Hard Times Cafe Menu
Hard Times Cafe, located at 1404 King St, Alexandria, VA, is a delightful tribute to cowboy culture and chili. This unpretentious eatery excels at delivering comfort food with a focus on its renowned chili variations. Customers rave about the complimentary chili sampler, which helps to navigate the diverse menu featuring options like the Three Way Chili Mac and the beloved cornbread.
- Appetizers: Indulge in corndog nuggets or southern-style deep-fried pickles.
- Main Dishes: Their chili can be tailored in numerous ways, ensuring there's a perfect choice for every palate.
- Atmosphere: With casual outdoor seating and a juke box for entertainment, it's an excellent spot for groups and families.
Service is consistently praised, with friendly staff eager to enhance your dining experience. Whether for lunch or dinner, Hard Times Cafe offers a satisfying meal that resonates with warmth and flavor.
Appetizers
Corn Dog Nuggets
Nathan's all-beef mini corn dogs with mustard dipping sauce.
Loaded Fries
Chili and cheese or bacon and cheese.
Deep Fried Pickles
Southern-style deep-fried breaded pickles with dipping sauce.
Santa Fe Egg Rolls
Crispy tortillas wrapped around chicken, black beans and corn with melted Jack cheese. It's an egg roll by way of Santa Fe!
Chili Nachos
Your choice of one of our 4 chili flavors, melted cheese, onions, tomatoes, jalapenos and sour cream.
Onion Rings
Fresh-cut colossal onions hand-dipped in beer batter.
Mac and Cheese Wedges
Mac and cheese wedges served with a dipping sauce.
Chicken Tenders
Hand-dipped tenders with BBQ, ranch, honey mustard or served Texas hot-style.
Jalapeno Pepper Poppers
Deep fried red hot jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese.
1 lb. Grilled Wings Platter
Boneless Wings
Santa Fe Grilled Chicken Salad
Grilled chicken tossed in a garden salad with mexi-ranch dressing, sweet corn, tomatoes, cheddar and tortilla chips.
Buffalo Chicken Salad
Buffalo style chicken deep fried and diced up on a mixed salad with tomatoes, red onion, shredded cheddar and tortilla strips.
Grilled Chicken Breast Salad
Grilled chicken, chopped egg, bacon bits, diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar and tortilla strips on a garden salad.
Chili Salad
Choice of chili on a garden salad with diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar, sour cream and tortilla chips.It's Chili.......on a salad!!
Grilled Salmon Salad
Fresh salmon marinated, grilled to order and served over a fresh garden salad with tortilla strips.
Steak Tip Salad
Sirloin steak tips on a bed of greens tossed with balsamic vinaigrette, tomato wedges, bacon, bleu cheese crumbles and tortilla chips.
Fresh Salads
Burgers
Black and Bleu Burger
Half pound, hand made ground beef patty with crispy bacon and melted blue cheese chargrilled to perfection.Served with fresh-cut fries, shredded lettuce, tomato and pickles.
Whiskey River BBQ Bacon Burger
Bacon, cheese with thick, rich BBQ sauce and 2 onion rings. Fresh ground beef, hand-patted and chargrilled. Served with fresh-cut fries, shredded lettuce, tomato and pickles.
Chili Cheddar Burger
Topped with chili, shredded cheddar and onions. Fresh ground beef, hand-patted and chargrilled. Served with fresh-cut fries, shredded lettuce, tomato and pickles.You might need a fork and knife
Bacon Cheeseburger
Crisp bacon and choice of cheese. Fresh ground beef, hand-patted and chargrilled. Served with fresh-cut fries, shredded lettuce, tomato and pickles.
Chargrilled Burger
Fresh ground beef, hand-patted and chargrilled. Served with fresh-cut fries, shredded lettuce, tomato and pickles.
Veggie Burger
Your choice of cheese. Served with fresh-cut fries, shredded lettuce, tomato and pickles.
Chili over Spaghetti
Served with homemade cornbread.
3-way Chili Mac
Spaghetti, chili and cheese. Served with homemade cornbread.
4-way Chili Mac
Spaghetti, chili, cheese and onions. Served with homemade cornbread.
5-way Chili Mac
Spaghetti, chili, cheese, onions and beans. Served with homemade cornbread.
Chili by the Bowl
Your choice of chili with or without beans. Served with homemade cornbread.
Chili over White Rice
Served with homemade cornbread.
Chili Bubba
Cornbread topped with 2 of your favorite chilis, then smothered with cheddar, tomatoes, onions and sour cream.
Frito Chili Pie
We put the frito's in a bowl, you choose your chili and we load it with shredded cheddar, diced tomatoes and sour cream. Served with homemade cornbread.
Chili Tators
Tator tots smothered with your choice of chili, shredded cheddar and sour cream. Served with homemade cornbread.
Hard Times Traditional Chili
Sliders
Mini Elvis Cheeseburgers
3 mini burgers with cheese and a pickle. Served with a handful of fresh-cut fries.
Mini Cheeseburger
3 mini chili burgers with cheese and onions. Served with a handful of fresh-cut fries.
Hard times Chili Dog
1/4 lb. all-beef dog with your choice of chili, shredded cheddar and onions-knife and fork recommended. Served with fresh-cut fries and pickles.
Authentic Coney Dog
2 all beef dogs with just the right amount of Cincinnati chili, shredded cheddar and onions. Served with fresh-cut fries and pickles.
Chili Dogs
South to Baja
Soft Tacos
3 soft tacos with seasoned grilled chicken or grilled steak, cheese, tomato-corn salsa and jalapeno ranch dressing. Served with home-made potato chips. add grilled steak $3
Fish Tacos
3 soft tacos with fried tilapia, lettuce, cabbage, red onion and cilantro with jalapeno ranch dressing. Served with home-made potato chips.
Texas Tacos
3 soft tacos with hard times Texas chili, sour cream, lettuce, cheese, tomato-corn salsa and jalapeno ranch dressing. Served with home-made potato chips.
Grilled Chicken Quesadilla
Grilled chicken with melted cheese and pico de gallo folded in a toasted tortilla.
Chicken Alamo
Spaghetti mixed with a blend of Parmesan and ranch dressing topped with tomatoes and spicy strips of chicken.
Whiskey River BBQ Chicken Sandwich
Grilled chicken breast with crisp bacon, cheese, BBQ sauce and 2 onion rings. Served with a side of hard times fresh-cut fries.
Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich
Hand-battered chicken breast deep fried, served on a toasted bun topped with bacon and Jack cheese. Served with a side of hard times fresh-cut fries.
Bacon and Cheese Chicken Sandwich
Grilled chicken breast with crisp bacon and choice of cheese. Served with a side of hard times fresh-cut fries.
Sante Fe Wrap
Grilled chicken wrapped in a tortilla with lettuce, cheese, corn, tomatoes and mexi-ranch dressing. Served with a side of hard times fresh-cut fries.
Buffalo Chicken Wrap
Buffalo style strips of crispy chicken wrapped with tomatoes, lettuce, red onion and bleu cheese dressing. Served with a side of hard times fresh-cut fries.
Big Fish Sandwich
White cod hand-battered and deep-fried on a toasted bun with tomatoes, lettuce and pickles. Served with a side of hard times fresh-cut fries.
Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Grilled Chicken breast with a choice of cheese.
Great Sandwiches
Dinner Platters
N.Y. Strip dinner
12 oz. Choice cut NY Strip chargrilled over an open flame and seasoned with our Crazy Jane spices. Includes your choice of 2 sides.
Chicken Tender Dinner Platter
Hand-breaded chicken tenders served with your choice of sauce. Includes your choice of 2 sides.
Hard times BBQ Ribs Dinner Platter
St. Louis style pork ribs with a Texas rub with BBQ sauce. Includes your choice of 2 sides.
Grilled Bourbon Teriyaki Salmon Dinner Platter
Fresh Atlantic salmon marinated in a bourbon teriyaki sauce and chargrilled to order. Includes your choice of 2 sides.
Fish Dinner Platter
North Atlantic white cod hand-battered and deep-fried to a crispy finish. Includes your choice of 2 sides.
Tater Tots
Small barrel shaped diced potatoes. Lovingly deep fried and seasoned just so.
