Hard Times Cafe

3028 Wilson Blvd
Arlington, VA 22201

(703) 528-2233

Appetizers

  • Loaded Fries
    •  
    • $7.49
  • topped with chili and cheese or bacon and cheese.
  • Onion Rings
    •  
    • $5.99
  • fresh-cut colossal onions hand-dipped in beer batter.
  • Deep Fried Pickles
    •  
    • $5.99
  • southern-style pickle spears breaded and deep fried.
  • Chicken Tenders
    •  
    • $7.99
  • hand-dipped tenders with bbq, ranch, honey mustard or served texas hot-style.
  • Santa Fee Egg Rolls
    •  
    • $7.99
  • crispy tortillas wrpped around chicken, black beans and corn with melted jack cheese.
  • Jalapeno Pepper Poppers
    •  
    • $7.99
  • mild or hot.
  • Chili Nachos
    •  
    • $9.49
  • piled hig with chili, melted cheddar, onion, jalapenos, sour cream and diced tomatoes.
Grilled Wings

  • (50)
  • (36)
  • (25)
  • Grilled Wings
    •  
    • $39.99
    • $29.99
    • $22.99
    • $8.99
  • grilled for a unique flavor, hard times wings are legendary. original texas, chili lime, honey bbq, old bay or teriyaki.
Boneless Wings

  • (36)
  • (25)
  • (16)
  • (8)
  • Boneless Wings
    •  
    • $23.99
    • $17.99
    • $13.99
    • $7.29
  • lightly breaded chicken tossed in your favorite wing sauce: original texas, chili lime, honey bbq, or teriyaki.
Big Salads

  • Grilled Salmon Salad
    •  
    • $10.99
  • fresh salmon marinated & grilled to order over a garden salad with red peppers, diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar and tortilla strips.
  • Santa Fe Grilled Chicken Salad
    •  
    • $8.99
  • grilled chicken on a garden salad, tossed with homemade mexi-ranch dressing, fresh sweet corn, red peppers,diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar and tortilla strips.
  • Buffalo Chicken Salad
    •  
    • $8.99
  • buffalo style chicken deep fried and diced up on a mixed salad with red onion, red peppers and shredded cheddar.
  • Grilled Chicken Breast Salad
    •  
    • $8.99
  • grilled chicken, red peppers, chopped egg, bacon bits, diced tomatoes and shredded cheddar on a garden salad.
  • Chili Salad
    •  
    • $8.79
  • your choice of chili on a garden salad with red peppers, diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar and tortilla chips. topped with sour cream.
  • Char-Grilled Steak Salad
    •  
    • $10.99
  • sliced ny strip on a bed of greens tossed with balsamic vinaigrette, red peppers, tomato wedges, bacon and bleu cheese crumbles.
Great Sandwiches

  • Whiskey River BBQ Chicken Sandwich
    •  
    • $8.99
  • grilled chicken breast with applewood bacon, cheese, bbq sauce and two onion rings.
  • Applewood Chicken Sandwich
    •  
    • $8.99
  • grilled chicken breast with applewood bacon and choice of cheddar, jack, or american cheese.
  • Texas Grilled Chicken Sandwich
    •  
    • $8.79
  • grilled with texas wing spice served with blue cheese dressing.
  • Sante Fe Wrap
    •  
    • $7.99
  • grilled chicken wrappped in a tortilla with lettuce, cheese, red peppers, corn, tomatoes and mexi-ranch dressing.
  • Big Fish Sandwich
    •  
    • $7.99
  • white cod hand-battered and deep fried served on a toasted hoagie with lettuce, tomato and pickles.
  • Chicken Alamo
    •  
    • $9.49
  • spaghetti noodles mixed with a blend of parmesan and ranch dressing topped with tomatoes and spicy strips of grilled chicken.
Hard Times Traditional Chili

Our recipes are authentic and historically correct versions of the chili created on the turn-of-the-century cattle drives of the southwest and in the cincinnati chili parlors of the midwest.

  • Texas Chili
    •  
  • coarse ground beef cooked in its own juice, using an authentic turn of the century family spice blend and recipe.
  • Cincinnati Chili
    •  
  • introduced in 1922 by greek immigrants, it is a fine grind of beef with a tomato base and sweeter spices including cinnamon.
  • Terlingua Red
    •  
  • a tribute to the texas ghost town that hosted the first chili cook-off. a redder color and spicy kick of championship chilies.
  • Vegetarian Chili
    •  
  • soy flakes cooked in a tomato base with fresh mushrooms, onions, green peppers, jalapenos & peanuts.
Chili Mac

  • Chili Over Spaghetti
    •  
    • $7.49
  • 3–Way Chili Mac
    •  
    • $8.39
  • (spaghetti, Chili & cheese)
  • 4–Way Chili Mac
    •  
    • $8.69
  • (spaghetti, Chili, cheese & onions).
  • 5–Way Chili Mac
    •  
    • $8.89
  • (spaghetti, chili, cheese, onions & beans).
Chili By The Bowl

  • Chili By The Bowl
    •  
    • $6.89
  • your choice of chili with or without beans.
  • Toppings
    •  
  • all chili is served with homemade cornbread. cheddar or parmesan cheese $0.99, chopped onions.$0.39, hot dog $1.49,sour cream $0.99, chopped fresh jalapenos $0.99, diced tomatoes $0.39.
  • Chili Bubba
    •  
    • $8.99
  • two pieces of cornbread topped with two of your favorite chilis, then smothered with cheddar, tomatoes, onions, and sour cream.
  • Frito Chili Pie
    •  
    • $8.99
  • we put the frito's in a bowl, you choose your chili and we load it with shredded cheddar, diced tomatoes and sour cream.
  • Chili Tators
    •  
    • $8.99
  • tator tots smothered with your choice of chili, shredded cheddar and sour cream.
Burgers

Hard times burgers are fresh ground beef, hand-patted and char-grilled. served with our homemad fresh-cut fries, shredded lettuce, tomato and pickles. bold slice of red onion on request.

  • Black & Bleu Burger
    •  
    • $9.29
  • applewood bacon and melted crumbled bleu cheese.
  • Whiskey River BBQ Bacon Burger
    •  
    • $8.99
  • bacon, cheese, bbq sauce and two onion rings.
  • Applewood Bacon Cheeseburger
    •  
    • $8.99
  • with crisp bacon and choice of cheddar, jack or american cheese.
  • Chili Cheddarburger
    •  
    • $8.99
  • topped with chili, shredded cheddar and onions.
  • Chargrilled Burger
    •  
    • $7.99
  • add cheese (cheddar, jack, or american) $0.49.
  • Veggie-Burger
    •  
    • $7.79
  • choice of cheddar, jack, or american cheese. add veggie chili. $0.99.
Sliders

All sliders served with a handful of fresh-cut fries.

  • Mini Chili Cheddarburger
    •  
    • $8.49
  • 3 mini chili burgers with cheese & onions.
  • Mini Elvis Cheeseburgers
    •  
    • $7.99
  • 3 mini burgers with cheese & pickle.
  • Original Sliders
    •  
    • $7.99
  • 4 little square burgers with special onions.
Chili Dogs

World famous hard times chili dogs are served with a heaping portion of our fresh cut fries and pickles.

  • Hard Times Chili Dog
    •  
    • $7.29
  • 1/4 pound all-beef dog with your choice of chili, shredded cheddar and onions - knife & fork recommended.
  • Authentic Coney Dog
    •  
    • $7.29
  • two all beef dogs with just the right amount of cincinnati chili, shredded cheddar & onions.
  • Fried & Jim's Grilled Half Smoke
    •  
    • $7.29
  • dc's original half smoked covered with chili and cheese.
Suppertime Platters

  • (Full)
  • (Half)
  • Hard Times Southwest Ribs
    •  
    • $19.99
    • $13.99
  • st louis style pork ribs with a texas rub and are basted with a thick, rich bbq sauce.
  • New York Strip Steak
    •  
    • $14.99
  • 12 oz. choice cut ny strip char-grilled over an open flame and seasoned with our crazy jane's spices.
  • Chicken Tender Dinner
    •  
    • $10.49
  • hand-breaded chicken tenders served with your choice of sauce.
  • Grilled Salmon
    •  
    • $13.99
  • north atlantic salmon in a bourbon teriyaki marinade grilled to order.
  • Fish & Chips
    •  
    • $10.99
  • white cod hand-battered and deep fried.
  • Black & Bleu NY Strip
    •  
    • $16.99
  • 12 oz. ny strip char-grilled to order topped with two thick slices of applewood bacon and melted bleu cheese crumbles.
Beverages

Free refills on beverages listed above.

  • Coca-Cola Fountain Sodas
    •  
  • Hard Times Sweet Tea
    •  
  • Regular Iced Tea
    •  
  • Hard Times Root Beer
    •  
    • $2.79
    • $2.49
  • our signature root beer made with honey and without caffeine. 14 oz. draft, long neck bottle

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