 cities
13 helpful votes 13 helpful votes
“Tasty and cheap!”
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.

Visited October 2012
See 2 more reviews by Freebeer12 for Fairfax
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Fairfax, VA
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
“Best Chili on the planet”
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.

Visited November 2012
See 2 more reviews by tigercrest for Fairfax
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Fairfax, Virginia
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
6 restaurant reviews
“Great cheap family meal”
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.

Visited November 2012
See 5 more reviews by Runnergirl2013 for Fairfax
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Lynchburg, Virginia, United States
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
“Yummy!”
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 all great. Tater tots covered with your favorite chili flavor and cheddar cheese was awesome! It made me feel like a kid again. The cheddar-chili burger was great, and the homemade onion rings were perfect. My son had the BBQ burger with onions rings on it, and it was wonderful, too. We thoroughly enjoyed everything that we had. I'd go over and over if I could.

Visited October 2012
Ask Lynn M about Hard Times Cafe
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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
“Bar food and chili”
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.

    • 3 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Atmosphere
    • 3 of 5 stars Service
    • 3 of 5 stars Food
See 5 more reviews by drjonesphd for Fairfax
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

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